![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Mark 11:7-10 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” CONFESSION O God, what house could contain you, that you should dwell there? All of creation is not vast enough. And yet you desire for your Spirit to make its home in our hearts. Forgive us that we so often shutter our hearts to you. For the sake of your Son, the greater Son of David, do not turn your face away. Clothe us in your righteousness and clothe our adversary in shame; let him not hinder your coming. Open our hearts to welcome you in as our King! Cause us to shout for joy for your salvation, yours alone, we pray. ASSURANCE | Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD First reading: Psalm 119:1-24 Second reading: Psalm 119:25-32 Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible; we’ll look at it over several days. It is essentially one long hymn about the Word of God, and in particular, the Torah, the first five books in our Bible, which was the whole Bible for many believers up to the time of David. Psalm 119 has an acrostic structure, which means that in each section, every verse starts with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from the first letter all the way through the last. There were 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, so there are 22 sections. This structure essentially says, “Let me praise the Word from A to Z, in every way possible!” This psalm also sits exactly in the center of the modern Bible including the New Testament. Many parallel words and phrases are used to refer to God’s written word: “law,” “testimonies,” “statutes,” “rules,” “precepts,” “your word,” and more. It is clear that the psalmist is talking about words that are written down in Scripture, not just nice thoughts. (Some Christians have tried to separate the concept of Word of God from the written Bible, but that is a very un-biblical way of thinking.) The passage from Hebrews 8:10-12, given above, does not teach that Christians will not read their Bibles, but that it will find resonance in their hearts, and not be an alien, dead document to them. Can you relate to this psalmist, when he says things such as, “My soul is consumed with longing for your rules,” (119:20), “your testimonies are my delight” (119:24). Why or why not? If not, is it because it is often hard work to understand the Scriptures? The psalmist says that he “meditates” on God’s precepts (119:15), and asks God to “open his eyes” to see wondrous things (119:18). The sense of this psalm is not that the Word is full of nice thoughts and greeting-card sentiments, but that it challenges us and changes us. As we study it more and more, which could include reading the work of Bible scholars to understand the context, we will find it more and more apt and life-giving. The psalmist also encourages memorizing Scripture: “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (119:11) Consider memorizing a short passage of Scripture this week, and making Scripture memorization something you do often. (Dave Snoke) ABIDING SING
THURSDAY-MEMORIZE | Psalm 132 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - SENDING Revelation 21:3 [ESV] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (If you are in a group, you can end with the following call and response:) The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (based on Revelation 22:17,20-21) ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Mark 11:7-10 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” CONFESSION O God, what house could contain you, that you should dwell there? All of creation is not vast enough. And yet you desire for your Spirit to make its home in our hearts. Forgive us that we so often shutter our hearts to you. For the sake of your Son, the greater Son of David, do not turn your face away. Clothe us in your righteousness and clothe our adversary in shame; let him not hinder your coming. Open our hearts to welcome you in as our King! Cause us to shout for joy for your salvation, yours alone, we pray. ASSURANCE | Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD First reading: Psalms 116 and 117 Second reading: Psalm 118 Psalms 116 and 118, like many of the Psalms, are deeply personal cries to God about distress and anguish. Psalm 116 seems to have been written after the psalmist had an illness in which he nearly died. This led him to depression, and cynicism (116:10-11). When he recovered, he dedicated offerings to God as a sign of his thanks, and proclaimed God’s mercy “in the presence of all the people” (verses 14, 18). Psalm 118 seems to be written by King David after a battle with other nations that threatened to go very badly; the psalmist says he was “falling” (119:13) in the midst of an enemy army like a swarm of bees, and that God “disciplined” him “severely” (119:18), but did not let him die. Some of the psalms of anguish seem to be written in the midst of trials, while Psalms 116 and 118 look back on the bad times, and thank God for his very tangible rescue from them. Psalm 117, a very short psalm squeezed between them, seems almost just an interjection of joy, along the lines of, “Let me say that again! Amen!” When you come out of a time of trial, do you tend to move on quickly and not give thanks to God, meditating with thanksgiving on his earthly mercies? We know that some day we will all die, as we are under the Curse on humanity due to sin, given in Genesis 3, but we should also recognize the many temporal blessings we have and give thanks to God. The Bible tells us that all Christians will have times of trial (e.g. James 1:2-3, 1 Peter 4:12-13), but we should also rejoice in the good things God has given us. Even if we die, Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Our trials are never because God has forgotten us. (Dave Snoke) ABIDING SING
WEDNESDAY-CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 132 Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community. SENDING Revelation 21:3 [ESV] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (If you are in a group, you can end with the following call and response:) The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (based on Revelation 22:17,20-21) ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Mark 11:7-10 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” CONFESSION O God, what house could contain you, that you should dwell there? All of creation is not vast enough. And yet you desire for your Spirit to make its home in our hearts. Forgive us that we so often shutter our hearts to you. For the sake of your Son, the greater Son of David, do not turn your face away. Clothe us in your righteousness and clothe our adversary in shame; let him not hinder your coming. Open our hearts to welcome you in as our King! Cause us to shout for joy for your salvation, yours alone, we pray. ASSURANCE | Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD First reading: Psalm 115 Second reading: Psalm 114 Many people have the impression that in the Old Testament times, God was only concerned about the Jews, his chosen people, and that he and his people had little concern for those around them. Actually, many psalms and other passages in the Old Testament point to God’s concern for all the nations, including God’s call to Abraham, the founder of the nation of Israel: “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3) The nation of Israel was set up by God as an example for other nations to see. Psalms 114 and 115 place Israel in that context. In Psalm 114:7 we read, “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,” when remembing the great miracles of God in the Exodus. In Psalm 115 we read of Israelites debating religion with people of other beliefs: “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” Psalm 115 in large part is a dialogue with those who practice idolatry, the main religion in the surrounding nations at the time. The main “arguments” in Psalms 114 and 115 are: 1) remember and pass down to the next generation the stories of God’s great miraculous works (which are now recorded in the Bible); 2) lift up your eyes to see the true, transcendant God, not a puny god like Thor or Zeus, who can be depicted in an inanimate statue; and 3) live life trusting in God and his blessings, but not pointing to yourself, but instead to God, that the nations may glorify him (Psalm 115:1). Psalm 115:3 says “Our God…does all that he pleases,” and 115:9 says “O Israel, trust in the Lord!” Faith can be defined not in just believing God exists (probably most people believe that), but it trusting that he is good, even when when what he ordains doesn’t always make sense to us. We are tempted to try to manipulate God, like an idol that we give little offerings to, but faith says to God, “I fall down before God, who does what he pleases.” (Dave Snoke) ABIDING SING
TUESDAY-READ | Psalm 132 Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together. SENDING Revelation 21:3 [ESV] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (If you are in a group, you can end with the following call and response:) The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (based on Revelation 22:17,20-21) ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Mark 11:7-10 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” CONFESSION O God, what house could contain you, that you should dwell there? All of creation is not vast enough. And yet you desire for your Spirit to make its home in our hearts. Forgive us that we so often shutter our hearts to you. For the sake of your Son, the greater Son of David, do not turn your face away. Clothe us in your righteousness and clothe our adversary in shame; let him not hinder your coming. Open our hearts to welcome you in as our King! Cause us to shout for joy for your salvation, yours alone, we pray. ASSURANCE | Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD First reading: Psalm 113 Second reading: 1 Tim 5:1-2 Psalm 113 focuses on two aspects of God that can seem contradictory to us: God is “seated on high” (in theological terms, God is “transcendant”), and yet also God “raises the poor from the dust,” and “lifts the needy,” that is, he is near to us (in theological terms, he is “immanent.”) Isaiah 57:15 puts it this way: “Thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” When we come to God in prayer and worship, we should meditate on both aspects. We should come to him in awe and a type of “fear” of God as the Holy One, but we also should be confident that he loves us as a father and is near to those who come to him humbly. Even if our own earthly father was not too much like this, we can envision a father who we know to be extremely strong and in control, but who also wants to sit with his children tenderly and patiently. Verse 9 of Psalm 113 uses a term that may make us uncomfortable: “He gives the barren woman a home.” Our culture is somewhat schizophrenic when it comes to children. On one hand, defining women’s calling entirely in terms of having children is seen as archaic, and talking of a “barren woman” seems insulting. At the same time, many people (men and women) long to have children and suffer deeply if they cannot, for some reason or other. The Bible tells us that God’s church, his people, are a real family, and that all of us who are in Christ have a home there. We are “brothers and sisters” with “fathers and mothers” in the church. If you are lonely and/or childless, do you take seriously the call to see the children of the church as members of your own family, whom we all make a vow at a child’s baptism to help raise? If you have a family at present, do you go the extra mile to include others in the church to interact with your children? God is greatly concerned to give every one of us a “home” with him; if you are lonely or unfulfilled, take that to God your Father, and also reach out to include those around you in your family, no matter what walk of life you are in. (Dave Snoke) ABIDING SING
MONDAY-LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 132 We memorize things we value. The brain has an incredible ability to remove information that we don’t need. As we make an effort to memorize the Psalms, the beginning of each week seeks to establish the value of God's Word in our hearts before we view it as information to be remembered. Read more about the Lectio Divina HERE.
