1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! ♦
My soul has a desire and longing to enter the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
2 The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young: ♦
at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
3 Blessed are they who dwell in your house: ♦
they will always be praising you.
4 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, ♦
in whose heart are the highways to Zion,
5 Who going through the barren valley find there a spring, ♦
and the early rains will clothe it with blessing.
6 They will go from strength to strength ♦
and appear before God in Zion.
7 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; ♦
listen, O God of Jacob.
8 Behold our defender, O God, ♦
and look upon the face of your anointed.
9 For one day in your courts ♦
is better than a thousand.
10 I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God ♦
than dwell in the tents of ungodliness.
11 For the Lord God is both sun and shield;
he will give grace and glory; ♦
no good thing shall the Lord withhold
from those who walk with integrity.
12 O Lord God of hosts, ♦
blessed are those who put their trust in you.
Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000 and published by Church House Publishing.
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