A country deep in its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and at war as well, looked to its first black president to lead the way on an arduous and difficult path to recovery and peace.

President Barack Obama delivered, with a powerful inaugural speech that emphasized personal responsibility and demanded an end to both an era of greed and one in which Americans had failed to make difficult choices.

His tone went beyond the preinaugural focus of prevailing upon Congress to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on government stimulus programs and more federal bailout efforts. ...

Recovery will be a collective task, the President made clear, involving not only the government but also the 300 million people served by that government. ...

Through it all, in the first moments of his presidency, Mr. Obama, was pragmatic yet unyielding.

‘‘Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter,’’ he said, harkening back to the days of the American Revolution.

On Day One of the Obama administration, who would dare say that he — and we — can’t prosper accordingly?