Praying with Psalm 97 today:

The Lord reigns, 

let the earth be glad;

let the distant shores rejoice.

We are glad You reign in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea.

We rejoice that You reign in Okinawa, Louisiana, Georgia, Alaska.

Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side.

His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

And so we trust, Lord, that when we are in darkness, You are near.

We trust that when injustice seems to rule, You are still on the throne.

We believe, to the very core of our being, You will make all things right. You will win the battles. Your truth will be victorious.

In our tough times, we look to You to judge us, fight for us.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of all the earth.

Lord, we have some mountains that need melting.

We pray for our warriors who are in harm’s way. May Your mighty hedge of protection keep them safe.

We pray for all the people who need to work together in the offices, the motor pools, in the hulls, on the fields. Lord, be the grace between them. May Your people shine in these areas. May they point to Your glory.

The heavens proclaim His righteousness,

and all peoples see His glory.

All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols—worship Him, all you gods!

Lord, please smash our idols of pride, wrongful ambition, glory seeking. May our warriors be selfless servants for You.

For You, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Father we pray for our warriors. May they be always growing closer to You. May they hate evil. May revival spread! In the hard times, may they feel Your love. Strengthen them for the task at hand. Give them wisdom to complete their life mission. Help them balance their work and their family. Teach them to be better spouses, parents, friends, leaders.

And Father God please hold close our veterans. Silence the nightmares. May Your voice prevail in their lives. May the demon of suicide be thwarted.

May Your light and joy shine in our military ranks, Lord God of the heavenly armies!

Light shines on the righteous

and joy on the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,

and praise His holy name.