Psalm 33: Praise and Thanksgiving to God for His Omnipotence
soever they have been stained and polluted with. We do most manifestly acknowledge that so great and notable a benefit could not have happened unto us, unless our sins verily were openly known and disclosed to thee, and that we pour into thy blessed bosom what sins so ever we have lewdly and shamelessly committed against thy sacred law. Therefore we acknowledge and confess unto thee (O heavenly father) that our unrighteousness is exceeding great, and our souls miserably burdened with the weight of our impiety: wherefore now aid and help us with thy favorable mercy, and we heartily beseech thee, to wipe away after a loving and gentle manner, what naughtiness soever doth remain behind. Deliver us from the sorrowful calamities and grievous miseries that are hanging over our heads, make us to have an uncorrupt mind, and govern us with thy provident care least through our evil affections, we do not degenerate into most foolish brute beasts, but being environed and compassed about with thy excellent goodness, let us be cheered up with rightful mirth and assured joy before thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PSALM 33: PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING
TO GOD FOR HIS OMNIPOTENCE
(Prayer 1) How many soever (O most mighty God) as have attained unto righteousness through an unfeigned faith, do well understand how much praise and glory thou art worthy of by reason of thy marvelous works. There is nothing in the world but it beareth witness that thou art good. The heavens stand fast, and all the hosts of them were made by thy sacred word, neither are the waters of the sea and great deeps contained within their bounds by any other power, then through thy holy spirit and mighty force. Therefore it is and hath been our duty both to honor and fear thee only, even as thou hast rightly deserved: but we have
(O sinful wretches that we are) done nothing less in all our whole life. And therefore have well and justly deserved the great troubles and dangerous perils we now are in. But seeing that thy infinite goodness cannot be drained dry through men's naughtiness and lewd behavior (be they never so innumerable) we crave pardon
and forgiveness of all those things which we have committed against thy divine Majesty, and heartily require thee (according to thy wonted mercy) to make void all the subtle counsels and lewd devices wherewith the fierce enemies of godliness pretend to subvert and overthrow thy sacred Church. Let thy thoughts and imaginations stand immovable towards that people which hath thee for their favorable God and most lawful heritage. Thou that beholdest the hearts of men from the high heaven, and which hast formed them from the beginning, knowest well what the Antichristians have imagined against thy faithful servants. Wherefore vouchsafe we humbly beseech thee to maintain and defend us at this instant: for we require neither valiant prince, nor strong horse, nor yet man's force (which are of no power) to save and deliver us, but fly unto thee only, who settest our souls at freedom and liberty: let thy inestimable mercy (we earnestly require thee) be at hand and ready for us, as we undoubtedly believe and certainly hope it will so be, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer 2) Thy glorious name (O almighty) God) for diverse causes deserveth to be extolled with unspeakable praises, and to be celebrated with a marvelous earnest endeavor of the godly: forsomuch as all thy words, and all thy precepts and deeds are nothing but faithfulness, virtue, justice, and goodness. Whatsoever is in the whole universal world either beautiful or gorgeous: whatsoever is profitable and commodious, all that proceedeth and cometh from thee only.
Thou alone bringest to naught the pernicious counsels of the ungodly, and makest their wicked enterprises void and of none effect. But thy ordinances are most sure with a marvelous inviolable constancy. Wherefore right happy and blessed are those people who have chosen thee to be their God, and honor thee most purely and alone as their principal heritage. Therefore thou being such a one, and so mighty a former and maker of us, art not ignorant how often and horribly we have transgressed thy divine law. Pardon us (we humbly beseech thee) neither suffer thou us to repose our trust in the force and power of any creature: but grant that we having thy wonderful mercy in experience, may perfectly rejoice, and rightfully take pleasure in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.