Psalm 48

Refrain: We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God.

1  Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, ♦
   in the city of our God.

2  His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, ♦
   the joy of all the earth.

3  On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, ♦
   stands the city of the great king.

4  In her palaces God has shown himself ♦
   to be a sure refuge.

5  For behold, the kings of the earth assembled ♦
   and swept forward together.

6  They saw, and were dumbfounded; ♦
   dismayed, they fled in terror.

7  Trembling seized them there;
      they writhed like a woman in labour, ♦
   as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.

8  As we had heard, so have we seen
      in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God: ♦
   God has established her for ever.

9  We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, ♦
   in the midst of your temple.

10  As with your name, O God,
      so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; ♦
   your right hand is full of justice.

11  Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad, ♦
   because of your judgements, O Lord.

12  Walk about Zion and go round about her;
      count all her towers; ♦
   consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels,

13  That you may tell those who come after
      that such is our God for ever and ever. ♦
   It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.

Refrain: We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God.

Father of lights,
raise us with Christ to your eternal city,
that, with kings and nations,
we may wait in the midst of your temple
and see your glory for ever and ever.

Psalm 45

1  My heart is astir with gracious words; ♦
   as I make my song for the king,
      my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

2  You are the fairest of men; ♦
   full of grace are your lips,
      for God has blest you for ever.

3  Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one; ♦
   gird on your majesty and glory.

4  Ride on and prosper in the cause of truth ♦
   and for the sake of humility and righteousness.

5  Your right hand will teach you terrible things; ♦
   your arrows will be sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies,
      so that peoples fall beneath you.

6  Your throne is God’s throne, for ever; ♦
   the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness.

7  You love righteousness and hate iniquity; ♦
   therefore God, your God, has anointed you
      with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

8  All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia; ♦
   from ivory palaces the music of strings makes you glad.

9  Kings’ daughters are among your honourable women; ♦
   at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

10  Hear, O daughter; consider and incline your ear; ♦
   forget your own people and your father’s house.

11  So shall the king have pleasure in your beauty; ♦
   he is your lord, so do him honour.

12  The people of Tyre shall bring you gifts; ♦
   the richest of the people shall seek your favour.

13  The king’s daughter is all glorious within; ♦
   her clothing is embroidered cloth of gold.

14  She shall be brought to the king in raiment of needlework; ♦
   after her the virgins that are her companions.

15  With joy and gladness shall they be brought ♦
   and enter into the palace of the king.

16  ‘Instead of your fathers you shall have sons, ♦
   whom you shall make princes over all the land.

17  ‘I will make your name to be remembered through all generations; ♦
   therefore shall the peoples praise you for ever and ever.’