Psalm 8
O Lord our Governor
: how glorious is your name in all the earth!
Your majesty above the heavens is yet recounted
: by the mouths of babes and sucklings.
You have founded a strong defence against your adversaries
: to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers
: the moon and the stars which you have set in order,
What is man, that you should be mindful of him
: or the son of man, that you should care for him?
Yet you have made him little less than a god
: and have crowned him with glory and honour.
You have made him the master of your handiwork
: and have put all things in subjection beneath his feet,
All sheep and oxen
: and all the creatures of the field,
The birds of the air and the fish of the sea
: and everything that moves in the pathways of the great waters.
O Lord our Governor
: how glorious is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul
: O Lord my God, how great you are!
Clothed with majesty and honour
: wrapped in light as in a garment.
You have stretched out the heavens like a tent-cloth
: and laid the beams of your dwelling upon their waters;
You make the clouds your chariot
: and ride upon the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers
: and flames of fire your ministers;
You have set the earth on its foundations
: so that it shall never be moved.
The deep covered it as with a mantle
: the waters stood above the hills.
At your rebuke they fled
: at the voice of your thunder they hurried away;
They went up to the mountains, they went down by the valleys
: to the place which you had appointed for them.
You fixed a limit which they may not pass
: they shall not return again to cover the earth.
You send springs into the gullies
: which run between the hills;
They give drink to every beast of the field
: and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air build their nests
: and sing among the branches.
You water the mountains from your dwelling on high
: and the earth is filled by the fruits of your work.
You cause the grass to grow for the cattle
: and all green things for the servants of mankind.
You bring food out of the earth
: and wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to give him a shining countenance
: and bread to strengthen his heart.
The trees of the Lord are well-watered
: the cedars of Lebanon that he has planted,
Where the birds build their nests
: and the stork makes her home in the pine-tops.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats
: and the crags a cover for the conies.
You created the moon to mark the seasons
: and the sun knows the hour of its setting.
You make darkness, and it is night
: in which all the beasts of the forest move by stealth.
The lions roar for their prey
: seeking their food from God.
When the sun rises, they retire
: and lay themselves down in their dens.
Man goes out to his work
: and to his labour until the evening.
Lord, how various are your works
: in wisdom you have made them all,
and the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the wide, immeasurable sea
: there move living things without number,
great and small;
There go the ships, to and fro
: and there is that Leviathan
whom you formed to sport in the deep.
These all look to you
: to give them their food in due season.
When you give it to them, they gather it
: when you open your hand
they are satisfied with good things.
When you hide your face, they are troubled
: when you take away their breath,
they die and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit they are created
: and you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever
: may the Lord rejoice in his works.
If he look upon the earth, it shall tremble
: if he but touch the mountains, they shall smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live
: I will praise my God while I have any being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him
: for my joy shall be in the Lord.
May sinners perish from the earth,
let the wicked be no more
: bless the Lord, O my soul; O praise the Lord.
Psalm 135
Praise the Lord, praise the name of the Lord
: praise him, you servants of the Lord,
Who stand in the house of the Lord
: in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious
: sing praises to his name, for it is good.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself
: and Israel as his own possession.
I know that the Lord is great
: and that our Lord is above all gods.
He does whatever he wills, in heaven and upon the earth
: in the seas and in the great depths.
He brings up clouds from the ends of the earth
: he makes lightning for the rain
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt
: both man and beast alike.
He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt
: against Pharaoh and against all his servants.
He struck down great nations
: and slew mighty kings,
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, the king of Bashan
: and all the princes of Canaan.
He made over their land as a heritage
: a heritage for Israel his people.
O Lord, your name shall endure for ever
: so shall your renown, throughout all generations.
For the Lord will vindicate his people
: he will take pity on his servants.
As for the idols of the nations, they are but silver and gold
: the work of a man’s hand.
They have mouths, but speak not
: they have eyes, but they cannot see.
They have ears, yet hear nothing
: there is no breath in their nostrils.
Those who make them shall be like them
: so shall everyone that trusts in them.
Bless the Lord, O house of Israel
: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.
Bless the Lord, O house of Levi
: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
Blessed be the Lord from Zion
: he that dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.