Antiphon1
Ant. The right hand of the Lord has done valiantly,
the right hand of the Lord has exalted me;
I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord, alleluia.
V. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures forever. Psalm 118
Eternal God,
our beginning and our end,
be our starting point and our haven,
and accompany us in this day’s journey.
Use our hands
to do the work of your creation,
and use our lives
to bring others the new life you give this world
in Jesus Christ, Redeemer of all. 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: Nicolai F.S. Grundtvig, trans. Carl Døving
Tune: Kirken Den Er Et Gammelt Hus https://tinyurl.com/y62o3z8j
1 Built on the rock the church shall stand,
even when steeples are falling;
crumbled have spires in ev’ry land,
bells still are chiming and calling =-
calling the young and old to rest,
calling the souls of those distressed,
longing for life everlasting.
2 Surely, in temples made with hands
God the Most High is not dwelling-
high in the heav’ns his temple stands,
all earthly temples excelling.
Yet God who dwells in heav’n above
deigns to abide with us in love,
making our bodies his temple.
3 Christ builds a house of living stones:
we are his own habitation;
he fills our hearts, his humble thrones,
granting us life and salvation.
Were two or three will seek his face,
he in their midst would show his grace,
blessings upon them bestowing.
4 Yet in this house, an earthly frame,
Jesus the children is blessing;
hither we come to praise his name,
faith in our Savior confessing.
Jesus to us his Spirit sent,
making with us his covenant,
granting his children the kingdom.
5 Through all the passing years, O Lord,
grant that, when church bells are ringing,
many may come to hear your Word,
who here this promise is bringing:
“I know my own, my own know me;
you, not the world, my face shall see;
my peace I leave with you. Amen.”
PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk
Psalm 120 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wmagrmt)
1 When I was in trouble I called upon the Lord *
and he heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips *
and from a deceitful tongue.
3 What reward shall be given or done unto thee, thou false tongue *
even mighty and sharp arrows, with hot burning coals.
4 Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech *
and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar.
5 My soul hath long dwelt among them *
that are enemies unto peace.
6 I labour for peace, but when I speak unto them thereof *
they make them ready to battle.
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 121 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wlpcmlp)
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills *
from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh even from the Lord *
who hath made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved *
and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel *
shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord himself is thy keeper *
the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand;
6 So that the sun shall not burn thee by day *
neither the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil *
yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in *
from this time forth for evermore.
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 122 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uwbt7e3)
1 I was glad when they said unto me *
We will go into the house of the Lord.
2 Our feet shall stand in thy gates *
O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity in itself.
4 For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord *
to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
5 For there is the seat of judgement *
even the seat of the house of David.
6 O pray for the peace of Jerusalem *
they shall prosper that love thee.
7 Peace be within thy walls *
and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes *
I will wish thee prosperity.
9 Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God *
I will seek to do thee good.
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 123 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vqr5s45)
1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes *
O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, even as the eyes of servants look
unto the hand of their masters,
and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress *
even so our eyes wait upon the Lord Our God,
until he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us *
for we are utterly despised.
4 Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy *
and with the despitefulness of the proud.
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 124 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w9ocmm5)
1 If the Lord himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say *
if the Lord himself had not been on our side,
when men rose up against us;
2 They had swallowed us up quick *
when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
3 Yea, the waters had drowned us *
and the stream had gone over our soul.
4 The deep waters of the proud *
had gone even over our soul.
5 But praised be the Lord *
who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6 Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler *
the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
7 Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord *
who hath made heaven and earth.
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 125 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/s7phzdz)
1 They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount Sion *
which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.
2 The hills stand about Jerusalem *
even so standeth the Lord round about his people,
from this time forth for evermore.
3 For the rod of the ungodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous *
lest the righteous put their hand unto wickedness.
4 Do well, O Lord *
unto those that are good and true of heart.
5 As for such as turn back unto their own wickedness *
the Lord shall lead them forth with the evil-doers;
but peace shall be upon Israel.
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
Lord Jesus,
because there was no peace in Jerusalem,
you wept hard tears.
Bring all nations under your rule
that they make peace
and, with thanksgiving
enter together the heavenly Jerusalem
where you live and reign with the Father
and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: 1 Samuel 23:14-29
David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the Lord did not give him into his hand.
David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh when he learned that Saul had come out to seek his life. Saul’s son Jonathan set out and came to David at Horesh; there he strengthened his hand through the Lord. He said to him, ‘Do not be afraid; for the hand of my father Saul shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you; my father Saul also knows that this is so.’ Then the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
Then some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘David is hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon. Now, O king, whenever you wish to come down, do so; and our part will be to surrender him into the king’s hand.’ Saul said, ‘May you be blessed by the Lord for showing me compassion! Go and make sure once more; find out exactly where he is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. Look around and learn all the hiding-places where he lurks, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.’ So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.’ So Saul stopped pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. David then went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.
