I WILL alway give thanks unto the LORD; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD; * the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O praise the LORD with me, * and let us magnify his Name together.
I sought the LORD, and he heard me; * yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.
They had an eye unto him, and were lightened; * and their faces were not ashamed.
Lo, the poor crieth, and the LORD heareth him; * yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD tarrieth round about them that fear him; * and delivereth them.
O taste, and see, how gracious the LORD is: * blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the LORD, ye that are his saints; * for they that fear him lack nothing.
The lions do lack, and suffer hunger; * but they who seek the LORD shall want no manner of thing that is good.
Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; * I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is he that lusteth to live, * and would fain see good days?
Keep thy tongue from evil, * and thy lips, that they speak no guile.
Eschew evil, and do good; * seek peace, and ensue it.
The eyes of the LORD are over the righteous, * and his ears are open unto their prayers.
The countenance of the LORD is against them that do evil, * to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth them, * and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, * and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
Great are the troubles of the righteous; * but the LORD delivereth him out of all.
He keepeth all his bones, * so that not one of them is broken.
But misfortune shall slay the ungodly; * and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The LORD delivereth the souls of his servants; * and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch; Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest. Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

GRANT, O merciful God, that, as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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