Perfect Prayer For New Year

Do you have a prayer for the New Year? I do. And it comes from one the oldest parts of Scripture. But that’s OK. It reminds me of a song entitled Ancient Words by Michael W. Smith. This ancient prayer is still insightful and instructive. We should know it and I want to share it with you.
This post is a simple statement of the prayer. It was prayed by Moses and is recorded as Psalm 90. Just take a minute to read through it. Many of you are off work tomorrow. Read it again. And when you do, please remember to pray for the mission team as we travel home. We will ‘unpack’ this prayer later this week. And I hope you will take my challenge and join me in offering these ancient words to the Lord for this New Year!

Soli Deo Gloria! 

The Prayer: Study In Contrasts 

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by Your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under Your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of Your anger, and Your wrath according to the fear of You? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

The Prayer: Plea For Mercy

Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on Your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.

The Prayer: Perfect Petition For 2017

Let Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!