Oremus for Saturday, January 9, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. People of Zion behold, *
the Lord is coming to save all nations;
and the Lord shall cause you to hear
his majes-tic voice for the joy of your heart.
V. O shepherd of Israel, hear us, *
you who lead Joseph like a flock:
enthroned on the cherubim, shine forth †
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh. *
Rouse up your might and come to save us. cf. Isaiah 30; Psalm 80

Almighty God,
you wonderfully created,
and yet more wonderfully restored,
the dignity of human nature.
In your mercy,
let us share the divine life of Jesus Christ
who came to share our humanity,
and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. 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 Coffin; trans. John Chandler
Tune: Winchester New https://tinyurl.com/y8rv8oxu

1 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake and hearken, for he brings
glad tidings of the King of kings.

2 Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
make straight the way for God within,
and let each heart prepare a home
where such a mighty guest may come.

3 For thou art our salvation, Lord,
our refuge and our great reward;
without thy grace we waste away
like flowers that wither and decay.

4 To heal the sick stretch out thine hand,
and bid the fallen sinner stand;
shine forth, and let thy light restore
earth’s own true loveliness once more.

5 All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
whose advent doth thy people free;
whom with the Father we adore
and Holy Spirit evermore.

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

Psalm 45 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybupe5te)

1  My heart is inditing of a good matter *
 I speak of the things which I have made unto the King.
2  My tongue is the pen *
 of a ready writer.
3  Thou art fairer than the children of men *
 full of grace are thy lips, because God hath blessed thee for ever.
4  Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most Mighty *
 according to thy worship and renown.
5  Good luck have thou with thine honour *
 ride on, because of the word of truth, of meekness,
and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
6  Thy arrows are very sharp, and the people shall be subdued unto thee *
 even in the midst among the King’s enemies.
7  Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever *
 the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
8  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity *
 wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
9  All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia *
 out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
10  Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women *
 upon thy right hand did stand the queen in a vesture of gold,
wrought about with divers colours.
11  Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear *
 forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house.
12  So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty *
 for he is thy Lord God, and worship thou him.
13  And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift *
 like as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before thee.
14  The King’s daughter is all glorious within *
 her clothing is of wrought gold.
15  She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work *
 the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company,
and shall be brought unto thee.
16  With joy and gladness shall they be brought *
 and shall enter into the King’s palace.
17  Instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children *
 whom thou mayest make princes in all lands.
18  I will remember thy Name from one generation to another *
 therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee, world without end.
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 46 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7svqcl3)

1  God is our hope and strength *
 a very present help in trouble.
2  Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved *
 and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea.
3  Though the waters thereof rage and swell *
 and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
4  The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God *
 the holy place of the tabernacle of the most Highest.
5  God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed *
 God shall help her, and that right early.
6  The heathen make much ado, and the kingdoms are moved *
 but God hath shewed his voice, and the earth shall melt away.
7  The Lord of hosts is with us *
 the God of Jacob is our refuge.
8  O come hither, and behold the works of the Lord *
 what destruction he hath brought upon the earth.
9  He maketh wars to cease in all the world *
 he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder,
and burneth the chariots in the fire.
10  Be still then, and know that I am God *
 I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth.
11  The Lord of hosts is with us *
 the God of Jacob is our refuge.
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 47 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7qnhdoz)

1  Clap your hands together, all ye people *
 O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
2  For the Lord is high, and to be feared *
 he is the great King upon all the earth.
3  He shall subdue the people under us *
 and the nations under our feet.
4  He shall choose out an heritage for us *
 even the worship of Jacob, whom he loved.
5  God is gone up with a merry noise *
 and the Lord with the sound of the trump.
6  O sing praises, sing praises unto our God *
 O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.
7  For God is the King of all the earth *
 sing ye praises with understanding.
8  God reigneth over the heathen *
 God sitteth upon his holy seat.
9  The princes of the people are joined
unto the people of the God of Abraham *
 for God, which is very high exalted,
doth defend the earth, as it were 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

God our strength, you are the only refuge of all who trust you.
Fortify us with your goodness to live in quietness of spirit,
that we may serve you all our days;
through Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Isaiah 66:1-2, 22-23

Thus says the Lord:
Heaven is my throne
   and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
   and what is my resting-place?
All these things my hand has made,
   and so all these things are mine, says the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look,
   to the humble and contrite in spirit,
   who trembles at my word.

For as the new heavens and the new earth,
   which I will make,
shall remain before me, says the Lord,
   so shall your descendants and your name remain.
From new moon to new moon,
   and from sabbath to sabbath,
all flesh shall come to worship before me,
says the Lord.

HYMN: Frances Ridley Havergal
Tune: Wye Valley https://tinyurl.com/y3ntt5fs

1 Like a river glorious
is God’s perfect peace,
over all victorious
in its bright increase;
perfect, yet it floweth
fuller ev’ry day,
perfect, yet it groweth
deeper all the way.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah,
hearts are fully blest,
finding, as he promised,
perfect peace and rest.

2 Hidden in the hollow
of his blessed hand,
never foe can follow,
never traitor stand;
not a surge of worry,
not a shade of care,
not a blast of hurry,
touch the spirit there. [Refrain]

3 Ev’ry joy or trial
falleth from above,
traced upon our dial
by the Sun of Love.
We may trust him fully
all for us to do;
they who trust him wholly
find him wholly true. [Refrain]

Reading: 1 John 5:6-12

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

HYMN: Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, 1757
Tune: Italian Hymn https://tinyurl.com/y6fvpqyx

1 Come, thou Almighty King,
help us thy name to sing,
help us to praise.
Father, all glorious,
o’er all victorious,
come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.

2 Come, thou Incarnate Word,
gird on thy mighty sword,
scatter thy foes.
Let thine almighty aid
our sure defense be made,
our souls on thee be stayed;
thy wonders show.

3 Come, Holy Comforter,
thy sacred witness bear
in this glad hour.
Thou who almighty art,
now rule in ev’ry heart,
and ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of power.

4 To the great One in Three
eternal praises be,
hence evermore.
His sov’reign majesty
may we in glory see,
and to eternity
love and adore.

Reading: John 1:19-28

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said,
‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
“Make straight the way of the Lord” ’,
as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

CANTICLE Isaiah 60
(Uptown Worship Band: https://tinyurl.com/yb6c8bhv)

Arise and shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the land;
and deep gloom enshrouds the people.
But over you the Lord will rise,
and his glory will appear upon you.
Nations will stream to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
Your gates will always be open;
by day or night they’ll never be closed.
They will call you the City of the Lord,
the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
And violence will be no more,
no need for the sun or the moonlight,
the Lord will be your light,
and your God will be your glory.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE PRAYERS ^CW:DP

From the rising of the sun to its setting, let us pray to the Lord.

That the people of God in all the world
may worship in spirit and in truth,
Lord, hear our prayer.

That the Church may discover again that unity which is the Father’s will,
Lord, hear our prayer.

That the nations of the earth
may seek after the ways that make for peace,
Lord, hear our prayer.

That the whole creation, groaning in travail,
may be set free to enjoy the glorious liberty of the children of God,
Lord, hear our prayer.

That all who with Christ have entered the shadow of death
may rest in peace and rise in glory,
Lord, hear our prayer.

Let us commend the world, to which Christ showed the way,
to the mercy and protection of God. 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.

Almighty God,

in Christ you make all things new:

transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace,

and in the renewal of our lives

make known your heavenly glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^CW:DP

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.

^CW:DP Common Worship: Daily Prayer, material from which is included here, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2005 and published by Church House Publishing.

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.