Almighty and eternal God,

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

from my heart I ask that you through your Holy Spirit   

    would create and maintain in me a longing and love

    for your holy Word – 

        to pray and cry out to you always.

For I am certain of this:

    aside from your Word there is no comfort, faith, life or salvation,

    instead everything is only the way of sinners, the seat of scoffers,

    and it must, like chaff, be blown away by the wind!

 

Sanctify me in your truth; your Word is the truth.

Let me have and sustain true faith and a good, peaceful conscience,

    so that I would remain eternally green and fruitful 

        like a palm tree by water

  and that my leaves – either in this life or in eternal life –

    would not wither.

Lord God, hear me and let me be and remain yours.

Amen.

 

Nikolaus Selnecker, 1530 – 1592, German Protestant Reformer

 

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Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.
But not the wicked!
    They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.