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, March 20, 2012

Daily Prayer, Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a right spirit within me.

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 6
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
  or discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me,
  for my bones are shaking with terror.
My soul also is struck with terror,
  while you, O Lord—how long?
Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
….
I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
My eyes waste away because of grief;
they grow weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
  for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
….

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 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.

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 Reading, John 12:27-33
27 “ Now I am deeply troubled. (m) What should I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? No, for this is the reason I have come to this time. 28 Father, glorify your name! ” Then a voice came from heaven, “ I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. ” 29 The crowd standing there heard and said, “ It’s thunder. ” Others said, “ An angel spoke to him. ” 30 Jesus replied, “ This voice wasn’t for my benefit but for yours. 31 Now is the time for judgment of this world. Now this world’s ruler will be thrown out. 32 When I am lifted up (n) from the earth, I will draw everyone to me. ” (33 He said this to show how he was going to die.) 34 The crowd responded, “ We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Human One (o) must be lifted up? Who is this Human One? ” (p)  35 Jesus replied, “ The light is with you for only a little while. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness don’t know where they are going. 36 As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light. ” After Jesus said these things, he went away and hid from them. _________________________________________________

m Ps 6:2 n Or exalted o Or Son of Man p Or Son of Man
[Common English Bible]


Prayer for Today: Almighty God, we turn to you for comfort and for strength. When we do not understand what you are doing, we can listen to your voice, we can remember your Son, we can hear his words again. Remind us that you have sent the light for us so that darkness will not overtake us. Amen.

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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