Oremus for Thursday, March 18, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. As for me, I will appear before you in righteousness;
I will be satisfied when your glory is made manifest.
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/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: Kristyn Getty and Keith Getty ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/5znkj4nu

1 Beneath the cross of Jesus,
I find a place to stand,
and wonder at such mercy
that calls me as I am.
For hands that should discard me,
hold wounds which tell me “Come.”
Beneath the cross of Jesus,
my unworthy soul is won.

2 Beneath the cross of Jesus,
his fam’ly is my own:
once strangers chasing selfish dreams,
now one through grace alone.
How could I now dishonour
the ones that you have loved?
Beneath the cross of Jesus,
see the children called by God.

3 Beneath the cross of Jesus,
the path before the crown,
we follow in his footsteps
where promised hope is found.
How great the joy before us
to be his perfect bride.
Beneath the cross of Jesus,
we will gladly live our lives.

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

Psalm 90 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uzj6wj2

1  Lord, thou hast been our refuge *
 from one generation to another.
2  Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever the earth and the world were made *
 thou art God from everlasting, and world without end.
3  Thou turnest man to destruction *
 again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
4  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday *
 seeing that is past as a watch in the night.
5  As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep *
 and fade away suddenly like the grass.
6  In the morning it is green, and groweth up *
 but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
7  For we consume away in thy displeasure *
 and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation.
8  Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee *
 and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9  For when thou art angry all our days are gone *
 we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told.
10  The days of our age are threescore years and ten;
and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years *
 yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow;
so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.
11  But who regardeth the power of thy wrath *
 for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure.
12  So teach us to number our days *
 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13  Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last *
 and be gracious unto thy servants.
14  O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon *
 so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15  Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us *
 and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.
16  Shew thy servants thy work *
 and their children thy glory.
17  And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us *
 prosper thou the work of our hands upon us,
O prosper thou our handy-work.
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 91 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w5pwhvg)

1  Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High *
 shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2  I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold *
 my God, in him will I trust.
3  For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter *
 and from the noisome pestilence.
4  He shall defend thee under his wings,
and thou shalt be safe under his feathers *
 his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5  Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night *
 nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6  For the pestilence that walketh in darkness *
 nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.
7  A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand *
 but it shall not come nigh thee.
8  Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold *
 and see the reward of the ungodly.
9  For thou, Lord, art my hope *
 thou hast set thine house of defence very high.
10  There shall no evil happen unto thee *
 neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee *
 to keep thee in all thy ways.
12  They shall bear thee in their hands *
 that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
13  Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder *
 the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.
14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him *
 I will set him up, because he hath known my Name.
15  He shall call upon me, and I will hear him *
 yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.
16  With long life will I satisfy him *
 and shew him my salvation.
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 92 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/v6sub7d)

1  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord *
 and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest;
2  To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning *
 and of thy truth in the night-season;
3  Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute *
 upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.
4  For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works *
 and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.
5  O Lord, how glorious are thy works *
 thy thoughts are very deep.
6  An unwise man doth not well consider this *
 and a fool doth not understand it.
7  When the ungodly are green as the grass,
and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish *
 then shall they be destroyed for ever;
but thou, Lord, art the most Highest for evermore.
8  For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish *
 and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.
9  But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn *
 for I am anointed with fresh oil.
10  Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies *
 and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that arise up against me.
11  The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree *
 and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
12  Such as are planted in the house of the Lord *
 shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
13  They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age *
 and shall be fat and well-liking.
14  That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is *
 and that there is no unrighteousness in him.
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

Creator God,
you have planted your Word in our hearts
that you might harvest forth justice.
So root us in your love,
that we may always flourish,
yielding all the fruits of the Spirit
from youth to old age;
through Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Isaiah 30:15-18

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
   in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
But you refused and said,
‘No! We will flee upon horses’—
   therefore you shall flee!
and, ‘We will ride upon swift steeds’—
   therefore your pursuers shall be swift!
A thousand shall flee at the threat of one,
   at the threat of five you shall flee,
until you are left
   like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,
   like a signal on a hill.

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you;
   therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
   blessed are all those who wait for him.

HYMN: Bradford Torrey
Tune: Dolomite Chant https://tinyurl.com/z9eb793f

1 Not so in haste my heart!
Have faith in God, and wait;
Although He linger long,
He never comes too late.

2 He never cometh late;
He knoweth what is best;
Vex not thyself in vain;
Until He cometh, rest.

3 Until He cometh, rest,
Nor grudge the hours that roll;
The feet that wait for God
Are soonest at the goal.

4 Are soonest at the goal
That is not gained with speed;
Then hold thee still, my heart,
For I shall wait His lead.

Reading: Hebrews 4:1-13

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
‘As in my anger I swore,
“They shall not enter my rest” ’,
though his works were finished at the foundation of the world. For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.’ And again in this place it says, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ Since therefore it remains open for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he sets a certain day—‘today’—saying through David much later, in the words already quoted,
‘Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.’
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labours as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

HYMN: Isaac Watts
Tune: Tallis’ Ordinal https://tinyurl.com/y3yu6r7d

1 With joy we meditate the grace
of our High Priest above;
his heart is made of tenderness,
and ever yearns with love.

2 Touched with a sympathy within,
he knows our feeble frame;
he knows what sore temptations mean,
for he has felt the same.

3 But spotless, innocent, and pure
the great Redeemer stood,
while Satan’s fiery darts he bore,
and did resist to blood.

4 He, in the days of feeble flesh
poured out his cries and tears;
and in his measure feels afresh
what every member bears.

5 He’ll never quench the smoking flax,
but raise it to a flame;
the bruisèd reed he never breaks,
nor scorns the meanest name.

6 Then let our humble faith address
his mercy and his power:
we shall obtain delivering grace
in each distressing hour.

Reading: Matthew 23:33-39

Jesus continued, ‘You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation.

‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’

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.

God unheld by word or wall:
lift us from dullness and cynical contempt;
make us ready for your Spirit of transforming power;
and turn our hearts to the mending of the world,
through Jesus Christ, the name above all names. Amen. ^PIC

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.

^PIC Prayers for an Inclusive Church, Steven Shakespeare, as altered in GS2016 Trial Use Collects, Anglican 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.