SENDING Revelation 21:3 [ESV] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (If you are in a group, you can end with the following call and response:) The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (based on Revelation 22:17,20-21) ![]() GATHERING [Picture: Psalm 132: Blake Johnson] THE CALL | Mark 11:7-10 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” CONFESSION O God, what house could contain you, that you should dwell there? All of creation is not vast enough. And yet you desire for your Spirit to make its home in our hearts. Forgive us that we so often shutter our hearts to you. For the sake of your Son, the greater Son of David, do not turn your face away. Clothe us in your righteousness and clothe our adversary in shame; let him not hinder your coming. Open our hearts to welcome you in as our King! Cause us to shout for joy for your salvation, yours alone, we pray. ASSURANCE | Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD — INSERT LINK TO PSALM READING — — INSERT MATT'S REFLECTION -- ABIDING SING
MONDAY LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 132 We memorize things we value. The brain has an incredible ability to remove information that we don’t need. As we make an effort to memorize the Psalms, the beginning of each week seeks to establish the value of God's Word in our hearts before we view it as information to be remembered. Read more about the Lectio Divina HERE.
TUESDAY READ | Psalm 132 Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together. WEDNESDAY CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 132 Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community. THURSDAY MEMORIZE | Psalm 132 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - FRIDAY MEMORIZE | Psalm 132 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - SATURDAY (see Saturday liturgy) SENDING Revelation 21:3 [ESV] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (If you are in a group, you can end with the following call and response:) The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (based on Revelation 22:17,20-21) WEEKEND LITURGY
Retreat of Silence In Psalm 131, David resolves not to occupy his mind and heart with things that aren’t meant to be meditated upon, but rather, he has “calmed and quieted” his soul like a child. This weekend, try setting aside a significant amount of time (maybe 30 minutes, maybe an hour), in a place free of distraction, to spend before the Lord in silent prayer and introspection. Know that the Lord is present with you, that he probes your thoughts before you speak them (Psalm 139:4) and knows what is in your heart (John 2:25). In this time, try to investigate the things that are occupying your mind and heart, and acknowledge them before Him. It may be helpful to journal about them or write them out. What is causing you anxiety, worry, and fear? Are they things that God intends for you to sift in your mind and heart? Or are you anxious, worried, and fearful because they are things too high for you, that only He can comprehend? Offer them to God, and wait upon Him in this time to restore you with a sense of His peace, the peace that suprasses all understanding. Read Psalm 111 Read Psalm 112 111:9 “He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!” 112:6 “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.” Psalms 111 & 112, if you didn’t know it, are both acrostics. The first letter of each half-line starts with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The arranging of these psalms next to each other, as well as their similar style, suggest to us that these psalms complement one another. The mention of the “fear of the LORD” in the last verse of Psalm 111, and a similar sentiment in the first verse of Psalm 112, only further serve to reinforce this idea. Psalm 111 recounts God’s mighty works of salvation in the Old Testament, beginning with the Exodus and culminating with Joshua leading Israel into the Promised Land. God’s people are to “praise the LORD” and “give thanks to the LORD with [their] whole heart[s]” (v. 1). The psalmist is teaching God’s people, through song, many things about His character and nature (vv. 2-8), but he’s also teaching them the eternal nature of God’s covenant with His people (v. 9). Psalm 112 helps us grasp some of the many reasons to celebrate the fact that God “has commanded his covenant forever” (111:9). Here we see that God’s people are to again “praise the LORD” (v. 1) for a host of reasons, including the many ways God blesses His covenant people (vv. 1-9). Those who fear the LORD and delight in His commandments are indeed blessed (v. 1). Although subtle, perhaps the most significant reason for God’s people to praise Him is the fact that the “righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever” (v. 6). But why are God’s people remembered forever? Does this seem to be the case, when our years often seem so short? We as God’s people are remembered forever because we have been united by grace through faith to the LORD Jesus Christ, the one who truly “fears the LORD…[and] greatly delights in His commandments! (v. 1)” In our ever-changing, transient world, isn’t it wonderful to know that your life is bound up with Christ, the infinite, eternal and unchangeable God-man? ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Luke 18:16-17 [ESV] But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” CONFESSION Heavenly Father, so often we exalt ourselves in our hearts. Our minds are occupied with things that are too great for us. We seek to comprehend your hidden counsels, when you call us to trust in faith. Forgive us of our pride. Give us child-like trust in you, by your Spirit that cries out in our hearts “Abba, Father!”. Quiet our souls with your steadfast love, as we rest in your wisdom and your power to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 49:15 [Thus says the Lord:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD Read Psalm 110 110:1-2 “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” Psalm 110, a “royal psalm,” was no doubt used to celebrate the coronation of kings in Israel for generations after David wrote it some three thousand years ago. Even its author, however, seems to understand that this psalm is speaking of more than just a mere human king. David acknowledges that this king (we’re told he has a scepter in v. 2) will also be a “priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” (v. 4). Furthermore, this king will exceed all kings that have come before him in terms of the breadth of his kingdom. This includes even David himself, who had conquered the territories that Israel failed to subdue during Israel’s conquest as depicted in the Book of Joshua. The king from this psalm will execute “judgement among the nations” and “shatter chiefs over the wide earth” (v. 6). But this king can’t do it any time he wants to; he must wait for the LORD, and sit at the LORD’s right hand, until the LORD makes his enemies his footstool (v. 2). In Mark 12:35-37, Jesus confirms David’s knowledge of this being more than a mere human king when he teaches that David, by the Holy Spirit, understood that God (“The LORD”) was speaking to a human king that would descend from David, yet who was also David’s Lord (“my Lord”). By the 1st century, it seems Israel had long believed that the Christ would come from David, and they got that idea from this psalm (as well as from other Old Testament passages). When Jesus was rejected by many in Israel, they weren’t rejecting the idea in this psalm; they were rejecting that Jesus, who was David’s son by lineage, was the long awaited-Messiah. But not all Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Many embraced Him, and were embraced by Him, and found in great David’s greater Son the redemption they had been so long promised, and so greatly longed for. To this day, people continue to make decisions about whether Jesus is the Messiah, either accepting or rejecting Him as their true King. This psalm has been fulfilled in the sense that David’s Lord has sat down at God’s right hand. Jesus is ruling and reigning now from this exalted position of supreme authority, but not all His enemies have been placed under His feet just yet (v. 2; cf. 1 Cor. 15:20-28). You have until that Day to decide, but be forewarned, that Day is not a day to make a decision…that Day is a day when decisions will be revealed. So, have you decided this day to follow Christ? Is He your Lord, as he was David’s? Is He your Priest? Is He your King? If not, might you profess Him this day as your Lord and Savior, and place yourself under the shelter of His mighty wings? May the LORD be pleased to continue to reveal Himself to men and women, boys and girls, to the saving of their souls for all eternity. (John McCombs) ABIDING SING
