As you may well know, I’m wandering through the psalms in this season after Epiphany. Still looking for light and wondering where Christ might lead. All of that and some passionate engagement with these ancient songs. You can read a little more introduction here.

I shared some other ideas for this season in my newsletter for Epiphany and am just about to send out the edition for Lent. If you haven’t signed up, it might help your planning. You can sign up here.

I’m trying to keep things simple in this season so I can work on the wonders I imagine for Lent and what I hope will release next week but there are so many good things out there and it’s my joy to link to them for your worship planning. There are, however, surprisingly few for Psalm 71 — and it isn’t yet included in the Living Psalms project. I suspect it might be soon though. This simple call to worship might be how you begin worship though I think I prefer this call to worship by Joanna Harader. And though not specifically referenced to which prayer links to the psalm, this is a lovely liturgy by Thom Shurman for this Sunday.

Prayers of Confession
Inspired by Psalm 71:1-6

Rescue us, O God,
from our worst thoughts
and our biggest doubts.

Rescue us, O God, 
from our stubbornness
and staunch insistence
that we can figure it 
out for ourselves.

Allow us to find safety
to admit that we don't know 
all that we think we must know.
Loosen our grip from 
the certainty that we cling to 
with white-knuckled determination.

Release us 
from the unknown 
to welcome the love
we know in you so that 
we might sing of your love
again and again and again.

I don’t know how you’d use this in worship but I liked it and it fit with the wandering words I offer in this prayer. I also don’t know about permissions but it’s worth a listen and might just be something that you share in your weekly email to the congregation to offer blessing. (I know you want them to read all those things but it might be a grace to you and to them to just offer a song.)

That’s all I’ve got for now.

I am praying for you, dear pastor. I’m praying for you so much.