Post by Woody Williams on Nov 24, 2007 8:25:53 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Psalm 141
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I call upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me;
give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not turn my heart to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Let the righteous strike me;
let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,
for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
But my eyes are turned towards you, O GOD, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless.
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I alone escape.
Devotional
----------
In our liturgies this prayer occurs near the beginning of the
Service of Evening Prayer. It is appropriate for evening use as it is
a prayer for personal protection. As we lay down to rest we are very
vulnerable. It would be well to memorize a brief portion of the
prayer for use before falling asleep, or any time when you may feel
threatened.
Prayer
-----------------
All is well when I put my life in your hands, O Lord. Amen
----------
I call upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me;
give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not turn my heart to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Let the righteous strike me;
let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,
for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
But my eyes are turned towards you, O GOD, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless.
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I alone escape.
Devotional
----------
In our liturgies this prayer occurs near the beginning of the
Service of Evening Prayer. It is appropriate for evening use as it is
a prayer for personal protection. As we lay down to rest we are very
vulnerable. It would be well to memorize a brief portion of the
prayer for use before falling asleep, or any time when you may feel
threatened.
Prayer
-----------------
All is well when I put my life in your hands, O Lord. Amen