One of the pieces our school choir used to sing in various churches around Leicestershire was Vivaldi’s beautiful and hugely popular Gloria, (RV 589). It is an altogether glorious piece, and in this short extract, as Patricia Corry and Harmony Greenwood sing their praises to God, how can we not join them in spirit in praising our ever faithful God?
We praise You
We bless and thank You
We adore You
We glorify You
The God who Knows
Lord Jesus Christ, the living One,
You who were dead but now are alive for evermore,
You are Light and Brilliance, wisdom, power, and might;
You hold the keys of life and death.
You are seated high above all powers and principalities,
and you invite us into Your courts. What joys await us there!
We bless, praise, worship, and glorify You.
El Shaddai,
You know every one of the days written for us in Your book:
our hearts are sighing for the sound of Your voice,
and longing for the sweetness of Your touch.
How can we know which paths are best for us to take unless You lead us to them?
Source of truth, from whom all true wisdom flows,
open wide our hearts and minds to you this day
and direct us to whatever truths and insights are on your heart for us to receive.
Nothing takes place outside Your knowing,
No heights or depths lie unscaled beyond Your wisdom, might and majesty –
and yet You invite us close and closer still,
pressing in to know as we ourselves are known.
We’re in Your training college, Lord,
and You are preparing us to reign with You.
As each day dawns, we turn to gaze on You in praise and prayer,
with heart and hands wide open to receive,
Your passion and courage inspiring us
to plan and plant to see Your Kingdom grow.
Bless, praise, worship and glorify Your name.
When raging forces range against us,
compelling us to cry out morning, noon and night
in the thick of the fray we cry out
‘Intervene, Lord Jesus, that we may not be torn asunder.
Direct our response in the face of each injustice,
beyond the reach of each new threat.
Heed our tears and dispel the fears and griefs these tribulations bring.’”
Our help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth. If He had not been on our side (let all Israel admit it), we would have been swallowed alive by our enemies and destroyed by their anger. We would have drowned beneath the flood of these people’s pride and fury. Blessed be the Lord, who has not let them devour us. We have escaped as a bird from a hunter’s snare. The snare is broken and we are free!
When swiping blows come raining thick and fast,
to You we cry aloud to You as we pour out our lament,
For the name of the Lord is my strength and shield
And a very strong tower
The hearts of all who trust in Him are helped –
and they shall emerge not just unscathed but actively enhanced.
So strong Your call,
and so great the goodness You have stored up for us,
Your Spirit broods within,
Imparting treasured watchwords
that open living springs to sustain our subdued souls;
then move in acts of sovereign acts of power
to scatter all that appals and opposes.
As You deliver us from every danger that imperils,
and redeem every strike that stings our heel,
we bless and forgive every heart of steel that seeks to spike us
El Shaddai, Emmanuel; keep our souls and spirits safe
so that we may praise Your name
o watcher of our souls.
The following were amongst the texts that inspired this prayer: Revelation 1.18; Psalms 5; 31; Ps. Psalm 65:4; 24 (TLB); 28:7; 32:7; 45; 55; 139; 142; 143; Proverbs 18:10 (in the Wycliffe Bible) and Ezekiel 37:14.