Psalm 48 Prayer

 Great are you, Lord, and most worthy of praise.  You are our fortress. When the forces of this world - hatred, bitterness, fear, anxiety, envy, greed, anger, division, destruction - try to come against your people and your Church and we cry out to you, you destroy them like ships shattered by a wind.  You make secure forever your people who meditate on your unfailing love. Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth and you are filled with righteousness. You are our God, forever and ever; you will be our guide, even to the end.   Help us to focus our spiritual, emotional, and intellectual attention on You and not the circumstances of this world.  Help us to cry with you, "Peace!  Be still!!" to the storms in our lives and to live in the Peace you offer to us.  You are our mighty fortress and our God.  You are our deliverer and we cry out to you for help.  In the name of Jesus, we pray for your Spirit to empower us to trust you for our Peace.  Amen. 

Psalm 48

1 

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,

    in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

2 

Beautiful in its loftiness,

    the joy of the whole earth,

like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,

    the city of the Great King.

3 

God is in her citadels;

    he has shown himself to be her fortress.

4 

When the kings joined forces,

    when they advanced together,

5 

they saw her and were astounded;

    they fled in terror.

6 

Trembling seized them there,

    pain like that of a woman in labor.

7 

You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish

    shattered by an east wind.

8 

As we have heard,

    so we have seen

in the city of the Lord Almighty,

    in the city of our God:

God makes her secure

    forever.

9

Within your temple, O God,

    we meditate on your unfailing love.

10 

Like your name, O God,

    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;

    your right hand is filled with righteousness.

11 

Mount Zion rejoices,

    the villages of Judah are glad

    because of your judgments.

12 

Walk about Zion, go around her,

    count her towers,

13 

consider well her ramparts,

    view her citadels,

that you may tell of them

    to the next generation.

14 

For this God is our God for ever and ever;

    he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 47 Prayer

On on this beautiful day that You have created, we join with all creatures on the earth in praise to you, our Lord Most High.  You are awesome, a great King over all the earth.  We claim the promise that you will subdue evil in this world and will continue to bless us as we inherit the gift of Abundant Life you have for us.  Amid shouts of joy, sounding of trumpets, and clapping of hands, we sing praise and give glory to you.   You reign over this world.  You reign over the hearts, minds, and spirits of your people.  You reign over the forces of darkness - fear, anger, hopelessness, division, destruction, corruption, abuse, addiction -  trying to overwhelm this earth and your people.  You reign over the past, present, and future.  You are seated on your holy throne and are greatly exalted.  We praise you for what you are doing in the lives of your people, pray for you to renew and revive your Church, and pray that your great Light would be poured into places of deep evil and darkness.  You are the Light of the World, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Let your Spirit be poured out in a fresh way that men and women, old and young, may dream your dreams and see your visions, and know that YOU ALONE are God over this world and over our lives.  In Christ's name we pray, Amen and amen.  

Psalm 47

1 

Clap your hands, all you nations;

    shout to God with cries of joy.

2 

For the Lord Most High is awesome,

    the great King over all the earth.

3 

He subdued nations under us,

    peoples under our feet.

4 

He chose our inheritance for us,

    the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

5 

God has ascended amid shouts of joy,

    the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.

6 

Sing praises to God, sing praises;

    sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 

For God is the King of all the earth;

    sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 

God reigns over the nations;

    God is seated on his holy throne.

9 

The nobles of the nations assemble

    as the people of the God of Abraham,

for the kings of the earth belong to God;

    he is greatly exalted.

Psalm 46 Prayer

God, Our Fortress,

You are our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way to violence, destruction, and death or the mountains of security and peace fall into the heart of the sea.  Though the waters of fear, anger, and bitterness roar and foam and the mountains of division and hatred quake with their surging, we know there is a River of God who cools the passions of this world - a holy place where the Most High dwells.  You are within this community, this nation, and this world; we will not fail when we call on you for help for this day.  If we watch or read the "news," it seems nations are in uproar and kingdoms are falling; BUT GOD is with us, our fortress who speaks and the earth melts.  God, we remember what you have done, how you make wars cease, how you break the weapons of war and call us to peace.   In our internal worlds, we hear your call to, "Be still and know that I am God."  We speak "Peace, be still" to our fears and worries and, instead, recognize that the Lord Almighty is with us.  You are God our Fortress and we give you praise and thanksgiving for the deliverance we may or may not see yet, but we claim anyway.  You are not delaying and you will keep your promises.  For that and so much more we give you thanks, worship, and praise.  In Jesus's name we pray, Amen!

