337. Saturday after Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.
Psalm 119, 169-176. Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. Let thine hand help me: for I have chosen thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
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Prayers by the saints, like that before us, the Lord has caused to be recorded for our sakes; he has wished to teach us that we are to come to him, and to shew us how we are to pray. When you have gone astray, and discover that you are lost, you shall not surrender to the devil, but cry to God; and he shall come to your aid. At all times when you are unhappy, you are not to keep the burden weighing down your heart, but “in all your need and distress call upon the name of the Lord, pray, praise, and give thanks.” When God gives you joy keep it in your heart, and increase it by praising the Lord; but do not keep your sorrow; for God’s sake do not bury your gloomy thoughts in your soul! God does not wish it; he says: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” God help us to do this; then shall we sing more songs of praise, and understand better the music of rejoicing. — Our Bible lesson teaches us especially three things in regard to the prayer of the seeking soul: 1) Your prayer shall express your longing and lamentation with a humble cry to God. “Let my cry come near before thee.” “Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.” “I have longed for thy salvation.” “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant.” 2) Your prayer must keep close to the Lord’s word and promise. “Give me understanding according to thy word.” “Deliver me according to thy word.” “Thou hast taught me thy statutes.” “Thy law is my delight.” The whole of this long psalm lauds the word of God. Believe that which he promises; incline your heart to his testimonies, not according to wisdom of your own invention, but according to that which the mouth of the Lord hath spoken. 3) Your prayer must include the promise that you will praise God and obey him. “My lips shall utter praise.” “My tongue shall speak of thy word.” “Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee.” “Seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.”
Lord, teach me thus to pray; and “quicken me according to thy lovingkindness! Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying; but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.” Amen.*
Bowed down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed,
By wars without and fears within,
I come to thee for rest.
Be thou my shield and hiding place,
That, sheltered near thy side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him, thou hast died.
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.