Oremus for Thursday, July 30, 2020

Antiphon¹

Ant. All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth, alleluia,*
go therefore and teach all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Ho-ly Spirit, alleluia, alleluia.
V. Give ear, my people, to my teaching; *
incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
The things we have heard and understood, *
the things our fathers have told us,
these we will not hide from their children *
but will tell them to the next generation. Matthew 28; Psalm 78

Eternal God,
you never fail to give us each day all that we ever need,
and even more.
Give us such joy in living
and such peace in serving Christ,
that we may gratefully make use of all your blessings,
and joyfully seek our risen Lord
in everyone we meet.
In Jesus Christ we pray. 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: Henry Emerson Fosdick
Tune: Cwm Rhondda https://tinyurl.com/ybezym5p

1 God of grace and God of glory,
on thy people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient Church’s story;
bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.

2 Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise:
grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.

3 Cure thy children’s warring madness,
bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.

4 Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore;
let the gift of thy salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving thee whom we adore,
serving thee whom we adore.

PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk

Psalm 144 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tb977vw)

1  Blessed be the Lord my strength *
 who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight;
2  My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer,
my defender in whom I trust *
 who subdueth my people that is under me.
3  Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him *
 or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
4  Man is like a thing of nought *
 his time passeth away like a shadow.
5  Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down *
 touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6  Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them *
 shoot out thine arrows, and consume them.
7  Send down thine hand from above *
 deliver me, and take me out of the great waters,
from the hand of strange children;
8  Whose mouth talketh of vanity *
 and their right hand is a right hand of wickedness.
9  I will sing a new song unto thee, O God *
 and sing praises unto thee upon a ten-stringed lute.
10  Thou hast given victory unto kings *
 and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.
11  Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children *
 whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.
12  That our sons may grow up as the young plants *
 and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple.
13  That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store *
 that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets.
14  That our oxen may be strong to labour, that there be no decay *
 no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.
15  Happy are the people that are in such a case *
 yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,*
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 145 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ub6xy86)

1  I will magnify thee, O God, my King *
 and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
2  Every day will I give thanks unto thee *
 and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
3  Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised *
 there is no end of his greatness.
4  One generation shall praise thy works unto another *
 and declare thy power.
5  As for me, I will be talking of thy worship *
 thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
6  So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts *
 and I will also tell of thy greatness.
7  The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed *
 and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
8  The Lord is gracious, and merciful *
 long-suffering, and of great goodness.
9  The Lord is loving unto every man *
 and his mercy is over all his works.
10  All thy works praise thee, O Lord *
 and thy saints give thanks unto thee.
11  They shew the glory of thy kingdom *
 and talk of thy power;
12  That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom *
 might be known unto men.
13  Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom *
 and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
14  The Lord upholdeth all such as fall *
 and lifteth up all those that are down.
15  The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord *
 and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16  Thou openest thine hand *
 and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
17  The Lord is righteous in all his ways *
 and holy in all his works.
18  The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him *
 yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
19  He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him *
 he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
20  The Lord preserveth all them that love him *
 but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
21  My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord *
 and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever.
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 146 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rwxra4q)

1  Praise the Lord, O my soul; while I live will I praise the Lord *
 yea, as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God.
2  O put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of man *
 for there is no help in them.
3  For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turn again to his earth *
 and then all his thoughts perish.
4  Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help *
 and whose hope is in the Lord his God;
5  Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is *
 who keepeth his promise for ever.
6  Who helpeth them to right that suffer wrong *
 who feedeth the hungry.
7  The Lord looseth men out of prison *
 the Lord giveth sight to the blind.
8  The Lord helpeth them that are fallen *
 the Lord careth for the righteous.
9  The Lord careth for the strangers; he defendeth the fatherless and widow *
 as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down.
10  The Lord thy God, O Sion, shall be King for evermore *
 and throughout all generations.
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

Blessed are those who put their trust in you, O God,
our sure rock and refuge.
Guard us from giving to any other
the allegiance which belongs only to you.
Shine upon us with the brightness of your light,
that we may love you with a pure heart
and praise you forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: 1 Samuel 25:23-44

When Abigail saw David, she hurried and alighted from the donkey, and fell before David on her face, bowing to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, ‘Upon me alone, my lord, be the guilt; please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. My lord, do not take seriously this ill-natured fellow Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.