FRIDAY-MEMORIZE | Psalm 131 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - SENDING Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1: Q: What is your only comfort in life and death? A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 1 John 3:2-3 [ESV] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Luke 18:16-17 [ESV] But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” CONFESSION Heavenly Father, so often we exalt ourselves in our hearts. Our minds are occupied with things that are too great for us. We seek to comprehend your hidden counsels, when you call us to trust in faith. Forgive us of our pride. Give us child-like trust in you, by your Spirit that cries out in our hearts “Abba, Father!”. Quiet our souls with your steadfast love, as we rest in your wisdom and your power to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 49:15 [Thus says the Lord:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD Read Psalm 109 2nd Reading: Psalm 108 (109:26-27) “Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to your steadfast love! 27 Let them know that this is your hand; you, O LORD, have done it!” Given Psalm 108 is composed of 2 previous Psalms (vv. 1-5 from Psalm 57:7-11, and vv. 6- 13 from Psalm 60:5-12, with minor variations), I thought our time today would be better spent studying Psalm 109, another of David’s Psalms. Psalm 109, the ESV Study Bible tells us, is an “individual lament.” It appears the psalmist is being tried before a compromised court on trumped up charges (vv. 1-5). In such a hopeless situation, the psalmist can only appeal to God Himself for help (vv. 21-31). He cries out to God for deliverance, appealing specifically to God’s steadfast love (v. 21, v. 26), and asking God to vindicate His Name (v. 21) and His glory (v. 27). Although no answer to the psalmist’s plea is recorded, he nonetheless maintains confidence that the LORD “stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death” (v. 31). Perhaps you’ve felt the pain of an injustice like this. If so, you’re not alone. Given the Apostle Peter saw Psalm 109:8 as justification for another to replace Judas (cf. Acts 1:20), it’s no stretch to see our LORD Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 109. He is the only person to be completely innocent, in every respect, and yet condemned to death. At His death, Jesus cried out to the Father, and like Psalm 109, there was no answer. Yet this gravest of all injustices was not without purpose. Christ, though innocent, chose to die for our sins, to take the wrath of God that our sins deserve upon Himself, so that we, though guilty, might be innocent with regard to sin before the Father. And Christ not only takes away our sins, but He gives us the righteousness He earned in His life of faithful obedience to the Father (see 2 Cor 5:21). In light of what Christ has done for you, if you’ve experienced an injustice of this nature, might it be wise to take the psalmist’s (and thus our LORD’s) attitude from verse 4: “in return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.” O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer! (Excerpt from “What a Friend We Have in Jesus/Take it to the LORD in Prayer”: for an absolutely beautiful rendition of this song by the Aeolians of Oakwood University, Take It to the Lord in Prayer | Aeolians of Oakwood University - YouTube (John McCombs) ABIDING SING
THURSDAY-MEMORIZE | Psalm 131 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - SENDING Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1: Q: What is your only comfort in life and death? A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 1 John 3:2-3 [ESV] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Luke 18:16-17 [ESV] But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” CONFESSION Heavenly Father, so often we exalt ourselves in our hearts. Our minds are occupied with things that are too great for us. We seek to comprehend your hidden counsels, when you call us to trust in faith. Forgive us of our pride. Give us child-like trust in you, by your Spirit that cries out in our hearts “Abba, Father!”. Quiet our souls with your steadfast love, as we rest in your wisdom and your power to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 49:15 [Thus says the Lord:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD Read Psalm 107 (v1-3) “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” Although Psalm 107 kicks off a new book in the Psalter, there is great continuity from Psalm 106 (and really 105 as well). The Psalmist is still teaching the congregation to “…give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (v. 1). He invites God’s people, “the redeemed,” to join along, as they too have been “redeemed from trouble” (v. 2). The context certainly appears to be after the exile, with God’s people having been gathered back to the land of Judah (v. 3). The Psalmist then recounts four specific instances of God’s people in trouble and crying out to the LORD. Our four groups of lost souls include those who “wandered in desert wastes” (vv.4-9), “sat in darkness and in the shadow of death” (vv. 10-16), “were fools through their sinful ways” (vv. 17-22), and “went down to the sea in ships” (vv. 23-32). When they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, He delivers them from their distress (a common refrain), and they are encouraged to “thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!” (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31). Verses 33-42 then meditate on how God so often displays his righteousness and faithfulness through reversing the fortunes of His creatures, humbling the proud but lifting up the downcast. The Psalm closes with these instructive words: “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.” (v. 43) How might you attend to these things? How might you consider the steadfast love of the LORD? You’ve spent a few minutes pondering this Psalm already…might it be worth a few more minutes meditating on a time in your life when you were lost? Or a particularly dark time? Or a significant health challenge? Or suffering as a result of your own sin? Or being tossed about by the storms of life? Might you write your own (un)inspired 5 th stanza to Psalm 107, how you cried out to the LORD in your trouble, and how He delivered you from your distress? Brother or sister, sing today of the LORD’s redemption, and give thanks! Or perhaps you’re facing one of these issues now (or the equivalent). Friends, whatever the outcome may be, if you’re in Christ, then know this: the LORD has redeemed you! Sing of this redemption today, and give thanks! Let me conclude briefly by saying, if you’ve never heard of Wendell Kimbrough and his rendition of Psalm 107 titled “Oh Give Thanks,” allow me to give it a hearty recommendation. And if you’re a guitar player and want to learn how to play it, here’s a YouTube video by Wendell Kimbrough himself, complete with a mini-guitar lesson afterwards to help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VccSrmoJOug. Even if you’re not a guitar player, the first few minutes will still be well worth your time, just listening to this beautiful take on Psalm 107. Feel free to sing along! ABIDING SING
