Apostolic Instruction for Prayer Meetings that Are Well-Commended to God [Family Worship lesson in 1Timothy 2:8–10]

What are some things for men and women especially to concern themselves with in the church? 1Timothy 2:8–10 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that men are to be men of prayer for godliness, and women are to be women of the godliness for which we pray.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.10.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Timothy 2:8–10

Read 1 Timothy 2:8–10

Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does the apostle desire would pray (1 Timothy 2:8)? In what places? Lifting what? Without what two things? What does 1 Timothy 2:9 say about the desire in this verse? Whom does this desire concern? And what aspect of their life? What three principles govern their adornment? What four examples, at the time, were violating that principle? What about them makes it inappropriate to dress in a showy or unrestrained way (1 Timothy 2:10)? What is the proper adornment for women who profess godliness?  

What are some things for men and women especially to concern themselves with in the church? 1 Timothy 2:8–10 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that men are to be men of prayer for godliness, and women are to be women of the godliness for which we pray.

Men of prayer for godliness, 1 Timothy 2:8. The word ‘men’ in verse 8 is specific to males. Of course, women were included in the exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1. But now, 1 Timothy 2:8-12 are dealing with a corporate context. Proper order in the church isn’t limited to church officers, to which the apostle will come in chapter 3. So it is the men in every place who lift up their hands in prayer, something that is not connected to the modern self-expression that you might have seen in churches, but to the worship-leading described in Psalm 134:1–2. And men who do so need to be of the character that we have seen described in 1 Timothy 2:2. 

They are holy men—men of godliness (treating God as weighty in the heart) and reverence (carrying themselves in a weighty, dignified manner). So, when they lift up hands, when they lead in prayer, they do so as men whose holy conduct is observable in the life and whose reverence toward God can be heard in their praying. And they are men who lead quiet lives (without wrath) and peaceable lives (without doubting). Their praying is not showy but steady, not anxious but sure of God. Even as such men aim at the church’s godliness in their praying, they are already examples of that godliness.

Women of the godliness for which we pray, 1 Timothy 2:9-10. Women tend to focus upon how they are adorned. This is not altogether bad, since it is proper for a woman to “wow” her husband (Adam’s first word in Genesis 2:23), and the mystery of marriage concerns Christ and the church (cf. Ephesians 5:27, Ephesians 5:32), who is at last as a bride adorned for her husband (cf. Revelation 21:2). So the impulse to think about adornment is not entirely wrong, only usually misdirected.

Ultimately, one’s adornment should match one’s status. And a Christian woman has a status higher than any worldly royalty or socialite: “women professing godliness.” The only adornment that can rise to the level of being appropriate for such a status is “good works.” The word for ‘good’ in 1 Timothy 2:10—a word often associated with the goodness of God—is a higher word than the one in 1 Timothy 3:1. 

These good works are not done in the assembly. Rather, as men lift their hands and lead with heir words, the women are contributing to the prayer by the very-precious-to-God hidden person of the heart that commends the praying to Him in Christ (cf. 1 Peter 3:3–4). If a woman has not been living this way, with good works toward others as the fruit of a good heart toward God, she has come to church underdressed!

Of course, such character will actually come out in how she dresses and does her hair. The principles here are described by words in 1 Timothy 2:9 translated modesty (the Greek word means “suitable” or “orderly”), propriety (respecting others rather than drawing attention to themselves), and moderation (sensible, wise, judicious, restrained). Such attire seeks to draw as little attention to itself as possible. This seems to have been a needed correction to the hairdos, jewelry, and expensive outfits displayed by some ladies in Ephesus! It may also be a needed correction for women who underdress in a manner that draws attention. There is such a thing as religiously immodest, intentional homeliness of dress.

All need must remember that the church aims at God in its gatherings, and what He loves to see is the godliness at which He has taught us to aim by our praying. And each of us help others aim at Him by drawing as little as possible attention to ourselves.

