Oremus for Saturday, December 5, 2020

Antiphon¹

Ant. O Lord our governor,
how admirable is your name in all the earth!
From the mouths of children and of babes
you fashioned praise to foil your enemy, *
to silence the foe and the rebel. Psalm 8

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness,
and put on the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came
to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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: John Ellerton
Tune: Old 112^th https://tinyurl.com/y2nlwrey

1 God of the living, in Whose eyes
Unveiled Thy whole creation lies,
All souls are Thine; we must not say
That those are dead who pass away,
From this our world of flesh set free;
We know them living unto Thee.

2 Released from earthly toil and strife,
With Thee is hidden still their life;
Thine are their thoughts, their works, their powers,
All thine, and yet most truly ours;
For well we know, where’er they be,
Our dead are living unto Thee.

3 Not spilt like water on the ground,
Not wrapped in dreamless sleep profound,
Not wandering in unknown despair
Beyond Thy voice, Thine arm, Thy care;
Not left to lie like fallen tree;
Not dead, but living unto Thee.

4 Thy Word is true, Thy will is just;
To Thee we leave them, Lord, in trust,
And bless Thee for the love which gave
Thy Son to fill a human grave,
That none might fear that world to see
Where all are living unto Thee.

5 O Breather into man of breath,
O Holder of the keys of death,
O Giver of the life within,
Save us from death, the death of sin;
That body, soul, and spirit be
For ever living unto Thee!

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

Psalm 27 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tlahhq6)

1  The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom then shall I fear *
 the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
2  When the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh *
 they stumbled and fell.
3  Though an host of men were laid against me,
yet shall not my heart be afraid *
 and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.
4  One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require *
 even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.
5  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle *
 yea, in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me,
and set me up upon a rock of stone.
6  And now shall he lift up mine head *
 above mine enemies round about me.
7  Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness *
 I will sing, and speak praises unto the Lord.
8  Hearken unto my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto thee *
 have mercy upon me, and hear me.
9  My heart hath talked of thee, Seek ye my face *
 Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
10  O hide not thou thy face from me *
 nor cast thy servant away in displeasure.
11  Thou hast been my succour *
 leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
12  When my father and my mother forsake me *
 the Lord taketh me up.
13  Teach me thy way, O Lord *
 and lead me in the right way, because of mine enemies.
14  Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries *
 for there are false witnesses risen up against me, and such as speak wrong.
15  I should utterly have fainted *
 but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
16  O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure *
 be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart; and put thou thy trust in the Lord.
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 28 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uxqzzoa)

1  Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my strength *
 think no scorn of me; lest, if thou make as though thou hearest not,
I become like them that go down into the pit.
2  Hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee *
 when I hold up my hands towards the mercy-seat of thy holy temple.
3  O pluck me not away, neither destroy me with the ungodly and wicked doers *
 which speak friendly to their neighbours, but imagine mischief in their hearts.
4  Reward them according to their deeds *
 and according to the wickedness of their own inventions.
5  Recompense them after the work of their hands *
 pay them that they have deserved.
6  For they regard not in their mind the works of the Lord,
nor the operation of his hands *
 therefore shall he break them down, and not build them up.
7  Praised be the Lord *
 for he hath heard the voice of my humble petitions.
8  The Lord is my strength, and my shield;
my heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped *
 therefore my heart danceth for joy, and in my song will I praise him.
9  The Lord is my strength *
 and he is the wholesome defence of his Anointed.
10  O save thy people, and give thy blessing unto thine inheritance *
 feed them, and set them up for 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 29 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rxm2ar6)

1  Bring unto the Lord, O ye mighty,
bring young rams unto the Lord *
 ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength.
2  Give the Lord the honour due unto his Name *
 worship the Lord with holy worship.
3  It is the Lord, that commandeth the waters *
 it is the glorious God, that maketh the thunder.
4  It is the Lord, that ruleth the sea;
the voice of the Lord is mighty in operation *
 the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
5  The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedar-trees *
 yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Libanus.
6  He maketh them also to skip like a calf *
 Libanus also, and Sirion, like a young unicorn.
7  The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness *
 yea, the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Cades.
8  The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to bring forth young,
and discovereth the thick bushes *
 in his temple doth every man speak of his honour.
9  The Lord sitteth above the water-flood *
 and the Lord remaineth a King for ever.
10  The Lord shall give strength unto his people *
 the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
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

God of mystery and power,
open our eyes to the fire of your love,
and open our ears to the thunder of your justice,
that we may receive your gifts of blessing and peace,
to the glory of your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Hosea 8:1-10

Set the trumpet to your lips!
   One like a vulture is over the house of the Lord,
because they have broken my covenant,
   and transgressed my law.
Israel cries to me,
   ‘My God, we—Israel—know you!’
Israel has spurned the good;
   the enemy shall pursue him.

