But in order to arrive at its full meaning, we must suppose that David felt an inward struggle and opposition, which he found it necessary to check. Satan had raised a tumult in his affections, and wrought a degree of impatience in his mind, which he now curbs; and he expresses his resolution to be silent. The word implies a meek and submissive endurance of the cross. It expresses the opposite of that heat of spirit which would put us into a posture of resistance to God. The silence intended is, in short, that composed submission of the believer, in the exercise of which he acquiesces in the promises of God, gives place to his word, bows to his sovereignty, and suppresses every inward murmur of dissatisfaction.

–From his commentary on the Psalms

Ash Wednesday, 1860 by Carl Spitzweg pic.twitter.com/jLCqSjIMrI

— Marysia (@marysia_cc) February 14, 2024

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.

Today, many Christians will attend church services and have a cross of ash traced on their foreheads. This acts as a reminder of our mortality and need for reconciliation with God.#AshWednesday pic.twitter.com/HaooKIZ68P

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) February 14, 2024

Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Good Morning pic.twitter.com/Kz62cxrbSB

— philip jackson (@pajacksonartist) April 1, 2023

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who didst devote thy life and thy death to our most plenteous redemption: Grant that what thou hast wrought for us may also be wrought in us: that, growing into thy likeness, we may serve and share thy redeeming work; who livest and reignest in the glory of the eternal Trinity now and for evermore.

—A Procession of Passion Prayers, ed. Eric Milner-White (London: SPCK, 1952)

#rain #darksky and #dàffodils #FridayVibes #loveukweather #lincs pic.twitter.com/vFuDHUsgB3

— ianW (@ianwillson14) March 31, 2023

Almighty and most merciful God, who hast given thy Son to die for our sins and to obtain eternal redemption for us through his own blood: Let the merit of his spotless sacrifice, we beseech thee, purge our consciences from dead works to serve thee, the living God, that we may receive the promise of eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus our Lord; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end.

Happy Thursday ☺️#goodmorning #sunrise #Dublin pic.twitter.com/Sp6IL1e9CG

— The Wild Massy 🌳 (@TheWildMassy) March 30, 2023

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which thou hast given us, for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may we know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, now and for evermore.

"The Aurora Tree" pic.twitter.com/uBTEhMquIj

— simon c woodley (@simoncwoodley) March 29, 2023

O God, who by the example of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ hast taught us the greatness of true humility, and dost call us to watch with him in his passion: Give us grace to serve one another in all lowliness, and to enter into the fellowship of his sufferings; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.

O God, who by the cross and passion of thy Son Jesus Christ didst save and deliver mankind: Grant that by steadfast faith in the merits of that holy sacrifice we may find help and salvation, and may triumph in the power of his victory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Merciful Lord,
absolve your people from their offences,
that through your bountiful goodness
we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins
which by our frailty we have committed;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christ’s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Bright Blue Skies. 12°C and a keen Southwesterly breeze. Daffodils pic.twitter.com/f027R9N0M7

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) March 22, 2023

Almighty God, who has taught us in thy holy Word that the law was given by Moses, but that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ: Grant that we, being not under the law but under grace, may live as children of that Jerusalem which is above, and rejoice in the freedom of our heavenly citizenship; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

–The Rev. James Mountain (1844-1933)

« Vive le Printemps…». #chasseurdebeauté pic.twitter.com/gDZI6pgwKU

— Catherine Benoist (@benoistart) March 20, 2023

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Daffodils gently swaying in the breeze this morning in Glastonbury. This was taken shortly after sunrise today. pic.twitter.com/VSkOv83Uo8

— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) March 19, 2023

O Eternal God, who through thy Son our Lord hast promised a blessing upon those who hear thy Word and faithfully keep it: Open our ears, we humbly beseech thee, to hear what thou sayest, and enlighten our minds, that what we hear we may understand, and understanding may carry into good effect by thy bounteous prompting; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Another view of this morning's sunrise over Downtown Charleston! #chswx pic.twitter.com/4DZiHCsqYt

— Joey Sovine Live 5 (@JoeySovine) March 17, 2023

O Thou who hast prepared a place for my soul, prepare my soul for that place. Prepare it with holiness; prepare it with desire; and even while it sojourneth upon earth, let it dwell in heaven with thee, beholding the beauty of thy countenance and the glory of thy saints, now and for evermore.

