Reformation Day
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/tebu693h
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer;
my God is my saving strength. Psalm 18
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: Martin Luther; trans. Frederick Hedge
Tune: Ein feste Burg https://tinyurl.com/bpaa3rtn
1 A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
2 Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.
3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
4 That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!
PSALMS
Psalm 147 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w8ysftd)
1 Praise the Lord, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God *
yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.
2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem *
and gather together the out-casts of Israel.
3 He healeth those that are broken in heart *
and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.
4 He telleth the number of the stars *
and calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and great is his power *
yea, and his wisdom is infinite.
6 The Lord setteth up the meek *
and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground.
7 O sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving *
sing praises upon the harp unto our God;
8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds,
and prepareth rain for the earth *
and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains,
and herb for the use of men;
9 Who giveth fodder unto the cattle *
and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him.
10 He hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse *
neither delighteth he in any man’s legs.
11 But the Lord’s delight is in them that fear him *
and put their trust in his mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem *
praise thy God, O Sion.
13 For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates *
and hath blessed thy children within thee.
14 He maketh peace in thy borders *
and filleth thee with the flour of wheat.
15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth *
and his word runneth very swiftly.
16 He giveth snow like wool *
and scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.
17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels *
who is able to abide his frost?
18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them *
he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow.
19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob *
his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.
20 He hath not dealt so with any nation *
neither have the heathen knowledge of 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 148 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vjv42mh)
1 O praise the Lord of heaven *
praise him in the height.
2 Praise him, all ye angels of his *
praise him, all his host.
3 Praise him, sun and moon *
praise him, all ye stars and light.
4 Praise him, all ye heavens *
and ye waters that are above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the Name of the Lord *
for he spake the word, and they were made;
he commanded, and they were created.
6 He hath made them fast for ever and ever *
he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.
7 Praise the Lord upon earth *
ye dragons, and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and vapours *
wind and storm, fulfilling his word;
9 Mountains and all hills *
fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle *
worms and feathered fowls;
11 Kings of the earth and all people *
princes and all judges of the world;
12 Young men and maidens, old men and children,
praise the Name of the Lord *
for his Name only is excellent,
and his praise above heaven and earth.
13 He shall exalt the horn of his people;
all his saints shall praise him *
even the children of Israel,
even the people that serveth him.
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 149 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rpojt8q)
1 O sing unto the Lord a new song *
let the congregation of saints praise him.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him *
and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his Name in the dance *
let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4 For the Lord hath pleasure in his people *
and helpeth the meek-hearted.
5 Let the saints be joyful with glory *
let them rejoice in their beds.
6 Let the praises of God be in their mouth *
and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7 To be avenged of the heathen *
and to rebuke the people;
8 To bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles with links of iron.
9 That they may be avenged of them, as it is written *
Such honour have all his saints.
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 150 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vm5vf4z)
1 O praise God in his holiness *
praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him in his noble acts *
praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him in the sound of the trumpet *
praise him upon the lute and harp.
4 Praise him in the cymbals and dances *
praise him upon the strings and pipe.
5 Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals *
praise him upon the loud cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath *
praise the Lord.
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 147 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-147-Lukan.mp3)
Ant. Sing to our God with thanksgiving;*
Zion, praise your God!*
1 Alleluia! How good it is to praise our God!*
How pleasant and how fitting to sing God’s praise!
2 ADONAI rebuilds Jerusalem and gathers Israel’s exiles.*
3 God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
4 God knows the number of the stars*
and calls each one by name.
5 Great is ADONAI, and mighty in power;*
there is no limit to God’s wisdom.
6 ADONAI lifts up the oppressed,*
and casts the corrupt to the ground.
7 Sing to our God with thanksgiving;*
sing praise with the harp to our God –
8 who covers the heavens with clouds, who provides rain for the earth,*
who makes grass sprout on the mountains
and herbs for the service of the people,
9 who gives food to the cattle,*
and to the young ravens when they cry.
10 God does not thrill to the strength of the horse,*
or revel in the fleetness of humans.
11 ADONAI delights in those who worship with reverence,*
and put their hope in God’s steadfast love.
12 Jerusalem, give glory to ADONAI!*
Zion, praise your God!
13 For God strengthens the bars of your gates,*
and blesses your children within you.
14 God has granted peace within your borders,*
and fills you with the finest wheat.
15 God sends forth a command to the earth – swiftly runs the word!*
16 God spreads snow like wool and scatters frost like ashes.
17 God hurls hail like pebbles –*
who can stand before God’s freezing winds?
18 Then God sends a word and melts them;*
God lets the breeze blow and the waters run again.
19 God’s words have been revealed to the chosen people,*
God’s decrees and laws to Israel.
20 God has not done this with any other nation;*
they do not know God’s law. Alleluia!
Glory to you, O Trinity, most holy and blessed;*
One God, now and forever. Amen.
Ant. Sing to our God with thanksgiving;*
Zion, praise your God!
Psalm 148
(Temple tone: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-148-Victor.mp3)
1 Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host.
3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, shining stars.
4 Praise him, highest heavens
and the waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord.
He commanded: they were made.
6 He fixed them for ever,
gave a law which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea creatures and all oceans,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy winds that obey his word;
9 all mountains and hills,
all fruit trees and cedars,
10 beasts, wild and tame,
reptiles and birds on the wing;
11 all earth’s kings and peoples,
earth’s princes and rulers,
12 young men and maidens,
the old men together with children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendor of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth.
