Thursday Morning Devotion

Psalm 70

Haste thee, O God, to deliver me *

 make haste to help me, O Lord.

  Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul *

 let them be turned backward and put to confusion that wish me evil.

  Let them for their reward be soon brought to shame *

 that cry over me, There, there.

  But let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee *

 and let all such as delight in thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised.

  As for me, I am poor and in misery *

 haste thee unto me, O God.

  Thou art my helper, and my redeemer *

 O Lord, make no long tarrying.

(Translation: Coverdale)

A Reading

(1 Kings 22:29-45)

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake.

Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

(Translation: Authorized Version)

A period of silence may follow.

Canticle

Cantemus Domino 

Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18 

I will sing unto the Lord,
for he hath triumphed gloriously; *
    the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song, *
    and he is become my salvation:
He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; *
    my father's God and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war: *
    the Lord is his name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: *
    his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them: *
    they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: *
    thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? *
    who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
    fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, *
    the earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people
which thou hast redeemed: *
    thou hast guided them in thy strength
    unto thy holy habitation.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them *
    in the mountain of thine inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which thou hast
made for thee to dwell in; *
    in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
The Lord shall reign *
    for ever and ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, *
    and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, *
    world without end. Amen. 

(Source: Anglican Service Book)

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

    maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;

    who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

    born of the Virgin Mary,

    suffered under Pontius Pilate,

    was crucified, dead, and buried.

    He descended into hell.

    The third day he rose again from the dead.

    He ascended into heaven,

    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.

    From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost,

    the holy catholic Church,

    the communion of saints,

    the forgiveness of sins,

    the resurrection of the body,

    and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers for Ourselves and Neighbors

Almighty and everliving God, I pray unto Thee for thy Universal Church and all her members, past, present and yet to come:

Silence or add individual intentions here

Christ, the ruler of all the nations, I pray for the health and well-being of my nation and all the nations and leaders of the earth:

Silence or add individual intentions here

God, the Holy Ghost, I pray Thee to be poured out upon all who are sick and suffering in body, mind, or spirit, that Thy healing grace may be infused in them and in myself:

Silence or add individual intentions here

Heavenly Father, I commend unto Thee those who are departed, that they may be judged with magnanimity and see Thy Heavenly Kingdom:

Silence or add individual intentions here

And now, I gather my all prayers in the words Thy Son hath taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy Name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

    for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Guidance

O heavenly Father, in whom we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray thee so to guide and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget thee, but may remember that we are ever walking in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.