Good Morning. #friends #chasseurdebeauté pic.twitter.com/a3FskE56et

— Catherine Benoist (@benoistart) March 16, 2023

O God, who through thy Son has taught us that a house divided against itself must fall: Save us, we beseech thee, from the danger of a divided allegiance; unite our hearts to fear thy name; and grant that in all our course of life our eye may be single and our purpose one; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Morning all! Beautiful #sunrise over a field of mist and sheep this #morning. @StormHour #norfolk #landscapelovers pic.twitter.com/yrKb3JIkOd

— William Hulbert Photography (@WLH1972) March 15, 2023

Lord Christ, almighty Saviour, we cry to thee for aid against our strong enemy. O thou who art the Stronger than the strong, deliver us, we pray thee, from the evil one, and take sole possession of our hearts and minds; that filled with thy Spirit we may henceforth devote our lives to thy service, and therein find our perfect freedom; for the honour of thy great name.

Good morning from Cape Bonavista. Have a great day.#ShareYourWeather #NLwx pic.twitter.com/v3IuvkMMUk

— Mark Gray 🇨🇦 (@GrayMarker99) March 14, 2023

Almighty God,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Morning calm #Maine #StormHour pic.twitter.com/pkfvdWHdY4

— Chef Hiking (@ChefHiking) March 13, 2023

O God, who through thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised help to man according to his faith: Grant us the freedom of the children to taste the food of eternal life, and to share with others what we ourselves receive; through the merits of the same thy Son, our Lord.

#thursdayvibes #snow #scarborough 🌊 A brisk north wind, a smattering of snow ❄️ Wrap up warm, folks, it's a chilly one ❄️ Photo taken a few minutes ago 🥶 pic.twitter.com/h8d0hwrgEo

— Faith Young Writer (@FYoungWriter) March 9, 2023

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, thatwe may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Who likes waking up to a beautiful sunrise over Swaledale on a frosty morning? ✋

Each morning we open a window to the #YorkshireDales and share some of our favourite views 🧡

📸 Alex Helin Photography#PhotoOfTheDay #Swaledale #Dales pic.twitter.com/D5Fhd6O15M

— Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (@yorkshire_dales) March 8, 2023

O Blessed Saviour, who art full of mercy and compassion, and wilt not cast out any that come to thee: Help us, we beseech thee, who are grievously vexed with the burden of our sins; and so increase in us the power of thy Holy Spirit that we may prevail against the enemy of our souls; for thy name’s sake.

Write deeply upon our minds, O Lord God, the lesson of thy holy Word, that only the pure in heart can see thee. Leave us not in the bondage of any sinful inclination. May we neither deceive ourselves with the thought that we have no sin, nor acquiesce idly in aught of which our conscience accuses us. Strengthen us by thy Holy Spirit to fight the good fight of faith, and grant that no day may pass without its victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Eternal God, who hast taught us by thy holy Word that our bodies are temples of thy Spirit: Keep us, we most humbly beseech thee, temperate and holy in thought, word and deed, that at the last we, with all the pure in heart, may see thee and be made like unto thee in thy heavenly kingdom; through Christ our Lord.

