'Praise, prayer, hearing': the Venite at Morning Prayer

Resuming extracts from John Shepherd's A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Morning and Evening Prayer of the Church of England (1796), we come to the Venite. Shepherd here offers a very good case for the Venite being the unchanging opening canticle at Morning Prayer, in contrast to most contemporary Anglican versions of the daily office. Proposed alternatives lack that which Shepherd identifies in the Venite, "a very proper introduction to the succeeding parts of the service, which consist of praise, prayer, and hearing of God's holy word".

In this psalm, we are first called upon to praise God, from the consideration of his infinite power, which extends to all places, and has dominion over all creatures. We are then required to pray to him, with the most humble adoration, as being our Saviour and Protector, and exercising the same care over his people, as the shepherd exercises over his flock. We are lastly exhorted to hear his holy word, and not to harden our hearts against his reproofs, and calls to repentance; lest, like the unbelieving Israelites, who provoked and tempted him by their disobedience in the wilderness, we be excluded from the everlasting rest of the heavenly Canaan, into which God has assured us with the solemnity of an oath, that none shall enter, but those who are obedient to his word.

Considering the subject of the psalm, and the motives to duty which it presents, we find it is a very proper introduction to the succeeding parts of the service, which consist of praise, prayer, and hearing of God's holy word. Its being placed here, is an additional proof of, what has been already remarked, and may every where be observed, the pious and prudent care of the church of England in the selection of her devotional offices.

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