Today, God, we pray for your Church. In the circumstances of this world, the Church can sometimes feel attacked, downtrodden, weary, and disturbed. But YOU are our hope, our Salvation, and our God. Cleanse your Church from all unrighteousness – in our spirits, our business practices, our lack of care for people, our judging natures, our blind eyes to injustices, and our general weakness to love as you love us. Cleanse us and give us grace, courage, and boldness for the facing of this hour and day. Vindicate us, God, and plead our case against the unfaithfulness in this world. Rescue your people from those who are deceitful and wicked. You are our stronghold who can release us from the oppression of our spiritual enemy. Send your light and your faithful care and bring us into the holy mountain where you dwell. Draw us into worship as our Joy and Delight. Let us never forget our hope is in You, our Savior and our God. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen!
Psalm 43
1
Vindicate me, my God,
and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
deceitful and wicked.
2
You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?
3
Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.