Oremus for Saturday, October 22, 2022

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/47cpxayd

Come to me, all who labor and are burdened,
and I will refresh you, says the Lord. Matthew 11

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: Thomas Dorsey ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/2mncbxr6

1 Precious Lord, take my hand,
lead me on, help me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord;
lead me home.

2 When my way grows drear,
precious Lord, linger near,
when my life is almost gone,
hear my cry, hear my call,
hold my hand lest I fall.
Take my hand, precious Lord;
lead me home.

3 When the darkness appears
and the night draws near
and the day is almost gone,
at the river I stand,
guide my feet, hold my hand.
Take my hand, precious Lord;
lead me home.

PSALMS

Psalm 108 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9us7zs5)
1  O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready *
 I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have.
2  Awake, thou lute, and harp *
 I myself will awake right early.
3  I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people *
 I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
4  For thy mercy is greater than the heavens *
 and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
5  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
 and thy glory above all the earth.
6  That thy beloved may be delivered *
 let thy right hand save them, and hear thou me.
7  God hath spoken in his holiness *
 I will rejoice therefore, and divide Sichem,
and mete out the valley of Succoth.
8  Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine *
 Ephraim also is the strength of my head.
9  Judah is my law-giver, Moab is my wash-pot *
 over Edom will I cast out my shoe; upon Philistia will I triumph.
10  Who will lead me into the strong city *
 and who will bring me into Edom?
11  Hast not thou forsaken us, O God *
 and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12  O help us against the enemy *
 for vain is the help of man.
13  Through God we shall do great acts *
 and it is he that shall tread down our enemies.
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 109 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9dslk3v)
1  Hold not thy tongue, O God of my praise *
 for the mouth of the ungodly, yea,
the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.
2  And they have spoken against me with false tongues *
 they compassed me about also with words of hatred,
and fought against me without a cause.
3  For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part *
 but I give myself unto prayer.
4  Thus have they rewarded me evil for good *
 and hatred for my good will.
5  Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him *
 and let Satan stand at his right hand.
6  When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned *
 and let his prayer be turned into sin.
7  Let his days be few *
 and let another take his office.
8  Let his children be fatherless *
 and his wife a widow.
9  Let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread *
 let them seek it also out of desolate places.
10  Let the extortioner consume all that he hath *
 and let the stranger spoil his labour.
11  Let there be no man to pity him *
 nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children.
12  Let his posterity be destroyed *
 and in the next generation let his name be clean put out.
13  Let the wickedness of his fathers be had
in remembrance in the sight of the Lord *
 and let not the sin of his mother be done away.
14  Let them alway be before the Lord *
 that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth;
15  And that, because his mind was not to do good *
 but persecuted the poor helpless man,
that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart.
16  His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him *
 he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him.
17  He clothed himself with cursing, like as with a raiment *
 and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
18  Let it be unto him as the cloke that he hath upon him *
 and as the girdle that he is alway girded withal.
19  Let it thus happen from the Lord unto mine enemies *
 and to those that speak evil against my soul.
20  But deal thou with me, O Lord God, according unto thy Name *
 for sweet is thy mercy.
21  O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor *
 and my heart is wounded within me.
22  I go hence like the shadow that departeth *
 and am driven away as the grasshopper.
23  My knees are weak through fasting *
 my flesh is dried up for want of fatness.
24  I became also a reproach unto them *
 they that looked upon me shaked their heads.
25  Help me, O Lord my God *
 O save me according to thy mercy;
26  And they shall know, how that this is thy hand *
 and that thou, Lord, hast done it.
27  Though they curse, yet bless thou *
 and let them be confounded that rise up against me;
but let thy servant rejoice.
28  Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame *
 and let them cover themselves with their own confusion,
as with a cloke.
29  As for me, I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth *
 and praise him among the multitude;
30  For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor *
 to save his soul from unrighteous judges.
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 108 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-108-KH.mp3)
My heart is ready, O God;
I will sing, sing praises with my glory.
Awake, awake, both harp and lyre;
I will awaken the dawn!

I’ll give thanks to you, O LORD, among the people,
and sing praises to you among the nations.
For your love is great above the heavens,
and your faithfulness unto the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and your glory above all the earth.
Let the one whom you love be delivered;
O save him by your right hand, and give answer.

