Daily Prayer, Monday, December 9, 2013

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

(Luke 1:46b-47)

Morning

Invitatory Psalm 95

O come, let us sing to the Lord:

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

We come into your presence with thanksgiving;

we make a joyful noise to you with songs of praise.

You, Lord, are a great God.

Psalm 57

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

until the destroying storms pass by.

I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

….

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.

I will sing and make melody.

Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;

your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

Psalm 61

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I;

for you are my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings. Selah

For you, O God, have heard my vows;

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

….

So I will always sing praises to your name, as I pay my vows day after day.

Psalm 64

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;

preserve my life from the dread enemy.

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,

   from the scheming of evildoers,

   who whet their tongues like swords,

   who aim bitter words like arrows,

   shooting from ambush at the blameless;

   they shoot suddenly and without fear.

….

Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him.

Let all the upright in heart glory.

Daily Lectionary Reading, Matthew 11:2-6

2 Now when John heard in prison about the things the Christ was doing, he sent word by his disciples to Jesus, asking, 3 “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 4 Jesus responded, “Go, report to John what you hear and see. 5 Those who were blind are able to see. Those who were crippled are walking. People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were deaf now hear. Those who were dead are raised up. The poor have good news proclaimed to them. 6 Happy are those who don’t stumble and fall because of me.” [Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: Lord, even John was not certain about the Christ. Forgive us for our doubt. Help our assurance. Open us to hear and see the work that is being done. Amen.

Midday Psalm 119:89-96

The Lord exists forever;

   your word is firmly fixed in heaven.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations;

you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

By your appointment they stand today,

   for all things are your servants.

If your law had not been my delight,

   I would have perished in my misery.

I will never forget your precepts,

   for by them you have given me life.

I am yours;

save me, for I have sought your precepts.

The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,

   but I consider your decrees.

I have seen a limit to all perfection,

   but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Evening

Psalm 87

….

Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah

….

Singers and dancers alike say, “All my springs are in you.”

Psalm 88

O Lord, God of my salvation,

when, at night, I cry out in your presence,

let my prayer come before you;

incline your ear to my cry.

For my soul is full of troubles,

   and my life draws near to Sheol.

I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;

I am like those who have no help,

   like those forsaken among the dead,

   like the slain that lie in the grave,

   like those whom you remember no more,

   for they are cut off from your hand.

You have put me in the depths of the Pit,

   in the regions dark and deep.

Your wrath lies heavy upon me,

and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah

You have caused my companions to shun me;

you have made me a thing of horror to them.

I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

my eye grows dim through sorrow.

Every day I call on you, O Lord;

I spread out my hands to you.

Do you work wonders for the dead?

Do the shades rise up to praise you? Selah

Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,

   or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

Are your wonders known in the darkness,

   or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?

But I, O Lord, cry out to you;

in the morning my prayer comes before you.

O Lord, why do you cast me off?

Why do you hide your face from me?

Wretched and close to death from my youth up,

   I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.

Your wrath has swept over me;

your dread assaults destroy me.

They surround me like a flood all day long;

from all sides they close in on me.

You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;

my companions are in darkness.

Psalm 91

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,

   who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord,

  “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence;

he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

   or the arrow that flies by day,

   or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

   or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

….

Those who love me, I will deliver;

I will protect those who know my name.

When they call to me, I will answer them;

I will be with them in trouble,

I will rescue them and honor them.

With long life I will satisfy them,

    and show them my salvation.