149:1-9
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
5 Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters
and their nobles with chains of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment decreed.
This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!
- Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
- Sit five to fifteen minutes in silence bringing your attention to the Breath.
- Any interpretation of scripture that leads to violence and the tearing down of people invites us to look again.
- God’s command is love God, love neighbor, love self.
- Hold onto the word of God.
- Sing and dance with praise as you fully embrace the love of God.
- How do you respond to your enemy today, the one who wants to execute you and judge you?
- How do you desire to let the accusations and judgments bounce off of the armor of love that surrounds you in the dance?
- How do you desire to respond as a faithful one to the Faithful One?
- What is your message from God?
- Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
- Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, September 10, 2017, the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 149:1-9
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings (c) 2017 The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD