Nepsis

Category: Time to Pray

  • Psalm 5

    To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

    PSALM 5
    1 Hear my words, O Lord, give heed to my groaning:
    listen to my cry, you that are my king and my God.
    2 In the morning when I pray to you,
    surely you will hear my voice:
    at daybreak I lay my prayers before you, and look up.

    3 For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness:
    nor can any evil dwell with you.
    4 The boastful cannot stand in your sight:
    you hate all those that work mischief.
    5 Those who speak lies you destroy:
    you abhor the treacherous, O Lord,
    and those that are stained with blood.

    6 But because of your great goodness
    I will come into your house:
    I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe and fear of you.
    7 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness,
    for my enemies lie in wait:
    make straight your way before me.

    8 For there is no truth in their mouth:
    and within they are eaten up by malice.
    9 Their throat is an open sepulchre:
    and their tongue speaks smooth and flattering words.
    10 Destroy them, O God,
    let them fall by their own contriving:
    cast them out for their many offences,
    for they have rebelled against you.

    11 But let all who put their trust in you rejoice:
    let them shout with joy for ever.
    12 Be the defender of those who love your name:
    let them exult because of you.
    13 For you will bless, O Lord, those that are righteous:
    you will cover them with your favour as with a shield.

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
    Where there is injury, pardon;
    Where there is discord, union;
    Where there is doubt, faith;
    Where there is despair, hope;
    Where there is darkness, light;
    Where there is sadness, joy,
    For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

  • Psalm 4

    The leader’s. With strings. A composition. David’s.


    When I call, answer me,
    my faithful God!
    Under pressure you widened me;
    be gracious to me and listen to my plea!

    You people, how long will the one I honour be for shaming,
    will you be loyal to something empty, will you seek a lie? (Rise)
    So acknowledge that Yahweh has distinguished the committed person for himself; Yahweh is the one who listens when I call to him.
    Tremble and don’t do wrong;
    say it in your heart on your bed and be quiet. (Rise)
    Offer faithful sacrifices, and put your confidence in Yahweh.

    Increased numbers of people are saying,
    ‘Who will enable us to see good fortune?
    – the light of your face has fled from upon us, Yahweh.’


    You’ve put rejoicing in my heart
    from the time when their grain and their new wine has increased.
    In well-being I will lie down and sleep, all at once,
    because you alone are Yahweh;
    you enable me to live in confidence.

    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

    (unknown)

  • Psalm 3

    A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom.

    1 Lord, how numerous are my enemies!
    Many attack me.
    2 Many say about me,
    “God will not deliver him.” (Selah)


    3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me;
    you are my glory and the one who restores me.
    4 To the Lord I cried out,
    and he answered me from his holy hill. (Selah)
    5 I rested and slept;
    I awoke, for the Lord protects me.
    6 I am not afraid of the multitude of people
    who attack me from all directions.


    7 Rise up, Lord!
    Deliver me, my God!
    Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw;
    you will break the teeth of the wicked.
    8 The Lord delivers;
    you show favour to your people. (Selah)

    Lord God,,
    you feed us with the living bread from heaven;
    you renew our faith,
    increase our hope,
    and strengthen our love.

    Teach us to hunger
    for Christ who is the true and living bread,
    and to live by every word
    that comes from your mouth,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Amen.

  • Psalm 2

    Why do the nations rebel?
    Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?
    2 The kings of the earth form a united front;
    the rulers collaborate
    against the Lord and his anointed king.
    3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us.
    Let’s free ourselves from their ropes.”


    4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust;
    the Lord taunts them.
    5 Then he angrily speaks to them
    and terrifies them in his rage, saying,
    6 “I myself have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy hill.”


    7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me:
    ‘You are my son. This very day I have become your father.
    8 Ask me,
    and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
    the ends of the earth as your personal property.
    9 You will break them with an iron scepter;
    you will smash them like a potter’s jar.’”