They made kings, but not through me;
   they set up princes, but without my knowledge.
With their silver and gold they made idols
   for their own destruction.
Your calf is rejected, O Samaria.
   My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of innocence?
   For it is from Israel,
an artisan made it;
   it is not God.
The calf of Samaria
   shall be broken to pieces.

For they sow the wind,
   and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain has no heads,
   it shall yield no meal;
if it were to yield,
   foreigners would devour it.
Israel is swallowed up;
   now they are among the nations
   as a useless vessel.
For they have gone up to Assyria,
   a wild ass wandering alone;
   Ephraim has bargained for lovers.
Though they bargain with the nations,
   I will now gather them up.
They shall soon writhe
   under the burden of kings and princes.

HYMN: Psalm 115; para. Timothy Dudley-Smith ©
Tune: O mein Jesu, ich muß sterben https://tinyurl.com/yxs9huoc

1 Not to us be glory given,
but to him who reigns above:
Glory to the God of heaven
for his faithfulness and love!
What though unbelieving voices
hear no word and see no sign,
still in God my heart rejoices,
working out his will divine.

2 Not what human fingers fashion,
gold and silver, deaf and blind,
dead to knowledge and compassion,
having neither heart nor mind–
lifeless gods some yet adore them,
nerveless hands and feet of clay;
all become, who bow before them,
lost indeed, and dead as they.

3 Not in them the hope of blessing:
hope is in the living Lord!
High and low, his Name confessing,
find in him their shield and sword.
Hope of all whose hearts revere him
God of Israel, still the same!
God of Aaron! Those who fear him
he remembers all by name.

4 Not the dead, but we the living
praise the Lord with all our powers;
of his goodness freely giving,
his is heaven, earth is ours.
Not to us be glory given,
but to him who reigns above:
glory to the God of heaven
for his faithfulness and love!

Reading: Philippians 2:19-30

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But Timothy’s worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me; and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.

Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow-soldier, your messenger and minister to my need; for he has been longing for all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honour such people, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.

HYMN: Isaac Watts
Tune: St Thomas (Williams) https://tinyurl.com/y5hlgs8p

1 How beauteous are their feet,
who stand on Sion’s hill,
who bring salvation on their tongues
and words of peace reveal!

2 How happy are our ears
that hear this happy sound,
which kings and prophets waited for,
and sought, but never found!

3 How blessèd are our eyes
that see this heavenly light,
prophets and kings desired it long,
but died without the sight!

4 The Lord makes bare his arm
through all the earth abroad:
Let every nation now behold
their Saviour and their God.

Reading: Mark 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.’

Jesus said to them, ‘Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.’

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 ^CGP

God of Love,
in this time of waiting for your Spirit,
we pray for those who have trouble catching the vision;
for those who find this family season difficult
because they are without loved ones;
for those who are left out of the celebrations
because they are without food or shelter;
for those who need to be reminded of the wideness
of your love and mercy. . ..

Spirit of Hope,
in a time of busyness
that threatens to overpower the sound of your voice,
and blind us to the needs of those around us,
we pray for ourselves:
that we might not become so preoccupied
with our own schedules,
that we forget we live within your time,
that we might not be anxious about tomorrow
that we may trust you to bring about your love and peace,
that we might work together
to share Good News with those around and beyond us.

Creator of Joy,
we wait with excitement and impatience.
Surround us with your stillness,
quiet us with your Spirit,
that we might be ready to receive the light of the world. Amen.

(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.

God of faithful surprises,
throughout the ages
you have made known your love and power
in unexpected ways and places.
May we daily perceive
the joy and wonder of your abiding presence
and offer our lives in gratitude
for our redemption. 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.

^DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.

^CGP Celebrating God’s Presence, United Church of Canada

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.