Oremus for Friday, December 16, 2022

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/py2kunu6

Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear.
Behold, our God will come, and he will save us. Isaiah 35

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: Dean W Nelson
Tune: Ebenezer https://tinyurl.com/yckj5b68

1 Signs of endings all around us
darkness, death, and winter days
shroud our lives in fear and sadness,
numbing mouths that long to praise.
Come, O Christ, and dwell among us!
Hear our cries, come set us free.
Give us hope and faith and gladness.
Show us what there yet can be.

2 Can it be that from our endings,
new beginnings you create?
Life from death, and from our rendings,
realms of wholeness generate?
Take our fears, then, Lord and turn them
into hopes for life anew:
Fading light and dying season
sing their Glorias to you.

3 Speak, O God, your Word among us.
Barren lives your presence fill.
Swell our hearts with songs of gladness,
terrors calm forebodings still.
Let your promised realm of justice
blossom now throughout the earth;
your dominion bring now near us;
we await the saving birth.

PSALMS

Psalm 82 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/razmhgg)
1  God standeth in the congregation of princes *
 he is a Judge among gods.
2  How long will ye give wrong judgement *
 and accept the persons of the ungodly?
3  Defend the poor and fatherless *
 see that such as are in need and necessity have right.
4  Deliver the out-cast and poor *
 save them from the hand of the ungodly.
5  They will not be learned nor understand, but walk on still in darkness *
 all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6  I have said, Ye are gods *
 and ye are all the children of the most Highest.
7  But ye shall die like men *
 and fall like one of the princes.
8  Arise, O God, and judge thou the earth *
 for thou shalt take all heathen to thine inheritance.
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 83 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vofvsch)
1  Hold not thy tongue, O God, keep not still silence *
 refrain not thyself, O God.
2  For lo, thine enemies make a murmuring *
 and they that hate thee have lift up their head.
3  They have imagined craftily against thy people *
 and taken counsel against thy secret ones.
4  They have said, Come, and let us root them out,
that they be no more a people *
 and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5  For they have cast their heads together with one consent *
 and are confederate against thee;
6  The tabernacles of the Edomites, and the Ismaelites *
 the Moabites, and Hagarens;
7  Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek *
 the Philistines, with them that dwell at Tyre.
8  Assur also is joined with them *
 and have holpen the children of Lot.
9  But do thou to them as unto the Madianites *
 unto Sisera, and unto Jabin at the brook of Kison;
10  Who perished at Endor *
 and became as the dung of the earth.
11  Make them and their princes like Oreb and Zeb *
 yea, make all their princes like as Zeba and Salmana;
12  Who say, Let us take to ourselves *
 the houses of God in possession.
13  O my God, make them like unto a wheel *
 and as the stubble before the wind;
14  Like as the fire that burneth up the wood *
 and as the flame that consumeth the mountains.
15  Persecute them even so with thy tempest *
 and make them afraid with thy storm.
16  Make their faces ashamed, O Lord *
 that they may seek thy Name.
17  Let them be confounded and vexed ever more and more *
 let them be put to shame, and perish.
18  And they shall know that thou, whose Name is Jehovah *
 art only the most Highest over all the 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 84 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/qtssfwx)
1  O how amiable are thy dwellings *
 thou Lord of hosts!
2  My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord *
 my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
3  Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house,
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young *
 even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
4  Blessed are they that dwell in thy house *
 they will be alway praising thee.
5  Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee *
 in whose heart are thy ways.
6  Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well *
 and the pools are filled with water.
7  They will go from strength to strength *
 and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.
8  O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer *
 hearken, O God of Jacob.
9  Behold, O God our defender *
 and look upon the face of thine Anointed.
10  For one day in thy courts *
 is better than a thousand.
11  I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God *
 than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.
12  For the Lord God is a light and defence *
 the Lord will give grace and worship,
and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.
13  O Lord God of hosts *
 blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.
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 85 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wzy6e5z)
1  Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land *
 thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
2  Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people *
 and covered all their sins.
3  Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure *
 and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
4  Turn us then, O God our Saviour *
 and let thine anger cease from us.
5  Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever *
 and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
6  Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us *
 that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7  Shew us thy mercy, O Lord *
 and grant us thy salvation.
8  I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me *
 for he shall speak peace unto his people,
and to his saints, that they turn not again.
9  For his salvation is nigh them that fear him *
 that glory may dwell in our land.
10  Mercy and truth are met together *
 righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11  Truth shall flourish out of the earth *
 and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
12  Yea, the Lord shall shew loving-kindness *
 and our land shall give her increase.
13  Righteousness shall go before him *
 and he shall direct his going in the way.
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 82 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-82.mp3)
1 God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly, *
and show favor to the wicked?
3 Save the weak and the orphan; *
defend the humble and needy;
4 Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5 They do not know, neither do they understand;
they go about in darkness; *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 Now I say to you, ‘You are gods, *
and all of you children of the Most High;
7 Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
and fall like any prince.’”
8 Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
for you shall take all nations for your own.

Psalm 83 (Jason Silver: https://tinyurl.com/snww3bp6]
Refrain:
O God, do not keep silence;
Do not hold your peace or be still,
O God! Even now your enemies are roaring;
Those who hate you, rearing up their heads. (x2)

They lay crafty plans against your people;
They consult together against those you protect.
They say, ”˜Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
”Let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
They conspire with one accord against you.
Make a covenant with the tents of Edom and Moab
Ishmaelites, and Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, Tyre; Assyria: they’re the strong arm of Lot. [Refrain]

Do to them as you did to Midian,
As to Sisera and Jabin at Wadi Kishon,
Who perished at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
Make their nobles like Oreb, like Oreb and like Zeeb,
All their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
Who said, ”˜Let us take the land of God for our own.”
O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff to wind.
As the fire burns the forest, so pursue with your storms.

