stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. Selected from Baruch, ch. 2, 3. O Lord our God, thou hast dealt with us after all thy goodness, and according to all that great mercy of thine. To the Lord our God appertaineth righteousness: but unto us and to our fathers open shame, as appeareth this day. Yet we have not hearkened unto his voice to walk in the commandments of the Lord, that he hath set before us. Yet have we not prayed before the Lord, that we might turn every one from the imaginations of his wicked heart. O Lord our God, we have sinned, we have done ungodly, we have dealt unrighteously in all thine ordinances. Hear our prayers, O Lord, and our - petitions, and deliver us for thine own sake, and give us favour in the sight of them which have led us away that all the earth may know that thou art the Lord our God, because Israel and his posterity is called by thy name. O Lord, look down from thine holy house, and consider us: bow down thine ear, O Lord, to hear us. Open thine eyes, and behold; for the dead that are in their graves, whose souls are taken from their bodies, will give unto the Lord neither praise nor righteousness: but the soul that is greatly vexed, which goeth stooping and feeble, and the eyes that fail, and the hungry soul, will give thee praise and righteousness, O Lord. Therefore we do not make our humble supplication before thee, O Lord our God, for the righteousness of our fathers, and of our kings. Remember not the iniquities of our forefathers; but think upon thy power and thy name now at this time. For thou art the Lord our God, and thee, O Lord, will we praise. From the same, ch. 3. O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, the soul in anguish, the troubled spirit, crieth unto thee. Hear, O Lord, and have mercy; for thou art merciful and have pity upon us, because we have sinned before thee. For thou endurest for ever, and we perish utterly. The Prayer and Confession of Azarias, in the midst of the flames, Apocrypha. Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore for thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth. In all the things which thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upou us, because of our sins. For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee. In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us. Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment. And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world. And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee. Yet de liver us not up wholly, for thy name's sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant and cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Isaac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake; to whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the sea-shore. For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and are kept under this day in all the world because of our sins. Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy. Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted. Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that they may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee. And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face. Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy loving kindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies. Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord and let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed; and let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken; and let them know that thou art Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world. The Song of the Three Holy Children, Apocrypha. Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. And blessed is thy glorious and holy name and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven and above all to be praised and glori fied for ever. O all ye works of the Lord bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord : praise and exalt him above all for ever. angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise and Q ye |