O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious, * and his mercy endureth for ever.
 
Let them give thanks whom the LORD hath redeemed, * and delivered from the hand of the enemy;
 
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west; * from the north, and from the south.
 
They went astray in the wilderness out of the way, * and found no city to dwell in.
 
Hungry and thirsty, * their soul fainted in them.
 
So they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * and he delivered them from their distress.
 
He led them forth by the right way, * that they might go to the city where they dwelt.
 
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
 
For he satisfieth the empty soul, * and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.  

 
vs 10 Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * being fast bound in misery and iron;
 
Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord, * and lightly regarded the counsel of the Most Highest;
 
He also brought down their heart through heaviness: * they fell down, and there was none to help them.
 
So when they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivered them out of their distress.
 
For he brought them out of darkness, and out of the shadow of death, * and brake their bonds in sunder.
 
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men !
 
For he hath broken the gates of brass, * and smitten the bars of iron in sunder.
 

 
vs 17 Foolish men are plagued for their offence, * and because of their wickedness.
 
Their soul abhorred all manner of meat, * and they were even hard at death's door.
 
So when they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivered them out of their distress.
 
He sent his word, and healed them; * and they were saved from their destruction.
 
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men !
 
That they would offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving, * and tell out his works with gladness!
 
They that go down to the sea in ships, * and occupy their business in great waters;
 
These men see the works of the LORD, * and his wonders in the deep.
 
For at his word the stormy wind ariseth, * which lifteth up the waves thereof.
 
They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep; * their soul melteth away because of the trouble.
 
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, * and are at their wit's end.
 
SO when they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, * he delivereth them out of their distress.
 
For he maketh the storm to cease, * so that the waves thereof are still.
 
Then are they glad, because they are at rest; * and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.
 
O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness; * and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
 
That they would exalt him also in the congregation of the people; * and praise him in the seat of the elders!
 

 
vs 33 He turneth the floods into a wilderness, * and drieth up the water-springs.
 
A fruitful land maketh he barren, * for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
 
Again, he maketh the wilderness a standing water, * and water-springs of a dry ground.
 
And there he setteth the hungry, * that they may build them a city to dwell in;
 
That they may sow their land, and plant vineyards, * to yield them fruits of increase.
 
He blesseth them, so that they multiply exceedingly; * and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
 
And again, when they are minished and brought low * through oppression, through any plague or trouble;
 
Though he suffer them to be evil entreated through tyrants, * and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness;
 
Yet helpeth he the poor out of misery, * and maketh him households like a flock of sheep.
 
The righteous will consider this, and rejoice; * and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped.
 
Whoso is wise, will ponder these things; * and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the LORD.

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands. And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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