Praying the Psalms: Tue, 11 Dec – Psalm 141 ~ O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry!

Praying the Psalms

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

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 141 (NLT) – A psalm of David.

O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.

Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it.

But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds. When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, the wicked will listen to my words and find them true. Like rocks brought up by a plow, the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.

I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me. Keep me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those who do wrong. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me escape.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Come quickly, and help us escape from the seductions of the wicked –

+ Guard our mouths, that we may respond kindly and gently to provocations…
+ Guard our hearts, that we may remain faithful and true to our coming King…
+ Guard our souls, that we may escape entrapment and temptation…

O Lord our God: Come quickly, and help us escape from the seductions of the wicked –

+ That we may present ourselves pure and holy to our coming King…
+ That we may live as citizens and heirs of his coming Kingdom…
+ That we may be prepared to welcome him, like a bride awaits her true love…

O Lord our God: Come quickly, and help us, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our coming King who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
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“Psalm 141” – Spasenie

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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.

Praying the Psalms: Mon, 10 Dec – Psalm 140 ~ Listen, O Lord, to our cries for mercy!

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 140 (NLT) – For the choir director: A psalm of David.

O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude

O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me. The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude

I said to the Lord, “You are my God!” Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy! O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle. Lord, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. Interlude

Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me. Let burning coals fall down on their heads. Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can’t escape. Don’t let liars prosper here in our land. Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.

But I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor. Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: In your mercy, come quickly to help us –

+ Protect us from our great enemy, the devil, who seeks to destroy us…
+ Protect us from his violent and cruel schemes to assault our souls…
+ Protect us from his tricks to ambush and entrap us in sin and death…

O Lord our God: In your mercy, come quickly to help us –

+ Deliver us from the godlessness around us that we may be spiritually alert…
+ Deliver us from the spiritual darkness around us that we may live in your light…
+ Deliver us from the seduction of evil around us that we may live by your grace and truth…

O Lord our God: In your mercy, come quickly to help us –

+ Thank you for sending us your Son, Jesus Christ, to save us…
+ Thank you for rescuing us from sin and death through faith in him…
+ Thank you for assuring us of his return in glory to judge the living and the dead…

O Lord our God: In your mercy, come quickly to help us – we ask in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Psalm 140” (Cry for Mercy) – Robbie Seay Band

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Praying the Psalms: Sat, 08 Dec – Psalm 139 ~ wonderfully made and forever loved

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 139 (NLT) – For the choir director: A psalm of David.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night — but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you? Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
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Morning Prayer

Almighty God: To you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid –

+ You created us in your image, and knit us together inside our mothers…
+ You have been with us ever since, working out your plan for our lives…
+ You know how we think, what we feel, and what we have done or left undone…
+ You know our sins, and our failures to live up to your expectations…
+ You know our fears and anxieties, and our hopes for the future…
+ And, through it all, you have surrounded us with your presence…
+ You have loved us, and held us close to your heart…

Almighty God: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Psalm 139” (Far Too Wonderful) – Shane & Shane

You wrote the story of my life | You go before you fall behind, yeah
Before a breath beyond my death | You are with me all the way
To everlasting

Oh I can’t run, I can’t hide | Even darkness is a light
From the lowest place to the highest praise
You are worthy
Amazing love how can it be | Far too wonderful for me
There’s only one thing left to say
You are worthy, oh

Search me God and know my heart | Try me, know my anxious thoughts, yeah
Find the weaknesses in me and lead me in the way
Everlasting

You formed me in my mothers womb | You know my frame, my flesh, and bone
Oh, how wonderfully made
Oh I can’t describe it’s way too hard | You see me through and through
And call me loved
What a wonderful grace, oh
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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Praying the Psalms: Fri, 07 Dec – Psalm 138 ~ I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart

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 138 (NLT) – A psalm of David.

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.

Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great. Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: We sing praises to your name, and declare your greatness before all powers and authorities –

+ because of your loving-kindness on display around us…
+ because of your faithfulness to your promises to us…
+ because of your encouragement and strength in our times of trouble…

O Lord our God: We sing praises to your name, and declare your greatness before all powers and authorities –

+ because, one day, all shall repent and acknowledge your Kingship…
+ because, one day, the poor and humble will be heirs of your Kingdom…
+ because, one day, you will raise us to live forever in your Kingdom…

O Lord our God: We sing praises to your name, and declare your greatness before all powers and authorities; for you have sent us your Son, Jesus Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever – King of kings, and Lord of lords. Amen.
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“Psalm 138” (On the Day I Called, O Lord) – Catholic Wench [Music composed for a friend’s funeral.]

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Praying the Psalms: Thu, 06 Dec – Psalm 137 ~ we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem

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 137 (NLT) –

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.

O Lord, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. “Destroy it!” they yelled. “Level it to the ground!” O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: We are strangers, living in a pagan, hostile land –

+ we weep in shame for the godlessness of the land of our birth…
+ we weep in sorrow, remembering when we were “one nation under God”…
+ we weep in despair for the corruption of our justice system…
+ we weep in sadness for the futility of our secular society…

O Lord our God: Come quickly to save us. Fill us with songs of “Kingdom come”- already in humility at Christmas; and fully in glory, with righteousness and justice, when Christ Jesus returns. It’s in the name of Christ Jesus that we pray. Amen.
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“Psalm 137” (If I Forget You Jerusalem) – James Block