O Mighty God of Heaven and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

We praise you for your never-failing love and protection. We declare, just as Jesus declared over and over as he sang Psalm 118 on his determined march from the Upper Room to Gethsemane, “Your steadfast love endures forever.”

Our circumstances may be difficult, but Jesus’ were worse. If Jesus could declare your power and love on his way to torture and certain death, we can declare your power and love while struggling through our own fearful times. We know that just as you sustained Jesus and brought him through victoriously you’ll sustain us and give us great spiritual victories. You answered him. You’ll answer us.

Because you love us.

Many of us cry out to you today from a place of distress; and those of us who are going through a temporarily easier time, call out on behalf of our suffering brothers and sisters. Rescue them! Teach them to trust you instead of placing faith in any human being. Make them aware of your love despite difficulties.

Put glad songs of praise in our mouths today. Help us accept earthly circumstances with truthful eyes and yet, just as Jesus did, trust you despite those things. Give us faith to declare -- even before it happens – that you have answered our prayers and rescued us. Help us recognize the answers when they come, even when the answers are different than expected.

You made this day, Jesus. We will rejoice and give you thanks in it! Amen.

Supporting verses and facts:

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! . . . Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. . . . The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? . . . . It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. . . . The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.  Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous. . . . I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. . . . This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us we pray, O LORD. O Lord, we pray, give us success.” Psalm 118:1, 5-6, 7-8, 14, 21, 25

·       The Ryrie Study Bible says, “This song of jubilant thanksgiving was sung by worshippers in procession to the Temple.” Because of that, theologians assume Psalm 118 is one of the hymns Jesus and his disciples sang on the way to Gethsemane. Knowing that, I have trouble reading the Psalm without crying, because the words of the Psalm show us his amazing attitude. And they show us the way we should face hard times. Though we can’t manage his attitude without his help, he will help us. And once we start to praise (I often have to force myself to praise when I feel down) our hearts begin to brighten up.

·       Verse 26 of this Psalm quote the precise words his followers had used about him on his triumphal entry a week earlier. (Of course the Psalm itself prophesies Jesus and was penned years earlier .)