Circuit Service for 23rd October 2022
St Albans and Welwyn Circuit Service for 23rd October 2022 – Chris Hancock
This week we continue exploring the Psalms by reflecting in the written words of hymns, poetry and prayer on Psalm 6. Some of the Psalms are joyful hymns of praise, some more reflective and very expressive of the psalmists pain and suffering. Psalm 6 is full of the imagery of the pains of life which we all suffer. So in this service we will look at prayer in times of difficulty.
We start with a hymn which draws us into worship together as God calls to each of us in his presence and love.
Singing the Faith 499 – Great God, your love has called us here
| 1 Great God, your love has called us here | Brian Wren (b. 1936) |
Copyright prevents us displaying the words for this hymn. A video with words will be uploaded shortly.
Prayer of adoration and confession
Loving God, we come into your presence and are filled with joy. Although we know you are always with us changing and renewing us each day, it is awesome to come into the glory and wonder of worshiping you. As we offer our worship, we offer you our praise and adoration. For you are our God and we are your children.
You pour your blessings upon us every day of our lives and we thank you for your love which surrounds us. You know each of us as individuals and so we praise you for the love shown by those around us, who are your voice and hands in the world.
We adore you for the assurance of your word which teaches and challenges us throughout our lives. Amen
Loving God, you are a forgiving God. So often we are less than we should be. We do the wrong thing or more likely we fail to do the right thing. Take a moment of silence to bring those things to God in a personal time of confession. We thank you that you are a patient God. That no matter how often we wander away from your path you always welcome us home to you. We rely on your mercy and grace. We are filled with awe by your words of grace. Your sins are forgiven go in peace. Amen
Hymn – I am weak but thou art strong
| 1 I am weak but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. Refrain: |
2 Thro’ this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares? Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee. [Refrain] 3 When my feeble life is o’er, |
Psalm 6 NIV
| 1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. 3 My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? 4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. 5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave? 6 I am worn out from my groaning. |
All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. 7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. 8 Away from me, all you who do evil, |
Reflection
The Psalms run through the whole range of our human experience and emotions. Psalm 6 is categorised as the first of the seven penitential psalms. The commentaries tell us that we must assume that God’s anger and the psalmists suffering is a consequence of his actions. Although we must never link suffering with sin it is true that when we realise we are not at peace with God we do suffer. Certainly emotionally and sometimes physically as a result of that emotional suffering. When I read a psalm I like to pick out a few words which speak immediately to me. In psalm 6 this has to be the painful image of cascading tears which soak the psalmists’ bed. So few words to paint a picture of abject misery. I am sure that we have all found ourselves in dark moments, overwhelmed by our circumstances and like the psalmist pleading with God for relief.
When I sat down to write my own hymn for this psalm I wrote the words “I ask for healing, in my life. Knowing that it can be”. I reflected on this for quite a long time as it is not often we are physically healed by direct action from God and that can be a great source of emotional pain as God does not seem to answer our prayers. I then changed “healing” to “wholeness” to address this but it seemed a weaker expression of the psalm. I settled on “I ask for healing, in my life. But I know, that it may not be. So comfort me and give me peace. That in your presence, I might be blessed”. Which is, when all is said and done, wholeness.
We are called to be honest to God. So to moderate our prayers so that we are not disappointed by the answer is, I am sure, not what God wants. Healing may come but we can be certain that, in the love of those around us, God answers our prayers. The second half of the hymn draws that certainty of God’s love and the love of our friends and families around us like a protective shield.
So let us be bold in our prayers. Willing to look for the answers to our prayers which may not be what we would like but which are the response of a loving and caring God. Amen
The hymn that I have written for Psalm 6 is to a Scottish folk tune The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry the original can be found at the end of the service. I suggest you just read it as poetry. I have altered the words to fit to the tune Stuttgart (Come Thou, long expected Jesus) as it will be more familiar to you.
Hymn – In my sorrow
| 1 In my sorrow, I plead with you As my tears fall, like the rain My soul drenched in misery My heart filled, with grief and pain 2 Even in these darkest moments 3 I ask healing, in my life |
4 those who love me, hold me tight strong and safe, held in God’s arms they will dry, my bitter tears drive away, my lingering fears 5 For the Lord he holds me near 6 For the Lord, he hears my prayers Chris Hancock Tune: Stuttgart |
As we turn to our prayers of intercession we use another hymn to lead us into those prayers.
Hymn Singing the Faith 529 – Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire
| 1 Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast. 2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh, 3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech |
4 Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice returning from false ways, while angels in their songs rejoice, and cry: ‘The sinner prays!’ 5 Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, 6 O you by whom we come to God, James Montgomery (1771–1854) |
Prayers of Intercession
In our prayers of intercession we share our love and concern for family, friends, neighbours and strangers.
We pray for the world. We pray for peace in those places where there is conflict. We pray in particular today for Ukraine still under bombardment.
We pray for the hungry that they may be fed. In our own country we pray for the many households facing fears about and the impact of increased financial strains. Direct our Government in the ways of justice and of peace; that we may honour one another, and seek the common good.
We pray for those who are sick in body, mind or spirit. In a few moments of silence we bring before you those known to us who are in special need of your care.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer enfolding them in your loving arms and restoring them to wholeness. We pray for ourselves and our community. For the challenges we have to face now and in the future, help us to put our whole trust in you.
Help us, in our prayers, to listen, as well as ask. Help us to serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us. Amen
Hymn Singing the Faith 548 – Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine
| 1 Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine: O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God; born of his Spirit, washed in his blood: This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long. 2 Perfect submission, perfect delight, |
3 Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Saviour am happy and blest — watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love: Frances Jane van Alstyne, (Fanny Crosby) (1820–1915) |
Blessing
May the peace of God reign in our homes, and the love of God forever hold each of us tight,
May the Spirit of God flow through our lives, and the joy of God uphold us day and night. Amen
Folk version of the hymn
| 1 In my sorrow, I plead with thee As my tears fall, like the winter rain My soul is drenched in misery My heart is filled, with grief and pain 2 Even in these moments, of deep despair 3 I ask for healing, in my life |
4 And those who love me, will hold me tight Held strong and safe, in the arms of God And they will dry, my bitter tears And drive away, my lingering fears 5 For the Lord he loves me, and holds me near 6 Yes the Lord, hears my prayers Chris Hancock Tune: The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry |
Copyright Notices
Hymns
Hymn words displayed are in the Public Domain with the exception of the two versions of “In my sorrow” which is copyright Chris Hancock but made freely available under a Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0)
Hymn recordings are from Small Church Music. Copyright notice: Rev. Clyde McLennan, performer in this collection, has assigned his performer rights in this collection to Hymnary.org. Non-commercial use of these recordings is permitted.
Bible Readings
Bible readings are from the New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Images
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