Oremus for Sunday, November 20, 2022

Antiphon¹

Ant. The Lord will sit on his royal throne for ever;
the Lord will bless his people in peace.
V. Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly powers, *
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; *
bow down before the Lord, majestic in holiness. Psalm 29

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 Kelly
Tune: St Magnus https://tinyurl.com/4ppektup

1 The head that once was crowned with thorns
is crowned with glory now;
a royal diadem adorns
the mighty Victor’s brow.

2 The highest place that heav’n affords
is his, is his by right,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
and heav’n’s eternal Light:

3 The joy of all who dwell above,
the joy of all below,
to whom he manifests his love,
and grants his name to know.

4 To them the cross, with all its shame,
with all its grace, is giv’n;
their name an everlasting name,
their joy the joy of heav’n.

5 They suffer with the Lord below,
they reign with him above;
their profit and their joy to know
the myst’ry of his love.

6 The cross he bore is life and health,
though shame and death to him;
his people’s hope, his people’s wealth,
their everlasting theme.

PSALMS

Psalm 102 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tru8yxv)
1  Hear my prayer, O Lord *
 and let my crying come unto thee.
2  Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble *
 incline thine ear unto me when I call; O hear me, and that right soon.
3  For my days are consumed away like smoke *
 and my bones are burnt up as it were a fire-brand.
4  My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass *
 so that I forget to eat my bread.
5  For the voice of my groaning *
 my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh.
6  I am become like a pelican in the wilderness *
 and like an owl that is in the desert.
7  I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow *
 that sitteth alone upon the house-top.
8  Mine enemies revile me all the day long *
 and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me.
9  For I have eaten ashes as it were bread *
 and mingled my drink with weeping;
10  And that because of thine indignation and wrath *
 for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down.
11  My days are gone like a shadow *
 and I am withered like grass.
12  But, thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever *
 and thy remembrance throughout all generations.
13  Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion *
 for it is time that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come.
14  And why? thy servants think upon her stones *
 and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.
15  The heathen shall fear thy Name, O Lord *
 and all the kings of the earth thy Majesty;
16  When the Lord shall build up Sion *
 and when his glory shall appear;
17  When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute *
 and despiseth not their desire.
18  This shall be written for those that come after *
 and the people which shall be born shall praise the Lord.
19  For he hath looked down from his sanctuary *
 out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth;
20  That he might hear the mournings of such as are in captivity *
 and deliver the children appointed unto death;
21  That they may declare the Name of the Lord in Sion *
 and his worship at Jerusalem;
22  When the people are gathered together *
 and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.
23  He brought down my strength in my journey *
 and shortened my days.
24  But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age *
 as for thy years, they endure throughout all generations.
25  Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth *
 and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26  They shall perish, but thou shalt endure *
 they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
27  And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed *
 but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
28  The children of thy servants shall continue *
 and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.
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 103 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wclpdz5)
1  Praise the Lord, O my soul *
 and all that is within me praise his holy Name.
2  Praise the Lord, O my soul *
 and forget not all his benefits;
3  Who forgiveth all thy sin *
 and healeth all thine infirmities;
4  Who saveth thy life from destruction *
 and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness;
5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things *
 making thee young and lusty as an eagle.
6  The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement *
 for all them that are oppressed with wrong.
7  He shewed his ways unto Moses *
 his works unto the children of Israel.
8  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy *
 long-suffering, and of great goodness.
9  He will not alway be chiding *
 neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins *
 nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.
11  For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth *
 so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.
12  Look how wide also the east is from the west *
 so far hath he set our sins from us.
13  Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children *
 even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him.
14  For he knoweth whereof we are made *
 he remembereth that we are but dust.
15  The days of man are but as grass *
 for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.
16  For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone *
 and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17  But the merciful goodness of the Lord
endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him *
 and his righteousness upon children’s children;
18  Even upon such as keep his covenant *
 and think upon his commandments to do them.
19  The Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven *
 and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20  O praise the Lord, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength *
 ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his words.
21  O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts *
 ye servants of his that do his pleasure.
22  O speak good of the Lord, all ye works of his,
in all places of his dominion *
 praise thou the Lord, O my soul.
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 102 (LSB Tone I: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-102-LSB.mp3)
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;*
 let my cry come to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress!*
 Incline your ear to me;
 answer me speedily in the day when I call!
3 For my days pass away like smoke,*
 and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;*
 I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning*
 my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,*
 like an owl of the waste places;
7 I lie awake;*
 I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;*
 those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread*
 and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;*
 for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like an evening shadow;*
 I wither away like grass.
12 But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;*
 you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will arise and have pity on Zion;*
 it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear*
 and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the LORD,*
 and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the LORD builds up Zion;*
 he appears in his glory;
17 he regards the prayer of the destitute*
 and does not despise their prayer.
18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come,*
 so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
19 that he looked down from his holy height;*
 from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,*
 to set free those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,*
 and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when peoples gather together,*
 and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
23 He has broken my strength in midcourse;*
 he has shortened my days.
24 “O my God,” I say, “take me not away in the midst of my days—*
 you whose years endure throughout all generations!”
25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,*
 and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain;*
 they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe,
and they will pass away,*
27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure;*
 their offspring shall be established before you.
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.