10 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46

1 

God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

2 

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 

though its waters roar and foam

    and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 

God is within her, she will not fall;

    God will help her at break of day.

6 

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 

Come and see what the Lord has done,

    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 

He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields with fire.

10 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 45 Prayer

 

Consecrating God,

God,

Give us spirits, hearts, and minds to make you the center of our lives.  With joy, let us enter your presence and worship you in Spirit and in Truth.  You are the warrior who is clothed in splendor and majesty who rides forth in the cause of truth, humility and justice.  Give us eyes to see and ears to hear your Spirit moving upon this earth.  And by your Spirit within each of us as believers, give us the desire for justice, mercy, and humility in our lives and in the lives of the people of our community.  Let us not grow weary of doing good, but always seek to bless, encourage, and build up those around us.  May we together honor you with our hearts, our creations, and our words so that your Light and Truth are spread throughout this world.  In Jesus's name we pray, Amen. 

Psalm 45

1 

My heart is stirred by a noble theme

    as I recite my verses for the king;

    my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

2 

You are the most excellent of men

    and your lips have been anointed with grace,

    since God has blessed you forever.

3 

Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;

    clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.

4 

In your majesty ride forth victoriously

    in the cause of truth, humility and justice;

    let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.

5 

Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;

    let the nations fall beneath your feet.

6 

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;

    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

7 

You love righteousness and hate wickedness;

    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

    by anointing you with the oil of joy.

8 

All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;

    from palaces adorned with ivory

    the music of the strings makes you glad.

9 

Daughters of kings are among your honored women;

    at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

10 

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:

    Forget your people and your father’s house.

11 

Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;

    honor him, for he is your lord.

12 

The city of Tyre will come with a gift,

    people of wealth will seek your favor.

13 

All glorious is the princess within her chamber;

    her gown is interwoven with gold.

14 

In embroidered garments she is led to the king;

    her virgin companions follow her—

    those brought to be with her.

15 

Led in with joy and gladness,

    they enter the palace of the king.

16 

Your sons will take the place of your fathers;

    you will make them princes throughout the land.

17 

I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;

    therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

Psalm 44 Prayer

 Strong God,

Your People and your Church cry out for your strength and power because in this world it seems that all the forces of the enemy are strong and trained against us.  We ask you to rise up and rescue us from the spirits of anger, fear, division, destruction, hatred, anarchy, and hopelessness that have been unleashed on this nation.  Bring us to repentance, renewal, and revival so we can be not cold or lukewarm, but on fire for You.  Because of your unfailing love we will boast and praise your name, remembering what you did for  your people in ancient Israel and knowing how you have guarded and guided your Church since Christ.  It was not by power, might, or sword but by the power of your Holy Spirit that the Church has been able to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.  Through you we push back our enemies and trample on our foes.  Give us wisdom, strength, and courage for the facing of this hour, and remind us that we are more than conquerers through Jesus who loves us.  In the powerful name of Christ we pray, Amen. 

Psalm 44

1 

We have heard it with our ears, O God;

    our ancestors have told us

what you did in their days,

    in days long ago.

2 

With your hand you drove out the nations

    and planted our ancestors;

you crushed the peoples

    and made our ancestors flourish.

3 

It was not by their sword that they won the land,

    nor did their arm bring them victory;

it was your right hand, your arm,

    and the light of your face, for you loved them.

4 

You are my King and my God,

    who decrees victories for Jacob.

5 

Through you we push back our enemies;

    through your name we trample our foes.

6 

I put no trust in my bow,

    my sword does not bring me victory;

7 

but you give us victory over our enemies,

    you put our adversaries to shame.

8 

In God we make our boast all day long,

    and we will praise your name forever.

9 

But now you have rejected and humbled us;

    you no longer go out with our armies.

