The Bible is full of greetings, and our worship leader greets us in God’s name.
2 Peter 2:1
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
We begin our worship with a silent meditation on our Psalm of the Day during the Prelude. Use this time to focus your hearts and minds on God as he speaks to us through his Word.
Psalm 145
A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Prelude in D Major
Johann Kaspar Ferdinand Fischer (1656-1746)
Ruth Pfister, organ
Our Call to Worship draws us into conversation with our God, and is usually taken from our Psalm of the Day. We address one another and enter God’s presence together.
From Psalm 145
Leader: Exalt your God and King! Praise his name forever!
People: Every day we will praise him! We will extol his name for ever and ever!
Leader: The LORD is great and worthy of great praise! Who can fathom his greatness?
People: We could never fathom his greatness. But we will tell of his great works and his mighty deeds from one generation to another!
Leader: Will you speak with your mouth of his might? Will you take his praise upon your lips?
People: We will! And may every creature rise and praise him with us!
Leader: Let us worship God!
Having called one another to God’s praise, we turn to God and ask for his presence and power.
From Psalm 145
Almighty God and gracious Heavenly Father, we join together today to do what we, and the whole creation, were made to do: to stand in your presence; to marvel at the wonders of your hand; to lift up our voices and sing your praise; and to tell generations of your works. In the moments we have together, we can only explore a tiny fraction of your wondrous works in creation and in redemption. In our worship today, we can open our minds and our ears, but we can only take in a small portion of your truth and grace. Enlarge our hearts and our minds! Expand our willingness to obey! Make our hearts and lives spacious enough to receive all of the goodness that you have prepared for us today, that we might leave here better equipped to honor you among the nations, and indeed among all your creatures. We praise you, O Father, in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit: one God, now and forever. Amen!
With our Song of Praise, we begin our worship by exalting God for who he is and what he has done.
Hymn 455: All Creatures of Our God and King
Text: Francis of Assisi (1225); trans. Draper (c. 1910)
Tune: LASST UNS ERFREUEN (1623)
Ruth Pfister, organ
Music (Page 1), Music (Page 2)
All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing
alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
thou silver moon with softer gleam,
alleluia, alleluia!
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
ye clouds that sail in heav’n along,
O praise him, alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
ye lights of evening, find a voice,
alleluia, alleluia!
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for thy Lord to hear,
alleluia, alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
that givest us both warmth and light,
alleluia, alleluia!
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou fertile earth, that day by day
Unfoldest blessings on your way,
O sing ye! Allelujah!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them God’s glory also show!
alleluia, alleluia!
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
And everyone of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye, alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on him cast your care,
alleluia, alleluia!
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship God in humbleness,
O sing ye, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, three in one,
alleluia, alleluia!
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!