Pastoral Prayer from Psalm 146

Pastoral Prayer from

Psalm 146 HCSB

1 Hallelujah! My soul, praise the Lord. 2 I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live. 3 Do not trust in nobles, in man, who cannot save. 4 When his breath leaves him, he returns to the ground; on that day his plans die. 5 Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever, 7 executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry. The Lord frees prisoners. 8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises up those who are oppressed. The Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord protects foreigners and helps the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. 10 The Lord reigns forever; Zion, your God reigns for all generations. Hallelujah!

Eternal God and Heavenly Father,

Our prayer this morning is to echo the Psalmist : Praise the Lord!

We do not put our trust in men, mortal beings. There is no salvation in them. We put our trust in You, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Lord our God. You are eternal and forever faithful.

You will bring perfect justice one day, but for now, You provide all things for Your people. You fill the hungry, You liberate the captives. You give sight to the blind, raise those who are oppressed, protect the foreigner and help the fatherless and the widow. You comfort the weak.

We thank You that You love perfectly and everlastingly all those You have covered with Your righteousness in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Father, purge our lives of sin, cleanse our souls from guilt, deliver us from earthly affections, guid our paths away from the path of evil, and make us to walk in the way of righteousness, for Your names sake.

Give us the desire for the beauty of Your holiness and the security for the hope You have set before us.

Thank You for Your Word that guides and teaches us. Thank You for such a great High Priest who intercedes for us. Thank You for the spiritual armor to protect us from the evil one.

Fill our hearts with thanksgiving and praise. Cause us to proclaim Your Gospel to all who will hear. Prepare their hearts through Your providence for the opportunity to speak to them. Manifest Your glory in our lives.

We are privileged to be called Your children and to pour our hearts out to You in prayer. You are our loving Father.

We pray all this in the name of Your Blessed Son.

Amen