PRAYING IN THE WAKE OF THE VIOLENCE IN PARIS

Here’s a prayer of petition written in the wake of the violence in France last weekend.  It was written by Erin Counihan, and was inspired by Psalm 143.

Prayer of Petition

(inspired by Psalm 143)

Hear our prayer, O Lord,

For evil is all around us, pursuing us,
crushing us low, weighing us down,
and we sit in the cloud of its heaviness and death.
Again and again, day after day,

bombing after bombing,

shooting after shooting.
Our spirits grow weak.
Our hearts are breaking.

Oh, but Lord, even in our weakness,
even in our brokenness,
even in our grief,
we remember your hope.
We remember your stories of transformation and faithfulness.
We remember you, our steady and constant love.
And so we reach out to you.
We unload our souls before you.
We empty all our emotions at your feet.

Hear our prayers, O Lord.
Heal our hearts, O Lord.
Hold our burdens, O Lord.

Show us the way we should go.
Teach us how to follow you in this time.
Guide us in faithful witness.
Inspire us to share your radical love.
Even when it is hard.
Even when it feels hopeless.
Let your good spirit lead us.

For we are your people.
We cling to you.
Hear our prayers, O Lord.

~ Adapted from Psalm 143 by Erin Counihan

Psalm 143

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

A Psalm of David (translation: NRSV)

¹ Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
    answer me in your righteousness.
² Do not enter into judgment with your servant,
    for no one living is righteous before you.

³ For the enemy has pursued me,
    crushing my life to the ground,
    making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
⁴ Therefore my spirit faints within me;
    my heart within me is appalled.

⁵ I remember the days of old,
    I think about all your deeds,
    I meditate on the works of your hands.
⁶ I stretch out my hands to you;
    my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.Selah

⁷ Answer me quickly, O Lord;
    my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
    or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
⁸ Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
    for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
    for to you I lift up my soul.

⁹ Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
    I have fled to you for refuge.^[a]
10 Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me
    on a level path.

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life.
    In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.
¹² In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
    and destroy all my adversaries,
    for I am your servant.