Published on
March 7, 2019
Video length
75 mins
2019 Calvin Symposium on Worship | Vesper

Vesper

Psalms of Lament and Hope from the North Indian Sub-Continent

PRELUDE

"O Lord, May Your Kingdom Come"

INVITATION TO WORSHIP

Words of Welcome

Good News from Isaiah

To us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Sung Refrain: "O Lord, May Your Kingdom Come"

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving for Deliverance: Psalm 18

"O Lord, My Strength"

LAMENT

Visual Lament for Pakistan

Sung Lament: Psalm 119:81-88

The Story of Asia Bibi

Sung Refrain  "O Lord, May Your Kingdom Come"

PRAYERS

Prayers of Intercession

from Hong Kong
from Nigeria
from Brazil
from Ukraine

Sung Refrain in between prayers: "O Lord, May Your Kingdom Come"

Saranam, Saranam / Jesus, Savior, Lord   

Spoken Prayer of Confession

Sung Prayer of Confession: Psalm 51

TESTIMONY

The Continuing Discrimination in Pakistan

Sung Prayer: Psalm 91

Psalm Prayer

God of endless love, you have promised to protect your people
in times of danger
and to hear us when we pray.
May your promises overcome any doubt or fear
so that we may live confidently and praise you joyfully
no matter what each day may bring.
We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Sung Refrain: "O Lord, May Your Kingdom Come"

Spoken Testimony of Faith and Hope

All: From the beginning, through all the crises of our times,
      until God’s kingdom fully comes,
      our God keeps covenant forever.
      Our world belongs to God.
      God is King! Let the earth be glad!
      Christ is Victor! His rule has begun. Hallelujah!
      The Spirit is at work, renewing the creation. Praise the Lord!

Sung Testimony: Psalm 24

BENEDICTION

Isaiah 43:2–3

CLOSING PRAYER

"O Lord, May Your Kingdom Come"

We are grateful for the planning and leading of this service by Eric Sarwar with Majid Abel, Bernard Ayoola, Emily Brink, David Campbell, Gerard DeVuyst, Yvette Lau, Farhana Nazir, Marcell Steuernagel, and Calvin College student musicians.

Recent Media Resources

Video Psalms/Scripture Visual Arts
Surprised by the Psalms

Anneke Kaai studied fine art and painting in the Netherlands at secular schools in the 1960s and ’70s. That experience compelled her to express her Christian faith through her art. She has painted many works based on scripture, including three series of paintings on the psalms, which she sees as a bountiful resource of imagery for the full range of human feelings in relation to God.

May 5, 2026 | 90 min video
Video History Music/Song
Psalmody in Black: The Psalter as Human Expression

This workshop explores the deep connection between the psalms and the breadth of human emotion through musical settings by Black composers. Interwoven with reflections on the history and function of the Psalter, this program reveals how these timeless texts continue to speak to the spiritual, emotional, and cultural experiences of our shared humanity. 

May 1, 2026 | 90 min video
Podcast Justice/Reconciliation Psalms/Scripture
Andrew Wilkes on Doing the Work of Liberation and Justice with the Psalms as Our Guide

Pastor-scholar Andrew Wilkes shares how his worshiping community, Double Love Experience Church, prayed and sang the psalms during the troubling times of 2020. The psalms gave them language and support for praise and lament, and Wilkes asserts that lament is the evidence of faith because we are bringing our troubles to God.

April 10, 2026 | 14 min listen