Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/4a5jdna4
As for me, in justice I shall behold your face;
I shall be filled with the vision of your glory. Psalm 17
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: George Herbert
Tune: Festal Song https://tinyurl.com/2p88z9dj
1 Teach me, my God and King,
in all things Thee to see,
and what I do in anything,
to do it as for Thee.
2 To scorn the senses’ sway,
while still to Thee I tend;
in all I do be Thou the Way,
in all be Thou the End.
3 All may of Thee partake;
nothing so small can be,
but draws, when acted for Thy sake,
greatness and worth from Thee.
4 If done t’obey Thy laws,
e’en servile labors shine;
hallowed is toil, if this the cause,
the meanest work divine.
PSALMS
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 39 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9dmgm3b)
1 I said, I will take heed to my ways *
that I offend not in my tongue.
2 I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle *
while the ungodly is in my sight.
3 I held my tongue, and spake nothing *
I kept silence, yea, even from good words;
but it was pain and grief to me.
4 My heart was hot within me,
and while I was thus musing the fire kindled *
and at the last I spake with my tongue;
5 Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days *
that I may be certified how long I have to live.
6 Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long *
and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee;
and verily every man living is altogether vanity.
7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain *
he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
8 And now, Lord, what is my hope *
truly my hope is even in thee.
9 Deliver me from all mine offences *
and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish.
10 I became dumb, and opened not my mouth *
for it was thy doing.
11 Take thy plague away from me *
I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand.
12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin,
thou makest his beauty to consume away,
like as it were a moth fretting a garment *
every man therefore is but vanity.
13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling *
hold not thy peace at my tears.
14 For I am a stranger with thee *
and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength *
before I go hence, and be no more seen.
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 40 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybregq8q)
1 I waited patiently for the Lord *
and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.
2 He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay *
and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth *
even a thanksgiving unto our God.
4 Many shall see it, and fear *
and shall put their trust in the Lord.
5 Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lord *
and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies.
6 O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done,
like as be also thy thoughts which are to us-ward *
and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee.
7 If I should declare them, and speak of them *
they should be more than I am able to express.
8 Sacrifice, and meat-offering, thou wouldest not *
but mine ears hast thou opened.
9 Burnt-offerings, and sacrifice for sin, hast thou not required *
then said I, Lo, I come,
10 In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil thy will, O my God *
I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart.
11 I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation *
lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that thou knowest.
12 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart *
my talk hath been of thy truth, and of thy salvation.
13 I have not kept back thy loving mercy and truth *
from the great congregation.
14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me, O Lord *
let thy loving-kindness and thy truth alway preserve me.
15 For innumerable troubles are come about me;
my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up *
yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart hath failed me.
16 O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me *
make haste, O Lord, to help me.
17 Let them be ashamed, and confounded together,
that seek after my soul to destroy it *
let them be driven backward, and put to rebuke, that wish me evil.
18 Let them be desolate, and rewarded with shame *
that say unto me, Fie upon thee, fie upon thee.
19 Let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee *
and let such as love thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised.
20 As for me, I am poor and needy *
but the Lord careth for me.
21 Thou art my helper and redeemer *
make no long tarrying, O my 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 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.
Psalm 39 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-39-MH.mp3)
2 I said: “I will be watchful of my ways
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips
when the wicked man stands before me.”
3 I was dumb, silent and still.
His prosperity stirred my grief.
4 My heart was burning within me.
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up
and my tongue burst into speech:
5 “O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days.
Now I know how fleeting is my life.
6 You have given me a short span of days;
my life is as nothing in your sight.
A mere breath, the man who stood so firm,
7 a mere shadow, the man passing by;
a mere breath the riches he hoards,
not knowing who will have them.”
8 And now, Lord, what is there to wait for?
In you rests all my hope.
9 Set me free from all my sins,
do not make me the taunt of the fool.
10 I was silent, not opening my lips,
because this was all your doing.
