THE WEEK WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS. At Prime. THE PSALMS. PSALM XIX, THE heavens declare the glory of God; Tfirmament sheweth His handy-work. another. * and the and one night certifieth There is neither speech nor language; voices are heard among them. Their sound is gone out into all lands; words into the ends of the world. * but their and their * * which In them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun; cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again; * and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; *the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; *the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes. ever; The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for * the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; * sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb. * Moreover, by them is Thy servant taught; and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can tell how oft he offendeth? * O cleanse Thou me from my secret faults. * Keep Thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me; so shall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart; be alway acceptable in Thy sight, * * O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer. PSALM XLV. M the things which I have made unto the King. Y heart is inditing of a good matter;* I speak of My tongue is the pen * of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men; * full of grace are Thy lips, because God hath blessed Thee for ever. Gird Thee with Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Thou most Mighty; * according to Thy worship and renown. Good luck have Thou with Thine honour: * ride on, because of the word of truth, of meekness, and righteousness; and Thy right hand shall teach Thee terrible things. Thy arrows are very sharp, and the people shall be subdued unto Thee; * even in the midst among the King's enemies. * the sceptre of Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever; Thy kingdom is a right sceptre. * Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; wherefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows. All Thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia; * out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made Thee glad. * Kings' daughters were among Thy honourable women; upon Thy right hand did stand the queen in a vesture of gold, wrought about with divers colours. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine forget also thine own people, and thy father's ear; * house. So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty; * for He is thy Lord God, and worship thou Him. * And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; like as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before Thee. * The King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. * She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work; the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company, and shall be brought unto Thee. With joy and gladness shall they be brought; * and shall enter into the King's palace. Instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children; whom thou mayest make princes in all lands. * I will remember Thy Name from one generation to another; therefore shall the people give thanks unto Thee, world without end. THE PSALM CX. * Sit Thou on My HE Lord said unto my Lord, right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of Thy power out of Sion; * be Thou Ruler, even in the midst among Thine enemies. * In the day of Thy power shall the people offer Thee free-will offerings with an holy worship; the dew of Thy birth is of the womb of the morning. The Lord sware, and will not repent; Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. * *Thou art a The Lord upon Thy right hand shall wound even kings in the day of His wrath, He shall judge among the heathen; He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; * and smite in sunder the heads over divers countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way; * therefore shall He lift up His head. ANTHEM. The angel said, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born, this day, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Alleluia. THE LESSON. ZACHARIAH, VIII. 3. HUS saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and lem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith, THE COLLECT. ALMIGHTY God, Who hast given us thy only begotten Son to take our nature upon Him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made Thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. At Terce. ANTHEM. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. Alleluia. THE LESSON. GALATIANS, IV. 1-3. NOW I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But Thou. V. He cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber; R. And rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. At Sert. ANTHEM. Then the shepherds said, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us. Alleluia. THE LESSON. GALATIANS, IV. 4, 5. HEN the fulness of time was come, God sent W forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. V. The Word was made flesh; R. And dwelt among us. At None. And Thou. ANTHEM. And the shepherds came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a |