Our God has spoken in his holiness:
“I’ll rejoice, and Shechem I will portion out
I will measure out Succoth’s Valley:
Gilead and Manasseh are mine.

Also Ephraim is the helmet of my head;
Judah’s my scepter, and Moab is my washbowl;
Over Edom I will throw my shoe;
o’er Philistia I will shout aloud.”

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and your glory above all the earth.
Let the one whom you love be delivered;
O save him by your right hand, and give answer.

Who will bring me into a walled-in city?
And who will lead me into Edom?
Have you not, O God, rejected us?
Will you not lead our armies, O God?

Give us help against our oppressor,
for deliverance by man is in vain.
Through God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and your glory above all the earth.
Let the one whom you love be delivered;
O save him by your right hand, and give answer.
O save him by your right hand,
please save him by your right hand, and give answer.

Psalm 109 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-109-KH.mp3)
The LORD is at the right hand of the poor,
to save him from the ones who judge his soul

O God of my praise, please do not be silent,
because the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit,
have opened up to speak against me,
with lying tongues and hateful words.

They have encompassed me round about,
they fight against me for no reason.
and for my love they accuse me,
and yet I am in prayer for them!

Repaying me with evil for my good,
and hatred in return for my love.

The LORD is at the right hand of the poor,
to save him from the ones who judge his soul

You set over him an evil one,
an accuser to stand at his right hand.
So he’ll come out guilty when he is judged,
his prayer is made an offense.

His days are few, another takes his office;
his sons are fatherless, his wife a widow.
His sons always roaming and begging,
and they will ever seek in barren places.

A creditor shall plunder all that he owns,
and strangers shall plunder all he worked for.
He’ll have not a one extending kindness,
nor any showing favor to his orphans.

The LORD is at the right hand of the poor,
to save him from the ones who judge his soul

For his posterity shall be cut off,
his name be erased in coming ages.
His fathers’ sins remembered by the LORD,
his mothers’ sins are not erased.

They are before the LORD continually,
so he will cut them off from earth’s memory.
For he did not remember to show kindness,
and he pursued the poor and the needy,

And those discouraged within their heart,
he sought them out so as to slay them.
He loves to curse and so it comes to him;
he hates to bless and so it is far from him.

The LORD is at the right hand of the poor,
to save him from the ones who judge his soul

For cursing he wears like a robe,
like water in his innards, oil within his bones.
His clothing with which he hides himself,
the belt with which he always binds himself.

The wage of my accusers from the LORD,
of those who speak against my soul for harm.
O LORD my Lord, deal kindly for your name’s sake;
your love is great, so please deliver me.

For I am poor and needy,
my heart has been pierced within me.
Departing as a shadow when it stretches out,
I have been swept away like a locust.

The LORD is at the right hand of the poor,
to save him from the ones who judge his soul

My knees become feeble from my fasting;
my flesh has been denied of its fatness.
I have become to them as a reproach;
and when they look at me they shake their head.

Please help me, O LORD my God;
and save me, according to your love.
O LORD, may they know it is from your hand;
that you are the one who has done this.

So let them curse while you bless;
they’ll rise to shame while Your servant sings.
My accusers put on shame and are covered,
their shame has become their robe.

I thank the LORD greatly with my mouth,
and in the midst of many I will praise Him,
The LORD is at the right hand of the poor,
to save him from the ones who judge his soul

PRAYER

O God,
your love is wider than all the universe
and your mercy greater than the heights of heaven.
When we are tempted to break faith with you,
put a new song of love on our lips,
that we may sing your praises to all nations on earth,
through your Son, our only hope and defense. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Daniel 6:16-28

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and hurled him into the pit of lions. The king said to Daniel: “Your God—the one you serve so consistently—will rescue you.” 

A single stone was brought and placed over the entrance to the pit. The king sealed it with his own ring and with those of his princes so that Daniel’s situation couldn’t be changed. The king then went home to his palace and fasted through the night. No pleasures were brought to him, and he couldn’t sleep. At dawn, at the first sign of light, the king rose and rushed to the lions’ pit.

As he approached it, he called out to Daniel, worried: “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God—the one you serve so consistently—able to rescue you from the lions?”

Then Daniel answered the king: “Long live the king! My God sent his messenger, who shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t touched me because I was judged innocent before my God. I haven’t done anything wrong to you either, Your Majesty.”

