Rick Warren gave a lovely invocation. And after all who could quibble with the beginning?

Let us pray. Almighty God, our Father, everything we see and everything we can’t see exists because of you alone. It all comes from you. It all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory.

History is your story. The Scripture tells us, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord is One.” And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

I can’t recall the Sh’ma being uttered before at an Inaguration. The full text is worth a read — very inclusive and eloquent. An excellent choice, it turned out, by the President.