Today is Good Friday for most Christians (for Orthodox believers, Good Friday is a week from today). Eugene Peterson, in Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness
recommends that all Christians read the Psalms daily on a monthly schedule, so I have been endeavoring to do that for the past 6 months, using the Book of Common Prayer as my guide. Fittingly, today’s readings for morning prayer included Psalm 51 and Psalm 52.
Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; / according to the multitude of they mercies do away mine offences.
Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, / and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)Why boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant, that thou canst do mischief, / whereas the goodness of God endureth yet daily? (Psalm 52:1)
Some other Good Friday readings:
First Things has republished an excerpt from the late Richard John Neuhaus’ book, Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross
Also on the last words of Christ, you may like to read or sing a cycle of hymns that I wrote based on the Seven Last Words. You can download the lyrics here. They can be read as poems, or sung using the tunes from a hymnal. (Some of the tunes are obscure, some common, so your hymnal’s mileage will vary.)
What are you reading or doing today to observe Good Friday?
About the author:
The former Associate Director for the Emerging Scholars Network, Micheal lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three children and works as a web manager for a national storage and organization company. He writes about work, vocation, and finding meaning in what you do at No Small Actors.
As a whole family we’ve continued our study of Christine Sine’s Lenten Guide, http://godspace.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/lenten-guide-2009-is-here/ Last night my wife Theresa took our twin girls to our local congregation’s Maundy Thursday LoveFeast, Communion, and Footwashing Service.
This morning, I attended the Good Friday Men’s Breakfast at our local congregation. The focus of our speaker was upon “Who Do You Belong To?” He dug into Matthew 20:21-21 and Acts 5:41-42. I also attended our local congregation’s evening service, the order of which is given below.
Prelude
Opening Words & Prayer
Mt. 26:30-46
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Prayer
Mt. 26:47-56
Time of Silent Reflection
Were You There?
What Wondrous Love is This?
Mt 27:27-44
Meditation
Prayer
Mt 27:45-61
O the Deep, Deep Love Jesus
Benediction
Thank you for your post. The Psalms are vital to our faith. I invite you to listen to my song, “The Psalmist,” at http://www.myspace.com/jacobhackman.