At Whom should you be aiming your conduct in the church? What does this passage say that you, specifically, need to be working at in order to do so? Whom else will He help by your doing so?

Sample prayer:  Lord, You desire holiness in our hearts, lives, and church gatherings. Forgive our men for acting as if we can live obnoxiously and wrathfully, or anxiously and doubtingly, and then come lead prayer acceptably in the church. Forgive our women for thinking more about the adornments upon which others focus than the adornments upon which You focus. Forgive us all for focusing upon ourselves rather than loving You and one another. Conform us instead to Christ, Who has loved You perfectly, and loved us perfectly, and perfectly pleased You in all things. In His Name we ask it, AMEN!

 Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH520 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 

Word-Kept Hearts Produce Word-Directed Mouths, Eyes, and Feet [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 4:24–27]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that out of the Word-kept heart must flow Scripture-sanctified speech, righteous use of our eyes and righteous perceptions, and righteous living.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Angel Who Led Them in the Wilderness: God Teaches Israel to Walk with Jesus [2022.10.02 Evening Sermon in Exodus 23:20–33]

The Lord is His own Messenger, as another Person but the same one God; and His people must walk with Him. Jesus leads His people, blesses His people, and establishes His people.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

The Holy Spirit’s Method for Transmitting and Preserving the Faith [from Seventeen82]

The following is our pastor's latest contribution to Seventeen82

[Photo: Emmet E. Hakim]

Last month, we considered from Psalm 78 the duty and necessity of each generation’s remembering God’s Word both unto itself and unto the next generation. Christ promised that the Spirit would complete the things that He had to say to His apostles, and through them to us:

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (Jn 16:12–15, NKJV)

Declaring what is Christ’s
It was the apostles to whom He had already spoken. It was the apostles to whom the completion of that was promised. And, through the apostles, we have received in Scripture everything that Jesus intended to say to His church.

Since Psalm 78 has shown us how important it is, both for ourselves and for our children, to remember God’s Word and works, this raises an important question. What is the apostolic method for preserving and transmitting the faith? What is the method that the Spirit taught them? What is the method that is from the Father, and from the Son, and from the Holy Spirit (cf. v14–15 above)?

How the Many Surprises of God and His Grace Keep Directing Us First and Foremost to Him [Family Worship lesson in 2Kings 4:8–37]

What are some of the surprises of grace? 2Kings 4:8–37 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s grace is predictably great but greatly unpredictable.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.10.05 Hopewell @Home ▫ 2 Kings 4:8–37

Read 2 Kings 4:8–37

Questions from the Scripture text: Where did Elisha go in 2 Kings 4:8? Who was there? What did she persuade him? When else did this happen? To whom does she speak in 2 Kings 4:9? What does she call Elisha? What does she say he is doing? What does she ask to prepare in 2 Kings 4:10? For what purpose? What does Elisha do in 2 Kings 4:11? To whom does Elisha speak in 2 Kings 4:12? What does he tell Gehazi to do? What does he tell Gehazi to ask in 2 Kings 4:13? What are some options that he suggests? What does she answer? What does Elisha then ask Gehazi (2 Kings 4:14a)? What suggestion does Gehazi now make in verse 14b? What does Elisha tell Gehazi to do (2 Kings 4:15a)? What do we see her doing again (verse 15b, cf. end of 2 Kings 4:12)? What does Elisha tell her in 2 Kings 4:16a? How does she respond to this (verse 16b)? But what happens in 2 Kings 4:17? According to what? How is the child doing (2 Kings 4:18)? But then what happens one day? What does he say in 2 Kings 4:19? Whom does his father tell to do what? What does the servant do (2 Kings 4:20)? What happens with the child? Where does his mother lay him (2 Kings 4:21)? What does she do? Whom does she ask for what in 2 Kings 4:22? What does he want to know (2 Kings 4:23)? Why is it strange? How does she answer? What does she tell the servant in 2 Kings 4:24? To whom does she go (2 Kings 4:25)? Where? Who sees her? To whom does he speak? What does he say? What does he tell Gehazi to do (2 Kings 4:26)? And to ask? How does she answer Gehazi? To whom does she come in 2 Kings 4:27? Where? What does she do to him? What does Gehazi start to do? What does Elisha say? Why? And what has Yahweh done/not done? What two things does she say in 2 Kings 4:28? To whom does Elisha respond (2 Kings 4:29)? What does he tell him to do? What does he tell him not to do? What is he to do as soon as possible? Who is determined not to leave Elisha (2 Kings 4:30)? How does she say it? What does Elisha do? Who goes ahead (2 Kings 4:31)? What does he do? What doesn’t happen? Where does he go back? What does he say? Who comes into the house in 2 Kings 4:32? What does he find? Where does he go (2 Kings 4:33)? What does he do with the door? What does he do to whom? Then what five things does he do in 2 Kings 4:34? With what result? Where does Elisha go in 2 Kings 4:35? What does he go up and do again? With what results this time? Whom does he call in 2 Kings 4:36? What does he tell him to do? Who comes? What does he tell her to do? What does she do first in 2 Kings 4:37? Then what?

