SERVICE OF PRAYER FOR THE SIGHTING OF THE NEW MOON

(Recited prior to sighting of the moon)

LEADER: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of YHWH is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of YHWH is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of YHWH are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of YHWH is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of YHWH is clean, enduring forever; the rules of YHWH are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:1-11)

PEOPLE: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57:5)

LEADER: By the word of YHWH the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear YHWH; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9)

PEOPLE: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57:5)

LEADER: Let the heavens praise your wonders, O YHWH, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to YHWH? Who among the heavenly beings is like YHWH, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O YHWH God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O YHWH, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O YHWH, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to YHWH, our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 89:5-18)

PEOPLE: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57:5)

LEADER: YHWH reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before YHWH, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.(Psalm 97:1-6)

PEOPLE: 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 (Psalm 96:11-12)

LEADER: YHWH has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless YHWH, O you his messengers, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless YHWH, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless YHWH, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless YHWH, O my soul! (Psalm 103:19-22)

PEOPLE: YHWH is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like YHWH our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? (Psalm 113:4-6)

LEADER: to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel–he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! (Psalm 68:33-35)

PEOPLE: Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? (Psalm 71:19)

READER: And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights–the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night–and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. (Genesis 1:14-19)

PEOPLE: YHWH by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; (Proverbs 3:19)

READER: And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that YHWH your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. (Deuteronomy 4:19)

PEOPLE: Praise YHWH! Praise YHWH from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his messengers; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of YHWH!  For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise YHWH from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of YHWH, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise YHWH! (Psalm 148:1-14)

THE SIGHTING OF THE NEW MOON

(The following is to be recited after the first sliver of the new moon is sighted)

LEADER: Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob. (Psalm 81:3-4)

(After the first sliver of the new moon has been sighted—the shofars are blown.)

LEADER: O YHWH, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O YHWH, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1-9)

PEOPLE: He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. (Psalm 104:19)

LEADER: For it is you who light my lamp; YHWH my God lightens my darkness. (Psalm 18:28)

PEOPLE: For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! (Psalm 36:9-10)

LEADER: Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. (Psalm 43:3-4)

PEOPLE: Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. (Psalm 112:4)

LEADER: The poor man and the oppressor meet together; YHWH gives light to the eyes of both. (Proverbs 29:13)

PEOPLE: Bless YHWH, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless YHWH, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. YHWH works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. YHWH is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so YHWH shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of YHWH is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. YHWH has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:1-19)

TK TORAH KEEPERS

Encouraging Believers in a Torah Observant Life

Brother Glenn McWilliams

524 Westwind Drive Muskegon, Michigan 49445

www.tktorahkeepers.com