29A – Good Friday

28A - Maundy Thursday — 30A - Holy Saturday
 
See also my post from 2014
 
Psalm 22
Where are you God, where are you??
Nothing compares with the pain of your absence.
God, I cry out for you all day, and there is no answer — nothing;
but at night there is no silence or rest from my inner turmoil. 
Yet you are holy,
the praises of your people in every generation are your throne; 
those who trusted in you, and whom you delivered;
those who cried out to you and were not disappointed. 
But in my present circumstance I am not worth calling human,
rather, I’m the scorn of all humanity, despised by everyone. 
It makes no difference who sees me,
without exception they curl their lip and shake their head: 
“He trusted in the LORD, let the LORD look out for him,
let the LORD rescue him if he delights in him.”
It’s as though they know you’re nowhere near. 
Yes, you brought me out of the womb,
and made me safe on my mother’s breasts.
I was cast on you at birth; all my life you have been my God. 
Don’t be so far away right now;
there is trouble almost upon me, and no one to help.
I am surrounded by fearful intimidating strength, 
circling about me, around and around. 
I haven’t the strength to withstand their taunts or your absence;
my body is feeble,
and the very core of my being has melted like wax. 
I’ve become paralysed and speechless –
and you have set me in the dust of death.
Dogs surround me – a pack of wild dogs encircle me;
my hands and feet are exhausted.
I count all my bones;
they stare at me and look me over;
they share out my garments among themselves;
casting lots for my clothes.
But you, LORD, don’t be so far away;
O my Help, hurry to me!
Save my life from the sword,
my fragile life from those who want to savage me.
Save me from the mouth of the lion,
and from the horns of the wild oxen . . . 
You have answered me!
Let me tell your name to my community;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.
You who hold the LORD in holy awe, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honour him;
gather in holy fear all you descendants of Israel,
because the LORD has not despised or detested 
or turned away from the misery of the most distressed,
but listened when one cried out.
My praise in the great congregation comes from you;
and in the presence of those who hold the LORD in holy awe 
I will affirm my faith.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those seeking the LORD will offer praise.
May your hearts live for ever.
All the ends of the earth will remember, and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations shall worship the LORD,
because sovereignty belongs to the LORD, who rules the nations for ever.
Those about to sleep in the earth bow down;
all who descend to the dust will bend their knee.
And the one who did not keep his life –
his descendants will shall serve the LORD.
It shall be told concerning the LORD, to a coming generation,
and to a people yet to come they shall declare what the LORD has done.

A CREATIVE MOMENT 
Click here for some ideas for worship in Lent and Easter gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print) which was published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.

Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate