Day 14 Evening Prayer
Psalm 73
Quam bonus Israel!
- TRULY God is loving unto Israel: even unto such as are of a clean heart.
- Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone: my treadings had well-nigh slipt.
- And why? I was grieved at the wicked: I do also see the ungodly in such prosperity.
- For they are in no peril of death: but are lusty and strong.
- They come in no misfortune like other folk: neither are they plagued like other men.
- And this is the cause that they are so holden with pride: and overwhelmed with cruelty.
- Their eyes swell with fatness: and they do even what they lust.
- They corrupt other, and speak of wicked blasphemy: their talking is against the most High.
- For they stretch forth their mouth unto the heaven: and their tongue goeth through the world.
- Therefore fall the people unto them: and thereout suck they no small advantage.
- Tush, say they, how should God perceive it: is there knowledge in the most High?
- Lo, these are the ungodly, these prosper in the world, and these have riches in possession: and I said, Then have I cleansed my heart in vain, and washed mine hands in innocency.
- All the day long have I been punished: and chastened every morning.
- Yea, and I had almost said even as they: but lo, then I should have condemned the generation of thy children.
- Then thought I to understand this: but it was too hard for me,
- Until I went into the sanctuary of God: then understood I the end of these men;
- Namely, how thou dost set them in slippery places: and castest them down, and destroyest them.
- O how suddenly do they consume: perish, and come to a fearful end!
- Yea, even like as a dream when one awaketh: so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city.
- Thus my heart was grieved: and it went even through my reins.
- So foolish was I, and ignorant: even as it were a beast before thee.
- Nevertheless, I am alway by thee: for thou hast holden me by my right hand.
- Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel: and after that receive me with glory.
- Whom have I in heaven but thee: and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee.
- My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
- For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee.
- But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put my trust in the Lord God: and to speak of all thy works in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
Psalm 74
Ut quid, Deus?
- O GOD, wherefore art thou absent from us so long: why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?
- O think upon thy congregation: whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old.
- Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance: and mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
- Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy: which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.
- Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations: and set up their banners for tokens.
- He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees: was known to bring it to an excellent work.
- But now they break down all the carved work thereof: with axes and hammers.
- They have set fire upon thy holy places: and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name, even unto the ground.
- Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havock of them altogether: thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.
- We see not our tokens, there is not one prophet more: no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.
- O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour: how long shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name, for ever?
- Why withdrawest thou thy hand: why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom to consume the enemy?
- For God is my King of old: the help that is done upon earth he doeth it himself.
- Thou didst divide the sea through thy power: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
- Thou smotest the heads of Leviathan in pieces: and gavest him to be meat for the people in the wilderness.
- Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks: thou driedst up mighty waters.
- The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
- Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
- Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy hath rebuked: and how the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
- O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies: and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever.
- Look upon the covenant: for all the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations.
- O let not the simple go away ashamed: but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy Name.
- Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause: remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
- Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more.