
Antiphon1
Ant. For it is God who has established the world, *
it shall never be moved;
your throne is established from of old;
you are from all eternity.
V. The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. †
The Lord has robed himself with might; *
he has girded himself with power. Psalm 93
Almighty God,
you have poured upon us
the new light of your incarnate Word:
Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts,
may shine forth in our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 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: Pastor pastorum https://tinyurl.com/yckjnm5c
1 Faithful vigil ended,
watching, waiting cease;
Master, grant your servant
his discharge in peace.
2 All the Spirit promised,
all the Father willed,
now these eyes behold it
perfectly fulfilled.
3 This your great deliverance
sets your people free;
Christ their light uplifted
all the nations see.
4 Christ, your people’s glory!
Watching, doubting cease:
grant to us your servants
our discharge in peace.
PSALMS
Psalm 9 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yczh7vnk)
1 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart *
I will speak of all thy marvellous works.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee *
yea, my songs will I make of thy Name, O thou most Highest.
3 While mine enemies are driven back *
they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause *
thou art set in the throne that judgest right.
5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and destroyed the ungodly *
thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end *
even as the cities which thou hast destroyed;
their memorial is perished with them.
7 But the Lord shall endure for ever *
he hath also prepared his seat for judgement.
8 For he shall judge the world in righteousness *
and minister true judgement unto the people.
9 The Lord also will be a defence for the oppressed *
even a refuge in due time of trouble.
10 And they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee *
for thou, Lord, hast never failed them that seek thee.
11 O praise the Lord which dwelleth in Sion *
shew the people of his doings.
12 For, when he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them *
and forgetteth not the complaint of the poor.
13 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider the trouble
which I suffer of them that hate me *
thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.
14 That I may shew all thy praises
within the ports of the daughter of Sion *
I will rejoice in thy salvation.
15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made *
in the same net which they hid privily, is their foot taken.
16 The Lord is known to execute judgement *
the ungodly is trapped in the work of his own hands.
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell *
and all the people that forget God.
18 For the poor shall not alway be forgotten *
the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever.
19 Up, Lord, and let not man have the upper hand *
let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord *
that the heathen may know themselves to be but men.
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.
Psalms 9&10 (sung as one)
(Mode I Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-9-10-MH.mp3)
2 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will recount all your wonders.
3 I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
4 See how my enemies turn back,
how they stumble and perish before you.
5 You upheld the justice of my cause;
you sat enthroned, judging with justice.
6 You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked;
you have wiped out their name for ever and ever.
7 The foe is destroyed, eternally ruined.
You uprooted their cities; their memory has perished.
8 But the Lord sits enthroned for ever.
He has set up his throne for judgment;
9 he will judge the world with justice,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
10 For the oppressed let the Lord be a stronghold,
a stronghold in times of distress.
11 Those who know your name will trust you;
you will never forsake those who seek you.
12 Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion.
Proclaim his mighty works among the peoples,
13 for the Avenger of blood has remembered them,
has not forgotten the cry of the poor.
14 Have pity on me, Lord, see my sufferings,
you who save me from the gates of death;
15 that I may recount all your praise
at the gates of the city of Zion
and rejoice in your saving help.
16 The nations have fallen in the pit which they made,
their feet caught in the snare they laid.
17 The Lord has revealed himself, and given judgment.
The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.
18 Let the wicked go down among the dead,
all the nations forgetful of God;
19 for the needy shall not always be forgotten
nor the hopes of the poor be in vain.
20 Arise, Lord, let men not prevail!
Let the nations be judged before you.
21 Lord, strike them with terror,
let the nations know they are but men.
Psalm 10 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yakosuxg)
1 Why standest thou so far off, O Lord *
and hidest thy face in the needful time of trouble?
2 The ungodly for his own lust doth persecute the poor *
let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined.
3 For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart’s desire *
and speaketh good of the covetous, whom God abhorreth.
4 The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for God *
neither is God in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are alway grievous *
thy judgements are far above out of his sight,
and therefore defieth he all his enemies.
6 For he hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down *
there shall no harm happen unto me.
7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud *
under his tongue is ungodliness and vanity.
