Praying the Psalms: Tue, 28 Aug – Psalm 51 ~ Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.

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 51 (NLT)

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit-with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: have mercy on us because of your loving-kindness –

+ Evil surrounds us; its effects are everywhere, in the world, in society, in the church, and in our hearts…
+ Encourage your people who are seeking truth and godliness; deliver us from evil…
+ Restore a right spirit in us that we might sing the wonder of your amazing grace…
+ Purge our hearts from our bent to sinning, and set us apart as your willing servants…
+ Increase in us the freedom from guilt and fear, and fill us with contagious joy that blesses others…

O Lord our God: our confidence is in your love and power; you have saved us and claimed us as your own through your Son, Jesus Christ. “Salvation belongs to you, our God, who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb!” Amen.
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“Psalm 51” (Wisdom in the Secret Heart) – Shane and Shane

Behold I was brought forth in iniquity
and in sin and my mother conceived me
Behold you delight in the truth and the inward me
and you teach me, wisdom in the secret heart

Our sins not far but right in front of me
against you and you alone God I am guilty
Wash me thoroughly cleanse me from iniquity
and teach me, wisdom in the secret heart

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
Renew a right spirit within me, oh God
Cast me not away from Your presence
take not Your Holy Spirit
restore in me the joy of Your salvation
and teach me, wisdom in the secret heart

Send me the chief of sinners to proclaim
come be forgiven the sin of the lamb of God was slain
Open my lips and my mouth will declare your endless praise
and teach me, wisdom in the secret heart

The Lord is gracious
and slow to anger
Rich in love, He is good to all
good to all

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!

Praying the Psalms: Mon, 27 Aug – Psalm 50 ~ God, the righteous judge

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 50 (NLT)

The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people. “Bring my faithful people to me—those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.” Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge.

“O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. You sit around and slander your brother—your own mother’s son. While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: you are the Mighty One, the righteous judge over all the world –

+ You alone have the right and power to judge all mankind…
+ You alone have perfect knowledge of who we are and what we have said and done; nothing is hidden from you…
+ Now, we bear the consequences of our decisions, for good or ill…
+ One day, we will stand before your majesty and glory to give account of ourselves…

O Lord our God: you are the Mighty One, the righteous judge who determines our destiny –

+ Your goodness comes to us through your mercy and grace…
+ Your desire is for sinners to turn from their wicked ways and live…
+ Your final judgement will be universal, beginning with your people…
+ Your last judgement will be irreversible and eternal…

O Lord our God: you are the Mighty One, the righteous judge who desires the sacrifice of an obedient heart and life –

+ May the love of Christ reign in our hearts…
+ May the words of Christ rule our lives…
+ May the sacrifice of Christ redeem our souls…
+ May the Spirit of Christ empower us in godliness…

We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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“Psalm 39” – Koine

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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, 25 Aug – Psalm 49 ~ you can’t take it with you

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)

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

Praying the Psalms: Fri, 24 Aug – Psalm 48 ~ Jerusalem, the city of our 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 48 (NLT)

How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain! It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King! God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers, revealing himself as its defender.

The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city. But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away. They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor. You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind.

We had heard of the city’s glory, but now we have seen it ourselves — the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever.

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple. As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory. Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice. Let all the towns of Judah be glad because of your justice.

Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem. Walk around and count the many towers. Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations. For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: In days of old, you chose the temple in Jerusalem as your dwelling place and claimed the city as your own. And now, O Lord, you have graciously chosen to dwell in our hearts by faith in your Son, Jesus Christ –

+ Thank you, Lord, for extending your glory to every tribe and nation through your Spirit who dwells within every believer…
+ Thank you, Lord, for establishing your eternal Kingdom; no enemy can prevail against it, your coming glory is assured…

O Lord our God: In days of old, you displayed your power by defending the city of Jerusalem and its kings, but they rebelled against you and did what was evil in your sight. And now, O Lord, you have installed your Son, Jesus Christ, over every believer as our great, eternal, King –

+ In the might of his power, sooner or later, every tribe and nation will declare him Lord, all to your glory…
+ In the goodness of his loving-kindness, his sacrifice on the cross secures our faith and guarantees our hopes…
+ In the righteousness of his judgments, evildoers fall while those declared righteous in his name stand firm and secure…

O Lord our God: No power can stand against against you whether on earth or in heaven. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we claim you as our God and proclaim him as the only Way, the only Truth, and the only source of Life – abundant and eternal. Amen.
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“City of Elohim” (Psalm 48) – James Block

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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, 23 Aug – Psalm 47 ~ the Lord Most High is awesome

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 47 (NLT)

Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves.

God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: you are the great King over all the earth; you constrain your enemies to fulfill your sovereign purpose –

+ You bring good out of evil that all may praise you…
+ You shield your people and fill us with truth and joy…

O Lord our God: you are the great King over heaven and earth; you have chosen and secured an inheritance for all your people –

+ You have given the holy land to your people Israel…
+ You have given heaven to all your people in Christ…
+ You have secured your promises for all who repent and turn to you…

O Lord our God: you are the great King over heaven and earth; kings and kingdoms, and all the rulers and peoples of the earth, will one day bow before you – then every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, all to your glory.
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“So Far” (Psalm 47) – The Voice of the Shofar, Sounding so far