Oremus for Sunday, November 27, 2022

Antiphon¹

Ant. People of Zion behold, *
the Lord is coming to save all nations;
and the Lord shall cause you to hear
his majestic voice for the joy of your heart.
V. O shepherd of Israel, hear us, *
you who lead Joseph like a flock:
enthroned on the cherubim, shine forth †
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh. *
Rouse up your might and come to save us. cf. Isaiah 30; Psalm 80

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: Charles Wesley
Tune: Helmsley https://tinyurl.com/3kbctswf

1 Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
once for favoured sinners slain;
thousand thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia!
God appears on earth to reign.

2 Every eye shall now behold him
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at naught and sold him,
pierced and nailed him to the Tree,
deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.

3 Those dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears,
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshippers:
with what rapture
gaze we on those glorious scars!

4 Yea, Amen, let all adore thee,
high on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own:
Alleluia!
Thou shalt reign, and thou alone.

PSALMS

Psalm 120 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wmagrmt)
1  When I was in trouble I called upon the Lord *
 and he heard me.
2  Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips *
 and from a deceitful tongue.
3  What reward shall be given or done unto thee, thou false tongue *
 even mighty and sharp arrows, with hot burning coals.
4  Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech *
 and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar.
5  My soul hath long dwelt among them *
 that are enemies unto peace.
6  I labour for peace, but when I speak unto them thereof *
 they make them ready to battle.
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 121 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wlpcmlp)
1  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills *
 from whence cometh my help.
2  My help cometh even from the Lord *
 who hath made heaven and earth.
3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved *
 and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel *
 shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5  The Lord himself is thy keeper *
 the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand;
6  So that the sun shall not burn thee by day *
 neither the moon by night.
7  The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil *
 yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
8  The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in *
 from this time forth for evermore.
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 122 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uwbt7e3)
1  I was glad when they said unto me *
 We will go into the house of the Lord.
2  Our feet shall stand in thy gates *
 O Jerusalem.
3  Jerusalem is built as a city *
 that is at unity in itself.
4  For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord *
 to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
5  For there is the seat of judgement *
 even the seat of the house of David.
6  O pray for the peace of Jerusalem *
 they shall prosper that love thee.
7  Peace be within thy walls *
 and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8  For my brethren and companions’ sakes *
 I will wish thee prosperity.
9  Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God *
 I will seek to do thee good.
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 123 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vqr5s45)
1  Unto thee lift I up mine eyes *
 O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2  Behold, even as the eyes of servants look
unto the hand of their masters,
and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress *
 even so our eyes wait upon the Lord Our God,
until he have mercy upon us.
3  Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us *
 for we are utterly despised.
4  Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy *
 and with the despitefulness of the proud.
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 124 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w9ocmm5)
1  If the Lord himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say *
 if the Lord himself had not been on our side,
when men rose up against us;
2  They had swallowed us up quick *
 when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
3  Yea, the waters had drowned us *
 and the stream had gone over our soul.
4  The deep waters of the proud *
 had gone even over our soul.
5  But praised be the Lord *
 who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6  Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler *
 the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
7  Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord *
 who hath made heaven and earth.
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 125 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/s7phzdz)
1  They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount Sion *
 which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.
2  The hills stand about Jerusalem *
 even so standeth the Lord round about his people,
from this time forth for evermore.
3  For the rod of the ungodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous *
 lest the righteous put their hand unto wickedness.
4  Do well, O Lord *
 unto those that are good and true of heart.
5  As for such as turn back unto their own wickedness *
 the Lord shall lead them forth with the evil-doers;
but peace shall be upon Israel.
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 120 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-120.mp3)
1 When I was in trouble, I called to the LORD; *
I called to the LORD, and he answered me.
2 Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips *
and from the deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be done to you, and what more besides, *
O you deceitful tongue?
4 The sharpened arrows of a warrior, *
along with hot glowing coals.
5 How hateful it is that I must lodge in Meshech *
and dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had to live *
among the enemies of peace.
7 I am on the side of peace, *
but when I speak of it, they are for war

Psalm 121 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-121.mp3)
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *
from where is my help to come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, *
the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved *
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *
shall neither slumber nor sleep;
5 The LORD himself watches over you; *
the LORD is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; *
it is he who shall keep you safe.
8 The LORD shall watch over your going out and
 your coming in, *
from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 122 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-122.mp3)
1 I was glad when they said to me, *
“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
2 Now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity with itself;
4 To which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD, *
the assembly of Israel,
to praise the Name of the LORD.
5 For there are the thrones of judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
“May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls *
and quietness within your towers.
8 For my brethren and companions’ sake, *
I pray for your prosperity.
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God, *
I will seek to do you good.”

Psalm 123 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-123.mp3)
1 To you I lift up my eyes, *
to you enthroned in the heavens.
2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
3 So our eyes look to the LORD our God, *
until he show us his mercy.
4 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, *
for we have had more than enough of contempt,
5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
and of the derision of the proud.

