Joyce Borger

Psalm 138 is a psalm of thanksgiving for a God who, though he is above all Gods and is worshiped by even the greatest of kings, still cares about each and every one of us. In this litany, the psalm is divided between three voices. You can choose to have the portions marked as “all” to be read by all three voices or by the congregation.

There are many ways of interpreting Psalm 45 but this litany is leaning into a christological interpretation where the main speaker is the bride of Christ, the church, Christ’s beloved, who is speaking to Christ.

Psalm 86 is the psalmist’s prayer to God for help during a difficult time. This litany includes a sung refrain as well as a place to include a prayer of supplication, intercession, and lament.

Encouragement to consider non-song related ways to express joy in worship with a litany based on Psalm 100 re-imagined to provide such an opportunity.

A responsive reading of Psalm 93 celebrating Christ’s ascension and reign

The following originally appeared as part of "Worship Resources for Eastertide and Ascension Day"God's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Seventh Sunday of Easter[The Ascension Day Resource may be substituted for this one if you recognize Ascension on the following Sunday .]God's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!Christ has ascended!Christ has ascended, alleluia! The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1Opening Words*Lord, our God, we trust your promise to be among us as we gather. We come in the name of Christ, drawn by your Spirit, eager to hear your Word. Fill our hearts with your Spirit and prepare us for faithful service. Amen. —The Worship Sourcebook © Faith Alive Christian Resources, 1.4.43. Used by permission.Song of Praise“Psalm 45: For the Honor of Our King” Leckebusch“Jesus is Lord” Chua“Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God” Getty and Townend Call to ConfessionPsalm 1 says, Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in season.—Psalm 1:1–3 NIVChrist summarized God’s law with these words: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"As Christ’s followers we know that we are not of the world and are called to a radical life of love, but we also know,that so often we fail to live out that calling. In sorrow for our failure but with assurance of God's loving compassion, let us offer our prayer of confession. Prayer of ConfessionMerciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, loved kindness, or walked humbly with you, our God.Have mercy on us, O God, in your loving-kindness. In your great compassion, cleanse us from our sin. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. —based on Psalm 51:10-12 (The Book of Common Worship. © 1946, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 26., alt., PD)Assurance of PardonPeople of God, be assured that in Christ you are forgiven. Joined with Christ in his death and resurrection, pattern your life after his, showing radical love to all people. Revised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Seventh Sunday after Easter

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Ascension DayGod's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!Christ has ascended!Christ has ascended, alleluia! Our ascended Lord greets us with these words: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Opening Words*In celebration of Christ’s ascension let us offer our praise using the words of Psalm 47: Clap your hands, all you nations;    shout to God with cries of joy.For the Lord Most High is awesome,    the great King over all the earth.He subdued nations under us,    peoples under our feet.He chose our inheritance for us,    the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.God has ascended amid shouts of joy,    the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.Sing praises to God,        sing praises;    sing praises to our King,       sing praises.For God is the King of all the earth;    sing to him a psalm of praise.God reigns over the nations;    God is seated on his holy throne.The nobles of the nations assemble    as the people of the God of Abraham,for the kings of the earth belong to God;    he is greatly exalted.—Psalm 47 NIVSong of Praise: “Psalm 47: Nations, Clap Your Hands” Psalter Hymnal 1987“Crown Him with Many Crowns” Bridges and Thring“Jesus is Lord” ChuaCall to ConfessionWhile we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord, the way we live proclaims our lack of faith in his power to deal with the world.Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice. Let us pray. —Reformed Worship © 1989 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.Prayer of ConfessionWe come, O Lord, on this day of glory to confess our lack of trust. While we sing of your lordship over all creation, we have too often acted as though you are powerless in the face of today’s events. Help us to live with confidence in your presence today and in hope for life with you forever. Amen. —Reformed Worship © 1989 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.Assurance of PardonHear the good news of the gospel: God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. In Christ, by God’s grace, we are saved. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow! —based on Ephesians 2:4–7 NRSVRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Ascension Day

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Sixth Sunday of EasterGod's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1Opening Words* We belong, God has redeemed us to be his own, and so we praise God, using words from Psalm 98. Sing to the Lord a new song,    for he has done marvelous things;his right hand and his holy arm    have worked salvation for him.The Lord has made his salvation known    and revealed his righteousness to the nations.He has remembered his love    and his faithfulness to Israel;all the ends of the earth have seen    the salvation of our God.—Psalm 98:1–3 NIVSong of Praise*“Alleluia! Jesus is Risen” Brokering“Lord, Most High” Harris and SadlerCall to ConfessionChrist, when asked what was most important for his followers to do, said:  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"Christ exemplified that love when he willingly lay down his life for us, yet so often we are not willing to even do the smallest act of love. And so, aware of our own sinfulness, we offer to God our prayer of confession. Prayer of ConfessionMerciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, loved kindness, or walked humbly with you, our God.Have mercy on us, O God, in your loving-kindness. In your great compassion, cleanse us from our sin. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.—based on Psalm 51:10–12 (The Book of Common Worship. © 1946, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 26., alt., PD)Assurance of PardonPeople of God, be assured that you are forgiven and live lives of love. As John, the Apostle teaches, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands." —I John 5:1–2 NIVRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Sixth Sunday of Easter

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Fifth Sunday of EasterGod's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1Opening Words* We love God because God first loved us and so we praise him using words from Psalm 22.  Because of what you have done,   I will praise you in the whole community of those who worship you.In front of those who respect you,    I will keep my promises.Those who are poor will eat and be satisfied.    Those who seek the Lord will praise him.    May their hearts be filled with new hope!People from one end of the earth to the other    will remember and turn to the Lord.The people of all the nations    will bow down in front of him.The Lord is King.    He rules over the nations.— Psalm 22:25-28 NIRV Song of Praise“Christ is Alive! Let Christians Sing” Wren“Psalm 22: Amid the Thronging Worshipers” Psalter 1912“I Come with Joy” Wren“Ten Thousand Reasons/Bless the Lord, O My Soul" Myrin, Redman Call to ConfessionGod loves us. Christ, when asked what was most important for his followers to do, said:  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"God loves us. Yet we consistently fail to love God or our neighbor. In sorrow for our failure but with assurance of God's loving compassion let us offer our prayer of confession. Prayer of ConfessionMerciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, loved kindness, or walked humbly with you, our God.Have mercy on us, O God, in your loving-kindness. In your great compassion, cleanse us from our sin. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. —based on Psalm 51:10-12 (The Book of Common Worship. © 1946, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 26., alt., PD)Assurance of PardonPeople of God, be assured that you are forgiven; now remain rooted in God's love. As John, the apostle, taught: "This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." —1 John 4:13–16 NIVRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Fifth Sunday of Easter