All the judgments of thy mouth.
Remove from me the way of lying:
And grant me thy law graciously.
1 have chosen the way of truth:
Thy judgments have I laid before me.
I have stuck unto thy testimonies:
Lord, put me not to shame.
1 will run the way of thy commandments,
When thou shalt enlarge my heart.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes;
And I shall keep it unto the end.
Give me understanding,
And I shall keep thy law;
Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me to go in the path of thy commandments;
For therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity;
And quicken thou me in thy way.
Psalm 119: 1-13, 29-37.
Faith, Rest, Peace. 1 1 7
cm.
Faith, Rest, Peace.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
So shalt thou dwell in the land,
And verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the Lord;
And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord;
Trust also in him;
And he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the
light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:
Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in
his way,
Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to
pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:
Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
For evil doers shall be cut off:
But those that wait upon the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall notfo:
Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it
shall not be.
But the meek shall inherit the earth;
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of
Peace. Psalm 37: 3 -
1 8 Readings from the Bible.
civ.
From The Farewell of Moses.
For this commandment which I command thee
this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it
far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldst say,
Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto
us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it
beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, Who shall
go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we
may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh
unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou
mayest do it.
See, I have set before thee this day life and
good, and death and evil; in that I command thee
this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his
ways, and to keep his commandments, and his
statutes, and his judgments, that thou mayest live
and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless
thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt
not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship
other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you
this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye
shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither
thou passeth over Jordan to go to possess it.
I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, bless-
ing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both
thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love
the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his
Honorable Conduct. 1 19
voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he
is thy life, and the length of thy days.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor
be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is
that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor
forsake thee. Deut . 3o: ,1-20, 31= 6.
CV.
Honorable Conduct Required Under all Cir-
cumstances.
Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour
your Lord doth come.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house
had known in what watch the thief would come, he
would have watched, and would not have suffered
his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also
ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son
of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom
his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give
them meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he
cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you,
That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart,
my lord delayeth his coming: and shall begin to
smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with
the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in
120 Readings from the Bible.
a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour
that he is not aware of. And shall cut him asunder,
and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt. 24:42-51.
CVI.
"The Lord's Portion is His People"
Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak ;
And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain,
My speech shall distil as the dew,
As the small rain upon the tender herb,
And as the showers upon the grass :
Because I will publish the name of the Lord :
Ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect :
For all his ways are judgment :
A God of truth and without iniquity,
Just and right is he.
They have corrupted themselves,
Their spot is not the spot of his children :
They are a perverse and crooked generation.
Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and
unwise ?
Is not he thy father that hath bought thee ?
Hath he not made thee, and established thee ?
Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of many generations ?
Ask thy father, and he will shew thee ;
Thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Glorious in Holiness. 1 2 1
When the Most High divided to the nations their
inheritance,
When he separated the sons of Adam,
He set the bounds of the people according to the
number of the children of Israel.
For the Lord's portion is his people :
Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
He found him in a desert land,
And in the waste howling wilderness ;
He led him about,
He instructed him,
He kept him as the apple of his eye.
As an eagle stirreth up her nest,
Fluttereth over her young,
Spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them,
Beareth them on her wings :
So the Lord alone did lead him,
And there was no strange god with him.
Deut. 32: 1-12.
CVII.
Glorious in Holiness.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which
was, and is, and is to come. Rev. 4 :8.
Let your light so shine before men, that they
may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Matt> 5:l6
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and
he will dwell with them, and they shall be his peo-
1 2 2 Readings from the Bible.
pie, and God himself shall be with them, and be
their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither
sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev. 21:3, 4.
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power,
and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty:
for all that is in the heaven and the earth is thine \
thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted
as head above all. , Chron . 29:II
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the
whole earth is full of his glory. Isaia h 6:3.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?
who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in
praises, doing wonders? EX. 15:11.
CVIII.
Righteous Laws.
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his
father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your
God.
Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves
molten gods: I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither
lie one to another.
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely,
Peace and Blessing for the Upright. 1 2 3
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I
am the Lord.
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither
rob him, the wages of him that is hired shall not
abide with thee all night until the morning.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumb-
ling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God:
I am the Lord.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment;
thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor
honour the person of the mighty: but in righteous-
ness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer
among thy people.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart;
thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not
suffer sin upon him.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge
against the children of thy people, but thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
Lev. 19: 3-4, 11-18.