Psalm 103 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-103.mp3)
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, *
and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, *
and forget not all his benefits.
3 He forgives all your sins *
and heals all your infirmities;
4 He redeems your life from the grave *
and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
5 He satisfies you with good things, *
and your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
6 The LORD executes righteousness *
and judgment for all who are oppressed.
7 He made his ways known to Moses *
and his works to the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
9 He will not always accuse us, *
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, *
so far has he removed our sins from us.
13 As a father cares for his children, *
so does the LORD care for those who fear him.
14 For he himself knows whereof we are made; *
he remembers that we are but dust.
15 Our days are like the grass; *
we flourish like a flower of the field;
16 When the wind goes over it, it is gone, *
and its place shall know it no more.
17 But the merciful goodness of the LORD endures for ever
 on those who fear him, *
and his righteousness on children’s children;
18 On those who keep his covenant *
and remember his commandments and do them.
19 The LORD has set his throne in heaven, *
and his kingship has dominion over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you angels of his,
you mighty ones who do his bidding, *
and hearken to the voice of his word.
21 Bless the LORD, all you his hosts, *
you ministers of his who do his will.
22 Bless the LORD, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion; *
bless the LORD, O my soul.

PRAYER

God our strong fortress,
do not desert us in old age.
Help us to follow your will
through all our years
and under all circumstances,
that forever we may praise your faithfulness;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6

Watch out, you shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, declares the Lord. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, proclaims about the shepherds who “tend to” my people: You are the ones who have scattered my flock and driven them away. You haven’t attended to their needs, so I will take revenge on you for the terrible things you have done to them, declares the Lord. I myself will gather the few remaining sheep from all the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. I will place over them shepherds who care for them. Then they will no longer be afraid or dread harm, nor will any be missing, declares the Lord.

The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous descendant from David’s line, and he will rule as a wise king. He will do what is just and right in the land. During his lifetime, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And his name will be The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

HYMN: Psalm 46; para. Scottish Psalter, 1650; alt.
Tune: Noel https://tinyurl.com/2p9xmcjt

1 God is our refuge and our strength,
our ever-present aid,
and therefore, though the earth be moved,
we will not be afraid
though hills into the seas be cast,
though foaming waters roar,
though all the mighty billows shake
the mountains on the shore.

2 A river flows whose streams make glad
the city of our God,
the holy place wherein the LORD
Most High has his abode.
Since God is in the midst of her,
unmoved her walls shall stand;
for God will hasten to her aid
when trouble is at hand.

