Morning Prayer: Reading Scripture
The Call to Prayer
Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you.
Joshua 3:9-10
The Request for Presence
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
Psalm 86:11
The Greeting
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Psalm 86:5
The Hymn
Open my eyes, that I may see, glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see;
Open my ears: illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear,
And while the wave-notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see;
Open my ears: illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see;
Open my ears: illumine me, Spirit divine!
Clara H. Scott
PCC Hymn #500 Open my eyes, that I may see
The Refrain
Jesus said to them, “...If you had known what this text means, ‘It is mercy I require, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
Matthew 12:8 (repeated in Matthew 9:13)
A Reading
By acknowledging that all our readings [of Scripture] are located in a cultural context and have certain prejudices, we understand that engaging with the Bible can never mean that we simply extract meaning from it, but also that we read meaning into it. In being faithful to the text we must move away from the naive attempt to read it from some neutral, heavenly height and we must attempt to read it as one who had been born of God and thus born of love: for that is the prejudice of God. Here the ideal of scripture reading as a type of scientific objectivity is replaced by an approach that creatively interprets with love.
Peter Rollins
For those who count the Bible as sacred, interpretation is not a matter of whether to pick and choose, but how to pick and choose. ...Are we reading with the prejudice of love or are we reading with the prejudices of judgement and power, self-interest and greed?
Rachel Held Evans
The Refrain
Jesus said to them, “...If you had known what this text means, ‘It is mercy I require, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
Matthew 12:8
The Psalm
You have dealt with your servant, O YHWH, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
Before I was humbled, I went astray, but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
The arrogant smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.
It is good for me that I was humbled, so that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Your decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.
Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.
I know, O Lord, that your judgements are right, and that in faithfulness you have humbled me.
Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant.
Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.
Let the arrogant be put to shame, because they have subverted me with guile; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.
Let those who fear you turn to me, so that they may know your decrees.
May my heart be blameless in your statutes, so that I may not be put to shame.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your custom toward those who love your name.
Keep my steps according to your promise, and never let iniquity have dominion over me.
Redeem me from human oppression, that I may keep your precepts.
Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.
Psalm 119:65-69,71-72,73-80,105,129-130, 132-135
The Refrain
Jesus said to them, “...If you had known what this text means, ‘It is mercy I require, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
Matthew 12:8
The Gloria
All glory to Almighty God
For love so deep, so high, so broad
The Trinity who we adore
Forever and forevermore.
15th c. Latin, translated by Benjamin Webb
PCC Hymn #205 O love, how deep, how broad, how high
The Lord’s Prayer
The Prayer Appointed for the Day
Gracious and most holy God, you have given us the Scriptures so that we might learn more about you. However, when we read, we forget that we don’t read the Scriptures, but rather, Scripture reads us. Help us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that when we read, we would bring your prejudice, which is love. May your love be our light. May your word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path as we follow after you, Lord Jesus. We ask this in your precious and holy name. Amen.
The Concluding Prayer of the Church
Almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us in safety to the beginning of this day. Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome with adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Phyllis Tickle
- Inspired by Phyllis Tickle’s The Divine Hours, Pocket Edition
- Peter Rollins quoted in Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson: 2012), pg. 295-296.