Psalms for Worship—Psalm 96 for Christmas

Come let us worship, 

We come as a people of hope. 
As the psalmist says, 

O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord , all the earth.

Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
  tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
 his marvelous works among all the peoples.

For great is the Lord  and greatly to be praised;
  he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
  but the Lord  made the heavens.

Honor and majesty are before him;
 strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

[The first candle is lit]

We come as a people of peace. 

Ascribe to the Lord , O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord  glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering, and come into his courts.

Worship the Lord  in holy splendor;
    tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations,

“The Lord is king!
  The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
   He will judge the peoples with equity.”

[The second candle is lit.]

We come as a people of joy. 

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar and all that fills it;
let the field exult and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
     before the Lord, for he is coming,

 for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
 and the peoples with his truth.
—Psalm 96

[The third candle is lit.]

We come as a people of love because we are beloved. 
As the Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Titus...  

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. 
[Jesus Christ] gave himself for us 
that he might redeem us from all iniquity 
and purify for himself a people of his own 
who are zealous for good deeds.
—Titus 2:11, 14

[The fourth candle is lit.]

We come to worship Christ, our Lord 
of whom Isaiah prophesied, 

“For a child has been born for us,
       a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
    and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
—Isaiah 9:6

[Christ candle is lit.] 

The journey to Bethlehem is over, 
Christ has come. 
O Come, let us adore him!