Christian Prayer and Fasting

THE SETTING: 

By the rivers of Babylon

we sit down and weep

when we remember Zion.

On the poplars in her midst

we hang our harps,

for there our captors ask us to compose songs;

those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:

“Sing for us a song about Zion!”

How can we sing a song to the Lord

in a foreign land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

may my right hand be crippled!

May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

and do not give Jerusalem priority

over whatever gives me the most joy.

PRAYER:

Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did

on the day Jerusalem fell.

They said, “Tear it down, tear it down,

right to its very foundation!”

TO ENEMIES: 

O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated!

How blessed will be the one who repays you

for what you dished out to us!

How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies

and smashes them on a rock!

PRAISE:

Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord!

Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,

who serve in the Lord’s temple,

in the courts of the temple of our God.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!

Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant!

Indeed, the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,

Israel to be his special possession.

Yes, I know the Lord is great,

and our Lord is superior to all gods.

He does whatever he pleases

in heaven and on earth,

in the seas and all the ocean depths.

He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,

makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,

and brings the wind out of his storehouses.

He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

including both men and animals.

He performed awesome deeds and acts of judgment

in your midst, O Egypt,

against Pharaoh and all his servants.

He defeated many nations,

and killed mighty kings –

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

and Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

He gave their land as an inheritance,

as an inheritance to Israel his people.

PRAYER:

O Lord, your name endures,

your reputation, O Lord, lasts.

PRAISE:

For the Lord vindicates his people,

and has compassion on his servants.

The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,

they are man-made.

They have mouths, but cannot speak,

eyes, but cannot see,

and ears, but cannot hear.

Indeed, they cannot breathe.

Those who make them will end up like them,

as will everyone who trusts in them.

O family of Israel, praise the Lord!

O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!

O family of Levi, praise the Lord!

You loyal followers of the Lord, praise the Lord!

The Lord deserves praise in Zion –

he who dwells in Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

PRAYER:

O Lord, for David’s sake remember

all his strenuous effort,

and how he made a vow to the Lord,

and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob.

He said, “I will not enter my own home,

or get into my bed.

I will not allow my eyes to sleep,

or my eyelids to slumber,

until I find a place for the Lord,

a fine dwelling place for the powerful ruler of Jacob.”

Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah,

we found it in the territory of Jaar.

Let us go to his dwelling place!

Let us worship before his footstool!

Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place,

you and the ark of your strength!

May your priests be clothed with integrity!

May your loyal followers shout for joy!

For the sake of David, your servant,

do not reject your chosen king!

BASIS OF THE PRAYER:

The Lord made a reliable promise to David;

he will not go back on his word.

He said, “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.

If your sons keep my covenant

and the rules I teach them,

their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”

Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion;

he decided to make it his home.

He said, “This will be my resting place forever;

I will live here, for I have chosen it.

I will abundantly supply what she needs;

I will give her poor all the food they need.

I will protect her priests,

and her godly people will shout exuberantly.

There I will make David strong;

I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.

I will humiliate his enemies,

and his crown will shine.

O Lord, my heart is not proud,

nor do I have a haughty look.

I do not have great aspirations,

or concern myself with things that are beyond me.

Indeed I am composed and quiet,

like a young child carried by its mother;

I am content like the young child I carry.

O Israel, hope in the Lord

now and forevermore!

From the deep water I cry out to you, O Lord.

O Lord, listen to me!

Pay attention to my plea for mercy!

If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins,

O Lord, who could stand before you?

But you are willing to forgive,

so that you might be honored.

I rely on the Lord,

I rely on him with my whole being;

I wait for his assuring word.

I yearn for the Lord,

more than watchmen do for the morning,

yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord,

for the Lord exhibits loyal love,

and is more than willing to deliver.

He will deliver Israel

from all the consequences of their sins.