53B*
A Call to Worship
Pentecost 13B [Ordinary 21B] or [Proper 16B] 2012
Psalm 84

Holy God, we gather together to worship in your blessed
presence, within the peace and security of your sanctuary.
We join with all creation in worshipping our Glorious God.

As we gather, we acknowledge that this beloved sanctuary
is only a sign and symbol of your eternally abiding presence.
We give thanks that these signs and symbols speak to us of
the priority we are called to give to spiritual and Godly values.

We praise and give thanks to God that, as we worship before
our God, we are strengthened and enabled to live in God’s world.
As we come to worship our God, we accept that our path in life
has not always been trouble-free; but we give thanks, that in
God’s presence, we find our true home and blessed peace. Amen.

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Prayers of Thankfulness and Trust
Pentecost 13B [Ordinary 21B] or [Proper 16B] 2012
Psalm 84

Everlasting God, in the beauty of your holiness we gather to worship
you, to praise you for your goodness and mercy; and for the way
that here especially, we can be aware and know your holy presence.
We come together into this our beloved place of prayer and praise,
where we are not only surrounded by the signs and symbols of your
presence, but also of the memories of people, who in the past, have
inspired us with their faith and their nurture of us; but who have also
pointed to us towards the only way forward for our life’s faith journey.

Welcoming God, we come as your vulnerable children to worship you,
to offer ourselves to you with all our frailties and faults; and all our
struggles with life’s complexities, because you open your arms with
love and compassion to all in need of your generous love and support.
As the wise Psalmist wrote: “Even the sparrow finds a home there,
and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young near your altar.”
We come together today, to gain strength, hope and encouragement
for life’s journey from the Source of all power and strength – our God.

God of grace and God of glory, you are our Light and our Protector—
and our God in whom we trust, regardless of our worldly status or
influence over others. We come in humility, before such a Forgiving
God as is our God, and acknowledge that it is only in your presence
that we can find life’s balance and perspective; and that only in your holy
presence, we can know true acceptance and our true home. Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
Pentecost 13B [Ordinary 21B] or [Proper 16B] 2012
Psalm 84

How many contrasts there are in this Psalm! Alongside each other
we have the images of God as the King of Glory, and our Holy and
Righteous God; and birds nesting in the sanctuary, near where other
species of birds are offered in sacrifice on the burning coals of that
same altar! We have people joyfully travelling on their way to the Temple
for worship; and the real-life drama of people travelling through the
“Valley of Weeping” – and the concept that that same valley may soon
become a place of refreshment and renewal from the springs of new
life that are bubbling up amongst all those tears! And even as they
journey through these contrasting experiences, they will be nurtured
and strengthened by that journey and their arrival at their home in God.



The Psalmist also wrote of the memories he cherished, and his yearning
and his longing to be once more in that symbolic place of God’s holiness,
majesty and God’s glory. He could only write like that arising from deep
experiences of loss and deprivation. How many people feel that way when
age and infirmity deprive them of going to their own “loved place of worship”?
How many people yearn for the “means of grace” to nurture their souls, and
yet are denied that privilege by lack of understanding, or through their life’s
circumstances? How many people are unable to taste the wine and the
broken bread because of their medical condition? This Psalm must surely
speak to their hearts and minds, as the Psalmist acknowledged his own
need for spiritual nurture, and the necessity for people to share together in
worship, especially when for various reasons, it is denied to those people!



The Psalmist was also very sure that eventually, everyone will have their
“moment in the sun” as they each finally reach their destination before
God - in worship and praise. God, who is our Light and our Protector, our
Lord God Almighty, will surely welcome all God’s faithful pilgrims to their
eternal home in God, and then they can all joyfully sing “How lovely is
your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty, …happy are those who trust in you.”

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Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and Meditations are from
‘The New Revised Standard Version’ Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

*The additional weekly numbering is from the Revised COCU Indexing Scheme
COCU = ('Consultation on Church Union'); as it offers an easy sequential numbering
for the Revised Common Lectionary for the Church Calendar.

If any part of these Prayers and/or Meditations is used in shared worship, please provide
the following acknowledgement:
© 2012 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year B. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: pentecost13[21]b_2012.pdf

© 2012 Joan Stott - " The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year B