⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of the city;^[b] it shall not be moved;
    God will help it when the morning dawns.
⁶ The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.^[c]Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.^[d]Selah

Prayer:
O God of every nation, we are shocked and humbled this morning to discover how fragile we are.  Rather than confess we are broken or flawed or sinful we would rather spend energy denigrating and fighting each other.  Rather than owning our failings and healing the breaches between us we would rather turn a blind eye, cut off relationships, pretend all is well.  We confess at times we put more faith in institutions, politicians, talking heads, and opinions than we put in you.  Love for political philosophies overcomes love for neighbor.  Rightness replaces righteousness.  Isolation becomes easier than living community.  Debate replaces discipleship.  Forgive us we pray.  Forgive us when we forget you are the God of every nation who raises up a standard of truth, love, generosity, humility, and service.  Forgive us when we lose our way, and bring us together under the banner of Christ’s grace.  Restore us, restore our nation, restore the church, renew our commitment to your purpose.  For apart from you there is chaos and ruin.  Amen