And let all the people say, Amen.

Praise ye the Lord.

--_Psalms 105, 106_.

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HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary; And gathered them out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way; They found no city of habitation.

Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, And he delivered them out of their distresses.

He led them also by a straight way, That they might go to a city of habitation.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

For he satisfieth the longing soul, And the hungry soul he filleth with good.

Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of G.o.d, And contemned the counsel of the Most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; {131} They fell down, and there was none to help.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, And he saved them out of their distresses.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And brake their bands in sunder.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

For he hath broken the gates of bra.s.s, And cut the bars of iron in sunder.

Fools because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; And they draw near unto the gates of death.

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, And he saveth them out of their distresses.

He sendeth his word, and healeth them, And delivereth them from their destructions.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare his works with singing.

They that go down to the sea in ships, That do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, And his wonders in the deep.

For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, Which lifteth up the waves thereof.

They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: {132} Their soul melteth away because of trouble.

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits' end.

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, And he bringeth them out of their distresses.

He maketh the storm a calm, So that the waves thereof are still.

Then are they glad because they be quiet; So he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Let them exalt him also in the a.s.sembly of the people, And praise him in the seat of the elders.

He turneth rivers into a wilderness, And watersprings into a thirsty ground; A fruitful land into a salt desert, For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water, And a dry land into watersprings.

And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, That they may prepare a city of habitation; And sow fields, and plant vineyards, And get them fruits of increase.

He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; And he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

Again, they are diminished and bowed down Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

He poureth contempt upon princes, {133} And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way.

Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction, And maketh him families like a flock.

The upright shall see it, and be glad; And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

Whoso is wise shall give heed to these things, And they shall consider the mercies of the Lord.

--_Psalm 107_.

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HIS GLORY IS ABOVE THE HEAVENS

Praise ye the Lord.

Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and for evermore.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same The Lord's name is to be praised.

The Lord is high above all nations, And his glory above the heavens.

Who is like unto the Lord our G.o.d, Who hath his seat on high, Who humbleth himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, And lifteth up the needy from the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, Even with the princes of his people.

When Israel went forth out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language; Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

The sea saw it, and fled; {135} Jordan was driven back.

The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like young sheep.

What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleest?

Thou Jordan, that thou turnest back?

Ye mountains, that ye skip like rams; Ye little hills, like young sheep?

Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the G.o.d of Jacob; Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.

--_Psalms 113:1-8; 114_.

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IDOLS OF SILVER AND GOLD

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But unto thy name give glory, For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

Wherefore should the nations say, Where is now their G.o.d?

But our G.o.d is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he pleased.

Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands.

They have mouths, but they speak not; Eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not; They have hands, but they handle not; Feet have they, but they walk not; Neither speak they through their throat.

They that make them shall be like unto them; Yea, everyone that trusteth in them.

--_Psalm 115:1-8_.

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I WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

I love the Lord, because he hath heard My voice and my supplications.

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

The sorrows of death compa.s.sed me, And the pains of Sheol seized me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yea, our G.o.d is merciful.

The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he saved me.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, Mine eyes from tears, And my feet from falling.

I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living.