PSALM 83
Quam dilecta.
The soul aspireth after heaven; rejoicing in the mean time, in being in the communion of God’s church upon earth.
1 Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for the sons of Core.
2 How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of host!
3 My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.
4 For the sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
5 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord: they shall praise thee for ever and ever.
6 Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps,
7 In the vale of tears, in the place which be hath set.
8 For the lawgiver shall give a blessing, they shall go from virtue to virtue: the God of gods shall be seen in Sion.
9 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob.
10 Behold, O God our protector: and look on the face of thy Christ.
11 For better is one day in thy courts above thousands. I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners.
12 For God loveth mercy and truth: the Lord will give grace and glory.
13 He will not deprive of good things them that walk in innocence: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
PSALM 84
Benedixisti, Domine.
The coming of Christ, to bring peace and salvation to man.
1 Unto the end, for the sons of Core, a psalm.
2 Lord, thou hast blessed thy land: thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
3 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people: thou hast covered all their sins.
4 Thou hast mitigated all thy anger: thou best turned away from the wrath of thy indignation.
5 Convert us, O God our saviour: and turn off thy anger from us.
6 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever: or wilt thou extend thy wrath from generation to generation?
7 Thou wilt turn, O God, and bring us to life: and thy people shall rejoice in thee.
8 Shew us, O Lord, thy mercy; and grant us thy salvation.
9 I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me: for he will speak peace unto his people: And unto his saints: and unto them that are converted to the heart.
10 Surely his salvation is near to them that fear him: that glory may dwell in our land.
11 Mercy and truth have met each other: justice and peace have kissed.
12 Truth is sprung out of the earth: and justice hath looked down from heaven.
13 For the Lord will give goodness: and our earth shall yield her fruit.
14 Justice shall walk before him: and shall set his steps in the way.
PSALM 85
Inclina, Domine.
A prayer for God’s grace to assist us to the end.
1 A prayer for David himself.
INCLINE thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee.
3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to thee all the day.
4 Give joy to the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.
5 For thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer: and attend to the voice of my petition.
7 I have called upon thee in the day of my trouble: because thou hast heard me.
8 There is none among the gods like unto thee, O Lord: and there is none according to thy works.
9 All the nations thou hast made shall come and adore before thee, O Lord: and they shall glorify thy name.
10 For thou art great and dost wonderful things: thou art God alone.
11 Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God: with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever:
13 For thy mercy is great towards me: and thou hast delivered my soul out of the lower hell.
14 O God, the wicked are risen up against me, and the assembly of the mighty have sought my soul: and they have not set thee before their eyes.
15 And thou, O Lord, art a God of compassion, and merciful, patient, and of much mercy, and true.
16 O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give thy command to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.
17 Shew me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded, because thou, O Lord, hast helped me and hast comforted me.