Enjoy your day!❄️😊Minus 9C💕 pic.twitter.com/B48TigJj9n

— Anne Grete Hagby (@AHagby) March 5, 2023

Almighty and everlasting God, who for the well-being of our earthly life hast put into our hearts wholesome desires of body and spirit: Mercifully increase and establish in us, we beseech thee, the grace of holy discipline and healthy self-control; that we may fulfill our desires by the means which thou hast appointed, and for the ends thou ordainest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Just A Few Hints of Blue Sky. 4°C ( snow next week ? ) Magpies in numbers. pic.twitter.com/M9OnKKkgTM

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) March 4, 2023

O Heavenly Father, subdue in us whatever is contrary to thy holy will, that we may know how to please thee. Grant, O God, that we may never run into those temptations which in our prayers we desire to avoid. Lord, never permit our trials to be above our strength; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Eden-like beauty along the Kentucky/Virginia border. Photo by Robert Stephens pic.twitter.com/6yp8YRY7bm

— Scenes of the Bluegrass (@BluegrassScenes) March 1, 2023

O Lord our God, grant us, we beseech thee, patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all our spiritual foes. Grant us sorrow for our sins, thankfulness for thy benefits, fear of thy judgment, love of thy mercies, and mindfulness of thy presence; now and for evermore.

Good morning from the Lowcountry.. have a great day everyone!.. @ChasCountyGov @ChasChamber @CityCharleston @chswx @weatherchannel @NWSCharlestonSC @chasscene @Justin_Zepperi @SimonBooks @southernliving #sunrise #charlestonsc #WaterfrontPark @morningmika @JoeNBC @Nikon pic.twitter.com/M1aaEJXjVX

— Wendy Mogul Photography 📷 (@WendyMogulPhoto) February 28, 2023

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations, and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Comme un air de printemps, Lac de la Brèche 💖💙💛🇨🇭#valais #suisse #switzerland #schweiz #ineedswitzerland #landscapephotography #landscape #photooftheday #photography #paysage #mountains #naturebeauty #lake #reflections @MySwitzerland_e @Veronique_Kanel @valaiswallis pic.twitter.com/WTQarMnsPh

— Délèze Dominique (@DelezeD) February 27, 2023

Blessed Lord, who wast tempted in all things like as we are, have mercy upon our frailty. Out of weakness give us strength; grant to us thy fear, that we may fear thee only; support us in time of temptation; embolden us in time of danger; help us to do thy work with good courage, and to continue thy faithful soldiers and servants unto our life’s end.

☘️Guten Morgen ☀️
wünsche euch einen
friedlichen Sonntag 🕊️☀️🕊️ pic.twitter.com/9X6LCuwNDR

— 💫Stein_harmonie🍀🧚‍♀️ (@SteinHarmonie) February 26, 2023

O God, who by thy Son dost marvellously work out the salvation of mankind: Grant, we beseech thee, that, following the example of our blessed Lord, and observing such a fast as thou dost choose, we may both be subjected to thee with all our hearts, and united to each other in holy charity; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Happy weekend all! pic.twitter.com/KKEYNzkvhO

— David (discovering light) (@Disc_light) February 25, 2023

O Lord our God, long-suffering and full of compassion: Be present with us, we beseech thee, as we enter upon this season in which we make ready to recall our Saviour’s sufferings and to celebrate his triumph. Grant us the aid of thy Holy Spirit, that as we acknowledge our sins, and implore thy pardon, we may also be enabled to deny ourselves, and be upheld in the hour of temptation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

—Prayers for the Christian Year (SCM, 1964)

Happy Friday all! pic.twitter.com/ItmKvJXY2t

— David (discovering light) (@Disc_light) February 24, 2023

A huge wooden cross has been suspended from York Minster’s Central Tower, to mark the start of Lent.

The cross which is 19ft (6m) tall and 10ft (3m) wide, has been made from wooden scaffold boards in the Minster’s workshop.

The Lent Cross arrived at the cathedral on Tuesday ahead of Ash Wednesday.

Read it all.

York Minster installs giant wooden cross for Lent https://t.co/l3KAiWkyYw

— BBC Yorkshire (@BBCLookNorth) February 22, 2023