What are some of the surprises of grace? 2 Kings 4:8–37 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s grace is predictably great but greatly unpredictable.

The great theme of this narrative is surprises. Throughout it, God is wonderfully merciful to all, but He keeps His counsel to Himself, and His grace is often unpredictable. What are some of the surprises?

A “great” woman who is godly, 2 Kings 4:8-13. There are a few others in the Bible, but they are rare. Usually “prominent woman” is a portent of bad things. And this prominent Shunammite comes sandwiched between prominent women Jezebel and Athaliah. Literally the text says, “where there was a great woman, and she laid hold of him…” (2 Kings 4:8). That doesn’t sound like it’s going to end well. 

But she laid hold of him like my grandmother used to lay hold of me: to make sure that he ate some of her food. Why does she so insist? Because Elisha is a “holy man of God” (2 Kings 4:9). God’s grace to her is such that she contentedly desires no reward; Shunem is fine with her; no need for a place in the royal court (2 Kings 4:13). It’s also surprising that Elisha implies that he has any sway with these!

A godly woman who doubts, 2 Kings 4:14-17. To be fair, Sarah had done similarly (cf. Genesis 18:10–15). But we are accustomed to lionizing people who act in the manner that we see in 2 Kings 4:9-10, 2 Kings 4:13. So when she’s unwilling to believe that the Lord would do such a thing for her (2 Kings 4:16), we remember that God’s grace is for people of small faith like our own.

A child of promise who dies, 2 Kings 4:18-20. When we get to the end of 2 Kings 4:18, we don’t expect that the next verse to feature a fatal head wound. Sometimes God’s grace surprises us with sorrow. Ultimately, this story doesn’t end in sorrow. Ultimately, no believer’s story does (cf. Romans 8:17).

A bereft mother who keeps her cool, 2 Kings 4:21-26. She knows that hope is in Elisha’s God. She tells her husband that all is well (2 Kings 4:23). She tells Gehazi that all is well (2 Kings 4:26). She’s in a hurry (2 Kings 4:24), but she is composed. Clearly she isn’t sure that she will get her son back (2 Kings 4:28). Yet, her statement that all is well does not come off as a lie. Rather, it seems that she is resigned to whatever the Lord brings.

A prophet from whom the Lord has hidden things, 2 Kings 4:27-29. The woman believes that Elisha, the representative of God’s Word to her, is her only hope. When she finally gets to him, she lays hold of him (2 Kings 4:27, same word as in 2 Kings 4:8), and in 2 Kings 4:30 she insists on staying with him. But Elisha hasn’t been told, and he calls this Yahweh “hiding” it from him (2 Kings 4:27). 

A prophet whose prophetic signs fail, 2 Kings 4:30-32. Gehazi comes back with bad news. The staff thing did not work (2 Kings 4:31). Elisha comes in, and there’s the dead child on his own bed (2 Kings 4:32). 

