Page:Annotated Edition of the Authorised Daily Prayer Book.djvu/964



Lord, what is man, that thou regardest him? or the son of man, that thou takest account of him? Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passeth away. In the morning he flourisheth, and sprouteth afresh; in the evening he is cut down, and withereth. So teach us to number our days that we may get us a heart of wisdom. Mark the innocent man, and behold the upright: for the latter end of that man is peace. But God will redeem my soul from the grasp of the grave: for he will receive me. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, but the spirit returneth unto God who gave it. I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

May God remember the soul of my revered father [mother] who has gone to his [her] repose. May his [her] soul be bound up in the bond of life. May his [her] rest be glorious, with fulness of joy in thy presence, and pleasures for evermore at thy right hand.

Father of mercy, in whose hand are the souls of the living and the dead, may thy consolation cheer us as we remember (on this holy day) our beloved and honoured kinsfolk who have gone to their rest, our dear parents, the crown of our head and our glory, whose desire it was to train us in the good and righteous way, to teach us thy statutes and commandments, and to instruct us to do justice and to love mercy. We beseech thee, O Lord, grant us strength to be faithful to their charge