12B - Epiphany 4B — 14B - Epiphany 6B
See also my post from 2012, 2018, 2021, 2024
PSALM 147:1-11
Praise the LORD.
How good it is to make music to our God;
how pleasant and right it is.
The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem,
and gathering up the outcasts of Israel;
healing the broken-hearted,
and binding up their wounds;
counting the number of the stars,
and calling each by their names.
Our Lord is great, ever so powerful;
whose wisdom is beyond measure.
The LORD comes to the aid of the oppressed;
and brings down the wicked.
Respond to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make music to our God with the lyre.
our God, who covers the heavens with clouds,
and prepares rain to fall on the earth,
who makes grass grow on the mountains;
gives grain to the cattle,
and to the young crows when they call.
The LORD God does not take pleasure in the strength of the horse,
nor the fitness of a man,
the LORD’s delight is in those who hold the LORD in holy awe;
who wait upon the steadfast love of the LORD.
Praise the LORD
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c – A Choral Reading for Four Voices
CHORAL READINGS can add to the drama of worship (and indeed, worship is drama).
Experiment with different voice combinations, and their sequence, to discover fresh ways of hearing the Bible in worship.
Choral reading works better with some readings such as poetry (e.g. psalms, and the prophets) than with others. Experiment!
| 1 | Praise the LORD. | |
| 2,3,4 | How good it is to make music to our God; | |
| 1,4 | how pleasant and right it is. | |
| 1 | The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem, | |
| 3 | and gathering up the outcasts of Israel; | |
| 1,2 | healing the broken-hearted, | |
| 1,2,3,4 | and binding up their wounds; | |
| 2 | counting the number of the stars, | |
| 3,4 | and calling each by their names. | |
| 1 | Our Lord is great, ever so powerful; | |
| 3,4 | whose wisdom is beyond measure. | |
| 1,2,3 | The LORD comes to the aid of the oppressed; | |
| 1,2,3,4 | and brings down the wicked. | |
| 4 | Respond to the LORD with thanksgiving; | |
| 2,3 | make music to our God with the lyre; | |
| 1,3 | our God, who covers the heavens with clouds, | |
| 1,2,3 | and prepares rain to fall on the earth, | |
| 1,3 | who makes grass grow on the mountains; | |
| 2,4 | who gives grain to the cattle, | |
| 1,2,3,4 | and to the young crows when they call. | |
| 1,4 | The LORD God does not take pleasure in the strength of the horse, | |
| 2,3 | nor the fitness of a man, | |
| 1,2,3,4 | the LORD’s delight is in those who hold the LORD in holy awe; | |
| 2,3 | who wait upon the steadfast love of the LORD. | |
| 1 | Praise the LORD. |
Here is another way of using the psalm this coming Sunday.
Use portions of Psalm 147:1-11 at various points in worship as the “glue” that holds the liturgy together.
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD (Ps.147:1-4)
Praise the LORD.
How good it is to make music to our God;
how good – even delicious – it is.
The LORD is rebuilding community,
and gathering up the outcasts of society;
healing the broken-hearted,
and binding up their wounds;
counting the number of the stars,
and calling each by their names.
PRAYER OF ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING (From Isaiah 40:21-22)
Gracious, creating and sovereign God,
you stretch the heavens like a curtain
and yet break in our history;
you create the ends of the earth
and yet choose to be a part of our lives Lord Jesus Christ,
still you “cast out demons”
and so enable us to live fully, love deeply and serve joyously.
You meet us at our points of need,
bringing healing and wholeness to our brokenness and struggle.
Life-giving Holy Spirit,
in your faithfulness to us you engender deeper faith within us
and enable us to respond to your grace,
proclaiming the gospel in our living with generosity, grace and love.
Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Ps. 147: 5-6)
(Responsive petition)
You are great, O Lord; ever so powerful;
your wisdom is beyond measure.
Come to the aid of the oppressed, O LORD;
and bring the wicked down low.
OFFERTORY (Ps.147:7-9)
Respond to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make music to our God with the lyre.
our God, who covers the heavens with clouds,
and prepares rain to fall on the earth,
who makes grass grow on the mountains;
gives grain to the cattle,
and to the young crows when they call.