WEDNESDAY-CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 131 Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community. SENDING Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1: Q: What is your only comfort in life and death? A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 1 John 3:2-3 [ESV] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Luke 18:16-17 [ESV] But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” CONFESSION Heavenly Father, so often we exalt ourselves in our hearts. Our minds are occupied with things that are too great for us. We seek to comprehend your hidden counsels, when you call us to trust in faith. Forgive us of our pride. Give us child-like trust in you, by your Spirit that cries out in our hearts “Abba, Father!”. Quiet our souls with your steadfast love, as we rest in your wisdom and your power to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 49:15 [Thus says the Lord:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD Read Psalm 106 “(vs.1) Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 106, another “historical psalm,” in many ways builds on Psalm 105. It continues to tell of the story of God’s “mighty deeds” (v. 2), displaying His faithfulness to generations past, and calls for praise and thanksgiving (v. 1). Yet Psalm 106 adds another element that is meant to lead God’s people to even higher levels of gratitude and praise…an element that was noticeably missing in Psalm 105. Psalm 105 teaches God’s people to sing of His faithfulness, but Psalm 106 teaches God’s people to sing of His faithfulness in the midst of their unfaithfulness. It's one thing to thank people for being “good” to you when you’ve been “good” to them (and we certainly should do this). But it’s another thing altogether when someone has been “good” to you, despite you having been everything but good to them. Here, thanksgiving of another magnitude is in order. Since God alone is good (Mark 10:18/Luke 18:19), He alone can truly be good to His people. He was good to Israel, despite their unfaithfulness (see vv. 6-43 for details), and He has been good to us, despite our unfaithfulness. The LORD sees the mess we get ourselves into, and He hears us when we cry out to Him (v. 44). He remembers His covenant, and He shows steadfast love to His people (v. 45). Isn’t God’s patience with His people amazing when you stop and think about it? Yes, Israel’s unfaithfulness did eventually lead to their exile, and yet God was pleased to save the people from the nations to which He had scattered them (v. 47). Might we as God’s people learn to cry out to Him quickly when we sin, that He might likewise rescue us. Let us this day, even when we sin, “give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (v. 1) “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise the LORD!” (v. 48) (John McCombs) ABIDING SING
TUESDAY-READ | Psalm 131 Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together. SENDING Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1: Q: What is your only comfort in life and death? A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 1 John 3:2-3 [ESV] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. ![]() GATHERING THE CALL | Luke 18:16-17 [ESV] But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” CONFESSION Heavenly Father, so often we exalt ourselves in our hearts. Our minds are occupied with things that are too great for us. We seek to comprehend your hidden counsels, when you call us to trust in faith. Forgive us of our pride. Give us child-like trust in you, by your Spirit that cries out in our hearts “Abba, Father!”. Quiet our souls with your steadfast love, as we rest in your wisdom and your power to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 49:15 [Thus says the Lord:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD Read Psalm 105 “Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!” Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!...O of spring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!" As the ESV Study Bible notes tell us, Psalm 105 is a “historical psalm,” and the only psalm to “recall explicitly the promises to the patriarchs.” The psalmist sings of both the promises and the mighty works of God in the lives of Abraham (vv. 9a, 11, 12-15), Isaac (v. 9b, 11), Jacob (vv. 10-11), Joseph (vv. 16-23), Moses and Aaron (vv. 24-38), Israel in the wilderness (vv. 39-41), and Israel in the Promised Land (vv. 42-45). The psalmist is teaching God’s people, through song, that “He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations…” (vv. 7-8). Remembering our history is a good thing; applying it to our daily lives is even better. It’s one thing to know that our Triune God did all these things; it’s another to be moved to praise as a result. And that’s the psalmist’s goal here: to drive God’s people to praise Him. The “offspring of Abraham” (v. 6, that’s us folks!) are to “remember his wonderous works…his miracles…[his] judgments” (v. 5). And in their remembering, they’re to “give thanks…call upon his name…make known his deeds among the peoples” (v. 1). From this verse we see that God’s mighty works are the grounds for not only gratitude among God’s people, but for their worship, and for missions! Is your heart seeking the LORD, His strength, and His presence (vv. 3-4)? Then rejoice dear Christian (v. 3)! He has done great things for you, as He has done great things for the generations of God’s people that have come before you, even back to Abraham. Sing praises to Him this day (v. 2); tell someone else about Him (v. 2); glory in His holy Name! (v. 3) (John McCombs) ABIDING SING
MONDAY-LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 131 We memorize things we value. The brain has an incredible ability to remove information that we don’t need. As we make an effort to memorize the Psalms, the beginning of each week seeks to establish the value of God's Word in our hearts before we view it as information to be remembered. Read more about the Lectio Divina HERE.
SENDING Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1: Q: What is your only comfort in life and death? A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 1 John 3:2-3 [ESV] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. The following is a paper written by Daniel Snoke regarding Christian singing in worship. It is a very helpful and insightful paper and I plan to refer to it during the sermon on 3/20/22, so I am posting it here for now. It will later by located on the website with our other resources. ![]()
GATHERING
THE CALL | Luke 18:16-17 [ESV] But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” CONFESSION Heavenly Father, so often we exalt ourselves in our hearts. Our minds are occupied with things that are too great for us. We seek to comprehend your hidden counsels, when you call us to trust in faith. Forgive us of our pride. Give us child-like trust in you, by your Spirit that cries out in our hearts “Abba, Father!”. Quiet our souls with your steadfast love, as we rest in your wisdom and your power to save, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 49:15 [Thus says the Lord:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD — INSERT LINK TO PSALM READING — — INSERT MATT'S REFLECTION -- ABIDING SING
SUNDAY MONDAY LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 131 We memorize things we value. The brain has an incredible ability to remove information that we don’t need. As we make an effort to memorize the Psalms, the beginning of each week seeks to establish the value of God's Word in our hearts before we view it as information to be remembered. Read more about the Lectio Divina HERE.