10 

You made us retreat before the enemy,

    and our adversaries have plundered us.

11 

You gave us up to be devoured like sheep

    and have scattered us among the nations.

12 

You sold your people for a pittance,

    gaining nothing from their sale.

13 

You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,

    the scorn and derision of those around us.

14 

You have made us a byword among the nations;

    the peoples shake their heads at us.

15 

I live in disgrace all day long,

    and my face is covered with shame

16 

at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,

    because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

17 

All this came upon us,

    though we had not forgotten you;

    we had not been false to your covenant.

18 

Our hearts had not turned back;

    our feet had not strayed from your path.

19 

But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals;

    you covered us over with deep darkness.

20 

If we had forgotten the name of our God

    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21 

would not God have discovered it,

    since he knows the secrets of the heart?

22 

Yet for your sake we face death all day long;

    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 

Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?

    Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

24 

Why do you hide your face

    and forget our misery and oppression?

25 

We are brought down to the dust;

    our bodies cling to the ground.

26 

Rise up and help us;

    rescue us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 43 Prayer

Today, God, we pray for your Church.  In the circumstances of this world, the Church can sometimes feel attacked, downtrodden, weary, and disturbed.  But YOU are our hope, our Salvation, and our God. Cleanse your Church from all unrighteousness - in our spirits, our business practices, our lack of care for people, our judging natures, our blind eyes to injustices, and our general weakness to love as you love us.  Cleanse us and give us grace, courage, and boldness for the facing of this hour and day.  Vindicate us, God, and plead our case against the unfaithfulness in this world.  Rescue your people from those who are deceitful and wicked.  You are our stronghold who can release us from the oppression of our spiritual enemy.  Send your light and your faithful care and bring us into the holy mountain where you dwell.  Draw us into worship as our Joy and Delight.  Let us never forget our hope is in You, our Savior and our God.  In Jesus's name we pray, Amen!

Psalm 43

1 

Vindicate me, my God,

    and plead my cause

    against an unfaithful nation.

Rescue me from those who are

    deceitful and wicked.

2 

You are God my stronghold.

    Why have you rejected me?

Why must I go about mourning,

    oppressed by the enemy?

3 

Send me your light and your faithful care,

    let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

    to the place where you dwell.

4 

Then I will go to the altar of God,

    to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise you with the lyre,

    O God, my God.

5 

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

    Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

    for I will yet praise him,

    my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42 Prayer

 Living, Loving God,

Our souls cry out in thirst for your Spirit.  Your Church is downcast and disturbed by the circumstances we are living through, yet we put our hope in you.  It seems the waves and breakers of this era have rolled over us, yet we put our hope in you.  It can seem You have forgotten your people and we are oppressed by our enemy, yet we put our hope in you. The world may seems to say, "Where is your God?," yet we put our hope in you.  Jesus, you are the Hope for our world.  You are the One in whom we trust.  Help us to remember that when the forces of anger, bitterness, fear, division, hatred, and destruction seem to be trained on your Church and your people, that you are bigger, stronger, and more present than any of those things.  In the name of Jesus we pray against these evil spirits - we bind them and send them to the foot of the Cross for you to deal with.  We instead speak, "Peace!" to this storm.  We pray you will pour out love, joy, peace, mercy, and unity upon your Church and your people.  We claim these and other gifts of grace and look forward to the coming day of Christ's return. Help us to be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous and strong, and to do everything in love. We praise you, our Savior and our God.  In Jesus's name we pray, Amen!

Psalm 42

1 

As the deer pants for streams of water,

    so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

    When can I go and meet with God?

3 

My tears have been my food

    day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

    “Where is your God?”

4 

These things I remember

    as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

    under the protection of the Mighty One

with shouts of joy and praise

    among the festive throng.

5 

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

    Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

    for I will yet praise him,

    my Savior and my God.

6 

My soul is downcast within me;

    therefore I will remember you

from the land of the Jordan,

    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 

Deep calls to deep

    in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

    have swept over me.

8 

By day the Lord directs his love,

    at night his song is with me—

    a prayer to the God of my life.

9 

I say to God my Rock,

    “Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,

    oppressed by the enemy?”

