Praying the Psalms: Sat, 03 Nov – Psalm 109 ~ the wicked slander me and tell lies about me

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

O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof while the wicked slander me and tell lies about me. They surround me with hateful words and fight against me for no reason. I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them! They repay evil for good, and hatred for my love. They say,

“Get an evil person to turn against him. Send an accuser to bring him to trial.
When his case comes up for judgment, let him be pronounced guilty. Count his prayers as sins.
Let his years be few; let someone else take his position.
May his children become fatherless, and his wife a widow.
May his children wander as beggars and be driven from their ruined homes.
May creditors seize his entire estate, and strangers take all he has earned.
Let no one be kind to him; let no one pity his fatherless children.
May all his offspring die. May his family name be blotted out in the next generation.
May the Lord never forget the sins of his fathers; may his mother’s sins never be erased from the record.
May the Lord always remember these sins, and may his name disappear from human memory.
For he refused all kindness to others; he persecuted the poor and needy, and he hounded the brokenhearted to death.
He loved to curse others; now you curse him.
He never blessed others; now don’t you bless him.
Cursing is as natural to him as his clothing, or the water he drinks, or the rich food he eats.
Now may his curses return and cling to him like clothing; may they be tied around him like a belt.”

May those curses become the Lord’s punishment for my accusers who speak evil of me. But deal well with me, O Sovereign Lord, for the sake of your own reputation! Rescue me because you are so faithful and good.

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is full of pain.
I am fading like a shadow at dusk; I am brushed off like a locust.
My knees are weak from fasting, and I am skin and bones.
I am a joke to people everywhere; when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.

Help me, O Lord my God! Save me because of your unfailing love. Let them see that this is your doing, that you yourself have done it, Lord. Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me! When they attack me, they will be disgraced! But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing! May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may their humiliation cover them like a cloak.

But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Deliver us from evil and the lies and deceit of wicked people –

+ who slander and bear false witness against us…
+ who hate us and work to ruin us and our families…
+ who raise the sins of our past to defame us…
+ who appeal to idols and false gods against us…
+ who divide us and demonize us…

O Lord our God: Save us because of your loving-kindness through your Son, Jesus Christ – that we may return evil with good, cursing with blessing, and hatred with love – all to your glory. Amen.
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“Psalm 109” (Move) – Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

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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: Fri, 02 Nov – Psalm 108 ~ My heart is confident in you, O God

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 108 (NLT) – A song. A psalm of David.

My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.

Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power. God has promised this by his holiness:

“I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh, too. Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors, and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings. But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia.”

Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom? Have you rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march with our armies? Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.
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Morning Prayer

O lord our God: Our hearts are fixed on you in worship and praise –

+ for you are the source of our joy and fulfillment…
+ for you are the source of all that is beautiful and true…

O lord our God: Our hearts are fixed on you in worship and praise –

+ for you equip us for battle against our enemies now…
+ for you have triumphed over sin and darkness forever…

O lord our God: Our hearts are fixed on you in worship and praise, for we are utterly dependent on you through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, in whom we live and move and have our being. May your glory fill the earth. Amen.
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“Psalm 108” (Hunger for the Living God) – New Wine

Omnipotent Father
We have seen Your power
Through all the ages
You’re still the same

And those who know Your name
Know You’ll never forsake
They will trust and put their faith in you
I will trust and put my faith in you

Great is Your love oh God
and Your faithfulness reaches to the sky

Be exalted God over all the heavens
Let Your glory be over all the Earth
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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, 01 Nov – Psalm 107 ~ Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!

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 107 (NLT)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.

+ Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

+ Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery. They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High. That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one was there to help them. “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron.

+ Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins. They couldn’t stand the thought of food, and they were knocking on death’s door. “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.

+ Some went off to sea in ships, plying the trade routes of the world. They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action, his impressive works on the deepest seas. He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror. They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits’ end. “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.

He changes rivers into deserts, and springs of water into dry, thirsty land. He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there. But he also turns deserts into pools of water, the dry land into springs of water. He brings the hungry to settle there and to build their cities. They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops. How he blesses them! They raise large families there, and their herds of livestock increase.

When they decrease in number and become impoverished through oppression, trouble, and sorrow, the Lord pours contempt on their princes, causing them to wander in trackless wastelands. But he rescues the poor from trouble and increases their families like flocks of sheep. The godly will see these things and be glad, while the wicked are struck silent.

Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: To you alone belong our worship, thanksgiving and praise, for you answered our prayers –

+ when you found us hopelessly lost, weary from wandering…
+ when you delivered us from our bondage, imprisoned in darkness…
+ when you redeemed us from our sins, suffering the consequences…
+ when you saved us from our fears, gripped by terror…

O Lord our God: To you alone belong our worship, thanksgiving and praise; for you answered our prayers when we cried out to you in Jesus’ name. Give us the words to express your goodness, that all may experience your loving-kindness and live full, satisfying lives – now and forever. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“Psalm 107” – Rachel Cohen

Give thanks for He is good | Give thanks for He is good
Give thanks for His unfailing love

Some wandered in the wastelands, finding no way
They were hungry and thirsty
Then they cried out to the Lord in their distress
And He brought them deliverance

Give thanks for He is good | Give thanks for He is good
Give thanks for His unfailing love
Oh, He satisfies | He satisfies

Some sat in darkness, suffering in chains
For they had despised Him
Then the cried out to the Lord in their distress
And he brought them out of darkness

Give thanks for He is good | Give thanks for He is good
Give thanks for His unfailing love
Oh, He breaks away our chains | He breaks away our chains

Some became foolish in their rebellious ways
And drew near the gates of death
Then they cried out to the Lord in their distress
And He rescued them from the grave

Give thanks for He is good | Give thanks for He is good
Give thanks for His unfailing love
Oh, sing a song of joy | Sing a song of joy

Whoever is wise, let him hear | And consider the love of the Lord
The great love of the Lord

Give thanks for He is good | Give thanks for He is good
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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, 31 Oct – Psalm 106 ~ His faithful love endures forever.

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 106 (NLT)

Praise the Lord!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough? There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.

Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me. Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.

+ Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly! Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. Even so, he saved them—to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power. He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert. So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes. Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived. Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.

+ Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it. The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels. Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.

+ The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt—such wonderful things in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea. So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.

+ The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord. Therefore, he solemnly swore that he would kill them in the wilderness, that he would scatter their descendants among the nations, exiling them to distant lands.

+ Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor; they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead! They angered the Lord with all these things, so a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas had the courage to intervene, and the plague was stopped. So he has been regarded as a righteous man ever since that time.

+ At Meribah, too, they angered the Lord, causing Moses serious trouble. They made Moses angry, and he spoke foolishly.

+ Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them. Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the Lord’s sight.

That is why the Lord’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession. He handed them over to pagan nations, and they were ruled by those who hated them. Their enemies crushed them and brought them under their cruel power. Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin. Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love. He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness.

Save us, O Lord our God! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: We have sinned greatly against you. Have mercy on us according to your unfailing love, and save us –

+ for we have forgotten your many acts of kindness…
+ for we have forgotten your deliverance in times of trouble…
+ for we have forgotten your provision in times of need…
+ for we have forgotten your forgiveness in times of apostasy…

O Lord our God: We have sinned greatly against you. Have mercy on us according to your unfailing love, and save us –

+ for we have scorned your mercy…
+ for we have rejected your prophets…
+ for we have resisted your discipline…
+ for we have hardened our hearts against you…

O Lord our God: We have sinned greatly against you. Have mercy on us according to your unfailing love, and save us through your Son, Jesus Christ – that your people might be restored as a light to the nations, and that your praise may envelope the whole earth. Amen.
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“Psalm 106” – Amorousness

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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, 30 Oct – Psalm 105 ~ Give thanks to the Lord!

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 105 (NLT)

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. He always stands by his covenant—the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:

“I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.”

He said this when they were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf:

“Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”

He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.

Then Israel arrived in Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham. And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies. Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites, and they plotted against the Lord’s servants.

But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed miraculous signs among the Egyptians, and wonders in the land of Ham. The Lord blanketed Egypt in darkness, for they had defied his commands to let his people go. He turned their water into blood, poisoning all the fish. Then frogs overran the land and even invaded the king’s bedrooms. When the Lord spoke, flies descended on the Egyptians, and gnats swarmed across Egypt. He sent them hail instead of rain, and lightning flashed over the land. He ruined their grapevines and fig trees and shattered all the trees. He spoke, and hordes of locusts came—young locusts beyond number. They ate up everything green in the land, destroying all the crops in their fields. Then he killed the oldest son in each Egyptian home, the pride and joy of each family.

The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled. Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly. The Lord spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness. They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven. He split open a rock, and water gushed out to form a river through the dry wasteland. For he remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham. So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing. He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted. All this happened so they would follow his decrees and obey his instructions.

Praise the Lord!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Thank you! You watch over and bless your people today, even as you watched over and blessed Israel long ago –

+ for you are faithful to your covenants forever…
+ for you are faithful to your promises forever…
+ for you work out our salvation in real-time…
+ for you decimate your opposition…
+ for you raise up godly leaders…

O Lord our God: Thank you for the new covenant you have made with us in Jesus Christ! Make us a holy people, faithful and obedient, that we might show others your goodness – light in the darkness – a source of help, healing and hope. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“Psalm 105” (Give Thanks) – Sean Dayton