I can’t think of a preacher, in The Episcopal Church at least, who doesn’t have some sort of introductory words for a sermon. Many elect for something along the lines of “In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Some use something even shorter such as “Please be seated.”
I first remember hearing my mentor during my discernment introducing her sermons based on these words from Psalm 19:14, which we read for the 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany in Year C of the Lectionary:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
I love these words, and they have come to mean a great deal to me in my own approach to preaching. They are a reminder of my own desire to speak God’s words, not just my own.
While I take a lot of time to prepare for my sermons, I transitioned early on in my ministry from simply reading my sermon manuscript to instead using it as a guide as I preach. Sometimes I’ll find God speaking to me during the service in a way that I had not heard before, and that will go into my sermon delivery. Preaching this way makes the words of Psalm 19:14 all the more important. They are a prayer to speak God’s words and to continue to listen to God even in the moment of preaching. This is why I still say these words before my sermons.
I hope these words of Psalm 19:14 mean as much to you as they do to me. They are a powerful reminder as we aim to speak what God would have us say.