Oremus for Sunday, December 11, 2022

Antiphon¹

Ant. Rejoice in the Lord always; * again I say, rejoice.
Let your forbearance be known to all men.
The Lord is at hand.
Do not be anxious over anything;
but in all manner of prayer,
let your requests be made known unto God.
V. O Lord, you have favored your land, *
and brought back the captives of Jacob.
You forgave the guilt of your people, *
and covered all their sins.
You averted all your rage; *
you turned back the heat of your anger. Philippians 4; Psalm 85

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: Christopher M Idle ©
Tune: Gaudeamus pariter https://tinyurl.com/5n8eerbu

1 When the King shall come again,
all his pow’r revealing,
splendor shall announce his reign,
life and joy and healing,
earth no longer in decay,
hope no more frustrated.
This is God’s redemption day
longingly awaited.

2 In the desert trees take root,
fresh from his creation;
plants and flow’rs and sweetest fruit
join the celebration.
Rivers spring up from the earth,
barren lands adorning.
Valleys, this is your new birth;
mountains, greet the morning!

3 Strengthen feeble hands and knees,
fainting hearts be cheerful!
God, who comes for such as these,
seeks and saves the fearful.
Deaf ears, hear the silent tongues
sing away their weeping;
blind eyes, see the lifeless ones
walking, running, leaping.

4 There God’s highway shall be seen
where no roaring lion,
nothing evil or unclean
Walks the road to Zion.
Ransomed people, homeward bound,
all your praises voicing,
see your Lord with glory crowned;
share in his rejoicing!

PSALMS

Psalm 59 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7xjmm3n)
1  Deliver me from mine enemies, O God *
 defend me from them that rise up against me.
2  O deliver me from the wicked doers *
 and save me from the blood-thirsty men.
3  For lo, they lie waiting for my soul *
 the mighty men are gathered against me,
without any offence or fault of me, O Lord.
4  They run and prepare themselves without my fault *
 arise thou therefore to help me, and behold.
5  Stand up, O Lord God of hosts, thou God of Israel,
to visit all the heathen *
 and be not merciful unto them that offend of malicious wickedness.
6  They go to and fro in the evening *
 they grin like a dog, and run about through the city.
7  Behold, they speak with their mouth, and swords are in their lips *
 for who doth hear?
8  But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derision *
 and thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn.
9  My strength will I ascribe unto thee *
 for thou art the God of my refuge.
10  God sheweth me his goodness plenteously *
 and God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11  Slay them not, lest my people forget it *
 but scatter them abroad among the people,
and put them down, O Lord, our defence.
12  For the sin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips,
they shall be taken in their pride *
 and why? their preaching is of cursing and lies.
13  Consume them in thy wrath, consume them, that they may perish *
 and know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob,
and unto the ends of the world.
14  And in the evening they will return *
 grin like a dog, and will go about the city.
15  They will run here and there for meat *
 and grudge if they be not satisfied.
16  As for me, I will sing of thy power,
and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning *
 for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17  Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing *
 for thou, O God, art my refuge, and my merciful God.
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 60 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaj9c4se)
1  O God, thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad *
 thou hast also been displeased; O turn thee unto us again.
2  Thou hast moved the land, and divided it *
 heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh.
3  Thou hast shewed thy people heavy things *
 thou hast given us a drink of deadly wine.
4  Thou hast given a token for such as fear thee *
 that they may triumph because of the truth.
5  Therefore were thy beloved delivered *
 help me with thy right hand, and hear me.
6  God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, and divide Sichem *
 and mete out the valley of Succoth.
7  Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine *
 Ephraim also is the strength of my head; Judah is my law-giver;
8  Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe *
 Philistia, be thou glad of me.
9  Who will lead me into the strong city *
 who will bring me into Edom?
10  Hast not thou cast us out, O God *
 wilt not thou, O God, go out with our hosts?
11  O be thou our help in trouble *
 for vain is the help of man.
12  Through God will we do great acts *
 for 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 61 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ycmkl8hs)
1  Hear my crying, O God *
 give ear unto my prayer.
2  From the ends of the earth will I call upon thee *
 when my heart is in heaviness.
3  O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I *
 for thou hast been my hope,
and a strong tower for me against the enemy.
4  I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever *
 and my trust shall be under the covering of thy wings.
5  For thou, O Lord, hast heard my desires *
 and hast given an heritage unto those that fear thy Name.
6  Thou shalt grant the King a long life *
 that his years may endure throughout all generations.
7  He shall dwell before God for ever *
 O prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.
8  So will I alway sing praise unto thy Name *
 that I may daily perform my vows.
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 59
(Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-59-Kohlhase.mp3)
Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me
Deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men
See them lying there in wait for my life;
fierce men who are joining themselves against me
For no trespass or sin of mine, O LORD;
for no fault of mine they run and make ready

