Hasten to me, O Lord

Verse for the week: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!”  Psalm 70.1

Prayer for the week: “Almighty, everlasting God, you have promised us a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  Direct us by your Spirit, that we may wait watchfully for the coming of your Son, and with holy lives go forth to meet him, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete für das jahr der Kirche, 2nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.235). 

Bible reading for the day: Psalm 70

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
² Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
³ Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”

⁴ May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
⁵ But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Almighty God, gracious Father I am indeed poor and needy. Hasten to me, O Lord. Every minute deliver from the devil, the world, and my sinful self... that I may rejoice and be glad in you; in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnZRRt5EMr0&ab_channel=MartijndeGroot

“Lead me not into temptation…”

What does this mean?  God tempts no one to sin, but we ask in this prayer that He would watch over us and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful self may not deceive us and draw us into false belief, despair, and other great and shameful sins.  And we pray that even though we are so tempted we may still win the final victory. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction:  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.  Amen.  II Thess 2.16-17

 

*The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN). The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:
T: thanksgiving
R: regret (repentance)
I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P: plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.