Night Prayer (Sept. 24): A short liturgy for tears, comfort, and gratitude

# What this night prayer is and why it was reposted

A Concord Pastor republished a short night prayer after recent encounters with people who had shared their tears or fought to keep them hidden. The post offers a compact, repeatable liturgy for the end of day that sits between private reflection and communal consolation.

# Core scriptural image

# How the prayer is structured

The author lays out four practical steps you can follow each night:

• Listen to the Lord speak in the scriptures. A short passage or verse (Psalm 56:8 in this case) is used as the opening cue.
• Respond to the word heard. The writer offers short, honest reactions about how tears have functioned in life — as an outlet for grief or a quickening at beauty.
• Receive the Lord's answer. The prayer imagines God replying: that every tear is precious and stored, both tears of grief and laughter.
• Speak to the Lord again. The piece closes with a personal petition: asking for protection while awake, watchful rest while sleeping, and the offering of tears as prayer.

# Language and images to borrow

# The emotional arc

# Musical pairing

The post includes or references the worship song "You Have Collected All My Tears" (Dan opdeVeigh). The song echoes the prayer's themes — God standing with the person through fear and fire, redeeming every tear — and can be used as a reflective soundtrack to the liturgy.

# Practical suggestions for use

• Use the four-step structure as a nightly habit: 1) read Psalm 56:8 (or another short verse), 2) name one sorrow and one joy, 3) listen for a consoling image, 4) close with a short, specific petition.

• If music helps you enter prayer, play the referenced song quietly while you repeat the steps.

# Who this is for

The prayer is aimed at people who need a simple, emotionally honest way to end the day — especially those carrying grief, people who guard against visible emotion, or anyone who finds their tears changing with age.