Psalm 55
January 18, 2026 O Lord, many of us feel the agitation in this psalm. The last few weeks’ unrest in our state and world have left us restless in our complaint, listening to the noise and trouble all around us. Whatever our political persuasions may be, it’s clear there is wickedness, oppression, and fraud, and plenty of people are living in fear and horror. The idea of flying away on wings like a dove to a place of shelter and peace is just as tempting to us as to the psalmist.
But Lord, we know that You see. You hear our prayers. You are near. And You are on Your throne.
What a consolation it is that, while we may not see the whole picture or know how to solve the complex problems in our communities, You do. Nothing escapes your notice. You are not fooled by rhetoric or relying on limited video footage. You know the hearts and acts of each person. You will hold accountable everyone who has been given positions of power for how they used it for good or evil. Every act of injustice will be made right in the end, and every victim in the end vindicated. We praise You for that.
Father, as an outpost of Your Kingdom here in Minnesota, help Your Church to truly reflect Your heart, to shine Your light in increasing ways as the world around us seems darker. Give us wisdom to know what it looks like to live as Your people in the here and now. In a culture of outrage, may we show the fruit of Your patience and grace. With so much fear around us, may we be a people of peace. Surrounded by people quick to pronounce judgment, may we demonstrate trust in allowing You to be Judge. Show us how to honor our governing authorities, even when they are in the wrong, out of reverence for You and submission to the place You have us and the position You have given them.
At the same time, show us when to speak and act on behalf of the mistreated and the marginalized that You care so deeply about. You call us to speak for those who have no voice, to care for the homeless, to rescue those being led off to death, to love the foreigners residing among us as ourselves, remembering that we also are exiles far from home. For many of us, our lives are comfortably detached from the horrors we see on the news—do not let us be lulled into complacency or fanned into outrage, but instead, be people of grace and sacrificial love.
God, we confess that we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You. Give us courage and grace to respond in obedience when You prompt us to act. Give us trust that You will do what only You can do: to humble the proud, to change the minds of our leaders, to rescue those wrongfully accused, to calm the chaos of our streets, to bring real justice, to provide homes for those seeking asylum, to draw people to Yourself.
As we pray for our own nation, we are reminded of those in places of much more unrest. We pray for the Venezuelans as they sort through the turmoil of the last couple weeks. We pray for our global partners in southeast Asia, amidst government crackdowns on religion or military takeover. We pray for Iran in the midst of rioting as the government tries to cut them off from communication with the outside world. We pray for Christians in places like North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, and so many other countries who face pressure and violence simply for following You—many of whom have nowhere else to go. This is too much for us, Father—we cannot solve the problems, and our minds can’t even process it all. But it is not too much for You, and so we hand it to You. May You keep our hearts soft towards the things that break our hearts. Make us willing to inconvenience ourselves to serve others as we have opportunity. And for the situations over which there is little we can do, may we leave them with trust in Your hands.
We ask this all in the powerful and compassionate name of Jesus, and all God’s people said, Amen.