Daily readings and prayers for the nine days before Christmas. Visit all the stations in the Garden, or check back here for a virtual prayer time. The full list of daily links can be found here.
Today's prayers
O Clavis David (O Key of David)
O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. (cf Isaiah 22.22; 42.7)
Psalm 89. 1–18
Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing;
from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.
For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever;
you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:
‘I will establish your line for ever,
and preserve your throne for all generations.’”
The heavens bear witness to your wonders, O Lord,
and to your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones;
for who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the gods?
You are much to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and terrible to all those round about you.
Who is like you, Lord God of hosts?
O mighty Lord, your faithfulness is all around you.
You rule the raging of the sea
and still the surging of its waves.
Yours are the heavens; the earth also is yours;
you laid the foundations of the world and all that is in it.
You have made the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
You have a mighty arm;
strong and lofty is your hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne;
love and truth go before your face.
Happy are the people who know the festal shout!
they walk, O Lord, in the light of your presence.
They rejoice daily in your name;
they are jubilant in your righteousness.
For you are the glory of their strength,
and by your favour our might is exalted.
Truly, the Lord is our ruler;
he Holy One of Israel is our sovereign.
Prayer
O Lord, Word of God, You, whose glory is complete, came to us in perfect humility as a child in the womb. Your love for us and Your humility is unsurpassed and brings us to our knees in prayer and worship. Your incarnation forever changed the world.
O Lord, infant Jesus, inspire in us Your selfless love! You humbled yourself to become like us in all things but sin, and even humbled yourself to die on a cross. We pray that you will help us to love as You love this Christmas. We also pray for these intentions… (State your intentions here)
May Your Holy Will be done in my life and with these intentions.
We pray that the work of salvation that Your first coming began
will reach fulfillment in each of us.
All Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and forever shall be, world without end. Amen.
[artwork by linda witte henke]