8 He sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets *
and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent;
his eyes are set against the poor.
9 For he lieth waiting secretly, even as a lion lurketh he in his den *
that he may ravish the poor.
10 He doth ravish the poor *
when he getteth him into his net.
11 He falleth down, and humbleth himself *
that the congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his captains.
12 He hath said in his heart, Tush, God hath forgotten *
he hideth away his face, and he will never see it.
13 Arise, O Lord God, and lift up thine hand *
forget not the poor.
14 Wherefore should the wicked blaspheme God *
while he doth say in his heart, Tush, thou God carest not for it.
15 Surely thou hast seen it *
for thou beholdest ungodliness and wrong.
16 That thou mayest take the matter into thine hand *
the poor committeth himself unto thee;
for thou art the helper of the friendless.
17 Break thou the power of the ungodly and malicious *
take away his ungodliness, and thou shalt find none.
18 The Lord is King for ever and ever *
and the heathen are perished out of the land.
19 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor *
thou preparest their heart, and thine ear hearkeneth thereto;
20 To help the fatherless and poor unto their right *
that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.
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 10 (continued)
1 Lord, why do you stand afar off
and hide yourself in times of distress?
2 The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:
he is caught in the schemes that others have made.
3 For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;
the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.
4 In his pride the wicked says: “He will not punish.
There is no God.” Such are his thoughts.
5 His path is ever untroubled;
your judgment is far from his mind.
His enemies he regards with contempt.
6 He thinks: “Never shall I falter:
misfortune shall never be my lot.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression;
mischief and deceit are under his tongue.
8 He lies in wait among the reeds;
the innocent he murders in secret.
His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.
9 He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair;
he lurks in hiding to seize the poor;
he seizes the poor man and drags him away.
10 He crouches, preparing to spring,
and the helpless fall beneath such strength.
11 He thinks in his heart: “God forgets,
he hides his face, he does not see.”
12 Arise then, Lord, lift up your hand!
O God, do not forget the poor!
13 Why should the wicked spurn the Lord
and think in his heart: “God will not punish”?
14 But you have seen the trouble and sorrow,
you note it, you take it in hand.
The helpless trusts himself to you;
for you are the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the power of the wicked and the sinner!
Punish their wickedness till nothing remains!
16 The Lord is king for ever and ever.
The heathen shall perish from the land he rules.
17 Lord, you hear the prayer of the poor;
you strengthen their hearts; you turn your ear
18 to protect the rights of the orphan and oppressed:
so that mortal man may strike terror no more.
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 11 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yboxkznx)
1 In the Lord put I my trust *
how say ye then to my soul,
that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?
2 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow,
and make ready their arrows within the quiver *
that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.
3 For the foundations will be cast down *
and what hath the righteous done?
4 The Lord is in his holy temple *
the Lord’s seat is in heaven.
5 His eyes consider the poor *
and his eye-lids try the children of men.
6 The Lord alloweth the righteous *
but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness
doth his soul abhor.
7 Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares,
fire and brimstone, storm and tempest *
this shall be their portion to drink.
8 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness *
his countenance will behold the thing that is just.
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 11 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-11.mp3)
1 In the LORD have I taken refuge; *
how then can you say to me,
“Fly away like a bird to the hilltop;
2 For see how the wicked bend the bow
and fit their arrows to the string, *
to shoot from ambush at the true of heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, *
what can the righteous do?”
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; *
the LORD’S throne is in heaven.
5 His eyes behold the inhabited world; *
his piercing eye weighs our worth.
6 The LORD weighs the righteous as well as the wicked, *
but those who delight in violence he abhors.
7 Upon the wicked he shall rain coals of fire and
burning sulphur; *
a scorching wind shall be their lot.
8 For the LORD is righteous;
he delights in righteous deeds; *
and the just shall see his face.
PRAYER
God Most High,
in Jesus Christ you rule the world with righteousness
and judge the nations with equity.
Cast down the haughty and lift up the lowly.
