APPENDIX 4:
PSALMS AND CANTICLES

Psalm 67

1

May God be merciful to us and bless us,
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.

2

Let your ways be known upon earth,
your saving health among all nations.

3

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

4

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.

5

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

6

The earth has brought forth her increase;
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.

7

May God give us his blessing,
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
  Glory to the Father and to the Son:
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now:
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 121

1

I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?

2

My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

3

He will not let your foot be moved
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

4

Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep;

5

The Lord himself watches over you;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand,

6

So that the sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
it is he who shall keep you safe.

8

The Lord shall watch over your going out
and your coming in,
from this time forth for evermore.
Glory to the Father and to the Son:
and to the HolySpirit;
as it was in the beginning is now:
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 127

1

Unless the Lord builds the house,
their labour is in vain who build it.

2

Unless the Lord watches over the city,
in vain the guard keeps vigil.

3

It is in vain that you rise so early
and go to bed so late;
vain, too, to eat the bread of toil,
for he gives to his belovèd sleep.

4

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
and the fruit of the womb is a gift.

5

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.

6

Happy are they who have their quiver full of them!
they shall not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Glory to the Father and to the Son:
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now:
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 128

1

Happy are they all who fear the Lord,
and who follow in his ways!

2

You shall eat the fruit of your labour;
happiness and prosperity shall be yours.

3

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
within your house,
your children like olive shoots round about your table.

4

Whoever fears the Lord
shall thus indeed be blessed.

5

The Lord bless you from Zion,
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.

6

May you live to see your children's children;
may peace be upon Israel.
Glory to the Father and to the Son:
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now:
and shall be for ever. Amen.

back to The Marriage Service