Oremus for Sunday, May 9, 2021

Plate from Song of Songs, Georges Barbier, 1912

The Sixth Sunday of Easter
For a form of worship in the home based on today’s lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary, go to https://blogs.elca.org/worship/4052/

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/ttyjpbkv

Proclaim a joyful sound and let it be heard;
proclaim to the ends of the earth:
The Lord has freed his people, alleluia. Isaiah 48

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/mb6h9xfa

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
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.
Alleluia, alleluia!

HYMN: Brian A Wren ©
Tune: O Waly Waly https://tinyurl.com/29jh9tdu

1 When love is found and hope comes home,
sing and be glad that two are one.
When love explodes and fills the sky,
praise God and share our Maker’s joy.

2 When love has flower’d in trust and care
build both each day that love may dare
to reach beyond home’s warmth and light,
to serve and strive for truth and right.

3 When love is tried as loved ones change,
hold still to hope though all seems strange,
till ease returns and love grows wise
through list’ning ears and opened eyes.

4 When love is torn and trust betrayed,
pray strength to love till torments fade,
till lovers keep no score of wrong,
but hear through pain love’s Easter song.

5 Praise God for love, praise God for life,
in age or youth, in calm or strife.
Lift up your hearts! Let love be fed
through death and life in broken bread.

PSALMS

Psalm 44 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/4mebue34)
1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us :
 what thou hast done in their time of old;
2 How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand,
and planted them in :
 how thou hast destroyed the nations and cast them out.
3 For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword :
 neither was it their own arm that helped them;
4 But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance :
 because thou hadst a favour unto them.
5 Thou art my King, O God :
 send help unto Jacob.
6 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies :
 and in thy Name will we tread them under, that rise up against us.
7 For I will not trust in my bow :
 it is not my sword that shall help me;
8 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies :
 and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
9 We make our boast of God all day long :
 and will praise thy Name for ever.
10 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion :
 and goest not forth with our armies.
11 Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies :
 so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
12 Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep :
 and hast scattered us among the heathen.
13 Thou sellest thy people for nought :
 and takest no money for them.
14 Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours :
 to be laughed to scorn, and had in derision of them
that are round about us.
15 Thou makest us to be a by-word among the heathen :
 and that the people shake their heads at us.
16 My confusion is daily before me :
 and the shame of my face hath covered me;
17 For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer:
for the enemy and avenger.
18 And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee :
 nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
19 Our heart is not turned back :
 neither our steps gone out of thy way;
20 No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons :
 and covered us with the shadow of death.
21 If we have forgotten the Name of our God,
and holden up our hands to any strange god :
 shall not God search it out? for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.
22 For thy sake also are we killed all the day long :
 and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
23 Up, Lord, why sleepest thou :
 awake, and be not absent from us for ever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face :
 and forgettest our misery and trouble?
25 For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust :
our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
26 Arise, and help us :
 and deliver us for thy mercy’s sake.
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 44 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-44-MH.mp3)
2 We heard with our own ears, O God,
our fathers have told us the story
of the things you did in their days,
you yourself, in days long ago.
3 To plant them you uprooted the nations;
to let them spread you laid peoples low.
4 No sword of their own won the land;
no arm of their own brought them victory.
It was your right hand, your arm
and the light of your face; for you loved them.
5 It is you, my king, my God,
who granted victories to Jacob.
6 Through you we beat down our foes;
in your name we trampled down our aggressors.
7 For it was not in my bow that I trusted
nor yet was I saved by my sword:
8 it was you who saved us from our foes,
it was you who put our foes to shame.
9 All day long our boast was in God
and we praised your name without ceasing.
10 Yet now you have rejected us, disgraced us;
you no longer go forth with our armies.
11 You make us retreat from the foe
and our enemies plunder us at will.
12 You make us like sheep for the slaughter
and scatter us among the nations.
13 You sell your own people for nothing
and make no profit by the sale.
14 You make us the taunt of our neighbors,
the laughing stock of all who are near.
15 Among the nations, you make us a byword,
among the peoples a thing of derision.
16 All day long my disgrace is before me;
my face is covered with shame
17 at the voice of the taunter, the scoffer,
at the sight of the foe and avenger.
18 This befell us though we had not forgotten you,
though we had not been false to your covenant,
19 though we had not withdrawn our hearts;
though our feet had not strayed from your path.
20 Yet you have crushed us in a place of sorrows
and covered us with the shadow of death.
21 Had we forgotten the name of our God,
or stretched out our hands to another god
22 would not God have found this out,
he who knows the secrets of the heart?
23 It is for you that we face death all day long
and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
24 Awake, O Lord, why do you sleep?
Arise, do not reject us for ever!
25 Why do you hide your face
and forget our oppression and misery?
26 For we are brought down low to the dust;
our body lies prostrate on the earth.
27 Stand up and come to our help!
Redeem us because of your love!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

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 45 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-45.mp3)
1 My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *
my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
2 You are the fairest of men; *
grace flows from your lips,
because God has blessed you for ever.
3 Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *
in your pride and in your majesty.
4 Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *
and for the sake of justice.
5 Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *
your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.
6 The peoples are falling at your feet, *
and the king’s enemies are losing heart.
7 Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *
a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
8 Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
9 All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *
and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
10 Kings’ daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *
on your right hand is the queen,
adorned with the gold of Ophir.
11 “Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *
forget your people and your father’s house.
12 The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13 The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
the rich among the people seek your favor.”
14 All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15 In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16 With joy and gladness they are brought, *
and enter into the palace of the king.
17 “In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18 I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *
therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”

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 46 (LSB Tone C: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-46-LSB.mp3)
1 God is our refuge and strength,*
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,*
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,*
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,*
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;*
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;*
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,*
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;*
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.*
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
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.

