Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week —Psalm 96 —The New Song of the Gospel Calls to Faith and is Our Confession—Several psalms call us to “sing to the Lord a new song!” The substance of the “new song” is the Good News of salvation in Christ, anchored in the “New” Testament in His blood. It is the song of grace and mercy for sinners in Jesus. It is the sung confession of faith in Christ and the sung proclamation of that Gospel that calls us to faith in Him. We sing that song! That song goes out into all the earth! And we want the whole earth to sing that song as the nations come to repentance and faith in Christ for salvation. All the gods of mankind are idols, but the God who redeemed us with the blood of His Son is also the

Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has established the earth. He calls the nations to repentance and desires all to be saved and to sing this song. This salvation in Christ is the beauty of God’s holiness and what moves the heavens to rejoice. The song of the Gospel restores life to God’s creation and promises resurrection from the dead. On the last day Christ will return to judge the nations by the righteousness of His cross and the truth of His Word.  

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Catechesis Notes for the Week —Luther on Psalm 95 — A Song of Praise to the Rock of Our Salvation—The first seven verses of Psalm 95 has a very familiar place in the church’s regular prayer life in the Venite of the Matins service. Venite means, “Oh come…” and is the call to sing to the LORD who is the Rock of our salvation. In the Scriptures, singing, thanksgiving, a joyful noise, songs of praise, and worship are all actions that confess faith, trust, reliance, and dependence upon the Lord. In Psalm 95, like so many psalms, praising God as the Creator is also linked to confessing and praising Him as our Savior. Psalm 95 confesses Him to be the only God, the one who formed the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains, the sea, and the dry land. The children of Israel sang this song as the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of His hand. The fervent joy of the first portion of the psalm gives way to the warning against unbelief. We are not to harden our hearts against God as the children of Israel in the wilderness. They did not enter His rest because of the impenitence of unbelief. Therefore, let us heed the warning and continue to “sing to the Lord” for He is “the Rock of our salvation.”

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Catechesis Notes for the Week —Luther on Psalm 94 —“The 94^th psalm of prayer that, by my understanding, cries out not against the heathen but against the kings and princes, priests, and prophets.  The psalmist calls them fools among the people, senseless ones who teach and rule the people foolishly and badly.  These are the ones who kill and persecute all the godly prophets and their disciples.  As the psalmist says, they presume upon God.  He has given them the power and has stood by and watched, not paying attention to those whom they slaughtered as condemned heretics and rebels.  Against these authorities, the psalmist prays, desiring help and support.  Although he finds no help, he takes comfort in his confidence that God’s Word and actions are reliable, and God will not allow the corrupt throne to come upon them but will repay them for their lies and murders.  Amen.”— Reading The Psalms With Luther

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 93 — A Confession of Faith in the Eternal Reign of the Lord—Psalm 93 is a confession of faith in the LORD as Creator and Savior, whose Word is foundational and true for all of faith and life. The name “LORD” specifically connects us to God’s revelation of Himself at the Burning Bush. He is the great “I AM”—the One and only eternal God of salvation who always was, who is now, and who shall always be. He is the LORD who reigns over His creation and who is also the God of salvation in Christ Jesus. Notice the foundational assertions upon which our faith is based: “The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength.” We see the “clothing and majesty of the LORD” in the grandeur of His creation. Even though the waters of the Great Flood rose above the entire earth, yet it is the LORD who has established the earth so that it cannot be moved. The One who sent forth the Flood is mightier than the noise of many waters. How comforting it is in our age to know and believe that the LORD who is our Creator is also our Savior. It is He who has both established the earth and sustains her, and who gives salvation to us through His sacrifice upon the cross. The climax of this brief psalm is in the final assertion: The LORD’s testimonies are very sure. They will not be overthrown or contradicted. By the Word of the LORD the heavens and the earth were created and are sustained. When we enter the house of the Lord, we do so to hear these testimonies of the LORD, because they are the source of life, comfort, strength, and hope. By His true and faithful testimonies, the LORD adorns His house with holiness.

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