11 Take away your scourge from me.
I am crushed by the blows of your hand.
12 You punish man’s sins and correct him;
like the moth you devour all he treasures.
Mortal man is no more than a breath;
13 O Lord, hear my prayer.
O Lord, turn your ear to my cry.
Do not be deaf to my tears.
In your house I am a passing guest,
a pilgrim, like all my fathers.
14 Look away that I may breathe again
before I depart to be no more.
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 40 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-40.mp3)
1 I waited patiently upon the LORD; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Happy are they who trust in the LORD! *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
5 Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God!
how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
there is none who can be compared with you.
6 Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *
but they are more than I can count.
7 In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
(you have given me ears to hear you);
8 Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
and so I said, “Behold, I come.
9 In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
‘I love to do your will, O my God;
your law is deep in my heart.’”
10 I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
behold, I did not restrain my lips;
and that, O LORD, you know.
11 Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the
great congregation.
12 You are the LORD;
do not withhold your compassion from me; *
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,
13 For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *
they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
14 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; *
O LORD, make haste to help me.
15 Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed
who seek after my life to destroy it; *
let them draw back and be disgraced
who take pleasure in my misfortune.
16 Let those who say “Aha!” and gloat over me be confounded, *
because they are ashamed.
17 Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; *
let those who love your salvation continually say,
Great is the LORD!”
18 Though I am poor and afflicted, *
the Lord will have regard for me.
19 You are my helper and my deliverer; *
do not tarry, O my God.
PRAYER
O God,
none can compare with you,
for your wondrous deeds for our salvation are without number.
Make us bold witnesses to your faithfulness
that all the earth may rejoice in your love toward us
in Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Then the Lord said to Moses: Tell the Israelites to turn back and set up camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea in front of Baal-zephon. You should set up camp in front of it by the sea. Pharaoh will think to himself, The Israelites are lost and confused in the land. The desert has trapped them. I’ll make Pharaoh stubborn, and he’ll chase them. I’ll gain honor at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. And they did exactly that.
When Egypt’s king was told that the people had run away, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people. They said, “What have we done, letting Israel go free from their slavery to us?” So he sent for his chariot and took his army with him. He took six hundred elite chariots and all of Egypt’s other chariots with captains on all of them. The Lord made Pharaoh, Egypt’s king, stubborn, and he chased the Israelites, who were leaving confidently. The Egyptians, including all of Pharaoh’s horse-drawn chariots, his cavalry, and his army, chased them and caught up with them as they were camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth in front of Baal-zephon.
As Pharaoh drew closer, the Israelites looked back and saw the Egyptians marching toward them. The Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Weren’t there enough graves in Egypt that you took us away to die in the desert? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt like this? Didn’t we tell you the same thing in Egypt? ‘Leave us alone! Let us work for the Egyptians!’ It would have been better for us to work for the Egyptians than to die in the desert.”
But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand your ground, and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never ever see again. The Lord will fight for you. You just keep still.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to get moving. As for you, lift your shepherd’s rod, stretch out your hand over the sea, and split it in two so that the Israelites can go into the sea on dry ground. But me, I’ll make the Egyptians stubborn so that they will go in after them, and I’ll gain honor at the expense of Pharaoh, all his army, his chariots, and his cavalry. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I gain honor at the expense of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his cavalry.”
HYMN: Henry Alford
Tune: St Boniface https://tinyurl.com/2dm3j383
1 Forward! be our watchword,
Steps and voices joined;
Seek the things before us,
Not a look behind:
Burns the fiery pillar
At our army’s head;
Who shall dream of shrinking,
By our Captain led?
Forward through the desert,
Through the toil and fight;
Jordan flows before us,
Zion beams with light!
2 Forward! flock of Jesus,
Salt of all the earth,
Till each yearning purpose
Springs to glorious birth:
Sick, they ask for healing;
Blind, they grope for day;
Pour upon the nations
Wisdom’s loving ray.
