This is the latest in the series of corporate prayers for Sunday worship that I’m writing from the Psalms, working through them in reverse order.

O Lord, we praise you. We give thanks to your name. We honour you. 

You are the strength of our salvation. You are our strong deliverer. 

Thank you for your mercy. 

Thank you for delivering us from evil. 

You have preserved us in the face of many dangers and many evils in this world. 

You are our God. 

We are your people. And we give you our faith and loyalty. 

And we know you will hear our prayer. 

We humbly ask that you would guard us from the hands of the wicked. 

Protect us from those with tongues as sharp as a serpent’s and those with venom under their lips. 

You are our defense. You cover our head in battle. 

Preserve us from violent men. Arrogant men.

And we readily acknowledge that it’s only because of your grace, because of the work of Christ, that we are not numbered among the wicked. 

It’s only because of your grace that we can be considered righteous. 

Because of your immeasurable, undeserved grace, we are your people. Positionally speaking—the upright. 

Practically speaking, help us to live as such. 

We want to keep your commandments and live. 

Keep us from living in evil. Plotting evil. Speaking evil. Desiring evil.

Those who oppose you cannot—should not—expect to receive mercy from you.

They will meet a fiery judgment. 

But not so for your people. 

You give us that promise that we shall dwell in your presence. 

Thank you for this promise. 

Many oppose you. 

Many oppose your work. 

But we place our confidence in you. 

You are our confidence.

You will give us strength, protection, and deliverance. 

It is with gratitude and humility we acknowledge that it is our Lord Jesus Christ who has made all this possible for us.

And for this we give you thanks. 

Amen.