Lord God, We Praise You (ELW 558)
Devotion
1 Lord God, we praise you, now the night is over,
active and watchful, standing here before you;
singing, we offer prayer and meditation;
thus we adore you.
2 Monarch of all things, fit us for your mansions;
banish our weakness, health and wholeness sending;
bring us to heaven, where your saints united
joy without ending.
3 All-holy Father, Son, and equal Spirit,
Trinity blessed, send us your salvation;
yours is the glory, gleaming and resounding
through all creation.
Text: attr. Gregory I, 540-604; tr. composite
The rite of morning prayer has unique qualities. As in this hymn, morning prayer often begins with a nod to the sense of relief that the fear and potential dangers of the night are over. It then moves to praising God for the new day. Morning light, a gift from our creating God, renews hope and restores energy for the day stretched out before us. Like the rising sun, the triune God brings new hope to even the darkest times of our lives.
The text of this hymn is attributed to Gregory I, which means it is more than 1,500 years old. For all that has changed, the words reveal deep similarity among the faithful throughout the centuries. We who confess faith in the triune God live with eyes open to the truth of our human weakness and our dependence on God in Christ to heal us and make us whole. We celebrate unity with the saints before us and those who will come after — all who have trusted in God's salvation.
Prayer
God of all time, from the rising of the sun to its setting, our days are filled with your gracious presence. Fill us with hope and trust for the living of these days, and point us to the future that you are, even now, preparing for your whole creation. Amen.