    10 So now, you kings, do what is wise;
    you rulers of the earth, submit to correction.
    11 Serve the Lord in fear.
    Repent in terror.
    12 Give sincere homage.
    Otherwise he will be angry,
    and you will die because of your behaviour,
    when his anger quickly ignites.
    How blessed are all who take shelter in him!

    Take from us,
    O God, all pride and vanity,
    all boasting and self-assertion,
    and give us the true courage that shows itself in gentleness,
    the true wisdom that shows itself in simplicity,
    and the true power that shows itself in modesty.

    Charles Kingsley

  • Psalm 2 1-6

    1 Why do the nations conspire
        and the peoples plot in vain?
    2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
        and the rulers take counsel together,
        against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
    3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
        and cast their cords from us.”

    4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
        the Lord has them in derision.
    5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath
        and terrify them in his fury, saying,
    6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”

    O thou, who art the light of the minds that know thee,
    the life of the souls that love thee,
    and the strength of the wills that serve thee;
    help us so to know thee that we may truly love thee;
    so to love thee that we may fully serve thee,
    whom to serve is perfect freedom.
    Amen

  • Psalm 1

    Happy are those
        who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
    or take the path that sinners tread,
        or sit in the seat of scoffers;
    but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
        and on his law they meditate day and night.
    They are like trees
        planted by streams of water,
    which yield their fruit in its season,
        and their leaves do not wither.
    In all that they do, they prosper.

    The wicked are not so,
        but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
    Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,
        nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
    for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
        but the way of the wicked will perish.

    God be in head and in my understanding;
    God be in my eyes and in my looking;
    God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
    God be in my heart and in my thinking;
    God be at my end and at my departing.

  • Ephesians 6 21-24

    – So that you also may know
    the things about me,
    what I am doing,
    Tychicus
    the beloved brother
    and faithful servant in the Lord
    will make known everything to you
    whom I am sending
    for this thing,
    that you might know
    the things about us
    and be encouraged in your hearts.

    Peace
    to the brothers/sisters and
    love
    with faith
    from God, the Father, and
    the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Grace
    be with all those who love our Lord
    Jesus Christ,
    with immortality.

    O Lord
    Open our eyes to your presence
    Open our minds to your grace
    Open our lips to your praises
    Open our hearts to your love
    Open our lives to your healing
    And be found among us.
    Amen.




  • Ephesians 6: 18-20

    (Stand firm….)
    with all prayers and petitions
    by praying at all times
    by (the) Spirit
    and to this end, being alert,
    with all perseverance and petitions
    concerning all the saints
    and me particularly
    – that a word might be given to me
    when I open my mouth
    with boldness
    to make known the mystery of the Gospel.
    concerning which I am an ambassador
    in chains
    – that I might speak boldly
    as is necessary for me speak.

    God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.

  • Ephesians 6 14-17

    So stand firm
    by having wrapped around your waist
    the (belt which is) truth
    and by having put on the breastplate, which is righteousness,
    and by having shod your feet with
    the readiness (to) proclaim the gospel
    which is is peace.
    In every circumstance
    having taken up the shield which is faith,
    by which you can put out every flaming arrows
    of the evil one.
    And receive the helmet, which is salvation,
    and the sword from the Spirit
    which is the word of God.

    Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
    Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
    Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
    Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

  • Ephesians 6 10-13

    From now on,
    be strengthened
    in the Lord
    and in the strength of his might.
    put on the ‘whole armour’ of God
    so that you might be able to stand against
    the stratagems of the devil.
    Because our struggle is not against blood and flesh,
    but against the rulers,
    against powers,
    against the world rulers over this darkness,
    against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
    Because of this
    take up the ‘whole armour’ of God
    so that you might hold your ground
    on the evil day
    and having done everything, stand.

    Lord, you have given me so much,
    I ask for one more thing –
    a grateful heart.

    George Herbert