The Psalms of David
Day 2. Evening Prayer
Psalm 12.
Salvum me fac
Help me, Lord, for
there is not one godly man left : for the faithful are minished
from among the children of men.
2 They talk
of vanity every one with his neighbour : they do but flatter with
their lips, and dissemble in their double heart.
3 The Lord
shall root out all deceitful lips : and the tongue that speaketh
proud things;
4 Which have
said, With our tongue will we prevail : we are they that ought to
speak, who is lord over us?
5 Now for the
comfortless trouble's sake of the needy : and because of the deep
sighing of the poor,
6 I will up,
saith the Lord : and will help every one from him that swelleth
against him, and will set him at rest.
7 The words
of the Lord are pure words : even as the silver, which from the
earth is tried, and purified seven times in the fire.
8 Thou shalt
keep them, O Lord : thou shalt preserve him from this generation
for ever.
9 The ungodly
walk on every side : when they are exalted, the children of men are
put to rebuke.
Psalm 13.
Usque quo, Domine?
How long wilt thou
forget me, O Lord, for ever : how long wilt thou hide thy face from
me?
2 How long
shall I seek counsel in my soul, and
be so vexed in my heart : how long shall mine enemies triumph over
me?
3 Consider,
and hear me, O Lord my God : lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in
death.
4 Lest mine
enemy say, I have prevailed against him : for if I be cast down,
they that trouble me will rejoice at it.
5 But my
trust is in thy mercy : and my heart is joyful in thy
salvation.
6 I will sing
of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me : yea, I
will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest.
Psalm 14.
Dixit insipiens
The fool hath said
in his heart : There is no God.
2 They are
corrupt, and become abominable in their doings : there is none that
doeth good, no not one.
3 The Lord
looked down from heaven upon the children of men : to see if there
were any that would understand, and seek after God.
4 But they
are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable
: there is none that doeth good, no not one.
5 Their
throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues have they deceived
: the poison of asps is under their lips.
6 Their mouth
is full of cursing and bitterness : their feet are swift to shed
blood.
7 Destruction
and unhappiness is in their ways, and the way of peace have they
not known : there is no fear of God before their eyes.
8 Have they
no knowledge, that they are all such workers of mischief : eating
up my people as it were bread, and call not upon the Lord?
9 There were
they brought in great fear, even where no fear was : for God is in
the generation of the righteous.
10 As for
you, ye have made a mock at the counsel of the poor : because he
putteth his trust in the Lord.
11 Who shall
give salvation unto Israel out of Sion? When the Lord turneth the
captivity of his people : then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel
shall be glad.
Text from The Book of Common Prayer, the
rights in which are vested in the Crown,
is reproduced by permission of the Crown's Patentee, Cambridge
University Press.