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For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

Let the pious be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud in

their assembly

Praise ye the Lord: praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

SELECTION FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH.

I.

HEARKEN to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord.

The Lord shall comfort Zion. He will make her wilderness like Eden, joy and gladness will be found therein.

Hearken unto me, my people: Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; the heavens shall vanish like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner.

But salvation shall be forever, and righteousness shall not be abolished.

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is the law of God; righteousness shall be forever, and salvation from generation to generation.

We will not forget the Lord our Maker, who has stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth.

The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Thine hand, O Lord, is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is thine ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Break forth into joy, for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities.

All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was cut off from the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken; he did no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth; he poured out his soul unto death, and made intercession for transgressors.

Let us seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat. Incline your ear and come unto me; hear and your souls shall live. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

SELECTION II.

HEAR, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

They have forsaken the Lord; they have despised the Holy one of Israel.

Cease to do evil, learn to do well: seek judgment and relieve the oppressed.

Let us defend the fatherless, and plead for the widow.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

We will celebrate the mercy of the Lord, according to the greatness of his loving-kindness, and his tender mercy towards

us.

Thou shalt be called The city of righteousness; The faithful city. Through justice shall Zion be delivered. Let us go up to the house of our God; he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.

Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall be a judge of the nations, and shall rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks:

Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings; but, woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the work of his hands shall be given him.

O, come ye, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own conceit; who justify the wicked, and take from the righteous his right.

As the flame consumes the chaff, so their blossom shall go up as dust. They have cast away the law of the Lord, and despised his word.

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

A shoot shall come forth from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might.

With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

Then shall they not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day thou shalt say, Behold, God is my salvation: I will trust and not be afraid for Jehovah is my strength and my song.

Therefore with joy we draw water from the wells of salva

tion.

In that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Sing unto the Lord for he hath done excellent things. Let it be known in all the earth.

Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitants of Zion, for great is the Lord God, the Holy one of Israel.

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