God, Who deals personally and privately with his prophet, 2 Kings 4:33-37. The closed door has become a motif (2 Kings 4:4, 2 Kings 4:21, 2 Kings 4:33). The Lord could have healed the boy via the staff. The Lord could have healed the boy via the prayer in 2 Kings 4:33. The Lord could have healed the boy in the initial stretching out in 2 Kings 4:34. But the Lord brings him to an extremity of dependence. Whether we are an unnamed widow or the highest officer in God’s earthly church, He’s dealing with us too, and we are to deal with Him Who sees us in secret (cf. Matthew 6:1–16). 

The unpredictability of God’s grace is surprising but good, because He is good. And powerful. And merciful. However it surprises in your life, if you are His through Jesus Christ, know that it is His grace behind every surprise!

What situation in your life is perplexing you right now? If you belong to God through Christ, what is behind that situation? What are the means of grace by which you can draw near to Him for help? 

Sample prayer: Lord, as with Elisha and the woman from Shunem, so with us Your providence often perplexes us. Forgive us for when we are unbelieving. Forgive us for when we presume that we should be able to understand You, or that You should do things the way that we prefer. Grant unto us to trust in You through Christ, and do with us according to Your perfect wisdom, power, and love, we ask in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP109D “I Am Very Poor and Needy” or TPH551 “We Plow the Fields”

Symptoms of a Spreading Gospel: What It May Look Like, When the Gospel Spreads Throughout a Region [2022.10.02 Morning Sermon in Acts 13:49–14:7]

MAIN IDEA: through whatever opposition they experience on earth, Christ’s servants serve Him in dependence upon Him.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

My God Is Like THAT!—the True Danger and Opportunity in Our Persecutions [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 69:1–18]

What sort of distress may come upon those who genuinely love God and His house? Psalm 69:1–18 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eighteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that just as Christ was wrongfully hated, mocked, and executed, so also those who are united to Him are conformed to His character and even His suffering. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.10.04 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 69:1–18

Read Psalm 69:1–18

Questions from the Scripture text: Into whose hands was this Psalm committed (superscript)? What musical note is attached? Who penned it? What is the immediate request of Psalm 69:1? How does David describe the urgency of the situation? How does Psalm 69:2 flesh out this urgency? How does Psalm 69:3 describe David’s condition in this circumstance? What is he doing to cope? What actual details of the circumstance does Psalm 69:4a–b add—who are how many? What are they like (verse 4c)? What makes this worse (verse 4d)? What are they saying David has done (verse 4e)? What verdict has been reached (verse 4f)? What is David’s own view of himself, and Whom does he know knows this (Psalm 69:5)? For whom else is he concerned (Psalm 69:6a)? What else does he call them (verse 6b)? What is he concerned about happening to them? What was he willing to have happen to himself and why (Psalm 69:7)? Who have begun treating him what way (Psalm 69:8)? Why is he willing to endure this shame—what has eaten him up (Psalm 69:9a)? What have fallen on him (verse 9b)? From whom? How did he respond (Psalm 69:10a)? Which of the two reproaches was worse (verse 10b)? How deep was this reproach (Psalm 69:11a)? What did his enemies/brothers conclude from this mourning (verse 11b)? Who else has heard and adopted these conclusions (Psalm 69:12)? But with whom is the Psalmist primarily concerning himself (Psalm 69:13)? How is he addressing Him (verse 13a)? What does he trust about the timing of the answer (verse 13b)? What does he trust about the source of the answer (verse 13c)? What does He trust about the character and conclusion of his Hearer (verse 13d)? What is he asking God for (Psalm 69:14a–b)? From whom does he ask to be delivered (v14c)? From what does he ask to be delivered (verse 14d)? How many times does he repeat this in how many ways (Psalm 69:14-15c)? What is he asking for in Psalm 69:16a? Why? What does he ask God to do in verse 16b? According to what? What does he ask God not to do (Psalm 69:17a)? Why (verse 17b)? What does he add to his request in verse 17c? What particular request does he make in Psalm 69:18a? What other request would this fulfill (verse 18b, cf. Psalm 69:1, Psalm 69:14)? 