THE SENDING OUT (Ps.147:10-11 and Isa. 40:31)
The LORD God does not take pleasure in the strength of the horse,
nor the physical fitness of a human,
the LORD’s delight is in those who hold the LORD in holy awe;
who wait upon the steadfast love of the LORD.
Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
The steadfast love of the Source of life, embrace you;
the grace of Word of life rest upon you;
and presence of the Breath of life surprise and encourage you,
this day and all your days. Amen
In the light of the Word
and the warmth of the Spirit
go in peace;
do justice, love kindness and walk humbly
with your God. Amen.
A CREATIVE MOMENT – Isaiah 40:21-31 and Psalm 147:1-11
Materials/Preparation:
A number of options are available, but the following ideas may get you started.
(a) Provide every member of the congregation with a sheet of A4/letter sized paper with the psalm reading in the centre of one side (landscape format) of the paper and the Isaiah reading in the centre of the other side. On each page head the space to the left of the reading “What we do”, and the space on the right “What God does.” Have the lections read in the normal course of worship, but after each reading invite a time of silent reflection in which congregants can read the lection again, underlining the words/phrases indicating what we are to do, and circling the words/phrases telling what God does. (The blank areas of the page offer the opportunity for congregants to jot down insights which arise from their reading and reflection.)
Insights comments could be shared in twos or with the congregation.
(b) In addition to the above, invite members to illustrate aspects of the readings on a newsprint “mural” in imaginative ways.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer will borrow lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Loving God,
healer and bringer of wholeness,
rejoice with those who rejoice and give thanks today
take the weak and the lonely by the hand
and lift them up.
Pour out your Spirit
on the powerless, the weary, the faint and exhausted,
and renew the strength of those
whose troubles are known only to you;
that all may know your peace …
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR EPIPHANY 5 – YEAR B |
|
| Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side | TIS 123 |
| Bring many names, beautiful and good | TIS 182 |
| Come, O God of all the earth | TIS 181 |
| I sing the almighty power of God | TIS 119 |
| My song is love unknown | TIS 341 |
| O Master, let me walk with thee | TIS 601 |
| Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord | TIS 161 |
| The law of Christ alone can make us free | TIS 630 |
| Isaiah 40:21-31 |
|
| By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered | TIS 617 |
| Give me the wings of faith to rise | TIS 438 |
| God is love: let heaven adore him | TIS 153 |
| God of mercy, God of grace | TIS 452 |
| Jesus, lover of my soul | TIS 211 |
| Let earth and heaven combine | TIS 305 |
| Lord, I come to you | TIS 685 |
| Praise to the living God | TIS 102 |
| The God of Abraham praise | TIS 125 |
| The voice of God goes out to all the world | TIS 282 |
| This is my Father’s world | TIS 149 |
| You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord | TIS 48 |
| Psalm 147:1-11,20c |
|
| Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes | TIS 269 |
| How sweet the name of Jesus sounds | TIS 223 |
| Praise now the Lord, it’s good to raise | TIS 91 |
| Sing praise to God who reigns above | TIS 110 |
| Sing to God with joy and gladness | TIS 92 |
| Sometimes a light surprises | TIS 128 |
| 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 | |
| I will sing the wondrous story | TIS 233 |
| O Spirit of the living God | TIS 405 |
| We have a gospel to proclaim | TIS 245 |
| Mark 1:29-39 |
|
| Dear Father, Lord of humankind | TIS 598 |
| I set the Lord before my eyes | TIS 673 |
| Jesus’ hands were kind hands | TIS 236 |
| O Christ the healer, we have come | |
| Where cross the crowded ways of life | TIS 608 |
Jeff,
I have referred to your page for years. Your recent upgrading is very impressive and accessible. I quoted your reflection last Sunday and alerted the congregants to your web-page.
Thank you and blessings,
Gareth
Gareth, thank you for your kind comments. I always appreciate hearing from folk who have been able to use these resources and, indeed, the diversity of the situations and the creative way they’ve been used.
Blessings in your continuing ministry,
Jeff
Great looking site! ~ I especially like your banners, which changes to various scenes. You are a fantastic photographer! 😎
Thanks John, glad you like it. Photography is just another fun part of my life 🙂
— Jeff