2 How great is your name, Ó LORD,
our God, through áll the earth!

Your majesty is praised above the heavens;*
3 on the lips of children and óf babes
you have found praise to foil your enemy,*
to silence the foe ánd the rebel.

4 When I see the heavens, the work of your hands,*
the moon and the stars which you árranged,
5 what are we that you should keep us in mind,*
mere mortals that you cáre for us?

6 Yet you have made us little less than gods;*
and crowned us with glory ánd honor,
7 you gave us power over the work of your hands,*
put all things undér our feet.

8 All of them, sheep and cattle,*
yes, even the saváge beasts,
9 birds of the air, and fish*
that make their way thróugh the waters.

10 How great is your name, Ó LORD
our God, through áll the earth!

Praise the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit*
both now and fórever.
The God who is, who was, and is to come
at the end óf the ages.

Silent Reflection

1 Alleluia!*
Praise God in his holy place,*
Sing praise in the mighty´ heavens.
2 Sing praise for God’s powerful deeds,*
praise God’s surpássing greatness.

3 Sing praise with sound of trumpet,*
Sing praise with lute ánd harp.
4 Sing praise with timbrel and dance,
Sing praise with stríngs and pipes.

5 Sing praise with resounding cymbals,*
Sing praise with clashing óf cymbals.
6 Let everything that lives and that breathes
give praise to the LORD. Alléluia!

Praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit*
both now and fórever.
The God who is, who was, and is to come*
at the end óf the ages.

Silent Reflection

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

   Lord, you are the good shepherd: the one willing to lay down your life for the sheep.  You call us and we follow because we recognize your voice.  Lead us Lord, through the peregrinations  of this day — to green pastures, to still waters, in right paths.  Should trial and trouble confound us, may we take note of your rod and your staff and regain our confidence that goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life.

Lord God, on this fourth day of the week we offer our glad praise and thanksgiving for the gifts of all creation.  This day we are particularly glad for the Sun, Moon, and stars which you have given “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.”  The calendars which your heavenly orbs have made possible, allow us to bring the garden of creation to an astonishing fruitfulness.  Help us, Lord, to learn from creation that things need time to become what you have made them to be.

Preserve us this day from the sin of Hubris — from the sort of pride and arrogance which distorts our self-understanding and which creates a chasm between us and others and between us and you too.  From all impulses to set up shop as our own Lords, preserve us.  We confess the sin of pride which threatens to keep us from the gift of salvation because we insist on earning our place.  Help us embrace the humility which eschews the need to control others.  Teach us wisdom to see that it is the ultimate arrogance to think that we will control you.  

May we show the virtue of Prudence — and rightly understand our true place in relationship to you and to those we meet today.  May we come to embody the wisdom of humility, and to show that we truly know you through acts of justice and mercy to all who you love. Today in moments when we need to surrender, help us to embrace this most important posture for discipleship.  In the name of the one who in humility loved and suffered for our sake, our good shepherd,  Jesus the Christ.  Amen.

[Romans 12:1-2]
Leader: The appeal is this, brothers and sisters in Christ, present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God as an act of spirit-filled worship.  Do not let yourself conform to the values of this world, but rather, let yourself be transformed by the renewing of your mind — that you might live out the will of God, doing what is good and acceptable.  
People: We will, with the help of God.

Leader:The grace and peace of the Lord be with you all.
People:And also with you.

A sign of peace is exchanged as we depart