Morning Prayer, Friday, 06 Nov 2020

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, as we live among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Remember me, O LORD, according to the favor that you show to your people;
O visit me with your salvation…. We have sinned like our fathers;
we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
(Psalm 106:4-6)

Preparation:

 Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

__________

Psalm 106:1-5 Milton Scottish Metrical Psalter 1650 (Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Launceston, Tasmania)

1 Give praise and thanks unto the Lord, for bountiful is he;
His tender mercy doth endure unto eternity.

2 God’s mighty works who can express? or shew forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are they that judgment keep, and justly do always.

4 Remember me, Lord, with that love which thou to thine dost bear;
With thy salvation, O my God, to visit me draw near:

5 That I thy chosen’s good may see, and in their joy rejoice;
And may with thine inheritance triumph with cheerful voice.

__________

The New Cloverdale Psalter (2019 Update of 1535 Original) 

“Psalm 106”

1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious, *
and his mercy endures for ever.
2 Who can express the mighty acts of the LORD, *
or show forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are those who act with justice, *
and who always do righteousness.

4 Remember me, O LORD, according to the favor that you show to your people; *
O visit me with your salvation,
5 That I may see the felicity of your chosen, *
and rejoice in the gladness of your people, and give thanks with your inheritance.

6 We have sinned like our fathers; *
we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
7 Our fathers regarded not your wonders in Egypt, neither did they keep your great goodness in
remembrance, *
but were disobedient at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
8 Nevertheless, he saved them for his Name’s sake, *
that he might make his power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up; *
so he led them through the deep as through a wilderness.
10 And he saved them from the adversary’s hand, *
and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.
11 As for those who troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them;*
there was not one of them left.
12 Then they believed his words *
and sang praises unto him.

13 But soon they forgot his works *
and would not wait for his counsel.
14 A craving came upon them in the wilderness, *
and they tempted God in the desert.
15 So he gave them their desire, *
and sent leanness into their soul.
16 They were envious of Moses also in the camp, *
and of Aaron the holy one of the LORD.
17 So the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan *
and covered the company of Abiram,
18 And fire was kindled in their company; *
the flame burnt up the ungodly.

19 They made a calf in Horeb *
and worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they exchanged their glory *
for the image of a calf that feeds on hay.
21 And they forgot God their Savior, *
who had done great things in Egypt,
22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, *
and fearful things by the Red Sea.
23 So he said he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap *
to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.

24 Then they scorned that pleasant land *
and gave no credence to his word,
25 But murmured in their tents *
and did not hearken to the voice of the LORD.
26 Then he lifted up his hand against them *
to overthrow them in the wilderness,
27 To cast out their seed among the nations, *
and to scatter them in all the lands.

28 They joined themselves to Baal-Peor *
and ate the offerings to the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their wanton deeds, *
and the plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phineas stood up and interceded, *
and so the plague was ended;
31 And that was counted to him as righteousness *
among all generations for evermore.

32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, *
so that he punished Moses for their misdeeds;
33 For they provoked him to anger, *
so that he spoke rashly with his lips.

34 Neither did they destroy the peoples *
as the LORD commanded them,
35 But intermingled among the nations *
and learned their heathen ways,
36 So that they worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them; *
they offered their sons and their daughters to demons,
37 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, *
whom they offered to the idols of Canaan; and the land was defiled with blood.
38 Thus were they defiled by their own works *
and went whoring with their own deeds.

39 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, *
and he abhorred his own inheritance,
40 And he gave them over into the hands of the nations, *
and those who hated them were lords over them.
41 Their enemies oppressed them *
and held them in subjection.
42 Many a time did he deliver them, *
but they rebelled against him through their own devices, and were brought down in their wickedness.
43 Nevertheless, when he saw their adversity, *
when he heard their lamentation,
44 He remembered his covenant and pitied them, according to the multitude of his mercies; *
he made all those who led them away captive to pity them.

45 Deliver us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, *
that we may give thanks to your holy Name and make our boast of your praise.

46 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting and world without end, *
and let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the LORD.

__________

Consider:

Remember me, O LORD, according to the favor that you show to your people;
O visit me with your salvation…. We have sinned like our fathers;
we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
(Psalm 106:4-6)

Remember me and save me

• Think of me with kindness, even as you think of your own elect. I cannot ask more, nor would I seek less. Treat me as the least of your saints are treated and I am content. It should be enough for us if we fare as the rest of the family.
• This feeling would prevent our wishing to escape trial, persecution, and chastisement; these have fallen to the lot of saints, and why should we escape them?
• If the Lord smiled upon their souls we cannot rest unless he smiles upon us also. We would dwell where they dwell, rejoice as they rejoice, sorrow as they sorrow, and in all things be for ever one with them in the favor of the Lord.

__ Spurgeon

We have sinned and done wrong

• “We have sinned with our fathers.” Here begins a long and particular confession. Confession of sin is the readiest way to secure an answer to the prayer of verse 4; God visits with his salvation the soul which acknowledges its need of a Savior.

__ Spurgeon

_____

• “Sinned; committed iniquity; done wickedly.” The Rabbis tell us that there are three kinds and degrees of sin here set down in an ascending scale; against one’s self, against one’s neighbor, against God; sins of ignorance, sins of conscious deliberation, sins of pride and wickedness.

__ Rabbi Levi and Genebrardus

Confession of our sins leads to the recognition of our need for a Savior.

Q: How have you sinned against yourself?

Q: How have you sinned against your neighbor?

Q: How have you sinned against God?

Q: How have you sinned out of ignorance?

Q: How have you sinned deliberately?

Q: How have you sinned through wrongful pride?

__________

Proverbs (06)  (Lessons for Daily Life)

12 What are worthless and wicked people like?
They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,
and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,
broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.

__________

Prayer

Gracious and Merciful God: We have sinned against you and one another; please forgive us and save us –

+ We have become an ungrateful and disobedient people, lacking purpose or direction….
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have forgotten your goodness and the wonders you have worked among us….
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have scorned the good land you gave us, and the people who preserved it…
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have depended on government handouts, instead of hard work and your provision….
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have defiled ourselves and our land with wanton immorality and sexual deviation….
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have slaughtered innocent children on the evil altar of abortion, instead of choosing life….
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have allowed lawlessness and violence to run rampant in our streets, abandoning lawful order….
LORD, have mercy!
+ We have knowingly rebelled against you, becoming a godless society without fear or reverence of you….
LORD, have mercy!

Gracious and Merciful God: Restrain your righteous anger and bring us to our knees in repentance; that we might turn to you and be saved – through faith in your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.

__________

Banks of the Nile (Psalm 106) – Kiran Young Wimberly & The McGraths

___________

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

__________

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.