Tag: 21 Sep

Praying the Psalms: Fri, 21 Sep – Psalm 72 ~ let justice flourish

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 72 (NLT)

Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly. May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful. Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors. May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever!

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more. May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. Desert nomads will bow before him; his enemies will fall before him in the dust. The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him gifts. All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him.

He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.

Long live the king! May the gold of Sheba be given to him. May the people always pray for him and bless him all day long. May there be abundant grain throughout the land, flourishing even on the hilltops. May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon, and may the people thrive like grass in a field. May the king’s name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and bring him praise.

Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things. Praise his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!

(This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: reveal the glory of your coming Kingdom –

+ where Christ Jesus rules in righteousness and judgement…
+ where Christ Jesus rules by your will and for our welfare…
+ where Christ Jesus rules bringing your light into our darkness…
+ where Christ Jesus rules bringing the good news of peace…

O Lord our God: reveal the righteousness of your coming Kingdom –

+ where Christ Jesus rules justly – without respect to persons…
+ where Christ Jesus rules justly – without favor to friends or disdain to enemies…
+ where Christ Jesus rules justly – the interests of all are considered…
+ where Christ Jesus rules justly – the interests of the poor are protected…
+ where Christ Jesus rules justly – the rebellious return and the fallen are restored…
+ where Christ Jesus rules justly – justice is blended with mercy…

O Lord our God: reveal the joy of your coming Kingdom. You alone rule with eternal truth and grace – shaping us into enlightened, contented, happy citizens – on earth as in heaven. Amen.
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“Psalm 72:1-8” (Petersham Scottish Metrical Psalter 1650) – Free Church of Scotland

O Lord, thy judgments give the king, his son thy righteousness.
With right he shall thy people judge, thy poor with uprightness.
The lofty mountains shall bring forth unto the people peace;
Likewise the little hills the same shall do by righteousness.

The people’s poor ones he shall judge, the needy’s children save;
And those shall he in pieces break who them oppressed have.
They shall thee fear, while sun and moon do last, through ages all.
Like rain on mown grass he shall drop, or show’rs on earth that fall.

The just shall flourish in his days, and prosper in his reign:
He shall, while doth the moon endure, abundant peace maintain.
His large and great dominion shall from sea to sea extend:
It from the river shall reach forth unto earth’s utmost end.
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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Morning Reading & Prayer: Thu, 21 Sep – Obadiah ~ “As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you.”

Morning Reading & Prayer

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

Please Read: Obadiah (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Obadiah 1-4 (NLT)  – This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.

Edom’s Judgment Announced

We have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, “Get ready, everyone! Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!”

The Lord says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised. You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully. But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the Lord.

Reasons for Edom’s Punishment

Obadiah 10-14 (NLT) – “Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded, you stood aloof, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies.

“You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands. You should not have rejoiced when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune. You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble. You should not have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have gloated over their destruction when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have seized their wealth when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape. You should not have captured the survivors and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble.

Edom Destroyed, Israel Restored

Obadiah 15-21 (NLT) – “The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations! As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads. Just as you swallowed up my people on my holy mountain, so you and the surrounding nations will swallow the punishment I pour out on you. Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger and disappear from history.

“But Jerusalem will become a refuge for those who escape; it will be a holy place. And the people of Israel will come back to reclaim their inheritance. The people of Israel will be a raging fire, and Edom a field of dry stubble. The descendants of Joseph will be a flame roaring across the field, devouring everything. There will be no survivors in Edom. I, the Lord, have spoken!

“Then my people living in the Negev will occupy the mountains of Edom. Those living in the foothills of Judah will possess the Philistine plains and take over the fields of Ephraim and Samaria. And the people of Benjamin will occupy the land of Gilead. The exiles of Israel will return to their land and occupy the Phoenician coast as far north as Zarephath. The captives from Jerusalem exiled in the north will return home and resettle the towns of the Negev. Those who have been rescued will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem to rule over the mountains of Edom. And the Lord himself will be king!”
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“The Prayer for the State of Israel” – IDF Chief Cantor Ltc. Shai Abramson

Our Father in Heaven, Rock and Redeemer of the people Israel. Bless the State of Israel, with its promise of redemption. Shield it with Your love; spread over it the shelter of Your peace. Guide its leaders and advisors with Your light and Your truth. Help them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our Holy Land Deliver them; crown their efforts with triumph. Bless the land with peace, and its inhabitants with lasting joy. And let us say: Amen.
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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Morning Prayer: Wed, 21 Sep – Psalm 24:7-10; Genesis 19:2-3; Luke 19:15-16 ~ welcome your King

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

Opening Sentence

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Reading: Psalm 24:7-10 (NLT)

Christ the King Świebodzin, Poland
Christ the King
Świebodzin, Poland

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle.

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—he is the King of glory.

Reading: Genesis 19:2-3 (NLT)

“My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.”

“Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square.”

But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate.

Reading: Luke 19:15-16 (NLT)

“After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’

Prayer

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.

“O heart, hurry now and welcome your King to sit by the warmth of your fire.” (Henri Nouwen)

Lord Jesus: You pour life into me, giving me speech, sense, desire, giving me thought and action. My fame or repute will be just as You allow: You mark the way before me. Help me to follow faithfully in Your footsteps until my life’s end. Amen.

“King of Glory” – Third Day

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Jesus 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!