Antiphon 1
Ant. Be mindful of your word to your servant, O Lord,
in which you caused me to hope; this has been my comfort
in my affliction.
Ps. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, *
who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep his decrees! *
With all their hearts they seek him. Psalm 119
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: Horatius Bonar
Tune: Song 34 https://tinyurl.com/4bz4m7b9
1 Go, labor on; spend, and be spent,
thy joy to do the Father’s will;
it is the way the Master went;
should not the servant tread it still?
2 Go, labor on; ’tis not for naught;
thine earthly loss is heav’nly gain;
men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;
the Master praises- what are men?
3 Go, labor on; enough while here
if He shall praise thee, if He deign
thy willing heart to mark and cheer;
no toil for Him shall be in vain.
4 Go, labor on while it is day:
the world’s dark night is hast’ning on.
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away;
It is not thus that souls are won.
5 Toil on, faint not, keep watch and pray;
be wise the erring soul to win;
go forth into the world’s highway,
compel the wand’rer to come in.
6 Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice;
for toil comes rest, for exile home;
soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom’s voice,
the midnight peal, “Behold, I come.”
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 7 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/u4vua9c)
1 O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust *
save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me;
2 Lest he devour my soul, like a lion, and tear it in pieces *
while there is none to help.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done any such thing *
or if there be any wickedness in my hands;
4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me *
yea, I have delivered him that without any cause is mine enemy;
5 Then let mine enemy persecute my soul, and take me *
yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth,
and lay mine honour in the dust.
6 Stand up, O Lord, in thy wrath, and lift up thyself,
because of the indignation of mine enemies *
arise up for me in the judgement that thou hast commanded.
7 And so shall the congregation of the people come about thee *
for their sakes therefore lift up thyself again.
8 The Lord shall judge the people; give sentence with me, O Lord *
according to my righteousness,
and according to the innocency that is in me.
9 O let the wickedness of the ungodly come to an end *
but guide thou the just.
10 For the righteous God *
trieth the very hearts and reins.
11 My help cometh of God *
who preserveth them that are true of heart.
12 God is a righteous Judge, strong, and patient *
and God is provoked every day.
13 If a man will not turn, he will whet his sword *
he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
14 He hath prepared for him the instruments of death *
he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
15 Behold, he travaileth with mischief *
he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth ungodliness.
16 He hath graven and digged up a pit *
and is fallen himself into the destruction that he made for other.
17 For his travail shall come upon his own head *
and his wickedness shall fall on his own pate.
18 I will give thanks unto the Lord, according to his righteousness *
and I will praise the Name of the Lord most High.
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 8 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vtzy6pg)
1 O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world *
thou that has set thy glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings
hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies *
that thou mightest still the enemy, and the avenger.
3 For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers *
the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him *
and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 Thou madest him lower than the angels *
to crown him with glory and worship.
6 Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands *
and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;
7 All sheep and oxen *
yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea *
and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Governor *
how excellent is thy Name in all the world!
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 7 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-7.mp3)
1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; *
save and deliver me from all who pursue me;
2 Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces *
and snatch me away with none to deliver me.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done these things: *
if there is any wickedness in my hands,
4 If I have repaid my friend with evil, *
or plundered him who without cause is my enemy;
5 Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, *
trample my life into the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust.
6 Stand up, O LORD, in your wrath; *
rise up against the fury of my enemies.
7 Awake, O my God, decree justice; *
let the assembly of the peoples gather round you.
8 Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; *
O LORD, judge the nations.
9 Give judgment for me according to my
righteousness, O LORD, *
and according to my innocence, O Most High.
10 Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous; *
for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.
11 God is my shield and defense; *
he is the savior of the true in heart.
12 God is a righteous judge; *
God sits in judgment every day.
13 If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; *
he will bend his bow and make it ready.
14 He has prepared his weapons of death; *
he makes his arrows shafts of fire.
15 Look at those who are in labor with wickedness, *
who conceive evil, and give birth to a lie.
16 They dig a pit and make it deep *
and fall into the hole that they have made.
17 Their malice turns back upon their own head; *
their violence falls on their own scalp.
18 I will bear witness that the LORD is righteous; *
I will praise the Name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 8 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-8.mp3)
1 O LORD our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!
2 Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
the son of man that you should seek him out?
6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn him with glory and honor;
7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:
8 All sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
10 O LORD our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!
PRAYER
O God, our judge and redeemer,
by the light of your truth
let the righteous know your goodness
and sinners know your mercy,
that together they may give you grateful praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
The Lord’s word came to me: What do you mean by this proverb of yours about the land of Israel: “When parents eat unripe grapes, the children’s teeth suffer”? As surely as I live, says the Lord God, no longer will you use this proverb in Israel! All lives are mine; the life of the parent and the life of the child belong to me. Only the one who sins will die.
