Praise His Name

Praise ye the Lord, Praise God is his sanctuary;
praise him in the firmament

of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts:
praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise with the sound of the trumpet:
praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance:
praise him with stinged instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals:
praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Psalm 150

Prayer For All Who Are Abused

You chose, O loving God,
to enter this world
quietly, humbly, and as an outcast.
Hear our prayers
on behalf of all who are abused:

For children,
who suffer at the hands
of parents whom they trust and love;
for spouses,
beaten and destroyed
by the very one
who promised to love
and to cherish them forever;
for all people
ignored, hated and cheated.
by the very neighbor
who could be the closest one
to offer your love.

Hear the cry of the oppressed.
Let the fire of your Spirit fill their hearts
with the power of vision, and hope.
Grant to them empowerment to act,
that they may not be passive victims
of violence and hatred.
Fulfill for them the promises you have made,
that their lives may be transformed
and their oppression ended.

Turn the hearts of the oppressor unto you
that their living may be changed
by your forgiving love;
and their abusive actions
and oppressive ways brought to an end.

Amen.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson