Mr. Majestic is...

 actually Mr. Humble.

Verse for the week: “O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  Psalm 8.1

Prayer for the week: Gracious heavenly Father, your name is majestic and holy in and of itself. See to it that your word is taught in its truth and purity among us and that we as your children live in harmony with it. Turn us from teaching or living contrary to your word and thus dishonoring your name. Hallow your name among us; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
²     Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
    to still the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
    and the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under his feet,
⁷ all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Prayer for the week: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you: the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, is indeed above all names… holy and majestic through suffering and self-sacrifice on the cross for sinners like me. Thank you. Deliver me and your whole church from the babble by which we would seek to make a name for ourselves. In Christ, rest us from our tiresome selves and free us for the humble stewardship of all that you have put under our feet… in your majestic name, O Lord. 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=OAigUNye_jI&ab_channel=MartijndeGroot

“Hallowed be thy name…”

What does this mean for us?

God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we ask in this prayer that we may keep it holy.

When does this happen?  God’s name is hallowed whenever his word is taught in its truth and purity and we as children of God live in harmony with it. Help us to do this, heavenly Father! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to the word of God dishonors God’s name among us. Keep us from doing this, heavenly Father! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.   Numbers 6.24-26

 

*This is now our congregation’s 99^th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.