‘Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, since the Lord has restrained you from blood-guilt and from taking vengeance with your own hand, now let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be like Nabal. And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your servant; for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord; and evil shall not be found in you as long as you live. If anyone should rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living under the care of the Lord your God; but the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. When the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel, my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for having saved himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.’

David said to Abigail, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today! Blessed be your good sense, and blessed be you, who have kept me today from blood-guilt and from avenging myself by my own hand! For as surely as the Lord the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there would not have been left to Nabal as much as one male.’ Then David received from her hand what she had brought him; he said to her, ‘Go up to your house in peace; see, I have heeded your voice, and I have granted your petition.’

Abigail came to Nabal; he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she told him nothing at all until the morning light. In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him; he became like a stone. About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, ‘Blessed be the Lord who has judged the case of Nabal’s insult to me, and has kept back his servant from evil; the Lord has returned the evildoing of Nabal upon his own head.’ Then David sent and wooed Abigail, to make her his wife. When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, ‘David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.’ She rose and bowed down, with her face to the ground, and said, ‘Your servant is a slave to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.’ Abigail got up hurriedly and rode away on a donkey; her five maids attended her. She went after the messengers of David and became his wife.

David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel; both of them became his wives. Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

HYMN: Michael Perry ©
Tune: Munich https://tinyurl.com/y4neak9w

1. O bless the God of Israel,
who comes to set us free,
who visits and redeems us
and grants us liberty.
The prophets spoke of mercy,
of rescue and release,
God shall fulfil the promise
to bring his people peace.

2. He comes! The Son of David,
the one whom God has given;
he comes to live among us
and raise us up to heaven.
Before him goes the herald,
forerunner in the way,
the prophet of salvation,
the messenger of Day.

3. Where once were fear and darkness
the sun begins to rise-
the dawning of forgiveness
upon the sinner’s eyes,
to guide the feet of pilgrims
along the paths of peace:
O, bless our God and Saviour,
with songs that never cease!

Reading: Acts 8:26-40

Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
   and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
     so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
   Who can describe his generation?
     For his life is taken away from the earth.’
The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’ He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

HYMN: Philip Doddridge
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/y4ncpz8m

1 O happy day that fixed my choice 
On Thee, my Savior and my God! 
Well may this glowing heart rejoice, 
And tell its raptures all abroad.

Chorus:
Happy day, happy day, 
When Jesus washed my sins away! 
He taught me how to watch and pray, 
And live rejoicing ev’ry day; 
Happy day, happy day, 
When Jesus washed my sins away.

2 ‘Tis done– the great transaction’s done;
I am my Lord’s, and He is mine; 
He drew me and I followed on, 
Rejoicing in the call divine. [Chorus]

3 Now rest, my long divided heart, 
Fixed on this blissful center, rest; 
Here have I found a nobler part, 
Here heav’nly pleasures fill my breast. [Chorus]

4 High heav’n that hears the solemn vow, 
That vow renewed shall daily hear; 
Till in life’s latest hour I bow, 
And bless, in death, a bond so dear. [Chorus]

Reading: Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

CANTICLE Luke 1:46-55
(Lutheran Service Book setting: https://tinyurl.com/ycy2zmqf)

Ant. My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.

For he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from this day all generations shall call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things to me,
and holy is his Name,
and his mercy is on them that fear him
from generation to generation. Ant.

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.
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. Ant.

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

Loving God, as the rising sun chases away the night, so you have scattered the
power of death in the rising of Jesus Christ, and you bring us all blessings in him.
Especially we thank you for
the community of faith in our church . . .
those with whom we work or share common concerns . . .
the diversity of your children . . .
indications of your love at work in the world . . .
those who work for reconciliation. . . .

Mighty God, with the dawn of your love you reveal your victory over all that would
destroy or harm, and you brighten the lives of all who need you.
Especially we pray for
families suffering separation . . .
people different from ourselves . . .
those isolated by sickness or sorrow . . .
the victims of violence or warfare . . .
the church in the Pacific region. . . .

Setting by Eric Wyse:²

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.

Generous Giver,
you pour forth your extravagant bounty without measure
upon your whole creation.
Teach us such generosity,
that the fruits of our spirits
and the works of our hands may be used
for the building of your commonwealth of blessing. 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

---

^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, 2^nd 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.