Refrain:
O my strength, I will sing praise to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress
Yes my God will meet me in his steadfast love,
and let me look with triumph on my foes

Arouse yourself, come to help, and see;
LORD God Hosts, God of Israel
And awake to punish all the nations;
spare none who make treacherous plans
Every evening they come howling like wolves,
prowling about through the city
There they are barking with their mouths,
snarling with their lips, “Who will hear us?” (Refrain)

Slay them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter and fall by your might, Lord our Shield
For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be thereby caught in their pride
For the cursing and the lies which they utter,
consume them in wrath ‘til they are no more
That men know that God rules o’er Jacob,
to the ends of the earth. Selah. (Refrain)

Every evening they come howling like wolves,
prowling about through the city
They roam about scavenging for food,
and growl when they don’t get their fill
But I will sing of your might, O Lord;
and of your steadfast love in the morning
For you have been a fortress to me,
and a refuge in the day of my distress (Refrain)

Psalm 60
(Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-60-Kohlhase.mp3)
Refrain: With God we shall do valiantly;
He will trample down our enemies;
with God we shall do valiantly

You have rejected us, broken down our defenses;
You had been angry, Oh but now restore us
You made the earth quake and tear; heal it for it totters
Your people have suffered hardship,
the wine you gave us made us stagger
You set a banner for those who fear You,
to rally to it from the bow
That your beloved may be delivered,
Give victory by your right hand (Refrain)

For God has spoken from his sanctuary
“Gladly I divide Shechem, and portion out the Vale of Succoth
Gilead is mine; Manasseh, too, is mine
Ephraim is my helmet, and Judah is my scepter
Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I cast my shoe
Over Philistia I shout in triumph (Refrain)

Who’ll bring me to the strong city, and lead me into Edom
If you, O God, reject us and will not go with our armies
O grant us your saving help, against the enemy
Because the help of man, is to no avail (Refrain x 2)

Psalm 61 (Coptic: https://tinyurl.com/453bkxwz)
Hear, O God, my petition;
attend to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I have cried to you,
when my heart was in trouble:
You elevated me up on a rock, you guided me:
You became a hope, a tower of power
from the face of an enemy.
I shall dwell in your dwelling place forever;
I shall be sheltered under the shadow of Your wings.
For you, O God, have heard my prayers;
You have given an inheritance to those who fear your name.
Days upon days of the king,
You shall lengthen his years to all generations.
He shall endure forever before God.
As for his mercy and truth, who will be able to seek them out?
So I will sing to your name forever and ever,
that I may perform my vows day by day.
ALLELUIA.

PRAYER

Light of the world,
you have come into the world’s darkness
and the darkness cannot overwhelm the light.
Let your holy name be known through all the earth,
that all people and nations may praise you
and walk in your ways;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10

Reading: James 5:7-10

Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the coming of the Lord. Consider the farmer who waits patiently for the coming of rain in the fall and spring, looking forward to the precious fruit of the earth. You also must wait patiently, strengthening your resolve, because the coming of the Lord is near. Don’t complain about each other, brothers and sisters, so that you won’t be judged. Look! The judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of patient resolve and steadfastness.

