11th August 2025 Morning Prayer

The Psalter

Psalm 104

Benedic, anima mea

PRAISE the LORD, O my soul: * O LORD my God, thou art become exceeding glorious; thou art clothed with majesty and honour.

Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment, * and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain.

Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, * and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.

He maketh his angels winds, * and his ministers a flaming fire.

He laid the foundations of the earth, * that it never should move at any time.

Thou coveredst it with the deep like as with a garment; * the waters stand above the hills.

At thy rebuke they flee; * at the voice of thy thunder they haste away.

They go up as high as the hills, and down to the valleys beneath; * even unto the place which thou hast appointed for them.

Thou hast set them their bounds, which they shall not pass, * neither turn again to cover the earth.

He sendeth the springs into the rivers, * which run among the hills.

All beasts of the field drink thereof, * and the wild asses quench their thirst.

Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation, * and sing among the branches.

He watereth the hills from above; * the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.

He bringeth forth grass for the cattle, * and green herb for the service of men;

That he may bring food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man; * and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart.

The trees of the LORD also are full of sap; * even the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted;

Wherein the birds make their nests; * and the firtrees are a dwelling for the stork.

The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; * and so are the stony rocks for the conies.

He appointed the moon for certain seasons, * and the sun knoweth his going down.

Thou makest darkness that it may be night; * wherein all the beasts of the forest do move.

The lions, roaring after their prey, * do seek their meat from God.

The sun ariseth, and they get them away together, * and lay them down in their dens.

Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour, * until the evening.

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! * in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.

So is the great and wide sea also; * wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

There go the ships, and there is that leviathan, * whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein.

These wait all upon thee, * that thou mayest give them meat in due season.

When thou givest it them, they gather it; * and when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good.

When thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: * when thou takest away their breath, they die, and are turned again to their dust.

When thou lettest thy breath go forth, they shall be made; * and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

The glorious majesty of the LORD shall endure for ever; * the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

The earth shall tremble at the look of him; * if he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke.

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live; * I will praise my God while I have my being.

And so shall my words please him: * my joy shall be in the LORD.

As for sinners, they shall be consumed out of the earth, * and the ungodly shall come to an end.

Praise thou the LORD, O my soul. * Praise the LORD.

The First Lesson

1Sam16

16 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

The Second Lesson

Luke15:1-10

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.