The Word Is Not Imprisoned

This prayer was in response to Psalm 47 on the first Sunday of Advent

A Prayer of Confession—Psalm 47

O God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

You are the King—the absolute Ruler of all the earth! 

And as King, you have summoned us to worship you as the rightful King who joyfully reigns over your creation. 

We confess that our actions often do not reflect the reality that you are ruling and reigning over us. 

We more often than we would like to admit rule and reign over ourselves until bad things happen that we cannot control. Then we cry out to you for help and you mercifully respond. 

May we celebrate as Psalm 47 does the reality that you are the King of the whole earth over all peoples. 

Indeed, this was not only a celebration in Psalm 47 but a promise—a promise to send a King to save us and rule over us and to fulfill that promise to Abraham that his Son would be a blessing to all nations as he reigns over us gladly. 

But as we enter this advent season, help us to see afresh and anticipate the coming of our King—King Jesus—the one who said that he will draw all men to himself when he is lifted up on the cross. 

We come to worship that great King and Savior this morning! 

And we want our actions and desires to be inline with this amazing reality! O Lord, may that be so in us today as we gather as your people! 

Forgive us for having outward actions that give evidence that we worship other things in place of you. 

In Psalm 47, you command us to clap and shout with songs of praise to you but we find it too difficult to express. 

…because we have occupied our time clapping and shouting over lesser things like football games. 

Our hearts have undoubtedly become numb to these glorious realities that defeated all our foes—especially sin and death but we have feared much lesser things this week. 

We have feared our boss more than you. We have feared what others think us instead of being concerned about what you think of us. We have feared not having everything just right for Thanksgiving Day when the family arrives while not taking the time to consider how good you have been to us. 

O God, we are a messy people and we need a great King to save us and lead us to you—to lead us home! 

Please reveal your glory to us and give us eyes to see and ears to hear! May we respond to you with songs of praise to our great King! 

Because as Psalm 47 says, 

(Psalm 47:2 ESV) For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.

For you have chosen and loved Jacob—the cheater—and brought him back to the promised land. 

(Psalm 47:7 ESV) For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!

(Psalm 47:9 ESV) For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!

May we see and know that you are the Most High God that is highly exalted. 

May we join all of creation in declaring your glory for you have sent your Son to save us and reign over us. 

And indeed, he did come and he did save us by taking our place on the cross. But you have highly exalted by raising him from the dead that we might have hope of eternal life with you! 

Be praised, O God, for who you are and what you have done for us. 

We ask this in Jesus’s name, Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

(Hebrews 2:14-18 ESV) ¹⁴ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.