Victorious and Merciful God,
Your Love reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains and your justice like the great deep. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. But, truly, there are many who only know darkness in this world. In places of government, media, education, arts and entertainment, business, family, and church we pray you would bring into your Light the darkness, evil, corruption, and deception of the enemy of our souls. It seems this present darkness has no fear of God and its followers commit themselves to a sinful course, not rejecting what is wrong. But we know you have the ultimate victory in this battle of Light vs. dark and we pray you will hasten the conclusion of the battle so we may know your deep peace – your shalom – in this world. May the proud not come against your people and your Church, nor the hand of the wicked pull them away from You. May the evildoers lie fallen and your Word and Spirit go forth on this earth. For your glory, honor and praise we pray, Amen!
Psalm 36
1
I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
2
In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
3
The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they fail to act wisely or do good.
4
Even on their beds they plot evil;
they commit themselves to a sinful course
and do not reject what is wrong.
5
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
7
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
9
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
10
Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11
May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12
See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!