• Organise some art and craft materials, A5/A4 card and print out your preferred Bible version of Psalm 143

• Print out copies of Psalm 143:8 colouring sheet by coloringpagesbymradron.blogsot.com and provide pens/pencils

• Prepare to play some reflective background music, eg ‘Alone with God’ by DappyTKeys (3:04:05) 

• Gather prayer station resources: a bowl of water, a towel, stones, a bottle or jug of water and cups/glasses, candles, matches, a small fireproof container for used matches 

• Print out the Prayer stations handout

• Prepare to play ‘Let the morning bring’ sung by the International Staff Songsters; video by Music and More 

Additional resource

• Prayer stations

Psalm 143 is a heartfelt prayer from David during a time of deep trouble. David is feeling overwhelmed and desperate, so he cries out to God for mercy. He remembers how God has helped in the past and expresses a deep longing for God’s presence – like dry land thirsting for water. 

David asks for guidance, protection from his enemies, and strength to keep doing what’s right. It’s a beautiful mix of honesty, dependence and trust in God’s goodness, and this session invites us all to join in with his prayer found in verse 8 for God to: 

‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.’ 

Let the morning bring …

CRAFT

Read Psalm 143 from your preferred Bible version and invite the group to paint/draw/craft their personal reflection and response to the psalm. 

In addition, provide the Psalm 143:8 colouring sheet by coloringpagesbymradron.blogsot.com for members who would prefer to respond with this option.

Thought

Encourage members take home their craft, and to use it as a reminder of God’s unfailing love given to us every day.

PRAYER STATIONS

Create prayer stations around your room using the props and Prayer stations handout, focusing on these themes from Psalm 143. Play some reflective music and invite members to visit the prayer stations and spend time in contemplation and prayer.

Confession and Mercy: Psalm 143:2

Theme: Acknowledging our sin and receiving God’s mercy.

• Reflection: ‘No one living is righteous before you.’ We come not in our own merit but trusting in God’s mercy.
• Symbolic object: A bowl of water for symbolic hand washing – representing the cleansing that follows confession.
• Prayer prompt: ‘Lord, I confess my sins before you. Wash me clean and renew my spirit.’

Remembering God’s Works: Psalm 143:5

Theme: Recalling God’s faithfulness in the past.

• Reflection: ‘I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works.’
• Symbolic object: Stones – in the Bible, stones can represent moments of divine intervention.
• Prayer prompt: ‘Thank you, Lord, for the ways you have worked in my life. Help me to trust you again.’

Thirst for God Psalm: 143:6

Theme: Longing for God’s presence.

• Reflection: ‘I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.’
• Symbolic object: A bottle of water and cups to fill – representing spiritual refreshment and the living water of Christ.
• Prayer prompt: ‘Lord, I thirst for you. Fill me with your Spirit and satisfy my soul.’

Seeking Guidance: Psalm 143:8–10

Theme: Asking for direction and surrendering to God’s will.

• Reflection: ‘Show me the way I should go … Teach me to do your will.’
• Symbolic object: Candles to be lit – symbolising light and guidance.
• Prayer prompt: ‘Lord, lead me in your truth. Help me to walk in your ways.’

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love

Are you a lark or an owl? Do you jump out of bed with a spring in your step as soon as your eyes open, or hit the snooze button repeatedly when the alarm goes off? Let’s be honest, there are days for all of us when waking up feels hard and when God’s love feels far away. Maybe we’ve woken up feeling the weight of the world on our shoulders, worrying about the future, feeling hurt or too busy caring for others even to notice how much God loves us.

Psalm 143 speaks to us in the middle of these difficult times. Its author, David, wrote these words at a time when he wasn’t feeling too great. He was overwhelmed and expressed his feelings in verse 4: ‘

My spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.’

And yet, in the middle of this darkness, David reaches for something he knows to be certain: the unfailing love of God. In verse 8 he prays this beautiful prayer:

‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you …’ 

asking God to remind him first thing every morning how much he is loved. 

The Hebrew word used for unfailing love in this Psalm is chesed. It’s important to understand that this isn’t a romantic, affectionate love, a Valentine’s Day version, as lovely as that can be. Chesed is ‘covenant love’. God’s love doesn’t depend on how well we are doing in life or whether we are working hard in our relationship with him. It’s loyal, constant love that doesn’t ever go away. And every morning God shows up with this same love for us, over and over again.

Just imagine if we wake up every morning and made Psalm 143 our prayer – before we reach for our mobile phone and start scrolling. Imagine if it was our prayer before we start thinking about the demands of the day and the ‘to do list’ already forming in our minds. Just imagine the difference this could make if our waking thought was how much we are loved by God. This could help us to live without trying to prove ourselves to others and without fearing what might lie ahead. 

God offers this covenant love to us daily, and he will show us this love in whatever form we need it. David expresses uncertainty as to his future; God comforts him. He wants to know what path he should take; God guides him. David needs help, he needs rescuing; God fights for him, revives him and restores his hope.

Whatever we are facing in our lives just now, God is with us and pours out his love to us, again and again. So maybe tomorrow, before we begin our day, let’s pray: ‘Lord, let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love … for I am trusting you.’

Let’s reflect on these thoughts as we listen to The Salvation Army’s International Staff Songsters sing a beautiful setting of this psalm.

• ‘Let the morning bring’ uploaded by Music and More (3:33)

• SASB 25         ‘God’s love to me is wonderful’

  • Lyric video by Stotfold Salvation Army (2:39)

  • Brass lyric video by St Albans Salvation Army (2:53)

• SASB 29         ‘Have you ever stopped to think how God loves you?’    

  • Duet lyric video by Droitwich Spa Salvation Army (1:52)

  • Piano instrumental lyric video by Kelston Stanford (2:12)

  • Video (no lyrics) feat ‘Everywhere’ sung by the International Staff Songsters by lovegodandloveothers (4:49)

• SASB 32         ‘How deep the Father’s love for us’

  • Official music video (press cc for lyrics) by Celtic Worship (6:16)

  • Lyric video feat Stuart Townend by Humber UBF (3:37)