Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
Verse 2before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
Verse 3Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Verse 4O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
Verse 5You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
Verse 6You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
Verse 7Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Verse 17But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Verse 18Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.
Verse 19Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Devotion
We have a Sunday School Advent Program in our congregation, which ends with the the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. One year the program featured the Prayers of the Day for each of the Sundays of Advent. They all begin with the words, "Stir up," from verse 2b of Psalm 80: "Stir up your might, and come to save us."
As the program began I noticed Angie, age seven, sitting at the end of a pew with a big serving spoon in her hands. I caught her eye. She giggled. It turned out that there were four children with big spoons scattered through the crowd to announce each section of the program by standing on the pew, brandishing the spoon over their heads and shouting the first line of one of the prayers: "Stir up your power…Stir up our hearts…Stir up the wills…Stir up your power."
The honesty of the first week of Advent continues. We cannot save ourselves. God's power saves. "Stir up your might, and come to save us."
Prayer
Stir up our hearts, gracious God, that we may be signs of your love in this weary world. Amen.