Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Ps) August 31st

Psalm 5:1-12

¹  Give ear to my words, O Lord;

consider my groaning.

²    Give attention to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God,

for to you do I pray.

³    O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;

in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

⁴    For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;

evil may not dwell with you.

⁵    The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;

you hate all evildoers.

⁶    You destroy those who speak lies;

the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷    But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,

will enter your house.

       I will bow down toward your holy temple

in the fear of you.

⁸    Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness

because of my enemies;

make your way straight before me.

⁹    For there is no truth in their mouth;

their inmost self is destruction;

       their throat is an open grave;

they flatter with their tongue.

¹⁰    Make them bear their guilt, O God;

let them fall by their own counsels;

       because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,

for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹    But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;

let them ever sing for joy,

       and spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may exult in you.

¹²    For you bless the righteous, O Lord;

you cover him with favor as with a shield.

The Second Petition

May your kingdom come.

What is this? Answer:

In fact, God’s kingdom comes on its own without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may also come to us.

How does this come about? Answer:

Whenever our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that through his grace we believe his Holy Word and live godly lives here in time and hereafter in eternity.

The Third Petition

May your will come about on earth as in heaven.

What is this? Answer:

In fact, God’s good and gracious will comes about without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may also come about in and among us.

How does this come about? Answer:

Whenever God breaks and hinders every evil scheme and will—as are present in the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh—that would not allow us to hallow God’s name and would prevent the coming of his kingdom, and instead whenever God strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in his Word and in faith until the end of our lives. This is his gracious and good will.

O Lord, let Your merciful ears be open to the prayers of Your humble servants and grant that what they ask may be in accord with Your gracious will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.