Oremus for Thursday, January 21, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. Render secure my footsteps in your paths *
so that my feet do not slip;
incline your ear and hear my words;
display your wonderful mercies, O Lord,
Savior of those who place their hope in you.
V. O Lord, hear a cause that is just; *
pay heed to my cry.
Turn your ear to my prayer: *
no deceit is on my lips.
From you may my justice come forth. *
Your eyes discern what is upright. Psalm 17

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. 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: Timothy Dudley-Smith
Tune: Wiltshire https://tinyurl.com/y6d87tod

1 We bring you, Lord, our prayer and praise
that every child of earth
should live and grow in freedom’s ways,
in dignity and worth.

2 We praise for such a task begun
to serve each other’s need,
for every cause of justice won,
for every fetter freed.

3 Our prayers are for a world in pain
where force and fear prevail,
the plough becomes the sword again,
and hope and harvests fail.

4 Alike our prayer and praise express
the wants of humankind,
that those in bondage and distress
their larger freedoms find.

5 So may we still maintain the fight
till earth’s oppressions cease
before the universal right
to liberty and peace.

6 In Christ we learn to love and care
and spread his truth abroad;
and in his Name we lift our prayer:
‘Your kingdom come, O Lord.’

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

Psalm 105 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/s2yts33)

1  Give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name *
 tell the people what things he hath done.
2  O let your songs be of him, and praise him *
 and let your talking be of all his wondrous works.
3  Rejoice in his holy Name *
 let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4  Seek the Lord and his strength *
 seek his face evermore.
5  Remember the marvellous works that he hath done *
 his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth,
6  O ye seed of Abraham his servant *
 ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7  He is the Lord our God *
 his judgements are in all the world.
8  He hath been alway mindful of his covenant and promise *
 that he made to a thousand generations;
9  Even the covenant that he made with Abraham *
 and the oath that he sware unto Isaac;
10  And appointed the same unto Jacob for a law *
 and to Israel for an everlasting testament;
11  Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan *
 the lot of your inheritance;
12  When there were yet but a few of them *
 and they strangers in the land;
13  What time as they went from one nation to another *
 from one kingdom to another people;
14  He suffered no man to do them wrong *
 but reproved even kings for their sakes;
15  Touch not mine Anointed *
 and do my prophets no harm.
16  Moreover, he called for a dearth upon the land *
 and destroyed all the provision of bread.
17  But he had sent a man before them *
 even Joseph, who was sold to be a bond-servant;
18  Whose feet they hurt in the stocks *
 the iron entered into his soul;
19  Until the time came that his cause was known *
 the word of the Lord tried him.
20  The king sent, and delivered him *
 the prince of the people let him go free.
21  He made him lord also of his house *
 and ruler of all his substance;
22  That he might inform his princes after his will *
 and teach his senators wisdom.
23  Israel also came into Egypt *
 and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham.
24  And he increased his people exceedingly *
 and made them stronger than their enemies;
25  Whose heart turned so, that they hated his people *
 and dealt untruly with his servants.
26  Then sent he Moses his servant *
 and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27  And these shewed his tokens among them *
 and wonders in the land of Ham.
28  He sent darkness, and it was dark *
 and they were not obedient unto his word.
29  He turned their waters into blood *
 and slew their fish.
30  Their land brought forth frogs *
 yea, even in their kings’ chambers.
31  He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies *
 and lice in all their quarters.
32  He gave them hail-stones for rain *
 and flames of fire in their land.
33  He smote their vines also and fig-trees *
 and destroyed the trees that were in their coasts.
34  He spake the word, and the grass hoppers came, and caterpillars innumerable *
 and did eat up all the grass in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
35  He smote all the first-born in their land *
 even the chief of all their strength.
36  He brought them forth also with silver and gold *
 there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
37  Egypt was glad at their departing *
 for they were afraid of them.
38  He spread out a cloud to be a covering *
 and fire to give light in the night-season.
39  At their desire he brought quails *
 and he filled them with the bread of heaven.
40  He opened the rock of stone, and the waters flowed out *
 so that rivers ran in the dry places.
41  For why? he remembered his holy promise *
 and Abraham his servant.
42  And he brought forth his people with joy *
 and his chosen with gladness;
43  And gave them the lands of the heathen *
 and they took the labours of the people in possession;
44  That they might keep his statutes *
 and observe his laws.
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 our salvation,
through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
you have fulfilled your promise to our ancestors in the faith
to redeem the world from slavery
and to lead us into the promised land.
Grant us living water from the rock
and bread from heaven,
that we may survive our desert pilgrimage
and praise you forever;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Jonah 1:1-17

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. The captain came and said to him, ‘What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish.’

The sailors said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, ‘Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?’ ‘I am a Hebrew,’ he replied. ‘I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’ Then the men were even more afraid, and said to him, ‘What is this that you have done!’ For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them so.

Then they said to him, ‘What shall we do to you, that the sea may quieten down for us?’ For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous. He said to them, ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quieten down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you.’ Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. Then they cried out to the Lord, ‘Please, O Lord, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.’ So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.

HYMN: Psalm 139; para. Calvin Seerveld
Tune: Leicester https://tinyurl.com/y8ugkmvy

1 LORD, you have searched my life and know
each move I make, each step I go;
my half-framed talk, my inmost thought
you watch and note my total walk.
Your hand keeps hold of me always;
your knowledge leaves me mute, amazed.

2 Where can I hide, where can I flee?
There is no place you do not see.
No distant grave, no foreign place
can bar me from your strong embrace.
I cannot be obscured by night:
your Spirit pierces dark with light.

3 You formed me in my mother’s womb,
you braided me with awesome care;
my flesh, my unformed bones grew there
invisible, yet seen by you.
Your wonders make me catch my breath,
surrounding me in life, in death.

4 O LORD, destroy the violent
who speak of you with ill intent.
I shrink from those who hate your name,
from enemies who feel no shame.
LORD, search my heart, teach me, I pray,
to walk the everlasting way.

Reading: Romans 5:12-21 

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

HYMN: Anonymous
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/y4krtsk4

1 In the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
give me Jesus.

Refrain:
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You may have all this world, give me Jesus.

2 Dark midnight was my cry,
dark midnight was cry,
dark midnight was my cry,
give me Jesus. [Refrain]

3 I heard the mourner say,
I heard the mourner say,
I heard the mourner say,
give me Jesus. [Refrain]

4 Oh, when I come to die,
oh, when I come to die,
oh, when I come to die,
give me Jesus. [Refrain]

Reading: Matthew 6:1-18

Jesus said, ‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

‘Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come.
   Your will be done,
     on earth as it is in heaven.
   Give us this day our daily bread.
   And forgive us our debts,
     as we also have forgiven our debtors.
   And do not bring us to the time of trial,
     but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’

CANTICLE Deuteronomy 32:1-12
(Luke Brawner https://tinyurl.com/ybe98e62)

Give ear, O Heaven, and I will speak
Let the earth hear the words of my mouth
May my song fall soft like gentle rains
Upon the tender grass

Refrain:
(I will) proclaim the name of the Lord
(I will) ascribe greatness to our God
(I will) proclaim the name of the Lord
(I will) ascribe greatness to our God, greatness to our God

His work is perfect, his ways are just
without iniquity.
The Rock, a God of faithfulness
upright and just is he. Refrain
Rejoice with him, O heavens
Bow down to him, all gods
for he alone is worthy of your praise.
Rejoice with him, O heavens
Bow down to him, all gods
for he alone is worthy of your praise
for he alone is worthy of your praise.

Proclaim the name of the Lord.
O ascribe greatness to our God.
Proclaim the name of the Lord.
Ascribe greatness to our God, greatness to our God.

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

We give you our praise and thanks, O God, for all gifts of love we have received
from you, and for your persistent mercy in Jesus Christ.
Especially we thank you for
work we have accomplished pleasing to you . . .
the faithful witness of Christian people . . .
the example of righteousness we see in parents and teachers . . .
the innocence and openness we see in children . . .
all works of Christian compassion. . . .

We give you our cares and concerns, O God, because we know you are kind and
care for your children in every circumstance. Especially we pray for
those who struggle with doubt and despair . . .
people afflicted with disease . . .
those called to special ministries . . .
people neglected or abused . . .
Baptist, Disciples of Christ, and other free churches. . . .

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.

O God, you delight not in pomp and show,
but in a humble and contrite heart.
Overturn our love of worldly possessions
and fix our hearts more firmly on you,
that, having nothing,
we may yet possess everything,
a treasure stored up for us in heaven. 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.

^RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.

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

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.