From the rising of the sun to its setting the Name of the Lord is to be praised.
✙ Ps. 113:3
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Psalm 113:3 is a beautiful verse, but a tall order to fill. There are morning devotions. There are evening prayers. But what comes in between? Here's a possible answer from another psalm:
Preachers often pray the words of last verse of the 19th Psalm before they preach: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. What would life be like if I silently prayed that little prayer before I spoke throughout the day? Or before I posted anything on social media? Devotion and prayer shouldn't be limited to just after I get up and just before I go to sleep, but should suffuse the day, from the rising of the sun to its setting—and that's just one example of how that might happen. If I want to believe that prayer changes things, then perhaps Psalm 19:14 will be the first place I start seeing results. Of course, the first thing prayer should change should be my prayers themselves.
Preachers often pray the words of last verse of the 19th Psalm before they preach: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. What would life be like if I silently prayed that little prayer before I spoke throughout the day? Or before I posted anything on social media? Devotion and prayer shouldn't be limited to just after I get up and just before I go to sleep, but should suffuse the day, from the rising of the sun to its setting—and that's just one example of how that might happen. If I want to believe that prayer changes things, then perhaps Psalm 19:14 will be the first place I start seeing results. Of course, the first thing prayer should change should be my prayers themselves.
Eternal Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of thee, let my first impulse be to worship thee, let my first speech thy Name, let my first action be to kneel before thee in prayer. Yet let me now, when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of thee. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day. In the Name of the One who taught me to pray: Our Father...
✙ John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer
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Oh the rising of the sun
and the running of the deer,
the playing of the merry organ,
sweet singing in the choir
and the running of the deer,
the playing of the merry organ,
sweet singing in the choir