Fill their faces with shame,
So then they may seek your name, O Lord.
Let them ever be dismayed;
Let them perish in disgrace.
Let them know that you alone,
Whose name is Lord,
Are the Most High over all the earth. [Refrain x 2]

Psalm 83 (Coptic Chant: https://tinyurl.com/pbrzs4pf)
How beloved are Your dwellings,
O Lord, God of hosts!
My soul longs, and faints for the courts of the Lord:
my heart and my flesh have exulted in the living God.
For, the sparrow has found for himself a home,
and the turtledove for herself a nest,
where she may lay her young;
your altars, O Lord, God of hosts, my King, and my God.
Blessed are all who dwell in your house:
they will praise you forever and ever.
Blessed is the man whose help is from you, O Lord;
he sets paths upward in his heart in the valley of weeping,
in the place which he has appointed,
for there the Law‑Giver will grant blessings.
They shall go from strength to strength:
the God of gods shall be revealed in Zion.
O Lord, God of hosts, hear my prayer:
hearken, O God of Jacob.
Behold, O God our defender,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
For one day in your courts
is better than thousands.
I chose to throw myself down in the house of God,
more than to dwell in the tents of the sinners.
For the Lord God loves mercy and truth;
he shall give grace and glory:
the Lord shall not withhold good things
from those who walk in innocence.
O Lord God of hosts,
blessed is the man who hopes in You. ALLELUIA.

Psalm 85 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-85.mp3)
1 You have been gracious to your land, O LORD, *
you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *
and blotted out all their sins.
3 You have withdrawn all your fury *
and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.
4 Restore us then, O God our Savior; *
let your anger depart from us.
5 Will you be displeased with us for ever? *
will you prolong your anger from age to age?
6 Will you not give us life again, *
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your mercy, O LORD, *
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what the LORD God is saying, *
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.
9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together; *
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 The LORD will indeed grant prosperity, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, *
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

PRAYER

God of grace,
you loved the world so much
that you gave your only Son to be our Savior.
Help us to rejoice in your redeeming grace
by showing mercy,
and by walking in the way of justice and peace,
for the sake of Jesus Christ, redeemer of the world. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18-29

Then King David went and sat in the Lord’s presence. He asked:

Reading: Revelation 5:6-14

Then, in between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb, standing as if it had been slain. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are God’s seven spirits, sent out into the whole earth. He came forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one seated on the throne. When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each held a harp and gold bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They took up a new song, saying,

Then I looked, and I heard the sound of many angels surrounding the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. They numbered in the millions—thousands upon thousands. They said in a loud voice,

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea—I heard everything everywhere say,

Then the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped.

HYMN: W. Chatterton Dix
Tune: Hyfrydol https://tinyurl.com/yuz9erfh

1 Alleluia! sing to Jesus!
his the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph,
his the victory alone;
Hark! the songs of peaceful Zion
thunder like a mighty flood;
Jesus out of every nation
hath redeemed us by his blood.

2 Alleluia! not as orphans
are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! he is near us,
faith believes, nor questions how:
though the cloud from sight received him,
when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget his promise,
“I am with you evermore”?

3 Alleluia! Bread of Heaven,
thou on earth our food, our stay!
Alleluia! here the sinful
flee to thee from day to day:
Intercessor, friend of sinners,
earth’s Redeemer, plead for me,
where the songs of all the sinless
sweep across the crystal sea.

4 Alleluia! King eternal,
thee the Lord of lords we own:
Alleluia! born of Mary,
earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne:
thou within the veil hast entered,
robed in flesh, our great High Priest:
thou on earth both Priest and Victim
in the eucharistic feast.

5 Alleluia! sing to Jesus!
his the scepter his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph,
his the victory alone;
Hark! the songs of holy Zion
thunder like a mighty flood;
Jesus out of every nation
hath redeemed us by his blood.

Reading: Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus continued, “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.

“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’

“Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”

CANTICLE Rory Cooney; based on Luke 1:46-55
(Performed by The Gentle Wolves https://tinyurl.com/ybox4ctg)

1. My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
And my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
So from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?

2. Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me,
And your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and to those who would for you yearn,
You will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn.

3. From the halls of power to the fortress tower,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
ev’ry tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
There are tables spread, ev’ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.

4. Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
‘Til the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.

THE PRAYERS ^NPfW

In joyful expectation of his coming we pray to Jesus, saying,
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your Church as Lord and Judge. We pray for …
Help us to live in the light of your coming and give us a longing for your kingdom.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your world as King of the nations. We pray for …
Before you rulers will stand in silence.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to your people with a message of victory and peace. We pray for …
Give us the victory over death, temptation and evil.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as Saviour and Comforter. We pray for …
Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress,
and set us free to serve you for ever.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us from heaven, Lord Jesus,
with power and great glory.
Lift us up to meet you,
with [N and] all your saints and angels,
to live with you for ever.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Setting by Eric Wyse:

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 of hope and joy,
the day draws near when the glory of your Son
will brighten the night of the waiting world.
Let no sorrow hinder the joy
of those who seek him.
Let no sin obscure the vision of wisdom
seen by those who find him.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

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 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 82 and 85 are from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 83 is the version sung by Jason Silver, while Psalm 84 is the Coptic chant in the version used in the Agpeya, the Coptic office book.

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.