Tag: defender of widows

Praying the Psalms: Mon, 17 Sep – Psalm 68 ~ The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.

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 68 (NLT)

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives. Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God. But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord — rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land. There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.

The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news. Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder. Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures — doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold. The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky. Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?

Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary. When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.

Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways. The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea. You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!”

Your procession has come into view, O God— the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary. Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines. Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life. Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past. The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem. Rebuke these enemy nations — these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war. Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bring tribute to God.

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky. Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens. God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: We rejoice in your presence; we sing praises to your name –

+ for you have made covenant with your people and written your Law on our hearts…
+ for you have been present with us, guiding us through the wilderness and protecting us through the storm…
+ for you have revealed yourself to us and welcomed us into your presence through your Son, Jesus Christ…
+ for you have shaped our history, personally and as a people; our lives, our fortunes, and our future are in Christ…
+ for you are enthroned in the heavens – Father, Son, and Spirit – as King of kings and Lord of lords…

O Lord our God: We rejoice in your presence; we sing praises to your name. For you are Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — you are the One true God, who dwells in holiness. Blessed be your name. Amen.
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Psalm 68:5 – “A Father to the fatherless” – (It’s gonna be alright) – Heber Vega


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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!

22nd Ordinary Sunday, 28 August: Isaiah 2:10-12; Psalm 68:4-7, 10-11; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; Luke 14:1, 7-14 ~ humble yourself

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Who gets the places of honor in God’s house, the pushy or the humble? The Word of God this Sunday teaches us that the humble are the ones who find favor with God.

Opening Prayer:

God and judge of all, you show us that the way to your kingdom is through humility and service. Keep us true to the path of justice and give us the reward promised to those who make a place for the rejected and the poor. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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“Crown Him With Many Crowns” – by Marty Haugen


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A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 2:10-12 (NLT)

Crawl into caves in the rocks. Hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and the glory of his majesty. Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.

For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning. He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted.
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 68:4-7, 10-11 (NLT)

Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.

God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland…
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There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.

The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.
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Sing Songs (Psalm 68) – The Psalm Project


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A Reading from the Letters: Heb 12:18-19, 22-24 (NLT)

You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
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No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 14:1, 7-14 (NLT)

One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely.
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When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

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“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
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“Everlasting God” – Chris Tomlin


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Intercessory Prayer:

Gracious God: you defend the poor, the lowly and the humble; hear their cries in our prayer today –

+ That church leaders may lead with humility…. Lord, hear us.
+ That government leaders may be free of arrogance…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians may always treat others with gentleness…. Lord, hear us.
+ That the poor and sick may be treasured, on earth as in heaven…. Lord, hear us.
+ That the crippled, the blind and the lame may receive care and kindness…. Lord, hear us.
+ That those going back to school may learn wisdom and patience…. Lord, hear us.
+ That all the faithful departed may reach their heavenly home, in the city of the living God. Lord, hear us.

Father of the orphan, defender of the poor, you give new life to your people: hear our prayer and guide us along the path of life, through Christ our Lord. Amen
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“You Alone Can Rescue” – Matt Redman


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Benediction:

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
– Ephesians 3:20-21

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