CIX.
Peace and Blessing for the Upright.
Praise ye the Lord.
Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord,
That delighteth greatly in his commandments.
His seed shall be mighty upon earth:
The generation of the upright shall be blessed.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house:
And his righteousness endureth for ever.
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:
1 24 Readings from the Bible.
He is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous.
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth:
He will guide his affairs with discretion.
Surely he shall not be moved for ever:
The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:
His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112 : 1-7.
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh up-
rightly: he that despiseth the gain of oppressions,
that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that
stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shut-
teth his eyes from seeing evil: he shall dwell on high;
his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks,
bread shall be given him; and his waters shall be sure:
Isaiah 33: 15-16.
ex.
The God of Nature.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, thou art very great;
Thou art clothed with honour and majesty:
Who coverest thyself "with light as with a garment:
Who stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain:
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters:
Who maketh the clouds his chariot:
Who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
Who maketh his angels spirits;
His ministers a flaming fire:
Who laid the foundations of the earth,
That it should not be removed for ever.
The God of Natiire. 1 2 5
Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment:
The waters stood above the mountains.
At thy rebuke they fled;
At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
They go up by the mountains ;
They go down by the valleys
Unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over;
That they turn not again to cover the earth.
He sendeth the springs into the valleys,
Which run among the hills.
They give drink to every beast of the field :
The wild asses quench their thirst.
By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their
, habitation,
Which sing among the branches.
He watereth the hills from his chambers :
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
And herb for the service of man :
That he may bring forth food out of the earth ;
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man,
And oil to make his face to shine,
And bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap:
The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted ;
Where the birds make their nests :
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats ;
And the rocks for the conies.
He appointed the moon for seasons :
The sun knoweth his going down.
Thou makest darkness, and it is night :
i26 Readings from the Bible.
Wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
The young lions roar after their prey,
And seek their meat from God.
The sun ariseth,
They gather themselves together,
And lay them down in their dens.
Man goeth forth unto 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 this great and wide sea,
Wherein are things creeping innumerable,
Both small and great beasts.
There go the ships :
There is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play
therein.
These wait all upon thee ;
That thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
That thou givest them they gather :
Thou openest thine hand,
They are filled with good.
Thou hidest thy face,
They are troubled :
Thou takest away their breath,
They die, and return to their dust.
Thou sendest forth thy spirit,
They are created :
And thou renewest the face of the earth.
The glory of the Lord shall endure forever :
The Lord shall rejoice in his works.
He looketh on the earth,
And it trembleth :
Rules of Conduct. 1 2 7
He toucheth the hills,
And they smoke.
I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live :
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
My meditation of him shall be sweet ;
I will be glad in the Lord.
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless thou the Lord, O my soul.
Praise ye the Lord. Psa i m 104<
CXI.
Rules of Conduct.
He that giveth, let hint do it with simplicity; he
that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy,
with cheerfulness.
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that
which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with broth-
erly love; in honour preferring one another;
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serv-
ing the Lord;
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continu-
ing instant in prayer;
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to
hospitality.
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse
not.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with
them that weep.
Be of the same mind one towards another. Mind
128 Readings from the Bible.
not high things, but condescend to men of low
estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide
things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live
peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather
give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance
is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he
thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt
heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
Romans 12: 8-21.
CXII.
A Final Resort in Trouble.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice ;
With my voice unto the Lord did I make my suppli-
cation.
I poured out my complaint before him ;
I shewed before him my trouble.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
Then thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid
a snare for me.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld,
But there was no man that would know me :
Refuge failed me ;
No man cared for my soul.
I cried unto thee, O Lord :
Proverbs. 129
I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the
land of the living.
Attend unto my cry ;
For I am brought very low :
Deliver me from my persecutors ;
For they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise thy name :
The righteous shall compass me about ;
For thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
Psalm 142 : 1-7.
CXIII.
Proverbs.
In all labor there is profit :
But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
The crown of the wise is their riches :
But the foolishness of fools is folly.
A true witness delivereth souls :
But a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence :
And his children shall have a place of refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To depart from the snares of death.
In the multitude of people is the king's honour :
But in the want of people is the destruction of the
prince.
