Antiphon1
Ant. With expectation I have waited for the Lord, *
and he has cast his look upon me;
he has heard my supplication
and he has put a new canticle into my mouth,
a song to our God.
Ps. Blessed the man who has placed *
his trust in the Lord,
and has not gone over to the proud *
who follow false gods. Psalm 40
Eternal God,
your touch makes this world holy.
Open our eyes to see your hand at work
in the splendor of creation,
and in the beauty of human life.
Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us,
to share your blessings with our sisters and brothers,
and to experience the joy of life in your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!
HYMN: Charles W Everest
Tune: Breslau https://tinyurl.com/y933d98j
1 Take up thy cross, the Saviour said,
if thou wouldst my disciple be;
deny thyself, the world forsake,
and humbly follow after me.
2 Take up thy cross: let not its weight
fill thy weak spirit with alarm;
his strength shall bear thy spirit up,
and brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm.
3 Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,
nor let thy foolish pride rebel:
thy Lord for thee the cross endured,
to save thy soul from death and hell.
4 Take up thy cross then in his strength,
and calmly every danger brave;
’twill guide thee to a better home,
and lead to victory o’er the grave.
5 Take up thy cross, and follow Christ,
nor think till death to lay it down;
for only they who bear the cross
may hope to wear the glorious crown.
6 To thee, great Lord, the One in Three,
all praise for evermore ascend:
O grant us in our home to see
the heavenly life that knows no end.
PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk
Psalm 1 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaev8zrk)
1 Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor stood in the way of sinners *
and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord *
and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side *
that will bring forth his fruit in due season.
4 His leaf also shall not wither *
and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.
5 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them *
but they are like the chaff, which the wind
scattereth away from the face of the earth.
6 Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgement *
neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
7 But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous *
and the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 2 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ya85zg8v)
1 Why do the heathen so furiously rage together *
and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together *
against the Lord, and against his Anointed.
3 Let us break their bonds asunder *
and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn *
the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath *
and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my King *
upon my holy hill of Sion.
7 I will preach the law, whereof the Lord hath said unto me *
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
8 Desire of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance *
and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron *
and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings *
be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord in fear *
and rejoice unto him with reverence.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way *
if his wrath be kindled, (yea, but a little,)
blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 3 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yabg6jbn)
1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me *
many are they that rise against me.
2 Many one there be that say of my soul *
There is no help for him in his God.
3 But thou, O Lord, art my defender *
thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.
4 I did call upon the Lord with my voice *
and he heard me out of his holy hill.
5 I laid me down and slept, and rose up again *
for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people *
that have set themselves against me round about.
7 Up, Lord, and help me, O my God *
for thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone;
thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord *
and thy blessing is upon thy people.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 4 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7jpb9m3)
1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness *
thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble;
have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.
2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour *
and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?
3 Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly *
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not *
commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still.
5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousness *
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 There be many that say *
Who will shew us any good?
7 Lord, lift thou up *
the light of thy countenance upon us.
8 Thou hast put gladness in my heart *
since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil, increased.
9 I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest *
for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 5 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yd4gge8p)
1 Ponder my words, O Lord *
consider my meditation.
2 O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God *
for unto thee will I make my prayer.
3 My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord *
early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4 For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness *
neither shall any evil dwell with thee.
5 Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight *
for thou hatest all them that work vanity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing *
the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into thine house,
even upon the multitude of thy mercy *
and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies *
make thy way plain before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in his mouth *
their inward parts are very wickedness.
10 Their throat is an open sepulchre *
they flatter with their tongue.
11 Destroy thou them, O God;
let them perish through their own imaginations *
cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness;
for they have rebelled against thee.
12 And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice *
they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them;
they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee;
13 For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous *
and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
PRAYER
You alone, O God, are holy and righteous,
and we praise you for protecting us in times of trial.
Keep us safe from all evil
and lead us in paths of justice
that we may know the joy of trusting Jesus Christ
our shield and defender. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: 1 Samuel 9:14-27
So Saul and the boy went up to the town. As they were entering the town, they saw Samuel coming out towards them on his way up to the shrine.
Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: ‘Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen the suffering of my people, because their outcry has come to me.’ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, ‘Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall rule over my people.’ Then Saul approached Samuel inside the gate, and said, ‘Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?’ Samuel answered Saul, ‘I am the seer; go up before me to the shrine, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, give no further thought to them, for they have been found. And on whom is all Israel’s desire fixed, if not on you and on all your ancestral house?’ Saul answered, ‘I am only a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel, and my family is the humblest of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. Why then have you spoken to me in this way?’
Then Samuel took Saul and his servant-boy and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, of whom there were about thirty. And Samuel said to the cook, ‘Bring the portion I gave you, the one I asked you to put aside.’ The cook took up the thigh and what went with it and set them before Saul. Samuel said, ‘See, what was kept is set before you. Eat; for it is set before you at the appointed time, so that you might eat with the guests.’
So Saul ate with Samuel that day. When they came down from the shrine into the town, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul upon the roof, ‘Get up, so that I may send you on your way.’ Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, ‘Tell the boy to go on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.’
HYMN: Martin Leckebusch ©
Tune: St Edmund https://tinyurl.com/ydxl7eub
1. God has promised many things:
treasures from a heavenly store;
now in Christ the echo sounds:
‘Yes’ to all he said before.
Think of how he gave his Son;
such a precious gift indeed!
How will he not also give
all that we could ever need?
2. Faith unlocks the power of God
in the face of doubt and fear.
Access to his throne is ours;
what can stop us drawing near?
God has pledged to hear our prayers
when we ask in Jesus’ name,
so we come with eager hearts
and his promise boldly claim.
3. Faith enjoys the peace of God:
freedom from anxiety!
What can earthly riches give?
Christ is our security!
Faith will therefore never cling
to the wealth we now possess,
but will find the better way:
giving freely, keeping less.
4. God has promised many things:
treasures from a heavenly store;
now in Christ the echo sounds:
‘Yes’ to all he said before.
So we raise a loud ‘Amen!’
as we make his word our own
and, with faith to guide our lives,
make his promised riches known.
Reading: Philippians 4:1-7
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
HYMN: Philip Doddridge
Tune: Dennis https://tinyurl.com/y9e7zhyu
1 How gentle God’s commands,
how kind his precepts are!
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord,
and trust his constant care.
2 While Providence supports,
let saints securely dwell;
that hand, which bears all nature up,
shall guide his children well.
3 Why should this anxious load
press down your weary mind?
Haste to your heav’nly Father’s throne,
and sweet communion find.
4 His goodness stands approved,
down to the present day;
I’ll drop my burden at his feet,
and bear a song away.
Reading: Luke 9:18-22
Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’
He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’
CANTICLE Isaiah 55:6-11
(Setting by Gregory Wilbur: https://tinyurl.com/yawmg8fp)
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,
Call ye upon him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
My ways and thoughts are higher than yours.
And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
For as the rain cometh down, and snow from heaven,
And maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to sow,
that it may give bread to eat.
So shall my world be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper
in the thing whereunto I sent it.
THE PRAYERS BCW
God of all mercies, we praise you that you have brought us to this new day, brightening
our lives with the dawn of promise and hope in Jesus Christ.
Especially we thank you for
the warmth of sunlight, the wetness of rain and snow, and all that nourishes the earth…
the presence and power of your Spirit . . .
the support and encouragement we receive from others . . .
those who provide for public safety and well-being . . .
the mission of the church around the world. . . .
Merciful God, strengthen us in prayer that we may lift up the brokenness of this
world for your healing, and share in the saving love of Jesus Christ.
Especially we pray for
those in positions of authority over others . . .
the lonely and forgotten . . .
children without families or homes . . .
agents of caring and relief . . .
the church in Asia and the Middle East. . . .
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
O God, fount of all wisdom,
in the humble witness of the apostle Peter
you have shown the foundation of our faith.
Give us the light of your Spirit,
that, recognizing in Jesus of Nazareth
the Son of the living God,
we may be living stones
for the building up of your holy church;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen. BCW
Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14
BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
WS2 Worship Sourcebook, 2nd Edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2020 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
Oremus 