It’s week nine of ten for Christ in the Psalms 2019. Each year at Park Church, we spend about ten weeks in the Psalms, tackling one Psalm at a time and taking them in order. Why do we do this? The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus throughout the whole Psalter.
As an additional way to engage with the Psalms, we have a different artist in our community make a piece each week to be displayed in the foyer. Last week, our piece for Psalm 97 was done by Beth Dryer. Read more about that here. See and read about all past Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces here (they go back as far as Psalm 41). Lastly, be sure to visit the side gallery (where you get coffee) each week to see all the originals for this year’s Christ in the Psalms series displayed together.
Here’s how you can prepare this week:
1. Read through our text, Psalm 98.
Psalm 98—like Psalm 96—invites the earth and everyone on it to praise the one true King. God’s rule and reign are celebrated as He goes about setting things right!
2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 98:4–6, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):
To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners,
Welcome!
Before The Throne Of God (Charitie Lees Bancroft arr. The Modern Post)
Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)
CONFESSION OF SIN: From Every Season Prayers by Scotty Smith:
Dear heavenly Father,
we come boldly to Your throne of grace,
praising You for Your steadfast love and everlasting kindness.
We were dead in our sin, and You raised us to life in Christ.
We were alienated and alone, and You reconciled us to Yourself.
We were broken, in need of healing,
and You showered us with mercy and compassion.
Because of Your great love for us in Christ,
we acknowledge our great need of Your grace.
In the relationships in which we struggle, hear our cry.
In the battle between choosing your will, or ours, hear our plea.
For the sins of which we stand convicted, hear our confession.
Gracious Father, forgive us, cleanse us, free us, and change us.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Isaiah 53:4–6
In Tenderness (Garvey, Gordon, Walton arr. Brian Eichelberger)
GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE & COMMUNION:
All The Poor And Powerless (David Leonard, Leslie Jordan)
O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (Benjamin Hastings, Marty Sampson, Dean Ussher)
