On Feb 8, our Psalm of the day is Psalm 103. The following is a responsive reading that uses two readers with congregational responses. Soliciting Lay readers once in a while helps to build their faith and encourages others to use their gifts in support of the ministry.
Pastor: Praise the LORD, O my soul;
Congr: with all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Pastor: Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
Lay Reader: who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
Pastor: who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
Lay Reader: who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Pastor: The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
Congr: He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
Pastor: The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
Lay Reader: slow to anger, abounding in love.
Pastor: He will not always accuse,
Lay Reader: nor will he harbor his anger forever;
Congr: he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
Pastor: For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
Congr: so great is his love for those who fear him;
Pastor: as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Pastor: As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
Congr: for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Pastor: As for man, his days are like grass,
Congr: he flourishes like a flower of the field;
Pastor: the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
Congr: But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children-
Pastor: with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Lay Reader: The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Pastor: Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Lay Reader: Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
Congr: Praise the LORD, all his works, everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society
