Praying the Psalms: Fri, 14 Dec – Psalm 144 ~ My Rock and My Fortress

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 144 (NLT) – A psalm of David.

Praise the Lord, who is my rock.

He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.
He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.
He makes the nations submit to me.

O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them? For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow.

Open the heavens, Lord, and come down.

Touch the mountains so they billow smoke.
Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies!
Shoot your arrows and confuse them!
Reach down from heaven and rescue me; rescue me from deep waters, from the power of my enemies.

Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.

I will sing a new song to you, O God! I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp. For you grant victory to kings! You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword. Save me! Rescue me from the power of my enemies.

Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.

May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace. May our barns be filled with crops of every kind. May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands, even tens of thousands, and may our oxen be loaded down with produce. May there be no enemy breaking through our walls, no going into captivity, no cries of alarm in our town squares. Yes, joyful are those who live like this!

Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: We rely on your grace and mercy in the struggle for our souls –

+ for you are our strength in times of conflict…
+ for your are our righteousness in the turmoil of warfare…
+ for you are our fortress against assaults on our integrity…
+ for you are our shield and the defender of our souls…

O Lord our God: We rely on your grace and mercy in the struggle for our souls –

+ give us power in our battle against the spiritual forces of darkness…
+ give us victory over the wiles and schemes of the evil one…

O Lord our God: Thank you for the victory already won through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. Protect us by the power of your Spirit that we might live in peace, and our children might prosper. We ask through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Psalm 144” (Praise the Lord Who Arms Me for the Fight) – Ian White

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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: Thu, 13 Dec – Psalm 143 ~ Answer me, for my depression deepens.

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 143 (NLT) – A psalm of David.

Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you.

My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave. I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude

Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens.

Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.
Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.

May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress. In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Hear the cries of your people, overwhelmed by the darkness surrounding us –

+ for we believe that you will fulfill all your promises to us…
+ for we believe that you have forgiven us and set us free from sin and death…
+ for we believe that you have judged us righteous through your Son, Jesus Christ…
+ for we believe that you are merciful and gracious towards those who love you…

O Lord our God: Hear the cries of your people, overwhelmed by the darkness surrounding us –

+ for our souls are besieged by spiritual forces of darkness…
+ for our thoughts are besieged by temptations and doubts…
+ for our lives are spent in misery and desolation…

O Lord our God: Hear the cries of your people, and pour out your Spirit on us –

+ that your light might displace our darkness…
+ that your wisdom might displace our foolishness…
+ that your strength might displace our weakness…
+ that your love might displace our fears…
+ that your hope might displace our despair…

O Lord our God: Thank you for the relief you have already sent us in our Savior, Jesus Christ; prepare us now for his imminent return in glory to Judge the living and the dead. We rejoice in expectation of his deliverance and live confidently, guided by his Word and Spirit. Blessed be his holy Name. Amen.
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“Psalm 143” – Shane & Shane

Hear my prayer, give Your ear | In Your faithfulness answer me
In Your righteousness, do not judge | For no one is righteous

Teach me to do Your will Lord | For you are my God
Your Spirit is good good good
Lead me on level ground Lord | For You are my God
Your Spirit is good, It is good

Revive me, revive me | Not for me,
But for Your Name | In Your mercy deliver me from my enemies
Revive me

I remember days of old | Your works I meditate oh Lord
I consider all the works of Your hands | I lift up my hands to you
My soul longs
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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Praying the Psalms: Wed, 12 Dec – Psalm 142 ~ You are my refuge.

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 142 (NLT) – A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.

I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.

Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.”
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Hear the cries of your people, entrapped by the wicked –

+ for they are being overwhelmed by cruel enemies…
+ for they are desperate for safe places to hide…
+ for they are abandoned without prospect of rescue…
+ for they are imprisoned in hopelessness…

O Lord our God: Hear the cries of your people, rejected by the apathetic –

+ for you alone are our ever-present helper in times of trouble…
+ for you alone love us with never-ending loving-kindness…
+ for you alone are the beginning and end of our lives…
+ for you alone are our refuge from sin and death…

O Lord our God: Hear the cries of your people and come quickly to help us, as merciful Savior and righteous Judge, through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
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“Psalm 142” (To God I Make My Sorrow Known) – Isaac Watts / Edwin M. Willmington

To God I made my sorrows known, From God I sought relief;
In long complaints before his throne, I poured out all my grief.
My soul was overwhelmed with woes, My heart began to break;
My God, who all my burden knows, He knows the way I take.

On every side I cast mine eye, And found my helpers gone;
While friends and strangers passed me by, Neglected or unknown.
Then did I raise a louder cry, And called thy mercy near,
“Thou art my portion when I die; Be thou my refuge here.”

Lord, I am brought exceeding low, Now let thine ear attend,
And make my foes who vex me know, I’ve an almighty Friend.
From my sad prison set me free, Then shall I praise thy name,
And holy men shall join with me, Thy kindness to proclaim.
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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

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!

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 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)

+ 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