But you say, “My Lord’s way doesn’t measure up.” Listen, house of Israel, is it my ways that don’t measure up? Isn’t it your ways that don’t measure up? When those who do the right thing turn from their responsible ways and act maliciously, they will die because of it. For their malicious acts they will die. And when the wicked turn from their wicked deeds and act justly and responsibly, they will preserve their lives. When they become alarmed and turn away from all their sins, they will surely live; they won’t die. Yet the house of Israel says, “My Lord’s way doesn’t measure up.” Is it my ways that don’t measure up? Isn’t it your ways that don’t measure up, house of Israel? Therefore, I will judge each of you according to your ways, house of Israel. This is what the Lord God says. Turn, turn away from all your sins. Don’t let them be sinful obstacles for you. Abandon all of your repeated sins. Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel? I most certainly don’t want anyone to die! This is what the Lord God says. Change your ways, and live!
HYMN: Psalm 25; para. Stanley Wiersma ©
Tune: Genevan 25 https://tinyurl.com/mwcws5f9
1 LORD, to you my soul is lifted.
Let me never be ashamed
that I trust in you to keep me
though I seem to wait in vain.
LORD, remember all your love;
in your holy will instruct me.
LORD, do not remember sins
of those younger years behind me.
2 LORD of covenant and goodness,
pardon and correct my sin.
They who worship you and fear you
choose the paths you choose for them.
They and all their family
shall possess the earth forever.
You, O LORD, will be their friend.
From the snare you will deliver.
3 Turn to me in grace and mercy,
as I suffer all alone.
Take away my sin and sadness,
all the trouble I have known.
May my fierce and spiteful foes
not succeed to harm and curse me.
In your faithfulness I hope.
On your people, LORD, have mercy.
Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:
Though he was in the form of God,
he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
But he emptied himself
by taking the form of a slave
and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore, God highly honored him
and gave him a name above all names,
so that at the name of Jesus everyone
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes.
HYMN: F. Bland Tucker
Tune: Engelberg https://tinyurl.com/scb7sjf2
1 All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine,
didst yield the glory that of right was thine,
that in our darkened hearts thy grace might shine.
Alleluia!
2 Thou cam’st to us, in lowliness of thought;
by thee the outcast and the poor were sought;
and by thy death was God’s salvation wrought.
Alleluia!
3 Let this mind be in us which was in thee,
who wast a servant that we might be free,
humbling thyself to death on Calvary.
Alleluia!
4 Wherefore, by God’s eternal purpose, thou
art high exalted o’er all creatures now,
and given the Name to which all knees shall bow.
Alleluia!
5 Let every tongue confess with one accord
in heaven and earth that Jesus Christ is Lord;
and God the Father be by all adored.
Alleluia! Amen.
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?”
Jesus replied, “I have a question for you. If you tell me the answer, I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. Where did John get his authority to baptize? Did he get it from heaven or from humans?” They argued among themselves, “If we say ‘from heaven,’ he’ll say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But we can’t say ‘from humans’ because we’re afraid of the crowd, since everyone thinks John was a prophet.” Then they replied, “We don’t know.”
Jesus also said to them, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. “What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ “‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go. “Which one of these two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first one.”
Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s kingdom ahead of you. For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him.
CANTICLE Philippians 2:6-11
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/y8ljx8y7)
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS Joe Milner
For the Church: that we may more and more put on the attitude of Christ and empty ourselves so that God can raise us to a new life of faithful relationships and loving service
For the grace of conversion: that God will help all who have made poor or destructive choices to change course and follow Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life
For integrity: that we may not merely speak of God’s ways but sincerely commit to living them as faithful disciples
For growth in responsibility: that God will help us to be committed to the decisions that we make and be responsible for following through with them
For discernment: that the Spirit will give us insight and understanding so that we may recognize God’s invitations and follow the path of life
For healing of our attitudes: that God will free us from the desires to control or be selfish, and help us to strive to serve others with love, patience, and humility
For the unity of Christians: that all believers may be of one mind and heart and work together in serving God and confronting evil
For all who are being persecuted: that God will strengthen them, help them to embrace the cross and be instruments of God’s love, mercy, and compassion
For world leaders meeting at the United Nations: that God will help them listen to the needs of humanity and give them wisdom in developing policies so that all may have food, safety, and live in peace
For all who are ill, particularly those with covid-19: that God will ease their pain, help them to receive life-enhancing treatment, restore them to their loved ones
For peace in our cities and neighborhoods: that God will help us recognize the systemic injustices that exist within our communities and give us the courage to work for change and reconciliation
For all who are suffering from the aftermath of hurricanes or wildfires: that God will protect them from further harm, help them to connect with family and friends, and fill their hearts with courage
For migrants and refugees: that all who have fled violence, starvation, or persecution may find welcome and places of safety to live
For all who serve in difficult and distant places, particularly relief workers and members of the military: that God will guide their service and bring them home safely to their families
For healing of the earth: that God will inspire us to act boldly in addressing climate change and other abuses of the earth so that those who are suffering may be relieved and that the future may hold many blessings for the human family
(Karin Simmons: https://tinyurl.com/y7vwp7dd)
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.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
God of our salvation,
we falter before the demands of your word
and turn away from your call to life.
Pour out your mercy on us
as you showed mercy to your people of old,
that we may turn from our sinfulness
and walk the path of self-emptying love
made known in Jesus Christ. 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.
The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional version of the psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of Psalm 7 and 8 are from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and are sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 6 is from The Grail Psalter and is 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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