HYMN: Timothy Dudley-Smith ©
Tune: Covenant https://tinyurl.com/yxgs8mu8
Tune: Leoni https://tinyurl.com/y5owtyj2
1. God is my great desire,
his face I seek the first;
to him my heart and soul aspire,
for him I thirst.
As one in desert lands,
whose very flesh is flame,
in burning love I lift my hands
and bless his name.
2. God is my true delight,
my richest feast his praise,
through silent watches of the night,
through all my days.
To him my spirit clings,
on him my soul is cast;
beneath the shadow of his wings
he holds me fast.
3. God is my strong defence
in every evil hour;
in him I face with confidence
the tempter’s power.
I trust his mercy sure,
with truth and triumph crowned:
my hope and joy for evermore
in him are found.
Reading: Acts 7:44-60
Stephen continued ‘Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David, who found favour with God and asked that he might find a dwelling-place for the house of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?”
‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.’
When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.
HYMN: Anna Bartlett Warner
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/y6onyx8z
We would see Jesus; for the shadows lengthen
Across this little landscape of our life;
We would see Jesus, our weak faith to strengthen
For the last weariness, the final strife.
We would see Jesus, the great rock foundation
Whereon our feet were set by sovereign grace:
Nor life nor death, with all their agitation,
Can thence remove us, if we see his face.
We would see Jesus: other lights are paling,
Which for long years we have rejoiced to see;
The blessings of our pilgrimage are failing:
We would not mourn them, for we go to thee.
We would see Jesus: sense is all too binding,
And heaven appears too dim, too far away;
We would see thee, thyself our hearts reminding
What thou hast suffered, our great debt to pay.
We would see Jesus: this is all we’re needing;
Strength, joy, and willingness come with the sight;
We would see Jesus, dying, risen, pleading;
Then welcome day, and farewell mortal night.
Reading: Luke 11:47-54
Jesus continued, ‘Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute”, so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.’
When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile towards him and to cross-examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
CANTICLE 1 Samuel 2
(Jason Silver: https://tinyurl.com/y3zdb8z9)
My heart exults in the Lord;
and my strength is exalted in God.
I loudly denounce my enemies,
for I am so glad you rescued me.
There is no Holy One like the Lord,
There is no Rock like our God.
Boast no more so very proud,
no arrogance come out of your mouth;
the Lord is our God who knows,
and by him our actions they are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
the feeble ones strengthened anew.
The well-fed hire themselves for bread,
but those who are hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven babes,
but she who has many is forlorn.
The Lord kills and the Lord brings to life;
brings down to the grave, raises up.
The Lord makes poor and he makes rich;
he brings us low, also exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit down with princes
and to inherit an honorable seat.
The pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he set the world.
He watches over his holy ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in the dark.
For not by might does one prevail;
the Lord’s adversaries shall be shattered.
The Most High will thunder in heaven.
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed ones.
THE PRAYERS BCW
We praise you, God our creator, for your handiwork in shaping and sustaining
your wondrous creation. Especially we thank you for
the miracle of life and the wonder of living . . .
particular blessings coming to us in this day . . .
the resources of the earth . . .
gifts of creative vision and skillful craft . . .
the treasure stored in every human life. . . .
We dare to pray for others, God our Savior, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for
the whole world, committing ourselves to care for those around us in his name.
Especially we pray for
those who work for the benefit of others . . .
those who cannot work today . . .
those who teach and those who learn . . .
people who are poor . . .
the church in Europe. . . .
(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 it is in heaven.
Give us today the bread of life;
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.
Shepherd of all,
by laying down your life for your flock
you reveal your love for all.
Lead us from the place of death
to the place of abundant life,
that guided by your care for us,
we may rightly offer our lives
in love for you and our neighbors. Amen. RCLP
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
Support this ministry
Since 1993, Oremus has been sent daily to hundreds of people around the world. It is done entirely on a volunteer basis and the resources are purchased by Steve with his own funds. If you could support this ministry, I would appreciate it. Thank you advance.
$10.00
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
LFF Lesser Feasts and Fasts, © Church Publishing, Inc.
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.
CW Common Worship © 2000, Central Board of Finance of the Church of England
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
2 Eric Wyse, Lord’s Prayer, ©; audio from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_a40ME7aVk
3 Bruce Prewer, ©; from http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocA/40Sun11.htm
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 