Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Father, we come to you today with all sorts of problems surrounding us. There are circumstances that make us wonder where you are. Our hearts are looking for any sort of certainty we can find, and we ask that you would show yourself to those who are suffering and downtrodden today. Show yourself and comfort those afflicted with despair and burdens that they barely feel like they can handle. Lift up those who wonder when they next shoe is going to drop, and comfort the suffering today.
In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
We pray for our friends in Mexico and wherever drug cartels have power to reign terror over local peoples. El Chapo is in jail, and yet things are worse than every in some ways. O Lord, truly only you could bring the violence and horror to an end. It is beyond anything anyone can imagine, law enforcement has more than they can handle, no one knows what to do. Would you bring down the wicked, whether through the mighty hand of real conversion and repentance, for even these are no beyond your salvation, or if it be your will through a swift judgment. Please bring peace to all those suffering under their thumb.
Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.
The LORD is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
We also pray this morning for those in Florida suffering after the tornadoes. Please let there be plenty of help for them, relief and community to come around them. You often use terrible things like this to work good in people’s souls, and while in a sense we hate it, we trust you to do what is right with the situations you’ve created.
Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Psalm 10 and BCP1979)
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