Collect for the Day
Merciful God, by whose gift alone your faithful people offer you true and acceptable service, grant that we may serve you faithfully so that we do not finally fail to obtain your heavenly promises, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 38
O Lord…please do not continue to rebuke me in your anger.
Please do not continue to discipline me in your fury!
It feels as if I have been pierced through with arrows, and like I am being crushed under your hand!
I feel sick because of your judgments.
I feel rotten through to my bones.
My sins overwhelm me like a giant wave.
I feel like I am staggering under a heavy burden.
It feels like I have wounds that have putrefied and rotted, all because of my own foolishness.
It feels like I've been hit in the head with a two by four and I stagger in mourning from day to day.
I burn with shame from deep within me, and my whole body burns with fever.
I am numb and crushed beyond what I can bear, and I howl because of the groaning of my heart.
O Lord, I am like an open book before you.
My sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs and my strength fails.
I am blinded by my pain!
My friends and my family have abandoned me because of my illness.
Even my neighbors keep their distance.
Those who wish me harm, plot against me and whisper destructive lies about me.
But I am like a deaf mute – I neither hear anything nor say anything. Words fail me and I am not able to say anything in my defense.
But even so, Lord, my hope is firmly fixed on you.
I firmly believe you will respond, Lord, because you are my God.
You don’t want to see them rejoicing over my downfall, nor do you wish to hear them taunt me.
So, Lord help me, because I am about to stumble and I am in awful pain.
I openly confess my guilt because I am plagued by my sins.
My enemies are too numerous and too strong for me, and those who hate me for no reason are many.
I did them no wrong.
And yet they seek to do me harm.
I was good to them.
Now they hurl accusations against me.
Do not forsake me, dear Lord!
Do not remain far away from me!
Hurry to my side and help me.
You are my Sovereign King and my deliverer.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
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