TUESDAY READ | Psalm 131 Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together. WEDNESDAY CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 131 Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community. THURSDAY MEMORIZE | Psalm 131 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - FRIDAY MEMORIZE | Psalm 131 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - SATURDAY (see Saturday liturgy) SENDING Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1: Q: What is your only comfort in life and death? A: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 1 John 3:2-3 [ESV] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. EEKEND LITURGY
Waiting for the Morning of Christ’s Resurrection At Jesus’ death on the Cross, the disciples wondered and doubted how this could have been part of God’s plan of salvation. While Jesus rested in the tomb, they anxiously awaited some answer from God. Finally, at the dawn of the third day, God proved himself faithful when Christ was raised from the dead. Consider spending some time, either Saturday night or Sunday morning, reflecting on God’s promised salvation (such as Ezekiel 36:22-38), as we prepare for Sunday morning service. Prepare your heart for Sunday to be eager to come to worship and celebrate God’s faithfulness, the culmination of which is Christ’s Resurrection, which we celebrate each Sunday when we gather. When you rise from your time of prayer, you could end with Simeon’s praise in Luke 2: Luke 2:29-32 [ESV] (The Song of Simeon) “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Day #66 “Bless the Lord, O My Soul!” First reading - Psalm 103 Second reading - Psalm 104 So a cursory reading of these two psalms leads an attentive reader to see an evident connection in both the openings and closing of each psalm: “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (Psalm 103:1 and 104:1, 103:22c and 104:35b) is the refrain. In between those bookended calls we have two different emphases, however. Psalm 103, which is ascribed to David (the second and last Davidic psalm in Book Four of the psalter, Psalms 90-106), celebrates the Lord’s work of redemption, praising God for “all His benefits”(v.2): forgiveness of sins, healing, redemption and provision. The rest of the psalm fleshes out these benefits with rich description of the Lord’s character and man’s finite and fallen nature. The lens of the psalm grows ever wider, from the psalmist himself (v1) to the angels and “all his works” (v. 20-22). Psalm 104, on the other hand, is a celebration primarily of the Lord’s work of creation and providence. The poetry is beautiful and exalted (spoken as one who is largely not given to read or enjoy poetry) as it recounts the power of the Creator and his sovereignty over the Flood (v.6-9) and His care for His creation (v.10-30). We sing a paraphrase of this psalm in our corporate worship at CRPC with Wendell Kimbrough’s “O Rejoice in All Your Works”. The psalm ends with the psalmist’s testimony and warning (v.33-35). The more I read the psalter, the more I am convinced of the thoughtful and deliberate human editing of the psalter, under the ultimate guidance of the Holy Spirit, by which we can see connections between selections (like the “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” refrain mentioned above) and a movement of thought through the entire book. Such an approach to reading these psalms, advocated by OT scholar Gordon Wenham in chapter 3 of his book “The Psalter Reclaimed” , is termed “canonical reading”, and is a fascinating alternative to reading the psalms as “individual poems or worship songs and pay little attention to the collection as a whole and to its arrangement”. Check it out if you find these concepts intriguing. May our souls indeed bless the Lord as we encounter His beauty in all His works! (Jim Partridge) -ATHERING
THE CALL | Matthew 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” CONFESSION | Psalm 130 [ESV] Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ASSURANCE | Luke 24:1-6 [ESV] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (If you are gathered in a group, you could read the following call and response.) Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! WORD Day #65 - “I Will Walk With Integrity Within My House” First reading Psalm 101 Second reading Psalm 102 Unlike other pairings of psalms we have considered in our readings this week, today we have two very different psalms to consider, with very little similarity, at first glance. We will consider them separately. Psalm 101 is ascribed to David, the first psalm with a named author or connection in our readings for this week. The reader, therefore, could seek to read this psalm through the lens of the one called and anointed as the King of Israel to lead the people in righteousness, as the kings were called to do in the Torah (see Deuteronomy 17:18-20). And yet a reading of the history of the Davidic kingdom (see the book of 2 Samuel and 1 Kings 1) reveals behavior that is certainly NOT that described in Psalm 101. Author and teacher David Powlison encouraged interpretation of the psalms as a "four-part harmony". There is first the perspective of the original author, in this case King David. A second voice to consider is that of the people of God, the congregation called to sing these songs. We often gravitate to the fourth voice, that of our own, as we seek to apply God's word and make these songs our own, a laudable goal and necessary step to be sure. Those second and fourth voices are perhaps difficult to hear or be sung in this particular psalm. However, we often leave out the third voice of the harmony, that of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is both the ultimate subject and singer of these songs (cf.Luke 24:44-45). He is also the only truly righteous King in the best sense. So re-read Psalm 101, and imagine it sung by King Jesus, the rider on the white horse of Revelation 19:11-16, preparing to execute final judgment as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16b). Who else could claim “I will walk with integrity within my house...I will know nothing of evil...Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land...” (Ps 101:2b,4b, 8a)? A radically different perspective, no? I was astonished after writing the above to then re-read Psalm 102, titled "A prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord". Verses 1-11 on the lips of our Saviour in His humanity? Like Psalm 22? And then, similar to Psalm 22:22-31, the writer of Psalm 102 turns to praise in v.12-28, even in the midst of his persistent lament (v.23-24). Sounds like the Jesus I know. May we worship Him as fully God and fully man! (Jim Partridge) ABIDING SING
FRIDAY-Praying Psalm 130:7-8 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” (Psalm 130:7-8) Can you think of someone who needs to be encouraged by the Lord’s forgiveness? Pray that they would be comforted and know that the Lord is merciful. Consider even sharing with them these verses. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:2,4-6 [ESV] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. GATHERING
THE CALL | Matthew 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” CONFESSION | Psalm 130 [ESV] Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ASSURANCE | Luke 24:1-6 [ESV] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (If you are gathered in a group, you could read the following call and response.) Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! WORD Day #64 - “Holy is He!” First reading Psalm 99 Second Reading Psalm 100 As we continue our meditations through this rich and exalted section of the psalter, we encounter in Psalm 99 a repeated emphasis on the holiness of God. At three points in the psalm (v.3,5,9), the writer ends a stanza with an affirmation of this truth: "Holy is he! Holy is he! ...for the Lord our God is holy!" In the first two stanzas (v.1-3,4-5), the psalmist describes the Lord and His character in exalted terms, then calls for a response from the people, then declares "Holy is he!" In stanza three (v.6-9), we are given truth about Yahweh via the history of Israel during the wilderness wanderings and early sojourn in the Promised Land, before the establishment of the monarchy and building of the temple. A covenant relationship is described in this section, in which the holy God dwells with and communicates with His people. He gives testimonies and statutes to them, and they call upon Him and relate to Him via the priesthood. Verse 8 foretells the work of the gospel; God in his absolute holiness is both the forgiver of his wayward people as well as the avenger of their wrongdoings. The language here is reminiscent of the Lord's "self-description" to Moses at Mt.Sinai (see Exodus 34:6-7). How is this possible?? At this juncture in the history of redemption, we are not told the full story. It is not until the cross and the dying of the sinless Son of God, Jesus the Christ, to satisfy justice and the holiness of God that we can fully understand this dilemma and the drama of redemption. May we ever praise Him for that story. One way to do this is to sing a psalm of thanksgiving, which we have in the well-known Psalm 100. Here we as God's people are called to active responses of singing/noise-making, serving, blessing, coming to Him. The reasons for such responses are given in verses 3 and 5: the Lord's creative power, covenant love and care, faithfulness and goodness. We tend to think of holiness strictly as moral purity; these two beautiful psalms show God's holiness as "otherness"; He is a being of perfection in every way, worthy of our adoration and praise, especially for His story of redemption in Jesus Christ. Holy is he! (Jim Partridge) ABIDING SING
