Oremus for Thursday, March 11, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. It is good to give thanks unto the Lord,
and to sing in honor of your name, O Most High.
V. O Lord, how great are your works! *
H ow deep are your designs!
The senseless cannot know this,
and the fool cannot understand. Psalm 92

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/ufxekitx

God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory 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.

HYMN: Bryn Rees ©
Tune: Paderborn https://tinyurl.com/abdwu4wy

1 The kingdom of God is justice and joy,
for Jesus restores what sin would destroy;
God’s power and glory in Jesus we know,
and here and hereafter the kingdom shall grow.

2 The kingdom of God is mercy and grace,
the captives are freed, the sinners find place,
the outcast are welcomed God’s banquet to share,
and hope is awakened instead of despair.

3 The kingdom of God is challenge and choice,
believe the good news, repent and rejoice!
His love for us sinners brought Christ to his cross,
our crisis of judgement for gain or for loss.

4 God’s kingdom is come, the gift and the goal,
in Jesus begun, in heaven made whole;
the heirs of the kingdom shall answer his call,
and all things cry ‘Glory!’ to God all in all.

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

Psalm 56 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y89cbz8u)

1  Be merciful unto me, O God, for man goeth about to devour me *
 he is daily fighting, and troubling me.
2  Mine enemies are daily in hand to swallow me up *
 for they be many that fight against me, O thou most Highest.
3  Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid *
 yet put I my trust in thee.
4  I will praise God, because of his word *
 I have put my trust in God, and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5  They daily mistake my words *
 all that they imagine is to do me evil.
6  They hold all together, and keep themselves close *
 and mark my steps, when they lay wait for my soul.
7  Shall they escape for their wickedness *
 thou, O God, in thy displeasure shalt cast them down.
8  Thou tellest my flittings ; put my tears into thy bottle *
 are not these things noted in thy book?
9  Whensoever I call upon thee, then shall mine enemies be put to flight *
 this I know; for God is on my side.
10  In God’s word will I rejoice *
 in the Lord’s word will I comfort me.
11  Yea, in God have I put my trust *
 I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12  Unto thee, O God, will I pay my vows *
 unto thee will I give thanks.
13  For thou hast delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling *
 that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
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 57 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yb9ln9xn)

1  Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me,
for my soul trusteth in thee *
 and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge,
until this tyranny be over-past.
2  I will call unto the most high God *
 even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand.
3  He shall send from heaven *
 and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up.
4  God shall send forth his mercy and truth *
 my soul is among lions.
5  And I lie even among the children of men, that are set on fire *
 whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
6  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
 and thy glory above all the earth.
7  They have laid a net for my feet, and pressed down my soul *
 they have digged a pit before me,
and are fallen into the midst of it themselves.
8  My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed *
 I will sing, and give praise.
9  Awake up, my glory; awake, lute and harp *
 I myself will awake right early.
10  I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people *
 and I will sing unto thee among the nations.
11  For the greatness of thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens *
 and thy truth unto the clouds.
12  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
 and thy glory above all the 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 58 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y79vycco)

1  Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye congregation *
 and do ye judge the thing that is right, O ye sons of men?
2  Yea, ye imagine mischief in your heart upon the earth *
 and your hands deal with wickedness.
3  The ungodly are froward, even from their mother’s womb *
 as soon as they are born, they go astray, and speak lies.
4  They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent *
 even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears;
5  Which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer *
 charm he never so wisely.
6  Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths;
smite the jaw-bones of the lions, O Lord *
 let them fall away like water that runneth apace;
and when they shoot their arrows let them be rooted out.
7  Let them consume away like a snail,
and be like the untimely fruit of a woman *
 and let them not see the sun.
8  Or ever your pots be made hot with thorns *
 so let indignation vex him, even as a thing that is raw.
9  The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance *
 he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the ungodly.
10  So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous *
 doubtless there is a God that judgeth the 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.

PRAYER

O God,
when our path is hard and dangerous,
give us the grace of quiet confidence.
Remind us that we belong to you in baptism,
for you have claimed us in Jesus Christ,
the way, the truth, and the life. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Genesis 9:8-17

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’

HYMN: Psalm 25; para. Stanley Wiersma
Tune: Genevan 25^th https://tinyurl.com/34w67bpy

1 LORD, to you my soul is lifted.
Let me never be ashamed
that I trust in you to keep me
though I seem to wait in vain.
LORD, remember all your love;
in your holy will instruct me.
LORD, do not remember sins
of those younger years behind me.

2 LORD of covenant and goodness,
pardon and correct my sin.
They who worship you and fear you
choose the paths you choose for them.
They and all their family
shall possess the earth forever.
You, O LORD, will be their friend.
From the snare you will deliver.

3 Turn to me in grace and mercy,
as I suffer all alone.
Take away my sin and sadness,
all the trouble I have known.
May my fierce and spiteful foes
not succeed to harm and curse me.
In your faithfulness I hope.
On your people, LORD, have mercy.

Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

HYMN: Augustus Toplady
Tune: Bethlehem https://tinyurl.com/ua9pw9nf

1 How vast the benefits divine
which we in Christ possess!
We are redeemed from sin and shame,
and called to holiness.
‘Tis not for works that we have done,
these all to him we owe;
but he of his electing love
salvation doth bestow.

2 To thee, O Lord, alone is due
all glory and renown;
aught to ourselves we dare not take,
or rob thee of thy crown.
Thou wast thyself our Surety 
in God’s redemption plan;
in thee his grace was given us,
long ere the world began.

3 Safe in the arms of sov’ereign love
we ever shall remain;
nor shall the rage of earth or hell
make thy sure counsel vain.
Not one of all the chosen race
but shall to heav’n attain;
here they will share abounding grace,
and there with Jesus reign.

Reading: Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

CANTICLE Prayer of Manasseh
(Setting by Joe Cox https://tinyurl.com/4hqmx4jh)

Ant. Your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
    it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, *
    God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
    and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth, *
    with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence; *
    they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
    it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion, *
    long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand; *
    you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners, *
    that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *
    and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *
    and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you: *
    Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin, *
    nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, *
    and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy, *
    and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, *
    and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

THE PRAYERS ^WS2

God of new birth,
we praise you for being the giver of life and the victor over death,
for the evidence of new life we see in creation . . .
for our baptism, a sign of our union with Christ
in his death and resurrection . . .
for the promise of the coming kingdom . . .

God of new birth,
we acknowledge that all of life is sustained by you, so we pray
for creation and its care . . .
for the nations of the world, especially . . .
for our nation and those in authority . . .
for this community and its leaders . . .
for the church universal, its mission, and those who minister . . .
for our local church and its ministry . . .
for persons with particular needs . . .
We pray all these things in the name of the triune God,
the giver and sustainer of life. Amen.

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.

You know each of us by name, O God,
and in your sight we have found favor,
yet our minds cannot comprehend the vision of your glory
or the vastness of your love.
Grant that as we glimpse your greatness,
reflected in your many gifts,
we may always return to you
the praise that is yours alone.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.

^WS2 The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources

^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/ ©

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.