Oremus for Saturday, May 21, 2022

We will ring out our joy at your saving help
and exult in the name of our God. Psalm 20

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: John Bunyan
Tune: Monk’s Gate https://tinyurl.com/2tu4pac4

1 Who would true valour see,
let him come hither;
one here will constant be,
come wind, come weather;
there’s no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.

2 Whoso beset him round
with dismal stories,
do but themselves confound,
his strength the more is.
No lion can him fright:
he’ll with a giant fight,
but he will have the right
to be a pilgrim.

3 Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
can daunt his spirit;
he knows he at the end
shall life inherit.
Then, fancies, fly away;
he’ll not fear what men say;
he’ll labour night and day
to be a pilgrim.

PSALMS

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.

Psalm 105 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-105-KH.mp3)
O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.

O sing to him, sing praise, and of his wonders speak;
shine in his holy name, all hearts who seek the LORD.
Seek him and his strength, his face continually.
Remember all his signs, and judgments of his mouth

His servant, Abra-am’s seed, his chosen Jacob’s sons,
he is the LORD our God; he rules though all the earth.
Remembering his word, unto the thousandth age,
his covenant with Abram, the oath to Isaac made.

O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.

Confirmed his word to Jacob, his oath to Israel:
“I’ll give the land of Canaan, as your inheritance,”
When they were few in number, so few, and strangers there.
They wandered land to land, one kingdom to and fro.

Permitting none to hurt them, reproving kings for them:
“Don’t touch whom I anoint, My prophets do not harm.”
He brought their land a famine; he broke their staff of bread.
Then sent a man before them, had Joseph sold a slave.

They bound his feet with fetters, when he was laid in irons;
until his word came true, the LORD’s word tested him.
The king then set him free, the one who ruled the world.
Made him lord of his house, to manage all he owned

O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.

To jail his chiefs at will, to make his elders wise.
Then Israel came to Egypt; and Jacob unto Ham.
He made his people fruitful, made stronger than their foes.
Hearts turned to hate his tribes, conspiring against them.

He sent his servant, Moses, and Aaron, whom he chose.
Performing signs for them, throughout the land of Ham.
Sent darkness to make dark, refusing not his word.
Turned water into blood, and caused their fish to die.

Their land was filled with frogs, their royal chambers too.
he spoke a swarm of flies, and gnats through all the land
Gave hail instead of rain, their land a blazing fire.
Struck down their vines and figs, broke trees through all the land

He spoke and locusts came, their young were beyond count,
Devouring all the land, the fruit of all their soil.
Their firstborn he struck down, first fruits of all their strength.
Led out with gold and silver, his tribes had none who fell.

O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.

Once gone Egypt was glad, they were in dread of them.
he spread a cloud to hide, a fire to shine by night.
When asked, he brought forth quail, filled with the bread of heav’n.
Split rock so water flowed; in deserts like a stream.

Recalled his holy word, to Abraham his servant;
he led them out with joy, his chosen with glad shouts.
He gave the nation’s lands, the fruit of others’ toil,
So they might keep his words, and laws, Alleluia!

O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations. (x3)

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: Leviticus 23:23-44

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts. You shall not work at your occupations; and you shall present the Lord’s offering by fire.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Now, the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you: you shall deny yourselves and present the Lord’s offering by fire; and you shall do no work during that entire day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. For anyone who does not practise self-denial during that entire day shall be cut off from the people. And anyone who does any work during that entire day, such a one I will destroy from the midst of the people. You shall do no work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your settlements. It shall be to you a sabbath of complete rest, and you shall deny yourselves; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your sabbath.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, and lasting seven days, there shall be the festival of booths to the Lord. The first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. For seven days you shall present the Lord’s offerings by fire; on the eighth day you shall observe a holy convocation and present the Lord’s offerings by fire; it is a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations.

These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall celebrate as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord offerings by fire—burnt-offerings and grain-offerings, sacrifices and drink-offerings, each on its proper day— apart from the sabbaths of the Lord, and apart from your gifts, and apart from all your votive offerings, and apart from all your freewill-offerings, which you give to the Lord.

Now, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the festival of the Lord, lasting seven days; a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. On the first day you shall take the fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a festival to the Lord seven days in the year; you shall keep it in the seventh month as a statute for ever throughout your generations. You shall live in booths for seven days; all that are citizens in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed festivals of the Lord.

HYMN: Henry Alford
Tune: St George’s Windsor https://tinyurl.com/5n6j72nc

1 Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

2 All the world is God’s own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

3 For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

Reading: Ephesians 6:10-24

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts.

Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

HYMN: Irish; trans. Mary E. Byrne; versified by: Eleanor H. Hull
Tune: Slane https://tinyurl.com/hp56dr9t

1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

2 Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

3 Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might;
be thou my soul’s shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.

4 Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

5 High King of heaven, thou heaven’s bright Sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

Reading: Luke 9:46-50

An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.’

John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.’

CANTICLE Luke 1:46-55
(Brian Moss: https://tinyurl.com/339zmc65)

Who am I to receive this gift?
A child of heaven and earth
How can I give him my kiss?
I have been blessed and I give praise
To him whose song is age to age

Sing out my soul, sing out my soul
I will rejoice in you, my God, the Mighty One
Sing out my soul, sing out my soul
All glory be to you, Immanuel, the Son of Man

Kings will bow to the least of these
The humble lift – ed up
The poor are filled with good things
Mercy extends to those who fear
The Lord, our God, drawing us near

Sing out my soul, sing out my soul
I will rejoice in you, my God, the Mighty One
Sing out my soul, sing out my soul
All glory be to you, Immanuel, the Son of God

Holy is his name. Holy, holy, holy is his name.
Holy is his name. Holy, holy, holy is his name.
Holy is his name.

Sing out my soul, sing out my soul
I will rejoice in you, my God, the Mighty One
Sing out my soul, sing out my soul
All glory be to you, Immanuel, the Son
All glory be to you, Immanuel, the Son of God with us

THE PRAYERS ^BCW18

Almighty God,
who taught us to pray not only for ourselves
but for people everywhere,
hear us as we in the name of Jesus Christ.

For the leaders of the world,
that they may put aside their differences
and seek the peace of Christ, we pray:
Have mercy on us.

For the Church,
that we serve one another with a humility
which sets aside hierarchies of power, we pray:
Have mercy on us.

Release us from the curse of stigma
and labels that cast out the unacceptable, we pray:
Have mercy on us.

That we may long for the day
when all may feast at the table of our Lord,
when no one will be an outsider,
and all will be loved, we pray:
Have mercy on us

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, our teacher and guide,
you draw us to yourself
and welcome us a beloved children.
Help us to lay aside our envy and selfish ambition,
that we may walk in your ways of wisdom and understanding
as servant of your peace. Amen. ^RCLP

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.

^BCW18 The intercession is adapted from Book of Common Worship (2018), Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

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).

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.

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