THURSDAY-Praying Psalm 130:6 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130:6) In what trial or concern are you waiting for the Lord to answer? Express to Him that you are waiting. Ask him for patience to wait for His answer. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:2,4-6 [ESV] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ATHERING
THE CALL | Matthew 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” CONFESSION | Psalm 130 [ESV] Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ASSURANCE | Luke 24:1-6 [ESV] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (If you're gathered in a group, you could read the following call and response.) Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! WORD Day #63 “Make a joyful noise to the Lord” First reading - Psalm 98 Second reading - Luke 1:46-55 Today's first reading, Psalm 98, is special to me personally on several levels. First of all, the psalm highlights singing and music as chief modes of praise for the people of God (v.1,4-6). By God's grace, music and singing has been a great love for me since teenage years. It should be noted here that even the inanimate creation will bring forth praise in its own way (v.7-8), but the gifts of music and singing are called forth from humankind, even if it sounds like joyful noise! (v.4,6). The Lord loves to receive praise from ALL His people, whether musically gifted or not. A second reason for Psalm 98 being a personal favorite is it's shout out to brass (v.6a)! As a trumpet player, it is exciting for me to see my instrument called out by the Grand Conductor, both here and elsewhere in Scripture (cf.1 Cor 15:52, my favorite reference to this). An interesting quirk in my history as a Christian: when I came to Pittsburgh over 40 years ago, the Lord led me (and my wife Tracy, subsequently) to join a congregation of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, which by conviction does not use instruments in worship, instead singing the psalms a capella and exclusively. Without delving into that theological issue, the Lord used this providence to develop a love for singing and for the psalms. Now that we are in the PCA, I can praise Him with both voice and trumpet, which brings great joy! Enough about me- what does this psalm teach us? This is a salvation psalm, celebrating the redemption that the Lord accomplishes by His mighty strength (see v.1b and compare to Luke 1:51, another salvation song) and on behalf of His people Israel (v.3a). The motivation for His salvation is His steadfast love and faithfulness toward that people. As they respond in faith, the gospel is proclaimed, and the Lord makes this redemption known "in the sight of the nations" (v.2), leading to this glorious outcome: "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God" (v.3b). That is what is what is being celebrated here, as well as another truth that we already saw yesterday (Psalm 96:10,13): the Lord will come "to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity" (v.9). These truths sustained Israel in their worship under the old covenant; how much more should we marvel at the story of redemption and its glorious future consummation on this side of the Cross! Make a joyful noise! (Jim Partridge) ABIDING SING
Praying Psalm 130:5 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;” (Psalm 129:4) Take some time to meditate on a particular promise in God’s Word. How is this promise a comfort to you in present trials? SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:2,4-6 [ESV] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. GATHERING
THE CALL | Matthew 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” CONFESSION | Psalm 130 [ESV] Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ASSURANCE | Luke 24:1-6 [ESV] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (If you are gathered in a group, you could read the following call and response.) Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! WORD Day #62 “ Say among the nations, ‘The Lord Reigns’!” First reading - Psalm 96 Second reading - Psalm 97 Today's first reading (Ps.96) builds on the great call and invitation to worship Yahweh from Psalm 95 (see Day #61) with an intensification of response. This psalm moves the reader from invitation to command, using imperatives to exhort worshippers to respond in concrete ways: singing (x3,v.1-2), declaration of God's glory and works (v.3), ascription of glory to the Lord (v.7-8), offerings and worship (v.8-9). Why?? "For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods" (v.4). The psalmist then points to the Lord's attributes (strength, beauty, holiness, creative power) as reason for these responses of worship. It should be noted that these responses are called forth in a general way from the entire creation, not just God's covenant people (see v.1,7,9,11). This reminds us of the outward face of the kingdom of God and its universal character. We are then introduced to a motif that links the two psalms under consideration, namely the sovereignty of God over the nations (96:10 and 97:1,9) and his consequent role as a just judge (96:10c,13 and 97:2b,8). Following the universal, global emphasis of Psalm 96 and the first half of Psalm 97, the psalmist then returns to the covenantal nature of this global God, declaring His special relationship with His people in 97:8-12. This entails preservation and deliverance from enemies, which is a call for great rejoicing (97:8,11,12). How do you feel as you read these psalms in the midst of so much conflict in the world around us, and even in our churches? These psalms are meant to instill confidence in the reader, a rock-solid assurance that we do not live in the midst of random chaos; we live instead in our Father's world, and He reigns! He is orchestrating all things to bring glory to Himself and good to His people. May we be people of faith who are given eyes to see King Jesus at work, for our joy and the flourishing of His creation! (Jim Partridge) ABIDING SING
TUESDAY-Praying Psalm 130:3-4 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4). It can be daunting to reflect on our many failings in the day, but it is right for us to try to confess specific sins. Spend some time reflecting on the previous day. Bring specific sins before the Lord, and ask for and receive His mercy. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:2,4-6 [ESV] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. THE CALL | Matthew 26:36-38
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” CONFESSION | Psalm 130 [ESV] Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ASSURANCE | Luke 24:1-6 [ESV] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (If you are gathered in a group, you could read the following call and response.) Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! WORD Day #61- “O Come, Let Us Worship the Lord!” First reading - Psalm 95 Second reading- Hebrews 3-4 We begin a new week of learning and practicing more of what it means to be a worshipping people, to do what we have been created for. The banner over us this week is Psalm 130, where the writer demonstrates a psalm-like attitude and approach to life. As we consider Psalms 95-104 these next few days, look for repeated phrases that invite us to worship, sing and acknowledge the reign of the sovereign Lord over what He has made. Everyone loves an invitation, right? A call to join into something special, something worth our attention, our time, our energy? Psalm 95 serves as perhaps the quintessential "call to worship" of the entire psalter, seen in five worship exhortations.Three are found in v.1-2 ("let us sing...let us make a joyful noise x 2...let us come into his presence with thanksgiving"), and two are found in v.6 ("let us worship and bow down...let us kneel before the Lord").These exhortations are then followed in each section by reasons for worship (His work as creator in v.3-5 and His covenant care in v.7). God's people here are called to an active yet humble posture as they approach their great God and King Yahweh, their Maker and covenantal Shepherd. This is no passive response, no humdrum or lukewarm approach to the living God. This psalm is meant to rightly inflame our passion for His person, His presence and His power. The psalmist then takes a different tack in a warning exhortation against unbelief in v.8-11. The historical context can be found in Exodus 17, esp. v.7. And yet the reality and danger of unbelief is present for every generation of the people of God, from the Garden of Eden until the grave, largely due to our fallen nature. Our lives gravitate toward unbelief, apart from grace.It happened to ancient Israelites, and it happens to us. For this very reason, the Preacher of the book of Hebrews gives us the NT commentary on the warning of Psalm 95, found in chapters 3 & 4. The issue of concern in Hebrews 3- 4 is clearly named as unbelief (Heb.3:19), and the Lord's people are called to a vigilant recognition and fight against it (3:12-15). “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Heb.4:14) So receive the invitation, respond in faith and heed the warning! May we all grow to be people ready and eager to bow down in heartfelt worship of the King. For a sweet encouragement toward this end, listen to this little worship chorus embedded in the psalm HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEK9u51ofZE. (Jim Partridge) ABIDING SING