Make us compassionate to the needy
that we may be close to Jesus Christ,
our servant Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Proverbs 1:1-7
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
For learning about wisdom and instruction,
for understanding words of insight,
for gaining instruction in wise dealing,
righteousness, justice, and equity;
to teach shrewdness to the simple,
knowledge and prudence to the young—
let the wise also hear and gain in learning,
and the discerning acquire skill,
to understand a proverb and a figure,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
HYMN: Brian Wren ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/2p97hz2r
1 Bring many names, beautiful and good,
celebrate, in parable and story,
holiness in glory, living, loving God.
Hail and Hosanna! Bring many names!
2 Strong mother God, working night and day,
planning all the wonders of creation,
setting each equation genius at play:
Hail and Hosanna, strong mother God!
3 Warm father God, hugging every child,
feeling all the strains of human living,
caring and forgiving till we’re reconciled:
Hail and Hosanna, warm father God!
4 Old, aching God, gray with endless care,
calmly piercing evil’s new disguises,
glad of good surprises, wiser than despair:
Hail and Hosanna, old, aching God!
5 Young, growing God, eager, on the move,
saying no to falsehood and unkindness,
crying out for justice, giving all you have:
Hail and Hosanna, young, growing God!
6 Great, living God, never fully known,
joyful darkness far beyond our seeing,
closer yet than breathing, everlasting home:
Hail and Hosanna, great, living God!
Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said,
‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.’
(When it says, ‘He ascended’, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Boylston https://tinyurl.com/2p9fw7j4
1 A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
2 To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill;
Oh, may it all my pow’rs engage
To do my Master’s will!
3 Arm me with watchful care
As in Thy sight to live,
And now Thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!
4 Help me to watch and pray,
And still on Thee rely,
Oh, let me not my trust betray,
But press to realms on high.
Reading: Luke 2:25-35
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
CANTICLE Philippians 2:6-11
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/y8ljx8y7)
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
THE PRAYERS Joe Milner
For the Church: that, through our words and deeds, we may be a Light to those who are searching for direction and a sign of hope for those seeking to begin again
For a deeper awareness of the signs along our spiritual journey: that we learn from the people and experiences in our lives how to recognize God’s presence and invitations
For God’s blessing on the New Year: that God will fill the coming days with health of body, mind, and spirit; renew the gifts of the Spirit within us, and inspire us with new ways to share the Good News with others
For greater trust: that God’s Light may guide us through the unknown of the coming days as we rely more deeply on God’s love and care for us
For a great utilization of our gifts and talents: that like the magi, we may offer all our gifts to God and use them in the service of God’s reign
For a spirit of wonder: that our hearts may be filled with joy as we recognize God’s many gifts to us in our faith, our relationships, and our opportunities
For catechumens and candidates: that their search for Christ and a Christian Community may lead them to an ever-deepening experience of Emmanuel
For a renewal of prayer in our lives: that we may make time for God each day of this year and be attentive to God’s invitations and promptings in our hearts
For greater unity and cooperation within the human family: that God will heal the wounds of racial bias, open hearts to the talents of every person, and help us work together against violence, drug abuse, and poverty
For all recovering from natural disasters: that God will guide them through the challenges that they face, renew their spirits, and open the hearts of many to assist and encourage them
For those bound by fear: that God will free their spirits, help them to trust God’s providence, and open a vision of the future for them
For members of the administration and Congress: that God will give them a clear understanding of the issues before them and wisdom to effectively address them for the common good
For the people of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and all the Holy Land: that God will ease their burdens, open opportunities, and establish justice for them
For all who are ill: that God restore the sick, protect the human family from the Covid virus, and give strength to all healthcare workers
For all who have died: that the Light of God’s love may lead them into the joy of God’s presence forever
(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.
We bless you, Abba, Father,
for you have visited your people
in one like us in all things but sin,
and in human fragility you have revealed
the face of divinity.
Gather into your arms
all the peoples of the world,
so that in your embrace
we may find blessing, peace,
and the fullness of our inheritance
as your daughters and sons. 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
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
The intercessions are by Joe Milner http://liturgy.slu.edu
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
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 reading from John is © 2012 Common English Bible.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 9-10 is from The Grail Psalter and is from the Manual Hopper YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7dFvm3xGcnay-IeuplWww. Psalm 11 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel.
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 © 2022 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.