Psalm 34
American Standard Version (ASV)
A Psalm of David; when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will bless Jehovah at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in Jehovah: The meek shall hear thereof, and be glad.3 Oh magnify Jehovah with me, And let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked unto him, and were radiant; And their faces shall never be confounded.
6 This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them.
8 Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good: Blessed is the man that taketh refuge in him.
9 Oh fear Jehovah, ye his saints; For there is no want to them that fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; But they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.
12 What man is he that desireth life, And loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cried, and Jehovah heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles.
18 Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all.
20 He keepeth all his bones: Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked; And they that hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; And none of them that take refuge in him shall be condemned.
Proclamation of Thanksgiving
This is the proclamation which set the precedent for
Sarah Josepha Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor, wrote a letter to
Prior to this, each state scheduled its own Thanksgiving holiday at different times, mainly in
The document below sets apart the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise." According to an April 1, 1864, letter from John Nicolay, one of President Lincoln's secretaries, this document was written by Secretary of State William Seward, and the original was in his handwriting. On
By the President of the
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the
Done at the City of
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State