What sort of distress may come upon those who genuinely love God and His house? Psalm 69:1–18 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eighteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that just as Christ was wrongfully hated, mocked, and executed, so also those who are united to Him are conformed to His character and even His suffering. 

A Psalm about the persecution of Jesus. From the beginning of His ministry, it was clear that Jesus was the One about Whom David ultimately wrote this Psalm. We’ve seen that in several Psalms, most famously Psalm 16, which both Peter and Paul preached, was actually more properly about Christ than about David. Now, we recognize Psalm 69:9 from our passage as describing Jesus in John 2:17 in His first visit to the temple in His public ministry. Later, on the night that He was betrayed, He quotes Psalm 69:4 as being about Himself in John 15:25.

When we get to the imprecatory (prayer for cursing) portion of the Psalm, it will be important to remember that these are attacks upon Christ. Refusing to glorify God or give Him thanks is an attack upon God (cf. Romans 1:21–23, Romans 3:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8a). And rejecting the claims of Christ is an attack upon Christ (Romans 1:3–5, Romans 16:26; 2 Thessalonians 1:8–10). 

The intensity of the persecution, Psalm 69:1-3. It is a great mistake to think that believers will not suffer. David, of course, did not suffer to the extent of Christ, Whose suffering was anticipated in David’s own. But David’s own suffering was great. The metaphor in Psalm 69:1 is already strong, before the richness filled in of the “deep mire” and “floods overflowing” in Psalm 69:2. And the pain of the circumstances in verse 2 is felt with great intensity in his experience of them in Psalm 69:3. How many believers have been weary with crying, throat dry, looking for God until it feels like all ability to look for Him has been extinguished! This is not an anomaly. Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (cf. Acts 14:22). Everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (cf. 2 Timothy 3:12).

The occasion of the suffering: unjust persecution, Psalm 69:4-5. On the one hand, we can always learn from and be sanctified through our suffering. We know that God, Who has already punished all our sin upon Christ (cf. Romans 8:1), uses it in this way (cf. Romans 5:3–5; James 1:2–4). Like David in Psalm 69:5, whenever we suffer we may recognize before the Lord that we don’t deserve any better from Him. But, it is often the case that we ought rightly to be treated better by others.

If they hated Christ without a cause (Psalm 69:4a, cf. John 15:25), then we shouldn’t be surprised when the same happens to us. A believer’s life may include being targeted by a multitude (Psalm 69:4b) and the mighty (verse 4c). Was not our Lord denounced by a multitude and jointly condemned by the throne of Herod and the emissary of the empire (cf. Acts 4:27)? We should expect no better (cf. John 15:20). And when we are not only falsely accused but condemned (Psalm 69:4e–f), let us remember that the sinless Lord entered into union with us precisely to bear our sin (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). 

Accept it from Scripture, dear Christian. You will be accused. Only determine so to live in honor of your Lord that, as much as possible, the accusations and judgments will be false (cf. 1 Peter 2:11–12, 1 Peter 2:19–20). Thus, you will have a fellowship not only with David and other believers as our Psalm shows, but with Christ Himself Whom this Psalm prophecies (cf. 1 Peter 2:21–23). Part of “returning to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” is living for righteousness under fire as He did (cf. 1 Peter 2:24–25).

The danger in persecution, Psalm 69:6. David’s great concern here is that he would sin (Psalm 69:5), and the result  would be an unnecessary causing of believers grief or doubt over how we have represented the faith (Psalm 69:6, cf. Psalm 73:15). If we are honest with the Lord about our weakness, and if we are conscientious about how this may affect those whom He loves and redeems, then our prayers should feature concern that we not cause shame and dishonor to believers.