14 He exalts the strength of his people.
He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel,
of the people to whom he comes close.
Psalm 149 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-149.mp3)
1 Hallelujah!
Sing to the LORD a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
2 Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his Name in the dance; *
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people *
and adorns the poor with victory.
5 Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *
let them be joyful on their beds.
6 Let the praises of God be in their throat *
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
7 To wreak vengeance on the nations *
and punishment on the peoples;
8 To bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles with links of iron;
9 To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 150 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-150-KH.mp3)
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
Praise him in his mighty firmament!
Praise him for his awesome deeds;
Praise him with exceeding greatness!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise him with trumpet sound;
Praise him with harp and lute!
Praise him with timbrel and dance;
Praise him with strings and pipe!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
Praise him with crashing cymbals!
Let everything that breathes,
Praise the LORD!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Blessed are those who put their trust in you, O God,
our sure rock and refuge.
Guard us from giving to any other
the allegiance which belongs only to you.
Shine upon us with the brightness of your light,
that we may love you with a pure heart
and praise you forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-11
The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see wrongdoing
and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law becomes slack,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous;
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
Look at the nations and see!
Be astonished! Be astounded!
For a work is being done in your days
that you would not believe if you were told.
For I am rousing the Chaldeans,
that fierce and impetuous nation,
who march through the breadth of the earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
Dread and fearsome are they;
their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
more menacing than wolves at dusk;
their horses charge.
Their horsemen come from far away;
they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
They all come for violence,
with faces pressing forward;
they gather captives like sand.
At kings they scoff,
and of rulers they make sport.
They laugh at every fortress
and heap up earth to take it.
Then they sweep by like the wind;
they transgress and become guilty;
their own might is their god!
HYMN: Ausbund, 1583; adapt. Harris J Loeven ©, adapt. Ross Hauck ©, adapt.
Tune: Mit Freuden Zart https://tinyurl.com/mr8uf526
1 The word of God is solid ground,
our constant firm confession,
no source of freedom more profound,
no purer a profession.
This strength is ours: his word of pow’r
shall we employ to sing our joy,
this world our witness bringing.
2 What powers can our faith constrain?
What ironclad restrictions?
No self-deceiving rule can chain
our conscience and convictions.
Our God alone is on the throne,
Our lives obey God’s higher way;
our love God’s law fulfilling.
3 What God-word brings, may we embrace;
success and suff’ring greet us;
confronting evil face to face,
as scorn and anger meet us.
For freedom’s sake we bend, we break,
his love endures; our hope is sure.
Christ is our sure foundation.
Reading: Hebrews 12:14-29
Pursue peace with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and through it many become defiled. See to it that no one becomes an immoral and godless person, as Esau was, who sold his birthright for a single meal. You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears.
You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking, for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
HYMN: John Newton
Tune: Austria https://tinyurl.com/2te6e6jh
1 Glorious things of you are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed you for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake your sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
you may smile at all your foes.
2 See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply your sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river
ever will their thirst assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
3 Round each habitation hov’ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov’ring,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them on their way.
4 Savior, since of Zion’s city
I thro’ grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in your name.
Fading are the world’s vain pleasures,
all their boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion’s children know.
Reading: Matthew 16:21-28
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
CANTICLE Isaiah 9; Isaiah 40:1-9; 1 John 1
(Dan Schutte: https://tinyurl.com/ybrvb259)
Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep!
A new day is dawning for all those who weep
The people in darkness have seen a great light
The Lord of our longing has conquered the night
Refrain:
Let us build the city of God
May our tears be turned into dancing!
For the Lord, our light and our love
Has turned the night into day!
We are sons of the morning; we are daughters of day
The One who has loved us has brightened our way. Refrain
God is light; in him there is no darkness
Let us walk in his light, his children, one and all. Refrain
O comfort my people; make gentle your words
Proclaim to my city the day of her birth. Refrain
THE PRAYERS BCW
God of glory, we praise you for your presence in our lives, and for all goodness
that you shower upon your children in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for
promises kept and hope for tomorrow . . .
the enjoyment of friends . . .
the wonders of your creation . . .
the love from our parents, our sisters and brothers, our spouses and children . . .
the pleasures of living. . . .
God of grace, we are one with all your children, for we are sisters and brothers
of Jesus Christ, and we offer our prayers for all whom we love.
Especially we pray for
those we too often forget . . .
people who have lost hope . . .
victims of tragedy and disaster . . .
those who suffer mental anguish . . .
ecumenical councils and church agencies. . . .
(Traditional chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydzx5jdp)
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.]
Heavenly Father,
you have set your Son Jesus Christ as head of the Church
and your Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.
We give you thanks for all who have reformed your church in ages past,
and we pray that you would so guide us
that we may be continually reformed according to your Word,
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
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.
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 147 is from The Lukan Psalter, Order of St Luke and the chant is from the Lyrical Levites YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC91Z14N9hR9n4Xooq25-Czg/featured). Psalm 148 is from The Grail Psalter and the chant is from the Victor and the Psalter YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkcvDyQp5xxU50I2JN5NgPQ/featured). Psalm 149 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is chanted by Ryland Angel. Psalm 150 is 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.
Oremus 