Litany of Lament & Affirmation

Here’s a scriptural litany that contrasts the hope and confidence of the psalmist in Psalm 23 (in bold print) with the anguish and despair of the writer of Psalm 13 (light print).  The litany could either be read by two readers on behalf of the congregation, or the congregation could be invited to join in, choosing to read whichever psalm best represents their current experience of God’s presence.  

 

Whichever approach you choose, be sure to take your time.  Read slowly, without rushing.  

 

Experiencing God: Two Views

(Psalm 13 and Psalm 23)

O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?

            The LORD is my shepherd;

            I have everything I need.

            He lets me rest in green meadows;

            he leads me beside peaceful streams.

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?

            He restores my soul.

            He guides me along paths of righteousness

            for the sake of his good name.

How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the sight to my eyes, or I will die.

            Even when I walk through the dark valley of death,

            I will not be afraid,

            for you are close beside me.

            Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

            You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies.

            You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil.

            My cup overflows with blessings.

But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the LORD

because he has been so good to me.

            Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

            all the days of my life,

            and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.  

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Prayer of Repentance & Lament

Here’s a prayer from Carol Penner’s Leading in Worship website.

Repenting and Lamenting in Times Like These

You are the God who hears:

hear our prayer today for all who lament or repent.

For those among us who face discrimination every day

because of their skin colour,

we lament.

For those among us with white skin who benefit

from racist systems sometimes even without realizing it,

we repent.

For those among us who have struggled and waited so long

for the Promised Land of freedom and equality,

we lament.

For those among us who have acted in racist ways

and have hurt people of colour,

we repent.

For those protesting injustice who face police brutality

and a justice system rigged against them,

we lament.

For those who think racism is someone else’s problem,

and not a problem for humanity,

we repent.

God of hope, show us how to work for justice together,

standing up for what is right,

stepping in when something's wrong,

shouldering each other’s burdens,

holding each other accountable,

righting the wrongs we’ve done,

speaking truth to power.

We pray for change, lasting change,

for protection for protesters,

for a de-escalation of violence

and for government leaders who listen.

Deliver us from evil, within and without,

in Jesus' name we pray, Amen

~ written by Carol Penner and posted on Leading in Worship. https://carolpenner.typepad.com/leadinginworship/

A Prayer of Lament for those who cannot breathe

Here is a prayer of lament in the wake of ongoing police violence in the United States and around the world. It was written by Rev. Prince Rivers, senior pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham, Salem, and posted on the Transforming Center website.

Prayer of Lament For Those who Cannot Breathe

Holy God,

a cloud of grief hangs heavy over my head

and I feel like I cannot breathe,

so give me the strength to pray.

I raise my hands toward the sky

and I lift my eyes to the hills which is where my help comes from.

Lord, when the names of people who have been choked,

shot and assaulted is too many to count

I know that not one soul has been forgotten

by mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, cousins and friends.

They remember…

…laughs and smiles,

…dreams and struggles,

…talents and personalities.

Now these men and women are gone.

Father, how long must we listen to the cries and screams

as blood stains the sidewalk?

How many videos must we watch before we begin to see a change?

Help me, God. Help us.

Help the people of St. Paul, MN.

Help Baton Rouge, LA.

Help our nation.

Help us examine ourselves.

Help those of us who are sad and angry not to let these deaths be in vain.

We do not pray for vengeance,

but we do thirst for justice.

We hope for healing

between neighbors and officers called to protect and serve.

We long for the day when young men will live long enough to be old men

and parents will not have to say ‘good-bye’ too soon.

My hope is in you, God.

Deliver me from all my fears.

O God, come quickly to help us.

O Lord, come quickly to save us.

In the name of the one who came

that we might have life and have life more abundantly. Amen.

~ written by Rev. Prince Rivers, senior pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham, Salem. Posted on the Transforming Center website. https://transformingcenter.org/2016/07/prayer-lament-breathe/

A Prayer of Lament: Psalm 4

Here’s a prayer of lament inspired by Psalm 4, written by Ruth Jarman.  In it, she envisions “’the enemy’ being climate change or ‘the power that be’ that are causing it.”

Prayer of Lament

(Psalm 4)

“Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.”

How long, O men and women,

will you turn the glory of the earth into dangerous pollution?

How long will we love the delusion of consumerism

and seek the false gods of money and possessions?

Help us to remember that you have set apart the godly for yourself;
that you will hear us when we call to you.

In our exasperation and anxiety do not let us lose hope;
when we have quiet times in the day,
let us search our hearts and be silent.
Help us to live our lives sacrificially and to trust in the Lord.

Many are asking,

“What is the point? The earth is finished.

Who can save us now?”

“Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.”

~ written by Ruth Jarman and posted on the Christian Ecology Link website.

http://www.greenchristian.org.uk/archives/1055

Call to Worship: Psalm 13

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Psalm 13:3-6. It comes from the Godspace website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 13: 3-6)

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him” –

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

We come to you O Lord,

seeking answers to our questions.
We come to you O God,

because you are the Creator.

But I have trusted your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

We come looking for a song to sing;
We wait for your voice

to call us from beyond our fear.

~ from a longer “Litany for a Blue Christmas,” posted on the Godspace website. See the entire litany here: https://godspace-msa.com/2015/12/18/litany-for-a-blue-christmas/