Morning Prayer: On Eagle's Wings
The Call to Prayer
I believe that I shall see the goodness of YHWH in the land of the living.
Wait for YHWH; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for YHWH!
Psalm 27:13
The Request for Presence
Let your steadfast love, O YHWH be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:22
The Greeting
O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever.
Psalm 28:9
The Hymn On Eagle’s Wings
You who dwell in the shelter of our God, who abide in this shadow for life,
say to the Lord: “My refuge, my Rock in whom I trust.”
“And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand.”
The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear:
Under God’s wings your refuge, God’s faithfulness your shield.
“And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand.”
You need not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day;
Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come.
“And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand.”
For to God’s angels is given a command to guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
“And I will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand.”
Michael Joncas
PCC Hymn #57 You who dwell in the shelter
The Refrain
God gives strength to the weary, and empowers the powerless.
Young women may grow tired and weary, young men may stumble and fall,
but those who wait for YHWH find renewed power: they soar on eagles’ wings, they run and don’t get weary, they walk and never tire.
Isaiah 40:29-31
A Reading
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they will be knocked down. When you fall prone like this, the question is who or what will you turn to to pick you back up. When we turn to God, God doesn’t pretend we didn’t fall. God doesn’t mask our pain. God doesn’t ridicule us or ask us how we could let this happen. Instead, God gets right down there with us. God is with us at our lowest point. From there, God gives us strength. God gives us perseverance so that we can contemplate standing up again. And then God takes us by the hand, and supports us all the way to standing again. God does this because we will be knocked down again. And when we are, we will not be in the same place we were last time. We will be stronger and more resilient. In this way, God builds up our faith so that eventually we always lean on God. We become so dependent on God that, when we fall, we don’t hit the ground, but instead we fly. We realize that God has always been there ready to lift us up on eagle’s wings.
Rev. Sarina Odden Meyer
The Refrain
God gives strength to the weary, and empowers the powerless.
Young women may grow tired and weary, young men may stumble and fall,
but those who wait for YHWH find renewed power: they soar on eagles’ wings, they run and don’t get weary, they walk and never tire.
Isaiah 40:29-31
The Psalm
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and pass the night in the shadow of Shaddai,
say: “YHWH, my refuge and my mountain fortress, my God in whom I trust!”
For YHWH says: “I will rescue you from the snare, and shield you from poison arrows.
I will cover you with my pinions; under my wings you will take refuge; my faithfulness will shield you.
You have no need to fear the prowlers of the night or the arrow that flies by day,
the plague that lurks in the shadows or the scourge that stalks at noon.
Though a thousand fall at your left side and ten thousand on your right, it will never come near you.
You will see it pass you by, and witness the punishment of the corrupt with your own eyes.
Because you have made me your refuge and have me as your stronghold,
no evil will befall you, and no disaster will come near your tent.
For I will command my angels to guard you wherever you go.
They’ll carry you in their hands so you don’t hurt your foot on a stone.
You’ll tread on the young lion as easily as one does a cobra; you’ll trample down both lion and serpent.
Because you love me, I will deliver you; I will rescue you because you acknowledge my Name.
You will call upon me, and I will answer you; I will be with you in trouble; I will deliver you and honor you.
I will satisfy you with a long life and show you my salvation.”
Psalm 91
The Refrain
God gives strength to the weary, and empowers the powerless.
Young women may grow tired and weary, young men may stumble and fall,
but those who wait for YHWH find renewed power: they soar on eagles’ wings, they run and don’t get weary, they walk and never tire.
Isaiah 40:29-31
The Gloria
All glory to Almighty God
for love so deep, so high, so broad!
The Trinity whom we adore
forever and forever more.
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
O God, thank you that we can turn to you and trust you. Thank you that you bear us up on eagles’ wings. We pray that when we lose hope that you will come to us in those dark places and bring us out into the light of hope again. We ask your blessing to be upon those who embody faith in you that draws on an infinite well of hope. Please refine us and deepen our own faith, that we, too, would draw on your infinite well of hope and share it with all those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Concluding Prayer of the Church
God be in my head and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes and in my looking;
God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
God be in my heart and in my thinking;
God be at my end and at my departing.
R. Pynson (1514)
Inspired by Phyllis Tickle’s The Divine Hours, Pocket Edition