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, November 19, 2013

Daily Prayer, Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Because of our God’s deep compassion,
the dawn from heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace. (Luke1:78-79)


Morning
Invitatory Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD of heavenly forces!
2 My very being longs, even yearns,
for the LORD ’s courtyards.
My heart and my body
will rejoice out loud to the living God!
3 Yes, the sparrow too has found a home there;
the swallow has found herself a nest
where she can lay her young beside your altars,
LORD of heavenly forces, my king, my God!
4 Those who live in your house are truly happy;
they praise you constantly. Selah
….
9 Look at our shield, God;
pay close attention to the face of your anointed one!
10 Better is a single day in your courtyards
than a thousand days anywhere else!
I would prefer to stand outside the entrance of my God’s house
than live comfortably in the tents of the wicked!
11 The LORD is a sun and shield;
God is favor and glory.
The LORD gives—doesn’t withhold!—good things
to those who walk with integrity.
12 LORD of heavenly forces,
those who trust in you are truly happy!
[Common English Bible]

Psalm 97
The Lord rules! Let the earth rejoice!
   Let all the islands celebrate!
….
8 Zion has heard and celebrates,
   the towns of Judah rejoice,
   because of your acts of justice, Lord,
9     because you, Lord, are the Most High
       over all the earth,
   because you are so superior to all other gods.

10 Those of you who love the Lord, hate evil!
   God guards the lives of his faithful ones,
   delivering them from the power of the wicked.
11 Light is planted like seed for the righteous person;
   joy too for those whose heart is right.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, righteous ones!
   Give thanks to his holy name!
[Common English Bible]

Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song
   because he has done wonderful things!
His own strong hand and his own holy arm
   have won the victory!
2 The Lord has made his salvation widely known;
   he has revealed his righteousness
   in the eyes of all the nations.
3 God has remembered his loyal love
   and faithfulness to the house of Israel;
   every corner of the earth has seen our God’s salvation.

4 Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth!
   Be happy!
   Rejoice out loud!
   Sing your praises!
5 Sing your praises to the Lord with the lyre—
   with the lyre and the sound of music.
6 With trumpets and a horn blast,
   shout triumphantly before the Lord, the king!
7 Let the sea and everything in it roar;
   the world and all its inhabitants too.
8 Let all the rivers clap their hands;
   let the mountains rejoice out loud altogether 9 before the Lord
   because he is coming to establish justice on the earth!
He will establish justice in the world rightly;
   he will establish justice among all people fairly.
[Common English Bible]
Psalm 99
The Lord rules—
   the nations shake!
   He sits enthroned on the winged heavenly creatures—
   the earth quakes!
2 The Lord is great in Zion;
   he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them thank your great and awesome name.
   He is holy!

4 Strong king who loves justice,
   you are the one who established what is fair.
   You worked justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Magnify the Lord, our God!
   Bow low at his footstool!
   He is holy!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
   Samuel too among those who called on his name.
They cried out to the Lord, and he himself answered them—
7     he spoke to them from a pillar of cloud.
They kept the laws and the rules God gave to them.
8 Lord our God, you answered them.
   To them you were a God who forgives
   but also the one who avenged their wrong deeds.
9 Magnify the Lord our God!
   Bow low at his holy mountain
   because the Lord our God is holy!
[Common English Bible]

Psalm 101
Oh, let me sing about faithful love and justice!
   I want to sing my praises to you, Lord!
2 I want to study the way of integrity—
   how long before it gets here?
       I will walk with a heart of integrity
       in my own house.
3 I won’t set my eyes on anything worthless.
   I hate wrongdoing;
   none of that will stick to me.
4 A corrupt heart will be far from me.
   I won’t be familiar with evil.
….
6 My eyes focus on those
   who are faithful in the land,
   to have them close to me.
The person who walks without blame
   will work for me.
7 But the person who acts deceitfully
   won’t stay in my house.
The person who tells lies
   won’t last for long before me.
….
[Common English Bible]
 
Daily Lectionary Reading, Luke 23:39-43
39 One of the criminals hanging next to Jesus insulted him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 Responding, the other criminal spoke harshly to him, “Don’t you fear God, seeing that you’ve also been sentenced to die? 41 We are rightly condemned, for we are receiving the appropriate sentence for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus replied, “I assure you that today you will be with me in paradise.”
[Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: O Christ, our Sovereign, we give you thanks for the gifts that you have bestowed on us. You have shown us how to care, how to serve, how to lead, how to forgive. Help us always to be your faithful followers. 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, Lord, not to us—
   no, but to your own name give glory
       because of your loyal love and faithfulness!

2 Why do the nations say,
   “Where’s their God now?”
3 Our God is in heaven—
   he can do whatever he wants!
4 Their idols are just silver and gold—
   things made by human hands.
5     They have mouths, but they can’t speak.
   They have eyes, but they can’t see.
6     They have ears, but they can’t hear.
   They have noses, but they can’t smell.
7     They have hands, but they can’t feel.
   They have feet, but they can’t walk.
   They can’t even make a noise in their throats!
8 Let the people who made these idols
   and all who trust in them
   become just like them!

9 But you, Israel, trust in the Lord!
   God is their help and shield.….
Praise the Lord!
[Common English Bible]

Psalm 116
I love the Lord because he hears
   my requests for mercy.
2 I’ll call out to him as long as I live,
   because he listens closely to me.
3 Death’s ropes bound me;
   the distress of the grave found me—
   I came face-to-face with trouble and grief.
4 So I called on the Lord’s name:
   “Lord, please save me!”

5 The Lord is merciful and righteous;
   our God is compassionate.
6 The Lord protects simple folk;
   he saves me whenever I am brought down.
7 I tell myself, You can be at peace again,
   because the Lord has been good to you.
8 You, God, have delivered me from death,
   my eyes from tears,
   and my foot from stumbling,
9     so I’ll walk before the Lord
   in the land of the living.
10 I have remained faithful, even when I said,
   “I am suffering so badly!”
11     even when I said, out of fear,
   “Everyone is a liar!”

12 What can I give back to the Lord
   for all the good things he has done for me?
13 I’ll lift up the cup of salvation.
   I’ll call on the Lord’s name.
14 I’ll keep the promises I made to the Lord
   in the presence of all God’s people.
….
Praise the Lord!
[Common English Bible]

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
   Worship him, all you peoples!
2 Because God’s faithful love toward us is strong,
   the Lord’s faithfulness lasts forever!
Praise the Lord!
[Common English Bible]

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