Minister: Lift up your hearts!
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord!
I waited patiently for God;
He stooped and heard my cry.
He lifted me from a horrible pit;
He lifted me from miry clay,
He put my feet on His own rock,
And set my feet in His own path.
A glorious song is in my mouth,
A new song fills my heart.
Praise is offered to the Lord,
Many will see it and rejoice in their fear,
And trust the everlasting Lord.
Blessed is the man who trusts like this,
Disgusted by all arrogance,
Despising those who veer toward lies.
Many, oh Lord, are the works You have done,
And all Your thoughts toward us are kind.
I cannot count Your kindnesses;
I cannot strain to count that high.
You do not want the blood of bulls,
You do not want burnt offerings,
Guilt offerings were never the point.
In the Book You wrote Your will,
And I delight to do that will.
Your law is fixed within my heart.
I preached of all Your righteousness,
In the congregation here.
I have not held my words within,
You know, oh Lord, that I have not.
I have not hid Your righteousness
As though it were some secret thing.
I have declared Your faithfulness
And all Your saving graces.
I have not thought to hide away
Your lovingkindness or Your truth,
I spoke it all to all the Church.
Do not withhold Your mercies now;
Oh, Lord preserve in Your good.
For evils now surround me here;
My sins encompass me in death.
I cannot lift my guilty head,
My sins are more than all my hairs.
And that is why my heart is dark.
Oh, Lord deliver me in grace,
Make haste to help,
Make haste to save.
Let all those vultures be ashamed,
Who seek my soul so they might eat.
Let them be driven far away,
Confound them all; put them to shame.
Let them be desolate for their reward,
For gloating in my sufferings.
But let all those who seek Your will,
Rejoice and all be glad in You.
Let those who love Your saving grace,
Continually say, may God be praised.
I am poor and needy here;
So think upon Your servant now.
You are my great deliverance.
Do not delay, my Lord and God.
Psalm 40
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.