Oremus for Saturday, July 9, 2022

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/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: Nicolas von Zinzendorf; trans. Walter Klaassen
Tune: O du Liebe meiner Liebe https://tinyurl.com/y9x8snw4

1 Heart with loving heart united,
met to know God’s holy will.
Let his love in us ignited
more and more our spirits fill.
He the Head, we are his members;
we reflect the light he is.
He the Master, we disciples,
he is ours and we are his.

2 May we all so love each other
and all selfish claims deny,
so that each one for the other
will not hesitate to die.
Even so our Lord has loved us;
for our lives he gave his life.
Still he grieves and still he suffers,
for our selfishness and strife.

3 Since, O Lord, you have demanded
that our lives your love should show
so we wait to be commanded
forth into your world to go.
Kindle is us love’s compassion
so that ev’ryone may see
in our faith and hope the promise
of a new humanity.

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 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 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 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 (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 (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: Amos 2:12-3:8

But you made the nazirites drink wine,
   and commanded the prophets,
   saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’

So, I will press you down in your place,
   just as a cart presses down
   when it is full of sheaves.
Flight shall perish from the swift,
   and the strong shall not retain their strength,
   nor shall the mighty save their lives;
those who handle the bow shall not stand,
   and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves,
   nor shall those who ride horses save their lives;
and those who are stout of heart among the mighty
   shall flee away naked on that day, says the Lord.

Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
You only have I known
   of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
   for all your iniquities.

Do two walk together
   unless they have made an appointment?
Does a lion roar in the forest,
   when it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den,
   if it has caught nothing?
Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth,
   when there is no trap for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground,
   when it has taken nothing?
Is a trumpet blown in a city,
   and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster befall a city,
   unless the Lord has done it?
Surely the Lord God does nothing,
   without revealing his secret
   to his servants the prophets.
The lion has roared;
   who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken;
   who can but prophesy?

HYMN: Luke 1:46-55; para. Timothy Dudley-Smith ©
Tune: Woodlands https://tinyurl.com/ykte4vz3

1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his Word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.

2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One.

3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his Word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and forevermore!

Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:1-13

This is the third time I am coming to you. ‘Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.’ I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again, I will not be lenient— since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to pass the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed. But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong—not that we may appear to have passed the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may become perfect. So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come, I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

HYMN: Doris Akers ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/s485vyce

1 There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,
and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord;
there are sweet expressions on each face,
and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.

Refrain:
Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove,
stay right here with us, filling us with your love;
and for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived
when we shall leave this place.

2 There are blessings you cannot receive
till you know him in his fullness and believe;
you’re the one to profit when you say,
“I am going to walk with Jesus all the way.” [Refrain]

Reading: John 13:33-38

Jesus said, “Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’

“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow me now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I’ll give up my life for you.” Jesus replied, “Will you give up your life for me? I assure you that you will deny me three times before the rooster crows.”

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 ^BCW

Merciful God, we praise you that you give strength for every weakness, forgiveness
for our failures, and new beginnings in Jesus Christ.
Especially we thank you for
the guidance of your spirit through this day . . .
signs of new life and hope . . .
people who have helped us . . .
those who struggle for justice . . .
expressions of love unexpected or undeserved. . . .

Almighty God, you know all needs before we speak our prayers, yet you welcome
our concerns for others in Jesus Christ. Especially we pray for
those who keep watch over the sick and dying . . .
those who weep with the grieving . . .
those who are without faith and cannot accept your love . . .
the aged who are lonely, distressed or weak . . .
Reformed, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches. . . .

(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.

Alpha and Omega, First and Last,
glory outshining all the lights of heaven:
pour out upon us your Spirit
of faithful love and abundant compassion,
so that we may rejoice in the splendor of your works
while we wait in expectation
for the new heaven and the new earth you promise
when Christ shall come again. Amen. ^RCLP

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.

^PIC Prayers for An Inclusive Church. Steven Shakespeare © 2008 Canterbury Press.

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 © 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.