Sunday; Series 2
Morning
PRAISE waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion, and unto Thee shall the vow be performed. We are altogether unworthy to appear before Thee, Thou Holy One of Israel. In Thy sight, O Lord, we are all as an unclean thing, and our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
Enable us to draw nigh at this time unto Thee, in the name of our only Mediator, Jesus Christ the righteous. For His sake pardon our iniquity, which is very great. Receive us graciously, love us freely.
Put Thy Holy Spirit within us, that we may never walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. It is of Thy mercy that we have not followed a multitude to do evil; and this day we would bless Thy name for the institution of the Christian Sabbath. May we be enabled to commemorate with humility and thankfulness the finished works of creation and redemption.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. May we rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, and who ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Be pleased, O Lord, to send forth Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead us, let them bring us unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles. May our delight be in the law of the Lord; and in Thy law may we meditate all the day. Sanctify us through Thy truth; Thy word is truth. Make us faithful in every good word and work. Make us trees planted by the rivers of water, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Bless to us, O Lord, for these and all other holy purposes, the reading of Thy word and the public duties of the sanctuary. Go with us to the house of prayer, and grant Thy heavenly blessings to pastor and people, that whatsoever shall be spoken or heard, may be as it be comes the oracles of God. Suffer not the good seed to be choked, or to be rendered unfruitful by the cares or the vanities of this present evil world.
Thou hast set Thy King upon Thy holy hill of Zion. May all nations be blessed in Him, and call Him blessed. May the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Give Thy Son the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. May the waste places of Zion be rebuilt, and the glory of the Lord arise upon her as in the days of old. Visit with Thy special consolations the sons and daughters of affliction. Let them receive, O Lord, this day a portion of the children’s bread.
We render Thee our united thanksgivings for the blessings and privileges of the past week, for the rest of the night, and for the return of Thy holy day. Unworthy of the least of all Thy mercies, we cast ourselves on the exceeding riches of Thy grace, in Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and praise, world without end.
Evening
O LORD OUR GOD, in Thy presence is fulness of joy, and at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Thou art the good Shepherd, who makest us to lie down in green pastures and leadest us beside the still waters. Thou restorest our souls, Thou leadest us in the paths of righteousness for Thy name’s sake.
Thou hast again revealed Thyself unto us, on this Thy sacred day, as the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort; and we would now close it by uniting with the saints in heaven, in ascribing unto Thee adoration and praise, for all Thy loving kindness and wonderful works towards the children of men. Especially do we bless Thee for the knowledge of Thy Son Jesus Christ, through whom life and immortality have been brought to light, for Thy holy word, the preaching of the gospel, and all the ordinances of Thy house. We bless Thee for the gracious influences of Thy Spirit, which Thou hast been pleased to shed down upon Thy people in the services of the sanctuary.
Grant, we beseech Thee, that the instructions and admonitions, which have been administered to-day from Thy blessed word, may fall as good seed into good ground, and bring forth much fruit to the glory of Thy name. Save us from the condemnation of those who enjoy the privileges of Thy church, and yet persist in their sins, and thus treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Make us every day more zealous in the duties of religion, more frequent and fervent in our prayers and thanksgivings, more serious in our repentance and humiliation, more holy and exemplary in our lives.
Forgive us, we entreat Thee, O heavenly Father, all the sins and short comings of this day, the coldness of our devotions, the dullness of our prayers, the distraction of our thoughts. Our offenses grieve our souls, and hide Thy face from us; but our confidence is in Thine infinite mercy, and the all-sufficient sacrifice and merits of Thy Son Jesus Christ, who died also for our sins and rose for our justification, and now sitteth at the right hand of Thy divine Majesty, as our merciful Highpriest, making continually intercession for us, to whom be glory forever.
And now, we commit ourselves to Thy fatherly care and keeping for the coming night. Spread over us the wings of Thy protection, and keep us from sin and harm. Bless with us all our relations and friends, and all our fellowmen: especially all widows and orphans, exiles and prisoners, the poor and needy, and all the destitute and oppressed. Make us ever mindful of the last day, when we shall lie down in the dust. Prepare for us the death of the righteous, and introduce us at last into that rest which remaineth for the people of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
A Liturgy, or Order of Christian Worship Prepared and Published by the German Reformed Church in the United States of America (Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1857) pp. 313-316. Copyright Public Domain.