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 49 (NLT)
Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor—listen! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave.
Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals. This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise.
Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave far from their grand estates. But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.
So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.
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Morning Prayer
O Lord our God: in you alone we have redemption through the all-sufficient sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Deliver us from the folly of trusting in earthly riches –
+ For riches can’t purchase a ransom from death; you don’t accept bribes…
+ For riches can’t be taken with us when we die; you don’t want them…
+ For riches can’t deliver us from the grave; you don’t value them…
O Lord our God: by your grace we are declared righteous through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. High and low, rich or poor, we are all measured by the same standard –
+ Fill us with your perfect love that we may be fearless and resolute in these evil times…
+ Fill us with confidence in your certain victory, that good will triumph over evil…
+ Fill us with the certainty of eternal life through the redemption of your Son, Jesus Christ…
O Lord our God: our past, our present, and our future are in your merciful hands. Thank you for your boundless loving-kindness shown us in your Son, Jesus Christ. It’s through faith and trust in him that we approach your throne of grace to receive the help we need to stay the course and make your Kingdom priorities our priorities as well. Amen.
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“Psalm 49” – The Psalms Sung
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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!
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