99. Saturday after Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.
Psalm 74, 1-9. 12. Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary; they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
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It always was a cross for the saints of God that there was such a deal of wickedness in the church. They saw the tares among the wheat, and asked: “Wilt thou, then, that we go and gather them up?” But the open infidelity which denies the divinity of Christ has probably at no time been greater and more shameless than it is now. Must it not be said at this time: “Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations?” And must we not now ask: “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? For men who call themselves Christians, and dwell in the midst of the Christian people, mock and scoff with the most reckless impudence at Christ and his person and office in his word and servants; and they break down the most sacred and precious jewels of the church with axes and hammers. O God, why dost thou not take thy right hand out of thy bosom? Hast thou forgotten thy congregation, which thou hast purchased; the rod of thy inheritance, which thou hast redeemed? Seest thou not, O Lord, what a fire is kindled in our hearts also; in the hearts of thy poor people, who still cling to thee? See, how the enemy does wickedly against us. Wherefore dost thou not ‘turn thy hand again upon thy little ones’?” — Nevertheless, the complaint of this psalm, also, ends in hope and promise. “For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces. The day is thine, the night also is thine. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause; remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.” — Help us, help us; help us to believe that which thy mouth has spoken. Amen.*
O God! how sin’s dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And wide has falsehood’s spirit spread,
And error boldly rears its head.
Oh, grant that in thy holy word
We here may live and die, dear Lord.
And when our journey endeth here,
Receive us into glory there.
[TLH 292, LSB 585, ELH 511; listen here]
* 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.