10 

My bones suffer mortal agony

    as my foes taunt me,

saying to me all day long,

    “Where is your God?”

11 

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

    Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

    for I will yet praise him,

    my Savior and my God.

Psalm 41 Prayer

 Triumphant God,

There are many in this world who are eagerly anticipating the end of your Church and the end of this nation.  Indeed, your enemies love to put in place programs, laws, and other barriers to the Church doing her work in this world.  And the enemies of this nation work in malice for the death and destruction of this nation.  When they speak falsely, spreading slander, and even turn against it, have mercy on this nation.  Do not remember the sins of the past, but, Holy Spirit, renew, revive, and empower your Church to rise up and pray for this nation.  I pray in the name of Jesus against the spiritual forces of evil that seek to destroy her and I pray that every evil spirit will be brought into the light of Christ with irrefutable evidence and its power destroyed.  I pray that darkness, fear, anger, and confusion would be stopped - NO MORE in the name of Christ! - and that you would return both your Church and this nation to a place of integrity in your presence.  Praise be to the Lord our God from everlasting to everlasting.  Amen!

Psalm 41

1 

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;

    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

2 

The Lord protects and preserves them—

    they are counted among the blessed in the land—

    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.

3 

The Lord sustains them on their sickbed

    and restores them from their bed of illness.

4 

I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord;

    heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

5 

My enemies say of me in malice,

    “When will he die and his name perish?”

6 

When one of them comes to see me,

    he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;

    then he goes out and spreads it around.

7 

All my enemies whisper together against me;

    they imagine the worst for me, saying,

8 

“A vile disease has afflicted him;

    he will never get up from the place where he lies.”

9 

Even my close friend,

    someone I trusted,

one who shared my bread,

    has turned against me.

10 

But may you have mercy on me, Lord;

    raise me up, that I may repay them.

11 

I know that you are pleased with me,

    for my enemy does not triumph over me.

12 

Because of my integrity you uphold me

    and set me in your presence forever.

13 

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

Psalm 40 Prayer

 

Restoring God,

We your people, we your Church, wait patiently for you as we call out to you for renewal and revival.  You are the one who can lift us out of the slimy pit of our circumstances.  You are the one who sets our feet on a firm place to stand and puts a new song of praise in our mouths.  We pray that your Church would have spiritual eyes focused on You alone so that we don't look to the proud ways of the world or the false gods of government, media, education, arts & entertainment, or business.  Purify your church from her lukewarm-ness, her inward focus, her pollution and corruption, and her desire to be "cool" when your word says we should be in the world but not of it.  By your Spirit, radically strike pastors and other church leaders who have strayed from you with a firm conviction of their sin and a desire to turn fully back to you.  By your Spirit, radically cause church members to rise up and pray for their leaders and for the world. You do not desire sacrifice and offerings from us except for willing hearts that know your will and proclaim your salvation. Without you, God, we are poor and needy; do not delay to be our help and our deliverer.  May those who want to curtail the ministry of your Church and Kingdom be turned back in disgrace, but may those who want your Kingdom to prevail always say, "The Lord is Great!"  In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen!

Psalm 40

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 

I waited patiently for the Lord;

    he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

    out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

    and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 

He put a new song in my mouth,

    a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord

    and put their trust in him.

4 

Blessed is the one

    who trusts in the Lord,

who does not look to the proud,

    to those who turn aside to false gods.

5 

Many, Lord my God,

    are the wonders you have done,

    the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;

    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,

    they would be too many to declare.

6 

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—

    but my ears you have opened—

    burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

7 

Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—

    it is written about me in the scroll.

8 

I desire to do your will, my God;

    your law is within my heart.”

9 

I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;

    I do not seal my lips, Lord,

    as you know.

10 

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness

    from the great assembly.

11 

Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;

    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

12 

For troubles without number surround me;

    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

    and my heart fails within me.

13 

Be pleased to save me, Lord;

    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

14 

May all who want to take my life

    be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin

    be turned back in disgrace.

15 

May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

    be appalled at their own shame.

16 

But may all who seek you

    rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who long for your saving help always say,

    “The Lord is great!”

17 

But as for me, I am poor and needy;

    may the Lord think of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

    you are my God, do not delay.