Lord, my petition heed, now help me in my need, my Saviour be. I am your servant, Lord; my trust is in your word, mercy to me accord; Lord, hear my plea.
2 Comfort your servant now,
while at your throne I bow,
for you are love.
Your pard’ning grace is free;
sinners who call in need
your tender mercy see,
O God above.
3 Lord, hear me while I pray,
while now in troubled day
I seek your face.
No god of human design
is like our God, divine;
most bright your glories shine,
O God of grace.
4 By all whom you have made
be praise and worship paid
through earth abroad.
Your name be glorified,
there is none great beside,
matchless your works abide,
for you are God.
5 Help me your will to do,
your truth I will pursue,
teach me to fear;
my heart now purify,
your name to glorify,
O Lord, my God Most High,
with heart sincere.
6 How great your love appears
that made death’s gloomy fears
no more dismay;
O God, to anger slow,
save me from ev’ry foe,
your lovingkindness show,
your truth display.
7 Show me your mercy true,
your servant’s strength renew,
deliv’rance send.
To me your goodness show,
your comfort, Lord, bestow;
let those who hate me know
you are my friend.
from the 1912 Psalter by the Rev’d Bert Polman 1983 © 1987 Faith Alive Christian Resources
You can hear the tune suggested for this Psalm, Mason, here
https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/157920
Reflection
“All actual life is encounter.” – Martin Buber, I and Thou
I struggle with much Christian language; in which human emotions, purpose, needs and agency are projected onto God with overstated confidence. Maybe you do too?
While we should always be careful in our speaking of God – God’s ‘purposes’ and ‘actions’ as if they were ours writ large – the bigger danger for us is that we fail to see God when God is really there.
“The Psalms are prayers addressed to a known, named, identifiable You. This is the most stunning and decisive factor in the prayers of the Psalter. Prayer is a direct address to, and conversation and communion with, an agent known from a shared treasured past. […] The utterance of “You” as the centre of speech distinguishes prayer, […] this “You”, whose face is not seen and whose voice is heard is known by the story that comes always with the name.” – Walter Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith
Today allow this Psalm to recall you and I to an awareness of God ‘in, with and under’ all of the events of life – even yours and mine – and to a new confidence for our living in fellowship with God. Telling ourselves our own stories, and asking ‘I to Thou’ for strength for all that is present and ahead.
Prayer
We break from the preoccupation of our day
even the coming and goings of worship
and make space to notice you
in the ordinary moments and encounters.
You are always with us.
Always.
God of flesh and word,
we meet you in worker and friend,
stranger and pilgrim,
the needy and the needed,
the questioner and questioned.
So when we meet you,
may we deepen trust, deepen life,
deepen justice and deepen joy.
And when you meet us,
help us approach our activities
with presence and power,
with love and humility,
with courage and dignity.
Amen
adapted from
Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community .
