December 19, 2023

Prayer for Today

O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Psalm 45

My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *

my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.

You are the fairest of men; *

grace flows from your lips,
because God has blessed you for ever.

Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *

in your pride and in your majesty.

Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *

and for the sake of justice.

Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *

your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.

The peoples are falling at your feet, *

and the king’s enemies are losing heart.

Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *

a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
you love righteousness and hate iniquity.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *

with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *

and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.

Kings’ daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *

on your right hand is the queen,
adorned with the gold of Ophir.

“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *

forget your people and your father’s house.

The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *

he is your master; therefore do him honor.

The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *

the rich among the people seek your favor.”

All glorious is the princess as she enters; *

her gown is cloth-of-gold.

In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *

after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.

With joy and gladness they are brought, *

and enter into the palace of the king.

“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *

you shall make them princes over all the earth.

I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *

therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”

Image: “Christmas Roses (and poem: A Spell of Winter)” by faith goble is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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