30 Day Prayer Guide | Day 05
MORNING PRAYER
SILENCE [2 min]
Silence, stillness, and centering before the God of our salvation.
THE PSALM
O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
(Psalms 71:17–22)
MORNING HYMN
This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas — His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world: The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world: O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns, let earth be glad!
-Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901
TRADITIONAL PRAYER
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP)
EVENING PRAYER
SILENCE [2 min]
Silence, stillness, and centering before the God of our salvation.
THE PSALM
Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name.
(Psalms 74:12–18)
A MEDITATIVE PRAYER
You are beautiful. You are good. You are true. (Canyon Road: A Book of Prayer)
NEW TESTAMENT READING
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
(Romans 2:12–16)
SPACE FOR REFLECTION
Pause at the end of this day. Enjoy communion with the living God: Father, Son, and Spirit. Listen for the voice of God in the Scriptures. Read. Meditate. Pray. Contemplate. Seek God’s face.
THE BENEDICTION
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
(James 4:10)
SILENCE [2 min]
Silence and stillness, as God has the last word to finish the day. He labors while you sleep.