Psalm 124 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-124.mp3)
1 If the LORD had not been on our side, *
let Israel now say;
2 If the LORD had not been on our side, *
when enemies rose up against us;
3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive *
in their fierce anger toward us;
4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us *
and the torrent gone over us;
5 Then would the raging waters *
have gone right over us.
6 Blessed be the LORD! *
he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; *
the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the Name of the LORD, *
the maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 125 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-125.mp3)
1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, *
which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever.
2 The hills stand about Jerusalem; *
so does the LORD stand round about his people,
from this time forth for evermore.
3 The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the
 land allotted to the just, *
so that the just shall not put their hands to evil.
4 Show your goodness, O LORD, to those who are good *
and to those who are true of heart.
5 As for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the LORD will lead them away with the evildoers; *
but peace be upon Israel.

PRAYER

Creator of the universe,
from whom all things come,
to whom all things return,
give your people such unity of heart and mind,
that all the world may grow in the life of your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

Reading: Romans 13:11-14

As you do all this, you know what time it is. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your sleep. Now our salvation is nearer than when we first had faith. The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let’s get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light. Let’s behave appropriately as people who live in the day, not in partying and getting drunk, not in sleeping around and obscene behavior, not in fighting and obsession. Instead, dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to indulge your selfish desires.

HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Silver Street https://tinyurl.com/2tp4jjbn

1 Soldiers of Christ, arise,
and put your armor on,
strong in the strength which God supplies
through his eternal Son;

2 Strong in the Lord of hosts,
and in his mighty power:
who in the strength of Jesus trusts
is more than conqueror.

3 Stand then in his great might,
with all his strength endued,
and take, to arm you for the fight,
the panoply of God.

4 From strength to strength go on,
wrestle and fight and pray:
tread all the powers of darkness down,
and win the well-fought day.

5 That, having all things done,
and all your conflicts past,
ye may o’ercome, through Christ alone,
and stand complete at last.

Reading: Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus said, “But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the heavenly angels and not the Son. Only the Father knows. As it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Human One. In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. They didn’t know what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. The coming of the Human One will be like that. At that time there will be two men in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know what day the Lord is coming. But you understand that if the head of the house knew at what time the thief would come, he would keep alert and wouldn’t allow the thief to break into his house. Therefore, you also should be prepared, because the Human One will come at a time you don’t know.”

CANTICLE: Luke 1:68-79
(Consiglio: https://tinyurl.com/ya8y3kqs)

Ant. Blest be the Lord God of Israel; *
who has come to his people and set them free.

God has raiséd up a Savior strong and proud,
born of his servant David.
And through holy prophets God has promised from of old,
to save us from all our foes, from the hands of all who hate us. Ant.

God promised to show mercy to our ancestors
to remember the covenant.
This was the oath sworn to father Abraham,
to set us free from our enemies’ hands,
free to worship God without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. Ant.

You, little child, are the prophet of the Lord,
you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give the people knowledge of salvation
by forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high breaks upon us,
to shine on us who dwell in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet on the way of peace. Ant.

THE PRAYERS ^{Joe Milner}

For the Church: that we may grow in our awareness of how God is fulfilling the deepest desires of our hearts, expectantly await God’s continuing work, and learn to recognize God’s presence in our lives

For the grace of attentiveness: that we may be aware of the signs of the times and that the Spirit will shake us from our complacency to live life fully each day

For authenticity: that while surrounded by the darkness of selfishness, jealousy, and greed, we may live as children of the light and show God’s love, patience, and compassion to others

For all who await God’s blessings, particularly those who are pregnant, those who are separated from family or homeland, and for members of the military awaiting to return home: that God’s comforting and strengthening love will sustain them

For freedom from fear: that we may know God’s presence with us even in times of darkness and confusion

For leaders of nations: that their hearts may be awakened by God so that the needs for jobs, healthcare, safety and nourishment may be met for all who are in need

For all children: that they may recognize all the blessings that are theirs and that their hearts may not be lost in the things that they desire

For all who are working for peace, particularly in the middle East: that God will guide and inspire their work and open new doors for peace, cooperation, and economic advancement

For all who are ill, particularly those who are awaiting surgery: that God’s healing love will sustain and comfort them

For all who are returning home this weekend: that God will keep them safe and help them to arrive without delay

For the homeless and the homebound: that they may experience love and acceptance through our concern and outreach

For all who are searching for jobs: that God will open new doors and new opportunities for them to use their gifts and support their families

For all who yearn to be free and begin again, particularly those with addictions, those in abusive situations, those experiencing discrimination and persecution: that God lead them to healing and new beginnings

For communities torn by strife and civil discord: that God will turn hearts from violence and help everyone to listen and work toward a common good

For the gift of peace: that God will teach the hearts of all the human family so that swords may be turned into plowshares and the resources for war into resources for healing and development

Setting: Sanford Dole https://tinyurl.com/y7ldq7h5

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today the bread of life;
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.

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. ^BCP

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.

The collect is from The Book of Common Prayer, 1979, The Episcopal Church.

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

The traditional-language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions of the psalms are 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.