Ash Wednesday
Antiphon1
Ant. Your mercy extends to all things, O Lord, *
and you despise none of the things you have made.
You overlook the sins of men for the sake of repentance.
You grant them your pardon,
because you are the Lord our God.
V. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy, *
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge, *
till the storms of destruction pass by. Wisdom 11; Psalm 57
Almighty God,
you despise nothing you have made
and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent.
Create in us new and contrite hearts,
that truly repenting of our sins,
and acknowledging our brokenness,
we may obtain from you, the God of all mercy,
full pardon and forgiveness;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Redeemer,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. BCW
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ufxekitx
God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory 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.
HYMN: Gregory the Great; trans. Maurice Bell
Tune: Erhalt uns, Herr https://tinyurl.com/bdevxb6s
1. The glory of these forty days
we celebrate with songs of praise;
for Christ, through whom all things were made,
himself has fasted and has prayed.
2. Alone and fasting Moses saw
the loving God who gave the law;
and to Elijah, fasting, came
the steeds and chariots of flame.
3. So Daniel trained his mystic sight,
delivered from the lions’ might;
and John, the Bridegroom’s friend, became
the herald of Messiah’s name.
4. Then grant us, Lord, like them to be
full oft in fast and prayer with thee;
our spirits strengthen with thy grace,
and give us joy to see thy face.
5. O Father, Son, and Spirit blest,
to thee be every prayer addressed,
who art in threefold Name adored,
from age to age, the only Lord.
PSALMS
Psalm 6 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yxx3vdzs)
1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation *
neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak *
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.
3 My soul also is sore troubled *
but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me?
4 Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul *
O save me for thy mercy’s sake.
5 For in death no man remembereth thee *
and who will give thee thanks in the pit?
6 I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed *
and water my couch with my tears.
7 My beauty is gone for very trouble *
and worn away because of all mine enemies.
8 Away from me, all ye that work vanity *
for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9 The Lord hath heard my petition *
the Lord will receive my prayer.
10 All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed *
they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.
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 32 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/twtffy5)
1 Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven *
and whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin *
and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 For while I held my tongue *
my bones consumed away through my daily complaining.
4 For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night *
and my moisture is like the drought in summer.
5 I will acknowledge my sin unto thee *
and mine unrighteousness have I not hid.
6 I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord *
and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.
7 For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee,
in a time when thou mayest be found *
but in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him.
8 Thou art a place to hide me in, thou shalt preserve me from trouble *
thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
9 I will inform thee, and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go *
and I will guide thee with mine eye.
10 Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding *
whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, lest they fall upon thee.
11 Great plagues remain for the ungodly *
but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord,
mercy embraceth him on every side.
12 Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord *
and be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.
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 38 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y8u2a6mz)
1 Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger *
neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me *
and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure *
neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.
4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head *
and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt *
through my foolishness.
6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery *
that I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease *
and there is no whole part in my body.
8 I am feeble, and sore smitten *
I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, thou knowest all my desire *
and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me *
and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble *
and my kinsmen stood afar off.
12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me *
and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness,
and imagined deceit all the day long.
13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not *
and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.
14 I became even as a man that heareth not *
and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust *
thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I have required that they, even mine enemies,
should not triumph over me *
for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me.
17 And I, truly, am set in the plague *
and my heaviness is ever in my sight.
18 For I will confess my wickedness *
and be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty *
and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.
20 They also that reward evil for good are against me *
because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God *
be not thou far from me.
22 Haste thee to help me *
O Lord God of my salvation.
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 6 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-6.mp3)
2 Lord, do not reprove me in your anger;
punish me not in your rage.
3 Have mercy on me, Lord, I have no strength;
Lord, heal me, my body is racked;
4 my soul is racked with pain.
But you, O Lord… how long?
5 Return, Lord, rescue my soul.
Save me in your merciful love;
6 for in death no one remembers you;
from the grave, who can give you praise?
7 I am exhausted with my groaning;
every night I drench my pillow with tears;
I bedew my bed with weeping.
8 My eye wastes away with grief;
I have grown old surrounded by my foes.
9 Leave me, all you who do evil;
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
10 The Lord has heard my plea;
The Lord will accept my prayer.