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: Song of Solomon 4:16 – 5:2; 8:6,7 

Awake, O north wind,
   and come, O south wind!
Blow upon my garden
   that its fragrance may be wafted abroad.
Let my beloved come to his garden,
   and eat its choicest fruits.

I come to my garden, my sister, my bride;
   I gather my myrrh with my spice,
   I eat my honeycomb with my honey,
   I drink my wine with my milk.

Eat, friends, drink,
   and be drunk with love.

I slept, but my heart was awake.
Listen! my beloved is knocking.
‘Open to me, my sister, my love,
   my dove, my perfect one;
for my head is wet with dew,
   my locks with the drops of the night.’
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
   as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,
   passion fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
   a raging flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
   neither can floods drown it.
If one offered for love
   all the wealth of one’s house,
   it would be utterly scorned.

HYMN: Anne Letitia Waring
Tune: Penlan https://tinyurl.com/jy2ukypy

1 In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?

2 Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack:
his wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim,
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.

3 Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkest clouds have been;
my hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free;
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.

Reading: 1 John 5:1-6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

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.

HYMN: Philip Doddridge
Tune: Dennis https://tinyurl.com/2k5fn9xy

1 How gentle God’s commands!
How kind His precepts are!
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord,
And trust His constant care.

2 While Providence supports,
Let saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guard His children well.

3 Why should this anxious load
Press down your weary mind?
Haste to your heavenly Father’s throne,
And sweet refreshment find.

4 His goodness stands approved,
Down to the present day;
I’ll drop my burden at His feet,
And bear a song away.

Reading: John 15:9-17

Jesus said, ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.’

CANTICLE Revelation 5:12-14 (LBW)
(Richard Hillert setting: https://tinyurl.com/25ev5pcd)

Refrain:
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
1 Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God. [Refrain]
2 Power, riches, wisdom, and strength,
and honor, blessing, and glory are his. [Refrain]
3 Sing with all the people of God,
and join in the hymn of all creation. [Refrain]
4 Blessing, honor, glory, and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. [Refrain]
5 For the Lamb who was slain
has begun his reign. Alleluia. [Refrain]

THE PRAYERS Joe Milner

For the Church: that we, whom Jesus has called friends, may remain in his love and be instruments of love and healing in the world

For unity in the Body of Christ: that God will show us ways through all the divisions and breakdown all the barriers that divide believers from different races, cultures, and social standing

For all mothers and those who have shown us a mother’s love: that God will watch over them, bless them with every good gift, and fill their hearts with peace

For all who long to be mothers: that the God of tender mercy will hear the yearnings of their hearts and give hope to those struggling with infertility, awaiting adoption, or grieving the death of an infant.

For wisdom and understanding: that God will teach us how best to love and support those to whom we are committed so that we may nurture and encourage them into fuller life

For the courage to lay down our lives for one another: that we may allow God to cleanse us of pride and strengthen us to love as Jesus did

For all who lay down their lives for others each day: that God will renew and strengthen those who care for the sick and dying, parents with young children, and those who serve in public safety

For all who need love: that God will strengthen and inspire us with ways to show God’s love to those who are homebound or institutionalized and those who have been abused or neglected

For all those whom we find it difficult to love: that God will touch our hearts to recognize them as sisters and brothers who, like us, are loved by God

For generosity of heart: that God will open all who have an abundance of resources to the needs of those struggling to live and help them recognize ways to reach out to them

For all who are held unjustly: that God will free and heal those who held hostage, caught in human trafficking, or who are political prisoners

For students as they finish the semester: that they may stay focused, clearly express what they have learned, and find employment for the summer

For the struggling with Covid-19, particularly in India: that God will heal the sick, give strength to caregivers, open minds to the vaccine, and bring an end to the pandemic

For a new awareness of our responsibility for the earth and its resources: that the Spirit will strengthen our resolve to care for God’s creation and ensure resources for future generations

For peace: that God will give them courage and wisdom to those working to end the spread of nuclear weapons and protect all the human family from extinction

(Traditional chant: http://oremus.org/chant/LP-1940.mp3)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

O God,
you have prepared for those who love you
joys beyond understanding.
Pour into our hearts such love for you,
that, loving you above all else,
we may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen. BCW

https://tinyurl.com/rkxkpmc
Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to God whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.    Ephesians 3:20,21


Donation to Support This Ministry

Since 1993, Oremus has been done on a volunteer basis. If you are able, please consider supporting this work at the PayPal link below. For software reasons, I’ve set the value at $10.00, but feel free to change it. Thank you.

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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

The intercessions are by Joe Milner, http://liturgy.slu.edu

The Lord’s Prayer is the traditional chant as set in The Hymnal 1940 and sung by Kathryn Mannyng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJ2TB9pLbU

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 traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 44 is from The Grail Psalter and is from the Manual Hopper YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7dFvm3xGcnay-IeuplWww. Psalm 45 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 46 is the version in Lutheran Service Book and is from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg.

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 © 2021 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.

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