The king was thrilled. He commanded that Daniel be brought up out of the pit, and Daniel was lifted out. Not a scratch was found on him, because he trusted in his God. The king then ordered that the men who had accused Daniel be brought and thrown into the lions’ pit—including their wives and children. They hadn’t even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them, crushing all their bones.

Then King Darius wrote the following decree:

And so Daniel was made prosperous during the rule of Darius and during the rule of Cyrus the Persian.

HYMN: Philip P. Bliss 
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/bdeetz34

1 Standing by a purpose true,
Heeding God’s command,
Honor them, the faithful few!
All hail to Daniel’s Band!

Refrain:
Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!

2 Many mighty men are lost,
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel’s Band. (Refrain)

3 Many giants, great and tall,
Stalking thro’ the land,
Headlong to the earth would fall,
If met by Daniel’s Band. (Refrain)

4 Hold the gospel banner high;
On to vict’ry grand!
Satan and his host defy,
And shout for Daniel’s Band. (Refrain)

Reading: Hebrews 10:11-25

Every priest stands every day serving and offering the same sacrifices over and over, sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when this priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right side of God. Since then, he’s waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for his feet, because he perfected the people who are being made holy with one offering for all time.

The Holy Spirit affirms this when saying,

When there is forgiveness for these things, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Brothers and sisters, we have confidence that we can enter the holy of holies by means of Jesus’ blood, through a new and living way that he opened up for us through the curtain, which is his body, and we have a great high priest over God’s house.

Therefore, let’s draw near with a genuine heart with the certainty that our faith gives us, since our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies are washed with pure water.

Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable.

And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds. Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.

HYMN: Fanny Crosby
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/ye9bx7p9

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love. [Refrain]

Reading: Matthew 14:22-36

Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds. When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone. Meanwhile, the boat, fighting a strong headwind, was being battered by the waves and was already far away from land. Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” They were so frightened they screamed.

Just then Jesus spoke to them, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s you, order me to come to you on the water.” And Jesus said, “Come.” Then Peter got out of the boat and was walking on the water toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the strong wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, “Lord, rescue me!” Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, saying, “You man of weak faith! Why did you begin to have doubts?” When they got into the boat, the wind settled down. Then those in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, “You must be God’s Son!”

When they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. When the people who lived in that place recognized him, they sent word throughout that whole region, and they brought to him everyone who was sick. Then they begged him that they might just touch the edge of his clothes. Everyone who touched him was cured.

CANTICLE Jonah 2:2-9
(Patrick Schlabs: https://tinyurl.com/yy9zwfv6)

You cast me out into the deep
And there your floods surround
I sank beneath the raging sea
As billows crashed around
I was thrown out from your sight
And I was driven away
I know I will see with my eyes
Again your holy place
Refrain:
I called to God in my distress
He has heard my voice
I cried to him out of the depths
He answered my call, he answered my call

The waters closed in over me
They came to bring me death
I was covered up by the deep
Weeds choked out my breath
I sank down to the mountain roots
The earth had locked me in
Just as the grave sealed up its gates
You saved me from the pit Refrain

As my life fainted away
I remembered you my God
All those who hope in idols vain
Forsake their hope of loveI called to God in my distress
He has heard my voice
I cried to him out of the depths
He answered my call

So with my voice I will give thanks
A sacrifice to you
What I have vowed I now will pay
Salvation comes from you
Salvation comes from you
Salvation comes from you

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

Eternal God, we praise you for your mighty love given in Christ’s sacrifice on the
cross, and the new life we have received by his resurrection.
Especially we thank you for
the presence of Christ in our weakness and suffering . . .
the ministry of Word and Sacrament . . .
all who work to help and heal . . .
sacrifices made for our benefit . . .
opportunities for our generous giving. . . .

God of grace, let our concern for others reflect Christ’s self-giving love, not only
in our prayers, but also in our practice.
Especially we pray for
those subjected to tyranny and oppression . . .
wounded and injured people . . .
those who face death . . .
those who may be our enemies . . .
the church in Latin America. . . .

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.

Lord of living waters
you save us from the flood
of violence and despair:
reach out to us
when faith is weak,
when we are going under
and make us unafraid
to walk with you;
through Jesus Christ, in whom we are raised. 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.

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

The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of Psalms 108 and 109 are in the version sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html.

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.