MONDAY Praying Psalm 130:1-2 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” (Psalm 130:1-2) At times, our sin and the cares of the world can seem to overwhelm us. These verses invite us to express this to the Lord. Ask him to comfort you with his mercy. TUESDAY Praying Psalm 130:3-4 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4). It is right for us to confess specific sins WEDNESDAY Praying Psalm 130:5 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;” (Psalm 129:4) Take some time to meditate on God’s promises in his Word. THURSDAY Praying Psalm 130:6 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130:6) FRIDAY Praying Psalm 130:7-8 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” (Psalm 130:7-8) SATURDAY (see Saturday liturgy) SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 [ESV] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ![]() GATHERING (If you are gathered in a group, you could begin with the following call and response.) The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise! THE CALL | Luke 24:1-6 [ESV] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” CONFESSION ASSURANCE | Isaiah 53:4,6 [ESV] Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. WORD ABIDING SING
MONDAY Praying Psalm 130:1-2 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” (Psalm 130:1-2) At times, our sin and the cares of the world can seem to overwhelm us. These verses invite us to express this to the Lord. Ask him to comfort you with his mercy. TUESDAY Praying Psalm 130:3-4 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4). It is right for us to confess specific sins WEDNESDAY Praying Psalm 130:5 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;” (Psalm 129:4) Take some time to meditate on God’s promises in his Word. THURSDAY Praying Psalm 130:6 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130:6) FRIDAY Praying Psalm 130:7-8 This week, we will use Psalm 130 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” (Psalm 130:7-8) SATURDAY (see Saturday liturgy) SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 [ESV] For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. WEEKEND LITURGY
Meditating on The Grass that Withers If you travel around Pittsburgh, you will see a good amount of dry, shriveled grass trying to sprout up in barren places – along the guardrails of the road, through cracks in the sidewalk, on disturbed hillsides. Try to look for such grass this weekend as you walk, bike, or drive. Notice how it looks: withered, choked, fruitless. Each time you see such grass, meditate on the last several verses of Psalm 129. If you have memorized them, try reciting them. Recall that the way of wickedness leads us to wither like this grass. Consider your own heart and the way that your wandering has led to such withering. Contrast it with the vibrant greens that are beginning to come out as fruitful Spring approaches. Ask the Lord to help you be like the tree that does not wither, that bears fruit in season, and not like the grass that withers on the roadsides and sidewalks. WORD Day 60: Psalm (93 &) 94 Read: Psalm 94 2nd Reading: Psalm 93 “O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth.” In the Marvel movie Infinity Wars, the Avengers, superheroes tasked with bringing justice to the world, unite to try and take down the alien warlord, Thanos. But the movie ends with Thanos as the victor, and many of the Avengers die, along with half of the world’s population. The surviving Avengers are left to rue the defeat for the next five years. Though fictional, the human imagination has always longed for characters that can and will bring justice in this world because every generation seen evildoers succeed. The Bible is clear that God keeps a record of every evildoer and will call them to account. What relief it must be for those whose lives have been destroyed by evil to have Psalm 94 as their song. This psalm is a strong plea to God to judge and even avenge the wicked. “Rise up, O Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve!” This is not hateful revenge; this is a righteous, legal plea that God would put wrongs to right and punish evildoers, whether in this life or in death. The Bible consistently and clearly teaches that God is an avenger who will bring ultimately bring justice, both for the victims and evildoers. The caveat is that we are not permitted to take matters into our own hands; we are to trust that God, who “knows the thoughts of man” (v 11) and “will not reject his people” (v 14), is wise and powerful enough to make all things right. It is not in our nature to trust that God will repay evildoers for their sins, but that is exactly what Christians are called to do. We don’t know what evil the psalmist faced, but we are to echo his prayer in verse 23: “[God] will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.” The New Testament also reminds us: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay.’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19), and, “For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people’” (Hebrews 10:30). On behalf of all who are suffering from the actions of evildoers today, let us boldly pray this psalm, trusting that God, who is infinitely wise, might avenge the wicked. (Seulgi Byun) GATHERING
(If you are gathered in a group, you could begin with the following call and response.) The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise! THE CALL | Matthew 16:24-26 [ESV] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” CONFESSION Lord, we think on the unjust wounds you suffered at the hands of evil men. Like plowers making long their furrows (Psalm 129:3), they afflicted you with scars. That you, the Son of God, suffered such wounds is awful enough, but what is worse is they were brought about by our willful wrongs. Forgive us, Lord, of our sins that required such a payment. And yet you took this payment on willingly – what a humbling thought. You suffered this affliction from your foes that you might triumph over them (Psalm 129:2), not for your own sake, but for the sake of your people. We praise you that our adversary, and even death, will soon wither like the grass on the housetop (Psalm 129:6), and that, in you, they will not prevail over us. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 53:2-3,5 [ESV] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. WORD Day 59: Psalm 91 (& 92) Read: Psalm 91 2nd Reading: Psalm 92 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” This famous psalm has three parts. Vv 1-2 is the powerfultestimony of a believer who has found refuge in God because he has placed his trust wholly in God. Vv 3-13 are Spirit-filled affirmations that God will completely protecthim from persecution and the judgments of God. Then in vv 14-16, we hear the voice of God personally guaranteeing and putting his seal of protection on the promise for this man who loves him. It is interesting that Satan quotes this psalm to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. Satan perverted the promise of vv 11-12 and tempted Jesus to hijack it and use it for himself; he tempted Jesus to claim it and use it independent of personal trust and obedience to the Father who gave him promise. Jesus refused to take this promise apart from faith in the promise-giver, and for that reason we can still claim these promises. For those of us who are in Christ, all of these promises are now ours in Christ. In Luke 10:19, Jesus explicitly promises that his disciples will be given authority over evil by citing v 13: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” This should give Christian every confidence that Christ, who eschewed the devil, can guarantee these promises for us. (Seulgi Byun) ABIDING SING
FRIDAY-Praying Psalm 129:6-8 This week, we will use Psalm 129 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “Let them be like the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand nor the binder of sheaves his arms, nor do those who pass by say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you! We bless you in the name of the Lord!’” (Psalm 129:6-8) Give thanks to the Lord that he has defeated our adversary and even death and that they will one day finally wither away. Pray that the way of wickedness would quickly wither and fade. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [ESV] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. GATHERING
(If you are gathered in a group, you could begin with the following call and response.) The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise! THE CALL | Matthew 16:24-26 [ESV] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” CONFESSION Lord, we think on the unjust wounds you suffered at the hands of evil men. Like plowers making long their furrows (Psalm 129:3), they afflicted you with scars. That you, the Son of God, suffered such wounds is awful enough, but what is worse is they were brought about by our willful wrongs. Forgive us, Lord, of our sins that required such a payment. And yet you took this payment on willingly – what a humbling thought. You suffered this affliction from your foes that you might triumph over them (Psalm 129:2), not for your own sake, but for the sake of your people. We praise you that our adversary, and even death, will soon wither like the grass on the housetop (Psalm 129:6), and that, in you, they will not prevail over us. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 53:2-3,5 [ESV] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. WORD Day 58: Psalm 90 “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” What happens when finite beings think they are more than finite and start acting like they are masters of their own universe? There is one character in film history that came face to face with this reality. He was voted the 94th greatest movie character of all time by one magazine. He is knowfor his iconic phrase: “To infinity, and beyond!” Of course, I’m referring to Buzz Lightyear, who—bless him--actually believed he was a real space ranger who could fly and possessed lasers to destroy his enemies. But one day, while held captive at Sid’s house and waiting to be blown to bits, sees a television ad of an eponymous toy and realizes that he’s not a real space ranger; he’s just another toy. Psalm 90 is for us what that television ad was for Buzz. It’s a stark reminder that we are finite, constrained by time and space. It implores us to live with two opposing realities in mind: our finitude and God’s infinitude. Our lifespan can be counted in decades. Six, seven, maybe eight if we’re lucky. But God stands outside of time; he is infinite and eternal. We are told in verse 1 that a heart of wisdom is one that stands in awe of God’s infinitude and eternality, because if God is eternal and transcends time, then He is infinitely better than anything we can imagine in this dimension. Unlike this ephemeral, transient, passing world, the unchanging, eternal God has promised us his very presence. Which raises the question: how big is your God? Seriously, what do you believe about God? If God created the universe with a simple command of His word, and if scientists can’t even get their heads around how big the universe is; if the triune God has not only existed before creation but is the author of creation, and we are created uniquely and in His image to be in relationship with this God, how should that inform the way we think about life? And what do our doubts, fears, discouragements, and worries say about how big our God is? “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Amen. (Seulgi Byun) ABIDING SING
