Lord God,
Give our leaders your justice and righteousness. Guide them by your truth and grace, so your people might prosper and flourish under their rule. Help them to defend the poor and make them serve the needy. Give them hearts to honor, and protect those under their leadership and care as your representatives, so your people can praise you and give thanks with grateful hearts; for, your works are great, Lord God. The things you do for your people are far more amazing than I can fathom. All your works reveal your glory and majesty. Your righteousness never fails.
You cause your great works to be remembered because you are gracious and merciful. You provide food for those who respect you, and you always keep your promises. You demonstrate your power through the blessings you give. You show yourself to be faithful, just and trustworthy in everything.
Lord God, your commandments are true forever and ever; your ways are always right and good. Teach us to obey you Lord, and love your Son, who set your people free from their sin and fulfilled your promised redemption. His name is holy, and his grace is awesome.
Wisdom starts with respect for the Lord; those who obey you have good understanding. You must be praised forever; for nothing can compare to your splendor. No one is glorious and gracious like you.
You look down from the heavens and rule over all nations. Your glory shines over the earth and majesty can be seen in all creation. You lift the desolate from their despair and lonely from their place of misery. You sit the lowly with princes and exalt the humble with places of honor. You give joy to the joyless, hope to the hopeless, and freedom to the oppressed; you console those who need comfort and reassure those who encouragement. You provide for all who are in need and show your sovereignty over all things. You are God, and you alone are worthy of praise.
Just as you promised to protect your servant David, so too, I pray you will protect my life, Lord God of mercy and might. By your grace, I pray you will continue to provide for me and those I love. Give us what we need each day to live for your glory and honor. Use us to bring others to you, and preserve us by your steadfast love. Sustain us for your glory and honor by your grace and mercy.
Through your Son, Jesus Christ, bring salvation for all your people, and keep us from sin, as we await the blessed hope of his return, to complete our redemption and purify us for salvation. Demonstrate your mercy and grace, not because we have done good, but because of the good he has done on our behalf, and wash us by the power of your Holy Spirit. Give us, a new birth and a fresh beginning through our Lord and Savior, who treated us much better than we deserved, giving us hope when he forgave our sins, and reconciled us to God the Father.
To him be all glorying and honor, in Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
~Read: Psalm 72, 111, 113; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Titus 2:11-3:8; Luke 1:39-48; Luke 1:48-56