The opportunity in persecution, Psalm 69:7, Psalm 69:9. Our suffering presents that danger, but also an opportunity to suffer for the Lord’s sake (Psalm 69:7a). If it is His wisdom that our suffering would be best, then we are willing to submit to His will. And if it is submission to Him that makes us willing to suffer, then it is an opportunity to display that He is worth that cost.

Indeed, the Lord Himself has great zeal for His house (Psalm 69:9a)—His worship, the display of His gospel, the redemption of His people. And if we mirror this zeal, those who despise Him will despise us for it as well (verse 9b). This was, of course, most true when He Himself came for the sake of His house, to die for the sake of His house, and the reproach fell upon Him (cf. John 2:17, John 2:18; Romans 15:3). But it continues to be true in all of the sufferings of His people (cf. Romans 8:36). 

The worst persecutions, Psalm 69:8, Psalm 69:10-12. As many Psalms relate and prophesy, the hardest oppression and persecution is not that which comes from enemies but from family and close friends (Psalm 69:8; cf. Psalm 41:9; Psalm 55:12–14). This was most true for our Lord (cf. Mark 3:21; Luke 8:19; John 7:3–5). Here, David’s dear ones take his distress as further occasion to mock (Psalm 69:10-11), and take the lead in spreading his shame from the highest to the lowest (Psalm 69:12). As with David and Himself, Jesus tells us that many believers will find their nearest ones becoming their worst enemies (Matthew 10:21, Matthew 10:34–36; Luke 12:53, Luke 21:16). 

Knowing it in advance does not make the pain to be less; the pain is great because family and friendships are great gifts designed for great blessing. The relation of the first and second Persons of the Trinity are the original from which created fatherhood and sonship arise. Election in the Son and the adoption and union that come from it are the original from which brotherhood arises. Knowing from Scripture that their enmity is prophesied doesn’t make the pain of that enmity small!

But knowing it in advance prepares us to embrace God’s good will and intentions for us in their evil intentions (cf. Genesis 50:20). And knowing that this suffering is something that we share with Christ makes the suffering itself almost pleasant as it is sweetened by the sharing of it with Him Whom our soul loves (cf. Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Philippians 1:29; Colossians 1:24).

The hope in persecution, Psalm 69:13-18. The worse our persecutions, the more we see the blessedness of the One to Whom they drive us. Many have experienced the soul-suffocating effects of dwelling upon their enemies (or frenemies) and their attacks. But having had these attacks prophesied should turn us to the One Who not only has prophesied them, but uses them for our good.

By the grace of the Spirit, David turns his attention away from his persecutors to his Redeemer: “But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Yahweh” (Psalm 69:13a–b). The Lord’s timing is right (verse 13b). The Lord’s steadfast love is great (verse 13c).  The Lord’s salvation is sure and true (verse 13d).  The Lord’s steadfast love is good (Psalm 69:16a). His “compassionate compassions” are a multitude (verse 16b). O how salubrious the persecution that turns us to Him! And when we find Him as He is, we remember our persecutions as they are: light and momentary. When we cry out to be delivered from it (Psalm 69:14), to be sustained in it (Psalm 69:15), and to have fellowship through it (Psalm 69:17-18), we are crying out for nothing less than what God has promised, and we can do so with the confidence of those who are agreeing with God.

O that we would learn by the same Spirit! This is not ignorance of who man is and what man is doing; he “calls a spade a spade.” It is simply giving more credence to Who God is and what God is doing; he calls the Savior the Savior!

When have you been falsely accused? Why should you prepare to be? What good purposes will the Lord have in it? How, then, should you plan on responding when the persecution comes.

Sample prayer:  O Lord, our prayer is to You in Your acceptable time, in the abundance of Your steadfast love and the faithfulness of Your salvation! Hear us, for Your steadfast love is good, and turn to us according to the abundance of Your compassionate compassions! As we come to You, draw near to our souls and redeem them we ask in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP69A “Save Me, O God” or TPH69B “Thy Lovingkindness, Lord, Is Good and Free”