Minister: Lift up your hearts!
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord!
You, O God, stand up in the great congregation,
You stand among the mighty ones,
And judge the gods themselves.
You chide them—
“How long will you rule unjustly?
How long will you accept wasters into your councils?
Think for a moment.
Rise to your task!
Defend the poor, defend the orphans!
Do justice for the afflicted,
Do justice for a change.
Deliver the poor and needy,
Release them from the loan sharks.”
But the regnant gods are stupid, they do not know,
Nor will they understand.
They walk confidently through the darkness,
The foundation stones of the earth are out of joint.
Our God has said that they are gods,
And that all of us are children of the Most High God.
But they will die like men,
And fall to the ground like princes do.
Arise our God, come judge the earth,
For You will inherit the nations,
For You inherit all nations of men.
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.