TWENTY-THIRD WEEK.—WEDNESDAY. — Morning

O LORD our God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Clouds and darkness are round about Thee; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Help us to draw near unto Thee with reverence and godly fear, and to worship Thee in spirit and in truth.

Enter not into judgment with us, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified. We bless Thee that Thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his trespasses and live. Help us with our whole hearts to cease from sin, and to turn to Thee. May we be warned and instructed by the history of thy judgments. May we remember that if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven. Make us deeply sensible of the evil, guilt, and misery of sin; and strengthen our faith to lay hold on thy pardoning mercy, through thy beloved Son. Being justified by faith, may we have peace with God.

Accept our thanksgivings, heavenly Father, for thy great and constant bounty towards us. It is of thy mercies that we are not consumed, because thy compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. We bless Thee for the safety and refreshment of the night, for the cheerful light of day, for the supply of our ever-returning wants, for the use of reason and all our powers, for the comfort of our earthly home, and for all the duties as well as the enjoyments of life. Help us to consecrate to Thee all we have and enjoy, to see thy hand in all thy gifts, to lean on thy strength in all our duties, to commit all our ways to Thee, and to set our best and strongest affections on things above, not on things on the earth.

Go with us, we beseech Thee, through the scenes and duties of this day. If it be thy will, keep our eyes from tears, and our feet from falling. But when sorrow, disappointment, or suffering, or difficult tasks and perplexing cares are appointed us, keep us near to Thee, stay our hearts on Thyself, uphold us by thy free Spirit, and let the strength of Christ be perfected in our weakness.

Bless each member of this household. [May our dear children live before Thee.] Mercifully remember all our beloved kindred and friends. Number them among thy children. Bless all Christian families, and the members of thy Church throughout the world. Bless our country, our Sovereign, and all our rulers; and grant to all nations freedom, truth, righteousness, and peace.

Mercifully hear our prayers, heavenly Father, for the sake of thy beloved Son. Amen.