11 All my foes will retire in confusion,
foiled and suddenly confounded.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 32 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-32.mp3)
1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and whose sin is put away!
2 Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, *
and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because of my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not conceal my guilt.
6 I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” *
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you
in time of trouble; *
when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8 You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; *
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; *
I will guide you with my eye.
10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or else they will not stay near you.”
11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy embraces those who trust in the LORD.
12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; *
shout for joy, all who are true of heart.
Psalm 38 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-38-MH.mp3)
2 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;
do not punish me, Lord, in your rage.
3 Your arrows have sunk deep in me;
your hand has come down upon me.
4 Through your anger all my body is sick:
through my sin, there is no health in my limbs.
5 My guilt towers higher than my head;
it is a weight too heavy to bear.
6 My wounds are foul and festering,
the result of my own folly.
7 I am bowed and brought to my knees.
I go mourning all the day long.
8 All my frame burns with fever;
all my body is sick.
9 Spent and utterly crushed,
I cry aloud in anguish of heart.
10 O Lord, you know all my longing:
my groans are not hidden from you.
11 My heart throbs, my strength is spent;
the very light has gone from my eyes.
12 My friends avoid me like a leper;
those closest to me stand afar off.
13 Those who plot against my life lay snares;
those who seek my ruin speak of harm,
planning treachery all the day long.
14 But I am like the deaf who cannot hear,
like the dumb unable to speak.
15 I am like a man who hears nothing
in whose mouth is no defense.
16 I count on you, O Lord:
it is you, Lord God, who will answer.
17 I pray: “Do not let them mock me,
those who triumph if my foot should slip.”
18 For I am on the point of falling
and my pain is always before me.
19 I confess that I am guilty
and my sin fills me with dismay.
20 My wanton enemies are numberless
and my lying foes are many.
21 They repay me evil for good
and attack me for seeking what is right.
22 O Lord, do not forsake me!
My God, do not stay afar off!
23 Make haste and come to my help,
O Lord, my God, my savior!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Spiritt;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
PRAYER
Gracious God,
out of your love and mercy
you breathed into dust the breath of life,
creating us to serve you and neighbors.
Call forth our prayers and acts of tenderness,
and strengthen us to face our mortality,
that we may reach with confidence for your mercy;
in Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Blow the horn in Zion;
give a shout on my holy mountain!
Let all the people of the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is near—
a day of darkness and no light,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread out upon the mountains,
a great and powerful army comes,
unlike any that has ever come before them,
or will come after them in centuries ahead.
Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your hearts,
with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow;
tear your hearts
and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
very patient, full of faithful love,
and ready to forgive.
Who knows whether he will have a change of heart
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
Blow the horn in Zion;
demand a fast;
request a special assembly.
Gather the people;
prepare a holy meeting;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the groom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, weep.
Let them say, “Have mercy, Lord, on your people,
and don’t make your inheritance a disgrace,
an example of failure among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
HYMN: John Haynes Holmes
Tune: Meirionydd https://tinyurl.com/17xyuor9
1 The voice of God is calling
A summons unto all;
As once they heard in Zion,
So now we hear the call.
“Whom shall I send to succor
My people in their need?
Whom shall I send to loosen
The bonds of shame and greed?
2 “I hear my people crying
In cot and mine and slum;
No field or mart is silent,
No city street is dumb.
I see my people falling
In darkness and despair.
Whom shall I send to shatter
The fetters which they bear?”
3 We heed, O God, thy summons,
And answer: “Here are we!
Send us upon thine errand,
Let us thy servants be.
Our strength is dust and ashes,
Our years a passing hour;
But thou canst use our weakness
To magnify thy power.
4 “From ease and plenty save us;
From pride of place absolve;
Purge us of low desire;
Lift us to high resolve;
Take us, and make us holy;
Teach us thy will and way.
Speak, and, behold! we answer;
Command, and we obey!”
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10
So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God. Since we work together with him, we are also begging you not to receive the grace of God in vain. He says, I listened to you at the right time, and I helped you on the day of salvation. Look, now is the right time! Look, now is the day of salvation!