HYMN: Georg Weissel
Tune: Truro https://tinyurl.com/2p8tkmuu

 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;
behold, the King of glory waits!
The King of kings is drawing near;
the Savior of the world is here.

2 O blest the land, the city blest,
where Christ the ruler is confessed!
O happy hearts and happy homes
to whom this King of triumph comes!

3 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
make it a temple, set apart
from earthly use for heaven’s employ,
adorned with prayer and love and joy.

4 Redeemer, come! I open wide
my heart to thee: here, Lord, abide!
Let me thy inner presence feel:
thy grace and love in me reveal.

5 So come, my Sovereign; enter in!
Let new and nobler life begin;
thy Holy Spirit guide us on,
until the glorious crown be won.

Reading: Matthew 11:2-11

Now when John heard in prison about the things the Christ was doing, he sent word by his disciples to Jesus, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

Jesus responded, “Go, report to John what you hear and see. Those who were blind are able to see. Those who were crippled are walking. People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were deaf now hear. Those who were dead are raised up. The poor have good news proclaimed to them. Happy are those who don’t stumble and fall because of me.”

When John’s disciples had gone, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John: “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A stalk blowing in the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in refined clothes? Look, those who wear refined clothes are in royal palaces. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. He is the one of whom it is written: Look, I’m sending my messenger before you, who will prepare your way before you.

“I assure you that no one who has ever been born is greater than John the Baptist. Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

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 be instruments of hope, bringing light to the darkness of society, to those who are suffering, and to those who lost purpose and meaning in life

For new awareness: that we may recognize the presence and action of God in the people and events around us and be open to God’s invitations to extend the reign of God through our words and deeds

For the gift of patience: that God will help us to trust so that we may wait through various challenges and allow God to show us a new way to proceed

For insight and a new vision: that we may not limit the actions of God but be open to how God touches us through people, prayer, and unexpected events in our lives

For a deeper understanding of Jesus: that we may come to know Christ more fully and comprehend his love and care for us

For greater gratitude and appreciation: that through the reflections of Advent, we may have a deeper love for our spouse, family members, and all who are significant in our lives

For the grace of compassion: that we may have concern and understanding for all who make our lives difficult

For all who struggle with doubt: that God will open their eyes and hearts to Jesus and the marvelous things which God does within and around them

For all who suffer for their faith, for persecuted Christians, prisoners of conscience, and those who suffer discrimination: that God will sustain them, give them hope and relieve their suffering

For all government officials: that the Spirit will guide their work, help them to recognize the truth in all the issues before them, and open them to new ways of addressing the issues of immigration, poverty, and violence

For healing of our bodies, minds, attitudes, and spirits: that God will heal and make whole all the sick, wounded, and broken areas within us so that we may more fully be instruments of God’s love

For those who are caught in their own expectations: that God will break their bonds and open their vision to all that is possible through God’s love

For all who go without daily essentials: that God will provide for their needs as refugees or people fleeing violence, open doors for them, give them strength to face their challenges, and move the hearts of many to assist them

For an end to war and healing for the nations: that violence and bloodshed may end, the innocent be

(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)^DL

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is 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.

God of hope,
you call us home from the exile of selfish oppression
to the freedom of justice,
the balm of healing,
and the joy of sharing.
Make us strong to join you in your holy work,
as friends of strangers and victims,
companions of those whom others shun,
and as the happiness of those whose hearts are broken.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^RCLP

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.

^EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997

^DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.

The main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). Psalms 59 and 60 are in the versions sung by Karl Kohlhase https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpnf6eoqQUh2xZ3_4C7dmiA; Psalm 61 is the version sung in the Coptic Orthodox Church.

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.