Scripture Focus: Psalm 145.21
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
      Let every creature praise his holy name
      for ever and ever.

From John: We are taking a one-day break from Student Writers Month today and revisiting a post about Psalm 145 from 2019. Today’s reflection is from the conclusion of  Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, written by the editor, Tony Cupit. We have often used prayers from this book in our Worldwide Prayer series.

Student Writers will resume tomorrow and run through August 12th. You can still donate during this time to help fund the students’ stipends/scholarships. Find out more about the students at this link or give a one-time or recurring gift at this link.
Reflection: Praying as Music
By Tony Cupit

If music is a universal language, prayer can be similarly described. Prayer is humankind’s universal language of love to God, a song of praise to our Maker, a cry of anguish for our sin, a note of pleading for our needs, an expression of thanksgiving for all God’s wondrous grace. And prayer is a whole lot more. We join as a fellowship of Christ’s followers to lift our hearts in prayer.

And prayer produces a beautiful union, a harmony between God and humanity. Before we begin to sing our song of love to God in prayer, we realize that in an amazing way God is already waiting for us to speak, to listen, to pray. This interaction between God and us, we call prayer. And always this duet is part of a glorious symphony as we join our prayer to God with fellow believers.

All around the world, God’s people sing an anthem of praise to God. Prayers—songs of worship and praise—are offered in this booklet so we can all enjoy heavenly music, duets, ensembles, choirs, congregations, whose music soars heavenward. These become an expression of reverence, of awe and wonder, to our Creator God whose mystery is wonderfully intriguing, to God’s Son whose person is beautifully enchanting and to God’s Holy Spirit whose presence is fiercely challenging and gently reassuring.

Whether we pray as a duet, a trio, a quartet, or a choir, may our worship in prayer be harmonious, melodious, clear and constant—for it was Jesus who taught us to pray, “yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.”

*Excerpt from the conclusion of Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Let Israel rejoice in its Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their king. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with victory. — Psalm 149.2, 4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 1 (Listen 3:00)
Psalms 145 (Listen 2:19)

Read more about One Who Can Reach
Our God is never “out of touch.” God’s glory is all the more glorious because he reaches down to the lowest of the fallen.

Read more about Daughters of Saul and Sons of Moses
Do not let daughters of Saul or sons of Moses steal your joy in the lowly king, the humble teacher. Let us exalt him