Friday, September 11, 2009

September 11

Today, whether it has been made official by anyone or not, should for at least the near term be one of those days designated a day of repentance and prayer. In other words, it should be a day to pray the penitential Psalms(6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), a day to pray the historic Litany, and a day to listen to and sing this. That hymn, like many other hymns, when sung by a boy's choir, it always makes me cry.





Following is the Litany from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's new hymnal The Lutheran Service Book.





L: O Lord,*


C: have mercy.


L: O Christ,


C: have mercy.


L: O Lord,


C: have mercy.


L: O Christ,


C: hear us.


L: God the Father in heaven,


C: have mercy.


L: God the Son, Redeemer of the world,


C: have mercy.


L: God the Holy Spirit,


C: have mercy.


L: Be gracious to us.


C: Spare us, good Lord.


L: Be gracious to us.


C: Help us, good Lord.


L: From all sin, from all error, from all evil; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from sudden and evil death; from pestilence and famine; from war and bloodshed; from sedition and from rebellion; from lightning and tempest; from all calamity by fire and water; and from everlasting death:


C: Good Lord, deliver us.

L: By the mystery of Your holy incarnation; by Your holy nativity; by Your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Your agony and bloody sweat; by Your cross and passion; by Your precious death and burial; by Your glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:

C: Help us, good Lord.

L: In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment:

C: Help us, good Lord.

L: We poor sinners implore You

C: to hear us, O Lord.

L: To rule and govern Your holy Christian Church; to preserve all pastors and ministers of Your church in the true knowledge and understanding of Your wholesome Word and to sustain them in holy living; to put an end to all schisms and causes of offense; to bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived; to beat down Satan under our feet; to send faithful laborers into Your harvest; and to accompany Your Word with Your grace and Spirit:

C: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: To raise those who fall and to strengthen those who stand; and to comfort and help the weakhearted and the distressed:

C: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: To give to all peoples concord and peace; to preserve our land from discord and strife; to give our country Your protection in every time of need; to direct and defend our "president/queen/king" and all in authority; to bless and protect our magistrates and all our people; to watch over and help all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation; to protect and guide all who travel; to grant all women with child, and all mothers with infant children, increasing happiness in all their blessings; to defend all orphans and widows and provide for them; to strengthen and keep all sick persons and young children; to free those in bondage; and to have mercy on us all:

C: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: To forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers and to turn their hearts; to give and preserve for our use the kindly fruits of the earth; and graciously to hear our prayers:

C: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

C: we implore You to hear us.

L: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

C: have mercy.

L: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

C: have mercy.

L: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

C: grant us Your peace.

L: O Christ,

C: hear us.

L: O Lord,

C: have mercy.

L: O Christ,

C: have mercy.

L: O Lord,

C: have mercy. Amen.

The Litany may conclude with the Lord's Prayer and a collect.

* (the letters L and C used here are for Leader and Congregation)





HT: Elephant's Child

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