Today's Readings - Common Prayer

The Psalter

Psalm 104

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PRAISE the LORD, O my soul:  O LORD my God, thou art become exceeding glorious; thou art clothed with majesty and honour.
Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment, and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain.
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters,  and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He maketh his angels winds,  and his ministers a flaming fire.
He laid the foundations of the earth,  that it never should move at any time.
Thou coveredst it with the deep like as with a garment;  the waters stand above the hills.
At thy rebuke they flee;  at the voice of thy thunder they haste away.
They go up as high as the hills, and down to the valleys beneath;  even unto the place which thou hast appointed for them.
Thou hast set them their bounds, which they shall not pass,  neither turn again to cover the earth.
He sendeth the springs into the rivers,  which run among the hills.
All beasts of the field drink thereof,  and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation, * and sing among the branches.
He watereth the hills from above;  the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.
He bringeth forth grass for the cattle,  and green herb for the service of men;
That he may bring food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man; * and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart.
The trees of the LORD also are full of sap;  even the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted;
Wherein the birds make their nests;  and the firtrees are a dwelling for the stork.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats;  and so are the stony rocks for the conies.
He appointed the moon for certain seasons,  and the sun knoweth his going down.
Thou makest darkness that it may be night;  wherein all the beasts of the forest do move.
The lions, roaring after their prey,  do seek their meat from God.
The sun ariseth, and they get them away together,  and lay them down in their dens.
Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour,  until the evening.
O LORD, how manifold are thy works!  in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
So is the great and wide sea also;  wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
There go the ships, and there is that leviathan,  whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein.
These wait all upon thee,  that thou mayest give them meat in due season.
When thou givest it them, they gather it;  and when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good.
When thou hidest thy face, they are troubled:  when thou takest away their breath, they die, and are turned again to their dust.
When thou lettest thy breath go forth, they shall be made;  and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
The glorious majesty of the LORD shall endure for ever;  the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
The earth shall tremble at the look of him;  if he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke.
I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live;  I will praise my God while I have my being.
And so shall my words please him:  my joy shall be in the LORD.
As for sinners, they shall be consumed out of the earth,  and the ungodly shall come to an end.
Praise thou the LORD, O my soul.  Praise the LORD.

The First Lesson

Deuteronomy 8:1-11, 17-20

All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.

The Second Lesson

St. Matthew 6:5-15

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.