Liturgy For a Translation Consultant Preparing For a Scripture Checking Session.

Lord, meet me in this time as I open books and programs to prepare for this sacred task.

Fill me with wonder that you have breathed out this passage of Scripture for my instruction, my correction, and my everlasting joy.

May your words grip my mind through this careful study and analysis, but only if this rigor of thought leads to an equally rigorous love of you and of my neighbor.

Give me both of these, this light and this heat, for lacking either will produce, at best, a correct (yet cold) heart or a flaming (yet ignorant) zeal.

Guard me from cynicism in seeing the patterns of sin in the people that I serve, knowing that they are but a mirror showing my own divided heart and revealing how your words and Spirit will lead us both to our only hope, Jesus Christ.

Help me also to see the the clear evidences of your grace in the people that I serve. Let them be an example to me of how I should repent and follow you.

As I think and read, help me even beyond my natural capacity to see ways that will improve this text, while helping me to rejoice in the translators’ strengths as much as I carefully search for their errors. 

May I have wisdom to help improve the translation such that the translation team, at the end, is encouraged rather than disheartened by me speaking hasty and critical words.

Beat my mouth’s swords into plowshares, its spears into pruning hooks.

When I feel incompetent for this task may I humbly seek advice.

If lazy, may I add diligent effort.

And may I remember that it is ultimately you that makes me competent as a minister of the New Covenant.

When I feel that my natural abilities are equal to this serious task, turn my eyes away from my supposed shining self and remind me that you oppose the proud but give grace to the humble.

Turn all the many advantages I’ve had in my life from subtle pride to joyful service.

Only then may I work with such honor and diligence that I will not be ashamed at my work years from now nor on the Great Day.

Help me to realize that this translation will impact a limited amount of people in a limited period of time, so I pray now for those people who will be directly and indirectly affected by this text. 

May these, our humble efforts, be a vessel of your grace to them.

May your Son—his words, his ways, and his work—be clearly understood and treasured through a quality translation of your Scripture,

So that, one day, we will together with them take up the festal shout at the table in your Kingdom.

For the Bible are your words, Father,

speaking of the living word, your Son,

words made alive by your Spirit.

Amen.