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 91 (NLT)
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
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Morning Prayer
O Lord our God: You are our safe space –
+ for you shelter us in your secret place…
+ for you protect us in your shadow…
+ for you hide us in your fortress…
+ for you restore our confidence…
+ for you fill us with joy…
O Lord our God: You overcome our fears –
+ for you deliver us from hidden foes…
+ for you shield us from our enemies…
+ for you relieve us from our night terrors…
+ for you rescue us from the jaws of death…
O Lord our God: You alone deliver us from evil through your Son, Jesus Christ. Fix our eyes on him, the author and finisher of our faith that we might live in the safety of your presence, now and forever. Amen.
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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.
__________
+ 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 90 (NLT) (A prayer of Moses, the man of God.)
Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!” For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered. We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you—our secret sins—and you see them all. We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan.
Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
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Morning Prayer
O Lord our God: You have always been our home –
+ in you, we find our settled resting place…
+ in you, we find our comfort and peace…
+ in you, we find our soul’s satisfaction…
+ in you, we find our perfect security…
+ in you, we find compassion and unfailing love…
O Lord our God: You have numbered our days –
+ teach us wisdom and understanding…
+ teach us to rejoice in your loving-kindness…
+ teach us to recognize your power and glory around us…
+ teach us to receive your mercy and forgiveness…
+ teach us to remain in the beauty of your holiness…
O Lord our God: Our lives are hidden with Christ in you; lead us successfully through the brevity, frailty, and sinfulness of life – that we may live with you forever through faith and trust in your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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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.
__________
+ 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 89 (NLT) (A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.)
I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him: ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” Interlude
All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness. For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord? The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne. O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful.
You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. You crushed the great sea monster.
You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong.
Yes, our protection comes from the Lord, and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.
Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people. You said,
“I have raised up a warrior. I have selected him from the common people to be king.
I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil.
I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong.
His enemies will not defeat him, nor will the wicked overpower him.
I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him.
My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and by my authority he will grow in power.
I will extend his rule over the sea, his dominion over the rivers.
And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth.
I will love him and be kind to him forever; my covenant with him will never end.
I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.
But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations, if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands, then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating. But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him. No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie: His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun. It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky!” Interlude
But now you have rejected him and cast him off. You are angry with your anointed king.
You have renounced your covenant with him; you have thrown his crown in the dust.
You have broken down the walls protecting him and ruined every fort defending him.
Everyone who comes along has robbed him, and he has become a joke to his neighbors.
You have strengthened his enemies and made them all rejoice.
You have made his sword useless and refused to help him in battle.
You have ended his splendor and overturned his throne.
You have made him old before his time and publicly disgraced him. Interlude
O Lord, how long will this go on? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire? Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence! No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave. Interlude
Lord, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge. Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced! I carry in my heart the insults of so many people. Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.
Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen!
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Morning Prayer
O Lord our God: Your faithfulness lasts forever –
+ for you are true to your word, keeping all your promises…
+ for you are merciful and gracious, forgiving all our sins…
+ for you are lauded in the heavens by the redeemed…
+ for you are incomparable in honoring your covenants…
+ for you are ever-present, dispelling our fears…
O Lord our God: Pour out your loving-kindness on your people, now as in the past, through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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“Psalm 89:1-2” (I Could Sing of Your Love Forever) – Martin Smith
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.
__________
+ 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.
__________
Morning Reading: Psalm 88 (NLT) (A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A psalm of Heman the Ezrahite.)
O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry.
For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude
You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Interlude
Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.
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Morning Prayer
O Lord our God: We cry out to you on behalf of all who are suffering to the point of despair –
+ for those who are powerless, near death…. Lord, have mercy.
+ for those who are crushed by the agonies of sin…. Lord, have mercy.
+ for those who are friendless, the objects of contempt…. Lord, have mercy.
+ for those who are imprisoned, grief-stricken…. Lord, have mercy.
O Lord our God: Meet us in our suffering and despair. Make us partners with Christ in his suffering, so that we will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. We ask this in his Name. Amen.
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“Psalm 88” (An Outpouring of Sorrow) – Psalm Choir, Protestant Reformed Churches in America
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.
__________
+ 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 87 (NLT) (A psalm of the descendants of Korah)
On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! Interlude
I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me—also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem! Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, “Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.” And the Most High will personally bless this city. When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, “They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.” Interlude
The people will play flutes and sing, “The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”
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Morning Prayer
O Lord our God: You have set apart the city of Jerusalem to reflect your glory –
+ as a place of holiness and security…
+ as a place of worship and celebration…
+ as a place of promise and hope…
+ as a place of great joy…
O Lord our God: You have set apart the Church to reflect your glory –
+ with Christ Jesus as the chief Cornerstone…
+ with the cross of Christ high and lifted up…
+ with the blood of Christ our eternal ransom…
+ with the love of Christ our never-ending joy…
O Lord our God: You have set apart every believer to reflect your glory –
+ through our faith and trust in Jesus Christ…
+ through our forgiveness and freedom…
+ through our godliness and integrity…
+ through our perseverance in trials…
O Lord our God: You fill our hearts with joy as we reflect on your mercy and loving-kindness; may our lives ever reflect your glory through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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“Psalm 87” (Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken) – John Newton, 1779
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.
__________
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 