The Bible is full of greetings, and our worship leader greets us in God’s name.
Romans 1:7
To all who are in Christ, beloved of God, called to be saints: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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 the LORD, your God and King!
People: We will praise his name forever and ever!
Leader; Praise his name every day!
People: We will extol his name always!
Leader: All his works praise him!
People: And we, his faithful people, above all, will extol him!
Leader: Tell of the glory of his kingdom, and speak of his might!
People: Our mouths will speak in praise of the LORD, and may every creature join our praise, forever and ever!
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
Gracious God and Father, you are righteous in all your ways, and faithful in all you do. You are near to all those who call on you. And we call upon you now. You fulfill the desires of all who fear you. We bring our desires to you. Refine them and conform them to Christ. Fulfill them according to your lovingkindness and generosity. And as you do, we offer our mouths to you in praise and adoration, in testimony and devotion. Give us joy in our hearts and truth on our lips, that we might tell one another, and the world around us, of your mighty acts of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord, 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.
Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven
Text: Henry Francis Lyte (1834)
Tune: LAUDA ANIMA, John Goss (1869)
(Musical Notation)
Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise Him for His grace and favor
To His people in distress;
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.
Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows;
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows.
Angels, help us to adore Him:
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.