Lord of all, whose eternal life and love surround us,
We thank you for enlivening every fibre of our being with
the brilliant light of your spirit.
As we journey towards the place you have
prepared for us,
excite the pilgrims at the foot of your altars,
energise the explorers who yearn to know you,
encourage those watching from the margins to return,
embrace those who are lost.
Strengthen us in faith so that we may join with all the blessed saints in heaven in joyous and thankful praise, for ever and ever.
Lord of infinite mercy,
whose son Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for our sins,
Inspire our hearts as we struggle, blinkered, through the darkest of hours.
In agony, under pressure, over stretched and subdued by sorrow;
be near us.
Help us uncover the well of our baptism even in the deep pits of despair.
Transform us as we draw up those cleansing waters to nourish the seed of new life;
For you are our strength for ever and ever.
Lord of all, our Great Redeemer,
whose knowledge precedes our petitions,
Help us to hear you.
Your glory amazes us.
Every drop of water, every crumb of bread is life-giving.
For the burning fire of unconditional love,
the pure embrace of acceptance,
the perfect sense of purpose,
We bow before you;
a King who became a servant to sinners.
Let us praise you by transforming this world through loving service to others,
by sharing your gifts of generosity and humility.
Lord you are the first and the last,
Forever with us; our daily bread,
Lift up our hearts!
Enliven our senses with a New Commandment - an ancient gift.
Help us to share this love you have freely given.
We praise thy name evermore!
Prayers inspired by Psalm 84
Phillip Dawson, Advent Sunday 2017
The image was taken at Christ Church Southgate during the party after Reverend Hazel's Ordination as a Priest - looking through the west door. "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God."
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This week I was asked to talk for ten minutes about a poem, book or a piece of art or music that is important to me and explain why. I chose to talk about Psalm 84. No matter what sort of mood I am in, listening to or reciting it always cheers me up. As a result it's now very familiar and one of the Psalms I can recite by heart.
I expect I was first drawn to this Psalm by the chant we use to sing it at Choral Evensong. It's one of my favourite chants, by Sir Edward Bairstow. We also sing a version of Psalm 84 as a hymn. There are many other musical settings, one of the most famous forms part of Brahms' German Requiem; the English translation reads "How lovely is thy dwelling place." The Latin title of Psalm 84 (Quam dilecta) means 'How lovely' but the translation we sing in church, from the Book of Common Prayer, reads "How amiable are thy dwellings."
'Lovely' is a word I use quite a lot! Perhaps that's what first captivated me! Or maybe the theme of searching for a home appealed; I moved house quite a lot when growing up - and often doodled imaginary places or towns for fun. I now work for a firm of architects designing housing. Whatever the reason, I have found that the text of the Psalm resonates with each fresh reading.
My presentation took the form of prayers I had written in response to reflecting on the Psalm. I have typed out the Psalm below, with notes from my reflections (more a stream of consciousness - or unconsciousness!) and the prayers that I wrote in response. I undertook this exercise over the past week. I found I had to think a lot about the correct words to use in writing the prayers. I am not sure I am happy with every one! I may come back to this in future!
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PSALM VERSES 1 - 4
O HOW amiable are thy dwellings, * thou LORD of hosts!
2 My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the LORD; * my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest, where she may lay her young; * even thy altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; * they will be alway praising thee.
REFLECTION
"My Father's house has many rooms". "I will go and prepare a place for you." (The Gospel of John, Chapter 14). God is everywhere; found in many houses! A hopeful and joyous message; there is a place for everyone. The "living God" conquering death through eternal life. Rejoice! Feel that tingling throughout your body. All have a place, even birds nesting at the altars; sparrows, who nest permanently as well as swallows, who come and go throughout the year, like people returning to their roots or those looking in from the edge, hesitant to return. Within the first four verses we grow in faith and understanding. We move from the idea of multiple dwellings to a single home. Embracing difference. Living as one. Though we are many we all share one house.
PRAYER
Lord of all, whose eternal life and love surround us,
We thank you for enlivening every fibre of our being with
the brilliant light of your spirit.
As we journey towards the place you have
prepared for us,
excite the pilgrims at the foot of your altars,
energise the explorers who yearn to know you,
encourage those watching from the margins to return,
embrace those who are lost.
Strengthen us in faith so that we may join with all the blessed saints in heaven in joyous and thankful praise, for ever and ever.
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PSALM VERSES 5 - 7
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; * in whose heart are thy ways.
6 Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well; * and the pools are filled with water.
7 They will go from strength to strength, * and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.
REFLECTION
We're all on journey, a pilgrimage; through good times but also dark ones; like the valley of the shadow of death in Psalm 23. Faith in God. Trust in the Lord. See the best in our surroundings, even in the most dire circumstances. Sometimes we are on this dark journey accompanying others, in sorrow and mourning. Sometimes we are alone. The effect can be the same - we feel blinkered, on our own lonely path; fumbling through a thick fog. The cleansing water of life - our baptismal waters and the vows we reaffirm at the first Eucharist of Easter. From darkness to light, from death to life. St Augustine's reflections on this Psalm begin by taking about wine presses. Good things can come out of agony and pressure - like wine from grapes! Even a single drop is life enhancing and world-improving; the grain of wheat, the mustard seed.
PRAYER
Lord of infinite mercy,
whose son Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for our sins,
Inspire our hearts as we struggle, blinkered, through the darkest of hours.
In agony, under pressure, over stretched and subdued by sorrow;
be near us.
Help us uncover the well of our baptism even in the deep pits of despair.
Transform us as we draw up those cleansing waters to nourish the seed of new life;For you are our strength for ever and ever.
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PSALM VERSES 8 - 11
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; * hearken, O God of Jacob
9 Behold, O God our defender, * and look upon the face of thine anointed.
10 For one day in thy courts * is better than a thousand.
11 I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, * than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.
REFLECTION
We plead in prayer and ask God to listen but he knows our petitions before we have made them - it is us who should be listening. One glimpse of the spirit is transformative - one day is worth a thousand. One drop of water or wine. "We are not worthy so much as to gather the crumbs from under thy table." The virtue of humility. The gift of generosity. Let us share this power, this all embracing, pure, unhesitant love, freely given - for us to freely share.
PRAYER
Lord of all, our Great Redeemer,
whose knowledge precedes our petitions,
Help us to hear you.
Your glory amazes us.
Every drop of water, every crumb of bread is life-giving.
For the burning fire of unconditional love,
the pure embrace of acceptance,
the perfect sense of purpose,
We bow before you;
a King who became a servant to sinners.Let us praise you by transforming this world through loving service to others,
by sharing your gifts of generosity and humility.
_____________________________________________________
PSALM VERSES 12-13
12 For the LORD God is a light and defence; * the LORD will give grace and worship; and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.
13 O LORD God of hosts, * blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.
REFLECTION
Light and defence, hope and strength, sun and shield. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." God's gift of the new commandment - the greatest gift of all. Thank you! "We praise thy name evermore" - the wonderful ending to Brahms' setting of this psalm.
PRAYER
Lord you are the first and the last,
Forever with us; our daily bread,
Lift up our hearts!
Enliven our senses with a New Commandment - an ancient gift.
Help us to share this love you have freely given.
We praise thy name evermore!
