This prayer sheet is inspired by the September 2017 theme of the month: Refuge.
The psalmist says,
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, because I come to you for safety. In the shadow of your wings I find protection until the raging storms are over.”
(Psalm 57:1, GNT)
These prayers are a response to God’s gracious invitation to us to seek shelter “under his wings” and to bring others to safety.
For personal use or to share.
You are my hiding place
by Michael Ledner
You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
with songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in you
I will trust in you
Let the weak say, “I am strong
in the strength of the Lord”
A. CANTICLE
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
The Lord is my light, my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
One thing I ask of the Lord,
one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God,
to gaze on Your holy place.
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
I believe I shall see the goodness
of the Lord in the land of the living.
O wait for the Lord!
Have courage and wait,
wait for the Lord.
In the shadow of Your wings
I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
B. PRAYER OF INVOCATION
Blessed are You,
O Lord our God,
Wellspring of all that is.
You are the sea on which we float,
You are the wind that fills our sails,
You are the storm that buffets us,
You are the calm that brings us peace.
Open our ears to hear Your word,
Open our eyes to see Your beauty,
Open our hearts to be warmed by Your love.
Free us from our lonely prisons
of fear and selfishness,
And make us over, day by day,
into bearers of Your peace.
Amen
C. READINGS
- Psalm 17:8
- Psalm 36:7
- Psalm 57:1
- Psalm 63:7
- Psalm 91:4
D. PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God-ever-with-us:
you draw us near to your heart,
so that, cradled in compassion,
we might see the brokenness
of all who are around us.
Teacher-beside-us:
you draw us near to yourself,
so that, by following you,
we may discover the deep joy
of serving the broken of the world.
Spirit-within-us:
you draw near to us with your peace,
so that, reconciled and restored to God,
we may be the healers to a world shattered by despair.
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we draw near to you in this time,
we lift the prayer you have taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
E. LET US PRAY
“Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” (Psalm 5:11)
Let us pray …
F. SENDING PRAYER
(inspired by Psalm 63: 6-7)
As we leave this place, O God,
we will still remember you.
We will think of you through the night,
knowing that you are with us,
that you are our help.
And so we keep singing.
We will sing in the shadow of your wings.
Today. Every day.
Amen.
CREDITS
The following resources found on https://re-worship.blogspot.com/ and adapted for this prayer sheet:
B. Richard Rosenberg, posted on World Prayers
D. written by Thom Shuman, and posted on his Lectionary Liturgies website
F. written by Joanna Harader, and posted on Spacious Faith
Additional:
A. from the Northumbria Community service of evening prayer
Prayer sheet prepared by Rev. Irene Bom, OLM in the International Presbytery of the Church of Scotland.
Compiled for the Prayer Matters blog (September 2017), inspired by the theme of the month: Refuge