17th August 2025 Evening Prayer

The Psalter

WHEREWITHAL shall a young man cleanse his way? * even by ruling himself after thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee; * O let me not go wrong out of thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid within my heart, * that I should not sin against thee.

Blessed art Thou, O LORD; * O teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I been telling * of all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, * as in all manner of riches.

I will talk of thy commandments, * and have respect unto thy ways.

My delight shall be in thy statutes, * and I will not forget thy word.

O DO well unto thy servant; * that I may live, and keep thy word.

Open thou mine eyes; * that I may see the wondrous things of thy law.

I am a stranger upon earth; * O hide not thy commandments from me.

My soul breaketh out for the very fervent desire * that it hath alway unto thy judgments.

Thou hast rebuked the proud; * and cursed are they that do err from thy commandments.

O turn from me shame and rebuke; * for I have kept thy testimonies.

Princes also did sit and speak against me; * but thy servant is occupied in thy statutes.

For thy testimonies are my delight, * and my counsellors.

The First Lesson

Prov4:1-4

4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

The Second Lesson

Heb12:1-13

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.