29th March 2025 Morning Prayer

The Psalter

Psalm 89

Misericordias Domini

MY song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the LORD; * with my mouth will I ever be showing thy truth from one generation to another.

For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever; * thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.

I have made a covenant with my chosen; * I have sworn unto David my servant:

Thy seed will I stablish for ever, * and set up thy throne from one generation to another.

O LORD, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works; * and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.

For who is he among the clouds, * that shall be compared unto the LORD?

And what is he among the gods, * that shall be like unto the LORD?

God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints, * and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.

O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee? * thy truth, most mighty LORD, is on every side.

Thou rulest the raging of the sea; * thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.

Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it; * thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.

The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine; * thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.

Thou hast made the north and the south; * Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.

Thou hast a mighty arm; * strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat; * mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

Blessed is the people, O LORD, that can rejoice in thee; * they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.

Their delight shall be daily in thy Name; * and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.

For thou art the glory of their strength, * and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.

For the LORD is our defence; * the Holy One of Israel is our King.

The First Lesson

Gen43:1-5

43 And the famine was sore in the land.

And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.

And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.

The Second Lesson

1Cor12:1-11

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

The Third Sunday in Lent

We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.