How small a part of you do we see, God?

Only a partial picture.

 

Who can understand the thunder of your power?

Touching the Almighty, we cannot comprehend you.

You are excellent in power, judgment , and justice.

You are exalted far above all blessing and praise.

 

You have prepared your throne of glory in the heavens, high and lifted up.

Before you the seraphim cover their faces.

 

And in compassion to us you hold back the face of that throne,

    spreading a cloud upon it.

 

You make your angels spirits, and your ministers a flame of fire.

Thousands of them minster to you, 

    and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before you,

    to do what you ask.

They excel in strength, and obey your word.

 

And we come by faith, hope and holy love into spiritual communion

    with the innumerable company of angels,

    and the spirits of just people made perfect.

We come to the general assembly and church of the firstborn,

    in the heavenly Jerusalem.

 

You are worthy, O Lord, to receive blessing, and honor, and glory, and power.

For you have created all things.

You created them to do your will and to praise you.

 

We worship the one who made heaven and earth,

    the sea and the fountains of waters.

The one who spoke and it was done.

Who commanded, and it stood fast.

The one who said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

 

And you made it all very good, and it continues this day according to your word,

    for everything serves you.

 

The day is yours, the night is yours.

You have prepared the light and the sun.

You have set all the borders of the earth.

You have made summer and winter.

You uphold all things by the word of your power,

    and by you all things exist.

 

The earth is full of your riches; so is the great and wide sea.

The eyes of all wait upon you, and you give them their food in due season.

You open your hand and satisfy the needs of every living thing.

Amen.

 

Matthew Henry, 1662 – 1714 British Presbyterian minister and author

 

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But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, 

    the heavenly Jerusalem. 

You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 

    to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. 

You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 

    to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, 

    and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.