3 The nations rage, the kingdoms move,
but when his voice is heard,
earth melts with trembling fear before
the thunder of his word.
The LORD of hosts is on our side,
our safety to secure;
the God of Jacob is for us
a refuge strong and sure.

4 O come and see what wondrous works
the hand of God has done;
come, see what desolation great
he brings beneath the sun.
In every corner of the earth
he causes wars to cease;
the weapons of the strong destroyed,
he makes abiding peace.

5 “Be still and know that I am God,
the LORD whom all must claim;
and every nation of the earth
shall magnify my name.”
The LORD of hosts is on our side,
our safety to secure;
the God of Jacob is for us
a refuge strong and sure.

Reading: Colossians 1:10-20

We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.

Reading: Luke 23:33-43

When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” They drew lots as a way of dividing up his clothing.

The people were standing around watching, but the leaders sneered at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he really is the Christ sent from God, the chosen one.”

The soldiers also mocked him. They came up to him, offering him sour wine and saying, “If you really are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” Above his head was a notice of the formal charge against him. It read “This is the king of the Jews.”

One of the criminals hanging next to Jesus insulted him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” Responding, the other criminal spoke harshly to him, “Don’t you fear God, seeing that you’ve also been sentenced to die? We are rightly condemned, for we are receiving the appropriate sentence for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “I assure you that today you will be with me in paradise.”

CANTICLE Exodus 15
(John Schiavone: https://tinyurl.com/ybknobsb)

Ant. I will sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him. Ant.

The Lord is a warrior, LORD is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea. Ant.

The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O Lord, has shattered the enemy. Ant.

You brought in the people you redeemed
and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O Lord,
the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands established.
The Lord shall reign forever and ever. Ant.

THE PRAYERS ^{Joe Milner}

For the Church: that we may cooperate in the ministry of Jesus in offering forgiveness and accepting suffering in being disciples each day

For the grace of forgiveness: that we may be moved to forgive all who have injured us and show concern and compassion for them

For greater integrity: that we may both speak and live the virtues that are planted deep within our hearts so that we may be authentic witnesses to God’s reign

For a transformation of our hearts: that through the Cross of Christ, our understandings of power, success, and glory may be changed and that we may place ourselves more fully in the service of God

For each of us: that we may live our lives fearlessly while recognizing that our goal is union with Christ in paradise

For Christian unity: that Christ will shepherd us into one family where we can work together to bring forth Christ’s reign and defeat the powers of darkness in society

For Pope Francis and all leaders of the Christian community: that they may be both effective leaders and wise shepherds of God’s people

For the leaders of our nation: that they may recognize the source of their authority and be guided by God’s wisdom in promoting justice and advancing the well-being of all members of society

For healing of our nation: that God will heal the divisions within our nation, guide us toward a greater respect for one another, and a renewed commitment to our common values

For all who are imprisoned, particularly those condemned to death: that the Spirit of God will lead them to conversion and through Christ into paradise

For all who will be traveling this week: that God will guide them safely on their journeys and that their visits with family and friends will strengthen and renew them

For a renewed reverence for God’s creation: that we may respect and care for all that God has created so that all God’s people may be blessed by God’s handiwork

For all who struggle with life’s demands, particularly the poor, the homebound, and those with mental illness: that God will sustain them and touch the hearts of many to be compassionate friends

For all who are grieving: that they may know God’s presence with them and experience the love and compassion of others

For all who are approaching death: that they may entrust themselves into God’s loving embrace and be healed of all their wounds and sinfulness

For all who have died: that Christ the first born from the dead may welcome them into the fullness of life where sorrow and pain exist no more

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.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
you gave us your Son,
the beloved one who was rejected,
the Savior who appeared defeated.
Yet the mystery of his kingship illumines our lives.
Show us in his death the victory that crowns the ages,
and in his broken body
the love that unites heaven and earth.
We ask this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen. ^BCW

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.

¹ Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©

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 version of Psalm 102 is from Lutheran Service Book, Concordia Publishing House, and is from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg. Psalm 103 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and are 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.