Readings for Funerals:
Psalms
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; * for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; * you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, * and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 27
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? * the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, * it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army should encamp against me, * yet my heart shall not be afraid;
4 And though war should rise up against me, * yet will I put my trust in him.
5 One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek; * that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life;
6 To behold the fair beauty of the Lord * and to seek him in his temple.
7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; * he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock.
8 Even now he lifts up my head * above my enemies round about me.
9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds of great gladness; I will sing and make music to the Lord.
10 Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; * have mercy on me and answer me.
11 You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.”* Your face, Lord, will I seek.
12 Hide not your face from me, * nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
13 You have been my helper; cast me not away; * do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14 Though my father and my mother forsake me, * the Lord will sustain me.
15 Show me your way, O Lord; * lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
16 Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, * for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those who speak malice.
17 What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the Lord * in the land of the living!
18 O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; * wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 42: 1-7
1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks, * so longs my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; * when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, * while all day long they say to me, “Where now is your God?”
4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things: * how I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God,
5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, * among those who keep holy-day.
6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? * and why are you so disquieted within me?
7 Put your trust in God; * for I will yet give thanks to him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, * a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, * and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;
3 Though its waters rage and foam, * and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.
4 The Lord of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
5 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, * the holy habitation of the Most High.
6 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; * God shall help her at the break of day.
7 The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; * God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.
8 The Lord of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
9 Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, * what awesome things he has done on earth.
10 It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; * he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.
11 “Be still, then, and know that I am God; * I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”
12 The Lord of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Psalm 90: 1-12
1 Lord, you have been our refuge * from one generation to another.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, * from age to age you are God.
3 You turn us back to the dust and say, * “Go back, O child of earth.”
4 For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past * and like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep us away like a dream; * we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6 In the morning it is green and flourishes; * in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7 For we consume away in your displeasure; * we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8 Our iniquities you have set before you, * and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9 When you are angry, all our days are gone; * we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; * yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11 Who regards the power of your wrath? * who rightly fears your indignation? So teach us to number our days * that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
Psalm 106: 1-5
1 Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, * for his mercy endures for ever.
2 Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord * or show forth all his praise?
3 Happy are those who act with justice * and always do what is right!
4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, * and visit me with your saving help;
5 That I may see the prosperity of your elect and be glad with the gladness of your people, that I may glory with your inheritance.
Psalm 116
1 I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, * because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
2 The cords of death entangled me; the grip of the grave took hold of me; * I came to grief and sorrow.
3 Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: * “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
4 Gracious is the Lord and righteous; * our God is full of compassion.
5 The Lord watches over the innocent; * I was brought very low, and he helped me.
6 Turn again to your rest, O my soul, * for the Lord has treated you well.
7 For you have rescued my life from death, * my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
8 I will walk in the presence of the Lord * in the land of the living.
9 I believed, even when I said, “I have been brought very low.”* In my distress I said, “No one can be trusted.”
10 How shall I repay the Lord * for all the good things he has done for me?
11 I will lift up the cup of salvation * and call upon the Name of the Lord.
12 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord * in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the Lord * is the death of his servants.
14 O Lord, I am your servant; * I am your servant and the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds.
15 I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving * and call upon the Name of the Lord.
16 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord * in the presence of all his people,
17 In the courts of the Lord’s house, * in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
Psalm 118:14-29
14 The Lord is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
‘The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.’
17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18The Lord has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has given us light.
28 Bind the festal procession with branches,
up to the horns of the altar.
29 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God, I will extol you.
30 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
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.
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; * let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, * O Lord, who could stand?
3 For there is forgiveness with you; * therefore you shall be feared.
4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; * in his word is my hope.
5 My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, * more than watchmen for the morning.
6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, * for with the Lord there is mercy;
7 With him there is plenteous redemption, * and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.
Psalm 139: 1-11
1 Lord, you have searched me out and known me; * you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
2 You trace my journeys and my resting-places * and are acquainted with all my ways.
3 Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, * but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
4 You press upon me behind and before * and lay your hand upon me.
5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; * it is so high that I cannot attain to it.
6 Where can I go then from your Spirit? * where can I flee from your presence?
7 If I climb up to heaven, you are there; * if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
8 If I take the wings of the morning * and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
9 Even there your hand will lead me * and your right hand hold me fast.
10 If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, * and the light around me turn to night,”
11 Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day; * darkness and light to you are both alike.