Minister: Lift up your hearts!
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord!
God and Father—
We praise you with a whole heart
Before the gods we sing our taunting songs.
We turn toward Your holy temple throne,
And praise Your name,
a name filled up with mercy and with truth.
And yet, You set Your Word above Your name.
We cried to You and heard Your answer come.
You strengthened us with strength of soul.
All kings and presidents shall bring their praise to You,
And do so when they finally hear Your Word.
Congresses and parliaments,
General assemblies and legislatures
And judges in their dignity
shall burst into song, and they will sing Your ways.
The flood of Your grace will inundate
All high places of unbelief,
And the tops of lofty mountains will disappear.
All kings will bow;
Your glory swallows them.
Though You are high and lifted up,
Your thoughts are with the lowly ones,
You honor them, and kindness show to them.
You squint at the proud as from a distance.
The proud are in your crosshairs.
We live, O God, in the middle of trouble,
always in trouble.
But You restore us.
You stretch out Your hand
against the wrath of our enemies,
and throw down their petty petulance.
Your right hand shall save us.
You will complete and perfect what concerns us.
Your mercy is forever.
We are the work of Your hands.
Do not forsake the work of Your hands.
And so, gracious Father, we worship You now through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end, amen.