CALL TO WORSHIP – Psalm 33:1-9
33 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
PRAYER OF ADORATION
Our Great and Glorious Father,
We’ve come today in obedience to your call to come and worship. And we come with confidence into your presence by the blood of Jesus—we know that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—and that no one will see you except through him.
So, we come in Jesus’ name, made alive by his death, forgiven because he bore the punishment for our sins, and we turn now, with undivided attention to behold your glory.
Father, we praise you for you are the only living and true God. There is none like you. The gods of the nations are no gods at all. You alone are the everlasting King and ruler. You alone are truly immortal and you dwell in unapproachable light.
Father, our eyes are dazzled by the colorful display of leaves that are falling—and which will soon turn to dirt and dust. How much more dazzling is your glory which has no end? How much greater is your power, which has made every living thing that is on the earth, in the skies, and in the depths of the oceans?
If we climbed to the top of world, your glory would still be above us, and if we sank into the deepest trench of the sea, your glory would be deeper still. From everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You are the one who spoke the universe into existence with a Word and you hold galaxies in the palm of your hand. How great, how awesome are your deeds.
Father, we praise you for you have made us. We are not our own but are yours. We are your people, the sheep of your pasture. In your hand is our breath, and it is because of your enduring love that we have not been cut off.
Father, we take refuge in you. For you alone, our souls wait in silence—for you are our Rock and our Salvation. Some trust in their intellect, others in their strength, but we trust in you. Some trust in governors, and some in kings, but our hope has been set on the throne that is higher than all others.
So, we turn toward heaven, and lift our gaze, and know that you are there, overruling and undertaking for your people. Give us now, lips that praise, and holy hands to raise, and hearts that are near to you in love.
We worship you Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. One God, world without end. And Amen.