We don’t give anyone any reason to be offended about anything so that our ministry won’t be criticized. Instead, we commend ourselves as ministers of God in every way. We did this with our great endurance through problems, disasters, and stressful situations. We went through beatings, imprisonments, and riots. We experienced hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger. We displayed purity, knowledge, patience, and generosity. We served with the Holy Spirit, genuine love, telling the truth, and God’s power. We carried the weapons of righteousness in our right hand and our left hand. We were treated with honor and dishonor and with verbal abuse and good evaluation. We were seen as both fake and real, as unknown and well known, as dying—and look, we are alive! We were seen as punished but not killed, as going through pain but always happy, as poor but making many rich, and as having nothing but owning everything.
HYMN: Rosamond Herklots ©
Tune: Detroit https://tinyurl.com/4j5bwe3m
1 ‘Forgive our sins as we forgive’,
you taught us, Lord, to pray;
but you alone can grant us grace
to live the words we say.
2 How can your pardon reach and bless
the unforgiving heart
that broods on wrongs, and will not let
old bitterness depart?
3 In blazing light your cross reveals
the truth we dimly knew:
what trivial debts are owed to us,
how great our debt to you!
4 Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls,
and bid resentment cease.
Then, bound to all in bonds of love,
our lives will spread your peace.
Reading: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Jesus said, “Be careful that you don’t practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that you may give to the poor in secret. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.
“When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people will see them. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.
“And when you fast, don’t put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They distort their faces so people will know they are fasting. I assure you that they have their reward. When you fast, brush your hair and wash your face. Then you won’t look like you are fasting to people, but only to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“Stop collecting treasures for your own benefit on earth, where moth and rust eat them and where thieves break in and steal them. Instead, collect treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust don’t eat them and where thieves don’t break in and steal them. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
PSALM 51
(Setting by the Sons of Korah: https://tinyurl.com/19n0tt60)
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
According to your unfailing love;
According to your great compassion
Blot out my transgressions
2 Wash away all my iniquity
And cleanse me from all my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned
And done what is evil in your sight,
So that you are proved right when you speak
And justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth;
Surely I was sinful at birth.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inward parts;
And you teach me wisdom,
Wisdom in the innermost place.
7 With hyssop make me clean,
Wash me whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
Let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence, O LORD
And take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of your salvation
And grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors you ways
And sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from the guilt upon me,
LORD who saves me,
And my tongue will sing of your righteousness
O LORD the God who saves me.
15 Open up my lips,
And I will declare your praise.16 You do not delight in sacrifices,
Or surely I would bring it;
You do not take pleasure in offerings, O LORD
17 but the sacrifices of God are a
Broken spirit and a contrite heart.
The LORD will never despise a broken spirit
And a contrite heart.18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
Build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
Whole burnt offerings to delight you;
Then bulls will be offered on your altar.
LITANY OF CONFESSION BCW
Let us pray.
Holy and merciful God,
we confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, O God.
We have not listened to your call to serve as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ.
We have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, O God.
We confess to you, O God, all our past unfaithfulness:
The pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in our lives,
we confess to you, O God.
Our self-indulgent appetites and ways
and our exploitation of other people,
we confess to you, O God.
Our anger at our own frustration
and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,
we confess to you, O God.
Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts,
and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
we confess to you, O God.
Our negligence in prayer and worship,
and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,
we confess to you, O God.
Accept our repentance, O God,
for the wrongs we have done.
For our neglect of human need and suffering
and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
accept our repentance, O God.
For all false judgments,
for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors,
and for our prejudice and contempt
toward those who differ from us,
accept our repentance, O God.
For our waste and pollution of your creation
and our lack of concern for those who come after us,
accept our repentance, O God.
Restore us, O God,
and let your anger depart from us.
Favorably hear us, O God,
for your mercy is great.
Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world.
By the cross and passion of our Savior,
bring us with all your saints
to the joy of Christ’s resurrection.
(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 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 compassion,
through your Son Jesus Christ
you reconciled your people to yourself.
Following his example of prayer and fasting,
may we obey you with willing hearts
and serve one another in holy love;
through Jesus 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
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
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 psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions of Psalms 6 and 32 are from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and are sung by Ryland Angel. The modern language version of Psalm 38 is from The Grail Psalter and are from the Manual Hopper YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/manualhopper/featured.
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 © 2023 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.
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