14 The unG.o.dly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow: to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as are of a right conversation.

15 Their sword shall go through their own heart: and their bow shall be broken.

16 A small thing that the righteous hath: is better than great riches of the unG.o.dly.

17 For the arms of the unG.o.dly shall be broken: and the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

18 The Lord knoweth the days of the G.o.dly: and their inheritance shall endure for ever.

19 They shall not be confounded in the perilous time: and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.

20 As for the unG.o.dly; they shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord shall consume as the fat of lambs: yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.

21 The unG.o.dly borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous is merciful and liberal.

22 Such as are blessed of G.o.d shall possess the land: and they that are cursed of him shall be rooted out.

23 The Lord ordereth a good man's going: and maketh his way acceptable to himself.

24 Though he fall, he shall not be cast away: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old: and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.

26 The righteous is ever merciful, and lendeth: and his seed is blessed.

27 Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good: and dwell for evermore.

28 For the Lord loveth the thing that is right: he forsaketh not his that be G.o.dly, but they are preserved for ever.

29 The unrighteous shall be punished: as for the seed of the unG.o.dly, it shall be rooted out.

30 The righteous shall inherit the land: and dwell therein for ever.

31 The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom: and his tongue will be talking of judgement.

32 The law of his G.o.d is in his heart: and his goings shall not slide.

33 The unG.o.dly seeth the righteous: and seeketh occasion to slay him.

34 The Lord will not leave him in his hand: nor condemn him when he is judged.

35 Hope thou in the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall promote thee, that thou shalt possess the land: when the unG.o.dly shall perish, thou shalt see it.

36 I myself have seen the unG.o.dly in great power: and flourishing like a green bay-tree.

37 I went by, and lo, he was gone: I sought him, but his place could no where be found.

38 Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right: for that shall bring a man peace at the last.

39 As for the transgressors, they shall perish together: and the end of the unG.o.dly is, they shall be rooted out at the last.

40 But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord: who is also their strength in the time of trouble.

41 And the Lord shall stand by them, and save them: he shall deliver them from the unG.o.dly, and shall save them, because they put their trust in him.

DAY 8 MORNING PRAYER

PSALM 38. _Domine, ne in furore_.

Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger: neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.

2 For thine arrows stick fast in me: and thy hand presseth me sore.

3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure: neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.

4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head: and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.

5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt: through my foolishness.

6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery: that I go mourning all the day long.

7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease: and there is no whole part in my body.

8 I am feeble, and sore smitten: I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.

9 Lord, thou knowest all my desire: and my groaning is not hid from thee.

10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me: and the light of mine eyes is gone from me.

11 My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble: and my kinsmen stood afar off.

12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me: and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long.

13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not: and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.

14 I became even as a man that heareth not: and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust: thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my G.o.d.

161 have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me: for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me.

17 And I, truly, am set in the plague: and my heaviness is ever in my sight.

18 For I will confess my wickedness: and be sorry for my sin.

19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty: and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.

20 They also that reward evil for good are against me: because I follow the thing that good is.