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding :
But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
A sound heart is the life of the flesh :
But envy the rottenness of the bones.
130 Readings from the Bible.
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker:
But he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness :
But the righteous hath hope in his death.
Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath under-
standing :
But that which is in the midst of fools is made
known.
Righteousness exalteth a nation :
But sin is a reproach to any people.
Prov. 14:23-34.
CXIV.
Yearnings for the Place of Worship.
How amiable are thy tabernacles,
O Lord of hosts !
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of
the Lord :
My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Yea, the sparrow hath found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may
lay her young,
Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and
my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house :
They will be still praising thee.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee :
In whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a
well;
The rain also filleth the pools.
The Glory that shall be Hereafter. 1 3 1
They go from strength to strength,
Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer :
Give ear, O God of Jacob.
Behold, O God our shield,
And look upon the face of thine anointed.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.
1 had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,
Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield :
The Lord will give grace and glory :
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk
uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
Psalm 84.
cxv.
The Glory that shall be Hereafter.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be
glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and
blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice even with joy and singing : the glory of
Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of
Carmel and Sharon ; they shall see the glory of the
Lord, and the excellency of our God.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the
feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful
heart, Be strong, fear not : behold, your God will
come with vengeance, even God with a recompense ;
he will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and
132 Readings from the Bible.
the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall
the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the
dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break
out, and streams in the desert. And the parched
ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land
springs of water : in the habitation of dragons,
where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it
shall be called The way of holiness ; the unclean
shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : the
wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast
shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there ; but
the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of
the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing
shall flee away.
CXVI.
The City of God.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory
of the Lord is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall
arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will
bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron:
I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exact-
ors righteousness.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land,
Works of Repentance. 1 3 3
wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou
shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
The sun shall be no more thy light by day;
neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto
thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting
light; and thy God thy glory.
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall
thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be
thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourn-
ing shall be ended.
Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall
inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting,
the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small
one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his
time. Isaiah 60: 1-2, 17-22..
CXVII.
Works of Repentance.
And the people asked him, saying, What shall
we do then ?
He answereth and saith unto them, He that
hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath
none ; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
Then came also publicans ....
And he said unto them, Exact no more than
that which is appointed you.
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him,
saying, And what shall we do ? And he said unto
them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any
falsely ; and be content with your wages.
Luke 8: 10-14.
i34 Readings from the Bible.
CXVIII.
The Open Message.
The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples,
and of his doctrine.
Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world;
I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple,
whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I
said nothing. John 18:19-20
For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens;
God himself that formed the earth and made it;
he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he
formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there
is none else.
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of
the earth. Isaiah 4 $: 18-19.
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not
spoken in secret from the beginning.
Thus saith the Lord, .thy Redeemer, the Holy
One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teach-
eth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that
thou shouldest go.
O that thou hadst hearkened to my command-
ments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of the sea.
Isaiah 48: 16-18.
CXIX.
Leviathan.
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook?
Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Canst thou put a hook into his nose?
Leviathan. 135
Or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
Will he make many supplications unto thee?
Will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he make a covenant with thee?
Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?
Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him?
Shall they part him among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons?
Or his head with fish spears?
Lay thine hand upon him,
Remember the battle, do no more.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain:
Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
None is so fierce that dare stir him up:
Who then is able to stand before me?
Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him?
Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
I will not conceal his parts,
Nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
Who can discover the face of his garment?
Or who can come to him with his double bridle?
Who can open the doors of his face?
His teeth are terrible round about.
His scales are his pride,
Shut up together as with a close seal.
One is so near to another,
That no air can come between them.
They are joined one to another,
They stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
By his neesings a light doth shine,
And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
1 36 Readings from the Bible.
Out of his mouth go burning lamps,
And sparks of fire leap out.
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke,
As out of a seething pot or caldron.
His breath kindleth coals,
And a flame goeth out of his mouth.
In his neck remaineth strength,
And sorrow is turned into joy before him.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together:
They are firm in themselves;
They cannot be moved.
His heart is as firm as a stone;
Yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid;
By reason of breakings they purify themselves.
The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold:
The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
He esteemeth iron as straw,
And brass as rotten wood.
The arrow cannot make him flee:
Sling stones are turned with him into stubble.
Darts are counted as stubble:
He laugheth at the shaking of a spear.