"But You, O LORD - How Long?" - Evening Prayer

 [Evening Prayer guided by Psalm 6] 

With those cracking under the strain of their condition we pray (…): O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long? Look upon their desperate condition, O our Father! Restore them, raise them up, and refresh them! O Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who are walking through the valley of the shadow of death or along it’s ragged rim, we pray (…): Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? Lift them up out of the miry pit and set their feet on the Rock. Reinstate light and life that they may lift up their hands in worship and rejoin your band of believers. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who are weeping, often behind closed doors and out of sight, and those exasperated with their situation, we pray (…): I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. Bring them a resolution that will give them reinforcements and will encourage them in the years ahead, that you keep count of their tossings and collect their tears in your bottle. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those hounded and harangued by the evil one and his minions, slanderers, gloaters, and oppressors, we pray (…): Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment. Vindicate their faithfulness, validate their loyalty to you, and vandalize those who would bring them down. O Lord, hear our prayer.

All of these requests we have mentioned, and those that have remained silently on our hearts, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son and our saving Lord, Amen.