It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Daily Prayer, Tuesday, Christmas Day, December 25, 2012

O sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
 O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints
   for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
   to the living God

Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise. Selah
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
   in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca
   they make it a place of springs;
   the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.

For a day in your courts is better than
   a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
   than live in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
   from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Psalm 97
The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around you;
righteousness and justice are
   the foundation of your throne.
...
The heavens proclaim you righteousness;
   and all the peoples behold your glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame,
   those who make their boast in worthless idols;
all gods bow down before you.

Zion hears and is glad,
and the towns of Judah rejoice,
   because of your judgments, O God.
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

You love those who hate evil;
you guard  the lives of his faithful;
you rescue them from the hand of the wicked.
Light dawns for the righteous,
   and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
   and give thanks to the holy name!

Psalm 99
….
Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established equity;
you have executed justice
   and righteousness in Jacob.
….
Extol the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 101
I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
to you, O Lord, I will sing.
I will study the way that is blameless.
When shall I attain it?
I will walk with integrity of heart
   within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
   anything that is base.
….
I will look with favor on the faithful
   in the land,
so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless
   shall minister to me.

No one who practices deceit shall remain in my house;
no one who utters lies shall continue in my presence.

….

Daily Lectionary Readings:
Isaiah 52:7-10
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of a messenger
who proclaims peace,
who brings good news,
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “ Your God rules! ”
8 Listen! Your lookouts lift their voice;
they sing out together!
Right before their eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion.
9 Break into song together, you ruins of Jerusalem!
The LORD has comforted his people and has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has bared his holy arm in view of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth have seen our God’s victory. [Common English Bible]
Psalm 98
O sing to the Lord a new song... 
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; 
   break forth into joyous song and sing praises. 
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, 
   with the lyre and the sound of melody. 
With trumpets and the sound of the horn  
   make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. 
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 
   the world and those who live in it. 
Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy 
   at the presence of the Lord,  
who is coming to judge the earth with righteousness, 
   and the peoples with equity. 
[Common English Bible]

John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being.What came into being4 through the Word was life, [a] and the life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. 8 He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. 9 The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light,but the world didn’t recognize the light. 11 The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. 12 But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, 13 born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God.14 The Word became flesh and made his home among us.We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 
_________________________________________________
a  Or Everything came into being through the Word,/and without the Word / nothing came into being that came into being. In the Word was life [Common English Bible]
Prayer for Today: Choose a prayer for Christmas from Joan Stott's website Timeless Psalms

Midday Psalm 119:137-152
You are righteous, O Lord,
  and your judgments are right.
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
  and in all faithfulness.
My zeal consumes me
because my foes forget your words.
Your promise is well tried,
  and your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
 yet I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
  and your law is the truth.
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
  but your commandments are my delight.
Your decrees are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
With my whole heart I cry;
answer me, O Lord.
I will keep your statutes.
I cry to you;
save me, that I may observe your decrees.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
  that I may meditate on your promise.
In your steadfast love hear my voice;
  O Lord, in your justice preserve my life.
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
  they are far from your law.
Yet you are near, O Lord,
  and all your commandments are true.
Long ago I learned from your decrees
  that you have established them forever.

Evening
Psalm 115
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases.

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk;
they make no sound in their throats.
Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them.

O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;

he will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great.
May the Lord give you increase, both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings.
The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord from this time on and forevermore. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 116
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.

Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, save my life!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.
The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.

Return, O my soul, to your rest,
   for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
   my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my consternation, “Everyone is a liar.”

What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
….
I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
   and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

Midday Psalm 119:137-152
You are righteous, O Lord,
  and your judgments are right.
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
  and in all faithfulness.
My zeal consumes me
  because my foes forget your words.
Your promise is well tried,
  and your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
 yet I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
  and your law is the truth.
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
  but your commandments are my delight.
Your decrees are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.

With my whole heart I cry;
answer me, O Lord.
I will keep your statutes.
I cry to you;
save me, that I may observe your decrees.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
  that I may meditate on your promise.

In your steadfast love hear my voice;
  O Lord, in your justice preserve my life.
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
  they are far from your law.
Yet you are near, O Lord,
  and all your commandments are true.
Long ago I learned from your decrees
  that you have established them forever.

Evening
Psalm 115
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases.

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk;
they make no sound in their throats.
Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them.

O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;

he will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great.
May the Lord give you increase, both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings.
The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord from this time on and forevermore. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 116
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.

Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, save my life!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.
The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.

Return, O my soul, to your rest,
   for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
   my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my consternation, “Everyone is a liar.”

What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation 

and call on the name of the Lord,
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
….
I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice 

and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. 

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
   and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

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