Prayer from St. Augustine’s Prayer Book
Grant us patience, O Lord, to follow the road you have taken. Let our confidence not rest in our own understanding but in your guiding hand; let our desires not be for our own comfort, but for the joy of your kingdom; for your cross is our hope and our joy now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.
Psalm 40
Iwaited patiently upon the Lord; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God; *
a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the Lord.
and put their trust in the Lord.
Happy are they who trust in the Lord! *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God!
how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
there is none who can be compared with you.
Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *
but they are more than I can count.
In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
(you have given me ears to hear you);
Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
and so I said, “Behold, I come.
In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
‘I love to do your will, O my God;
your law is deep in my heart.’”
your law is deep in my heart.’”
I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
behold, I did not restrain my lips;
and that, O Lord, you know.
and that, O Lord, you know.
Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.
You are the Lord;
do not withhold your compassion from me; *
do not withhold your compassion from me; *
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,
For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *
they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
and my heart fails me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; *
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed
who seek after my life to destroy it; *
who seek after my life to destroy it; *
let them draw back and be disgraced who take pleasure in my misfortune.
Let those who say “Aha!” and gloat over me be confounded, *
because they are ashamed.
Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; *
let those who love your salvation continually say,
“Great is the Lord!”
“Great is the Lord!”
Though I am poor and afflicted, *
the Lord will have regard for me.
You are my helper and my deliverer; *
do not tarry, O my God.
Image: “You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead” by Cristian Ştefănescu is licensed under CC BY 2.0.