The Hand of the Philistines--June 27, 2015

O Most High, surely you have seen the mistreatment

of your people and have heard their groaning;

surely the outcry from their suffering has come to you,

for on every side they are surrounded, cut off.

Women and children, old men and babies, victims of war--

of starvation, terror, torture, and unspeakable pain--

they have come into the time of trial.  Have mercy on them;

rescue them from the hand of the Philistines, we pray.

And dear God, help us to consider whether sometimes

the hand of the Philistines may be our hand.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 56; 149; 118; 111

1 Sam. 9:15-10:1

Acts 7:30-43

Luke 22:39-51

Selected Verses

Ps. 118:11

[All nations] surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
          in the name of the LORD I cut them off! 

1 Sam. 9:15-16

Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel.  He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen the suffering of my people, because their outcry has come to me.” 

Acts 7:34

"'…I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them.  Come now, I will send you to Egypt.’  …"  [The Lord to Moses, as told by Stephen before the council]

Luke 22:40

When [Jesus] reached the [Mount of Olives], he said to [his disciples], “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”