THURSDAY-Praying Psalm 129:5 This week, we will use Psalm 129 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward.” (Psalm 129:5) Pray that all those who seek to oppose the Church (whether rulers or governments or even those close to us) would be turned backward, and that they would repent and turn to the Lord. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [ESV] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. GATHERING
(If you are gathered in a group, you could begin with the following call and response.) The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise! THE CALL | Matthew 16:24-26 [ESV] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” CONFESSION Lord, we think on the unjust wounds you suffered at the hands of evil men. Like plowers making long their furrows (Psalm 129:3), they afflicted you with scars. That you, the Son of God, suffered such wounds is awful enough, but what is worse is they were brought about by our willful wrongs. Forgive us, Lord, of our sins that required such a payment. And yet you took this payment on willingly – what a humbling thought. You suffered this affliction from your foes that you might triumph over them (Psalm 129:2), not for your own sake, but for the sake of your people. We praise you that our adversary, and even death, will soon wither like the grass on the housetop (Psalm 129:6), and that, in you, they will not prevail over us. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 53:2-3,5 [ESV] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. WORD Day 57: Psalm 89 “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him.” Almost a thousand years before Jesus was born, God promised to King David that his descendants would always sit on the throne of Israel and that he would always be faithful to Israel and her king. You can read about this in 2 Samuel 7. Vv 2-4 recall this promise and celebrates God’s covenant faithfulness. Vv 5-37 is a profound and powerful reminder of the character of God and his faithfulness to his people. But in 597 BCE, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem and took her Davidic king, Jehoiachin, into exile. And ten years later in 587 BCE, they destroyed the city, including the temple and the palace. The people were either killed or deported to Babylon. The kingdom of David was no more. What of the promises to David? Were they all for naught? Vv 38-51 are the cries of the people in exile who feel let down by God. They are the desperate prayers of people who struggle to believe that God keeps his promises, let alone hears their prayers. Have you ever asked God, Where are you?, Can I trust you God?, or Are you ever going to help me? Psalm 89 invites us to wrestle with these questions, but in a biblically faithful way. Note that the complaint section, vv 38-51, follow truths that the psalmist, Ethan the Ezrahite, has already affirmed in vv 5-37. The juxtaposition of these two sections provides a model for believers on how to lament well. We are to bring our all of our questions, pain, uncertainty, feelings of abandonment in the light of what we know about God’s love, covenant faithfulness, righteousness, justice, and mercy. Psalm 89 doesn’t give us an answer. It ends with a benediction: “Blessed be Yahweh forever!” followed by a double “Amen.” You can picture Ethan, arms outstretched, crying out for an answer from God. The question “How long, O LORD?” presupposes that there will be a resolution. As New Testament believers we know that resolution came at the cross, when the anointed king of God’s people (v 20) stood as their representative head, enduring the wrath of God as their sacrificial substitute, thereby satisfying the wrath of God and vindicating the faithfulness of God. It is because of Christ, who sits on David’s throne at the right hand of God, the Father, that the covenant made with David continues to be an eternal covenant. It is because of Christ that we can read Psalm 89 to reflect on life’s struggles and pains in the light of the promises already fulfilled in Jesus. (Seulgi Byun) ABIDING SING
WEDNESDAY Praying Psalm 129:4 This week, we will use Psalm 129 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.”(Psalm 129:4) Give thanks to the Lord for his righteousness. Pray that evil would not prevail, and that his righteous judgments would be established on the earth. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [ESV] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. GATHERING
(If you are gathered in a group, you could begin with the following call and response.) The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise! THE CALL | Matthew 16:24-26 [ESV] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” CONFESSION Lord, we think on the unjust wounds you suffered at the hands of evil men. Like plowers making long their furrows (Psalm 129:3), they afflicted you with scars. That you, the Son of God, suffered such wounds is awful enough, but what is worse is they were brought about by our willful wrongs. Forgive us, Lord, of our sins that required such a payment. And yet you took this payment on willingly – what a humbling thought. You suffered this affliction from your foes that you might triumph over them (Psalm 129:2), not for your own sake, but for the sake of your people. We praise you that our adversary, and even death, will soon wither like the grass on the housetop (Psalm 129:6), and that, in you, they will not prevail over us. ASSURANCE | Isaiah 53:2-3,5 [ESV] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. WORD Day 56: Psalm 88 “Darkness is my closest friend.” That is how this psalm ends. Psalm 88 is known as the darkest of all psalms, unmatched in its despair. How are we to pray or sing this psalm? If you cannot relate to this psalm in your present circumstances, you can enter empathetically into the sufferings of this author as representative of the struggles of believers around the world. Whether it’s Ukrainians sleeping in bunkers and basements right now, refugees who have lost loved ones or separated from their family, persecuted Christians around the world, or even a friend or family member who feels this darkness, one way we can pray these darkest of lament psalms is with others in mind, because attacks of darkness and death upon one Christian is an attack upon Christ. Another reason that everyone should pray this psalm is because it reminds us of the darkness of the cross of Christ. Lament psalms ultimately find their hope in the cross, and the more we pray and sing this psalm the more we will be thankful because we understand the sheer agony of Christ’s sufferings. As we move towards Easter in the 90 Days of Worship, we must remember that just as there was a resurrection for Christ, so there will a resurrection for all people who are in Christ. If you are suffering right now, and can say, with the psalmist, “Darkness is my closest friend,” use this liturgy,written by a fellow sufferer. This psalm may not give you any answers, but it gives you the words to express the darkness you find yourself in. It teaches us two ways wecan be praying in the midst of suffering: pray persistently and pray honestly. It seems that praying is the only thing the suffering psalmist can do, but his persistence is impressive (vv 1, 2, 9, 13), even if he feels God isn’t listening (v 14). And don’t miss the raw honesty of his prayers (vv 5-8, 16, 17). This psalm gives us permission to express our pain and agony freely to God. But know that the God who saves and works wonders (v 1) will in due course pull you up from the mire and clay in due course, because for every cross there is a resurrection. (Seulgi Byun) ABIDING SING
TUESDAY Praying Psalm 129:3 This week, we will use Psalm 129 as a prayer template that we move through progressively each day. “The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.” (Psalm 129:3). Let this verse lead you into a time of recognizing your afflictions before the Lord and lifting them up to him for consolation. SENDING APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in the God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the resurrection of the dead; and the life everlasting. Amen. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [ESV] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. |
City Reformed Presbyterian ChurchThe 90 Days project is a collaborative effort of many church leaders. Matt Koerber and Daniel Snoke have taken lead roles, with others helping to write daily devotionals. Archives
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