Forward, out of error,
Leave behind the night;
Forward through the darkness,
Forward into light!
3 Glories upon glories
Hath our God prepared,
By the souls that love Him
One day to be shared!
Eye hath not beheld them,
Ear hath never heard;
Nor of these hath uttered
Thought or speech a word:
Forward, marching eastward
Where the heaven is bright.
Till the veil be lifted,
Till our faith be sight!
4 Far o’er yon horizon
Rise the city towers,
Where our God abideth;
That fair home is ours:
Flash the streets with jasper,
Shine the gates with gold;
Flows the gladdening river
Shedding joys untold.
Thither, onward thither,
In the Spirit’s might:
Pilgrims to your country,
Forward into light!
Are we starting to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of introduction to you or from you like other people, do we? You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are Christ’s letter, delivered by us. You weren’t written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. You weren’t written on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
This is the confidence that we have through Christ in the presence of God. It isn’t that we ourselves are qualified to claim that anything came from us. No, our qualification is from God. He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not based on what is written but on the Spirit, because what is written kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The ministry that brought death was carved in letters on stone tablets. It came with such glory that the Israelites couldn’t look for long at Moses’ face because his face was shining with glory, even though it was a fading glory. Won’t the ministry of the Spirit be much more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation has glory, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness? In fact, what was glorious isn’t glorious now, because of the glory that is brighter. If the glory that fades away was glorious, how much more glorious is the one that lasts!
HYMN: Margaret Clarkson
Tune: Blaenwern https://tinyurl.com/bd54ht7a
1 Lord, we hear your Word with gladness:
you have spoken – we rejoice:
words of love and life and freedom
help us make their truth our choice!
Now in holy celebration
for your Word we worship you;
spoken, written, known in Jesus,
ours today to prove anew.
2 May we hear with understanding,
by your Spirit taught and led.
May the springs of all our being
by your living Word be fed.
May our hearts accept with meekness
all the grace your light makes known.
May obedience mark our footsteps
till we make each word our own.
3 You have spoken; yours the fullness,
ours the wealth of this, your Word.
Debtors, then, as living letters,
we must make your gospel heard!
By your Spirit’s power transform us;
shed your saving light abroad
till our lives by love in action
show our world the truth of God!
A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God. You know the commandments: Don’t commit adultery. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.”
Then the ruler said, “I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy.” When Jesus heard this, he said, “There’s one more thing. Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” When he heard these words, the man became sad because he was extremely rich.
When Jesus saw this, he said, “It’s very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.” Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible for humans is possible for God.”
Peter said, “Look, we left everything we own and followed you.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you that anyone who has left house, husband, wife, brothers, sisters, parents, or children because of God’s kingdom will receive many times more in this age and eternal life in the coming age.”
CANTICLE Song of the Three Young Men 29-34
(Setting by Timothy R. Smith: https://tinyurl.com/ycrdhlqc)
Refrain:
Glory and praise, glory and praise, glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
and blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all ages. Refrain
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Refrain
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Refrain
Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Refrain
THE PRAYERS PWC
Creator of all, open a path for your Word
to declare the mystery of Christ.
Turn now, O God of hosts;
behold and tend the vine you have planted.
May your people rejoice and sing,
and your ministers be clothed with salvation.
May they stand and feed your flock
in the strength of your name.
Keep from trouble all those who trust in you
and forget not the poor for ever.
Have mercy upon us,
as we have put our hope in you.
(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.
O Lord, faithful God,
you are our rock and our refuge.
Help us to hear your word as truth
and to act on it in faith,
that all may come to know your love. 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
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
PWC PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: Morning and Evening Prayer for the Seasons of the Church Year Prepared by The Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on behalf of The Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada, May 2016.
The scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of Psalm 38 and 39 are from The Grail Psalter and are from the Manual Hopper YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/manualhopper/featured. Psalm 40 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is 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 © 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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