John Knox
A Roman Catholic priest in Scotland, Knox became associated with George Wishart and other Protestants in 1545 and embraced their cause. When Roman Catholic Mary I came to the English throne in 1553, Knox went into exile on the Continent, where he came into contact with John Calvin. He ultimately returned to Scotland, where he became the founder of the Presbyterian Church, providing the basics for a Calvinist confession of faith and organizational structure. He was an outspoken preacher, debating Mary Queen of Scots in theological and political matters. He died on this day in 1572. Stake
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/ksjwy4t9
Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face.
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face from me. Psalm 27
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: Psalm 119; para. Scottish Psalter, 1650
Tune: Winchester Old https://tinyurl.com/dwsd9cf6
1 Teach me, O LORD, the perfect way
of Thy precepts divine,
and to observe it to the end
I shall my heart incline.
2 Give understanding unto me,
that I Thy law obey;
with my whole heart shall I observe
Thy statutes night and day.
3 In Thy law’s path make me to go;
delight therein I find.
Unto Thy truth, and not to greed,
let my heart be inclined.
4 Turn Thou away my sight and eyes
from viewing vanity;
and in Thy good and holy way
be pleased to quicken me.
5 Confirm to me Thy gracious Word,
which I did gladly hear,
to me Thy servant, LORD, who am
devoted to Thy fear.
6 Turn Thou away my feared reproach;
for good Thy judgments be.
Lo, for Thy precepts I have longed;
in Thy truth quicken me.
PSALMS
Psalm 116 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/r9c5ke7)
1 I am well pleased *
that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer;
2 That he hath inclined his ear unto me *
therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death compassed me round about *
and the pains of hell gat hold upon me.
4 I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord *
O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous *
yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple *
I was in misery, and he helped me.
7 Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul *
for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
8 And why? thou hast delivered my soul from death *
mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord *
in the land of the living.
10 I believed, and therefore will I speak; but I was sore troubled *
I said in my haste, All men are liars.
11 What reward shall I give unto the Lord *
for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
12 I will receive the cup of salvation *
and call upon the Name of the Lord.
13 I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people *
right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
14 Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy servant *
I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid;
thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.
15 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and will call upon the Name of the Lord.
16 I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people *
in the courts of the Lord’s house,
even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
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 117 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rxgv7mn)
1 O praise the Lord, all ye heathen *
praise him, all ye nations.
2 For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us *
and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise the Lord.
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 118 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tkh65hw)
1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
because his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let Israel now confess, that he is gracious *
and that his mercy endureth for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now confess *
that his mercy endureth for ever.
4 Yea, let them now that fear the Lord confess *
that his mercy endureth for ever.
5 I called upon the Lord in trouble *
and the Lord heard me at large.
6 The Lord is on my side *
I will not fear what man doeth unto me.
7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me *
therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemies.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord *
than to put any confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord *
than to put any confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me round about *
but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.
11 They kept me in on every side, they kept me in, I say, on every side *
but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.
12 They came about me like bees,
and are extinct even as the fire among the thorns *
for in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall *
but the Lord was my help.
14 The Lord is my strength, and my song *
and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous *
the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.
16 The right hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence *
the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.
17 I shall not die, but live *
and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord hath chastened and corrected me *
but he hath not given me over unto death.
19 Open me the gates of righteousness *
that I may go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord *
the righteous shall enter into it.
21 I will thank thee, for thou hast heard me *
and art become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders refused *
is become the head-stone in the corner.
23 This is the Lord’s doing *
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord hath made *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Help me now, O Lord *
O Lord, send us now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord *
we have wished you good luck, ye that are of the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord who hath shewed us light *
bind the sacrifice with cords, yea, even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will thank thee *
thou art my God, and I will praise thee.
29 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
and his mercy endureth for ever.
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 116 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-116.mp3)
1 I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of
my supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to me whenever
I called upon him.
2 The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
I came to grief and sorrow.
3 Then I called upon the Name of the LORD: *
“O LORD, I pray you, save my life.”
4 Gracious is the LORD and righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.
5 The LORD watches over the innocent; *
I was brought very low, and he helped me.
6 Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
for the LORD has treated you well.
7 For you have rescued my life from death, *
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
8 I will walk in the presence of the LORD *
in the land of the living.
9 I believed, even when I said,
“I have been brought very low.” *
In my distress I said, “No one can be trusted.”
10 How shall I repay the LORD *
for all the good things he has done for me?
11 I will lift up the cup of salvation *
and call upon the Name of the LORD.
12 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD *
in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the LORD *
is the death of his servants.
14 O LORD, I am your servant; *
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
15 I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and call upon the Name of the LORD.
16 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD *
in the presence of all his people,
17 In the courts of the LORD’S house, *
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 117 (LSB Tone A: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-117-LSB.mp3)
1 Praise the LORD, all nations!*
Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,*
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the 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..
Psalm 118 (LSB Tone I: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-118-LSB.mp3)
1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;*
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say,*
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,*
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say,*
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD;*
the LORD answered me and set me free.
6The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.*
What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side as my helper;*
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD*
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD*
than to trust in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me;*
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;*
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;*
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,*
but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song;*
he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous:*
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
16 the right hand of the LORD exalts,*
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live,*
and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has disciplined me severely,*
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,*
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD;*
the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me*
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected*
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing;*
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made;*
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O LORD!*
O LORD, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the LORD!*
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27The LORD is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.*
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;*
you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;*
for his steadfast love endures forever!
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.
PRAYER
Holy and mighty God,
your Son’s triumph over sin and death
has opened to us the gate of eternal life.
Purify our hearts
that we may follow him
and share in the radiance of his glory.
We ask this for the sake of our risen Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
A long time passed. The Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua had grown very old. Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders, their heads, their judges, and their officers. He said to them, “I’ve grown very old. You’ve seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you. It is the Lord your God who fights for you. Look. I’ve allotted to you these remaining nations as a legacy for your tribes, along with all the nations I have destroyed. They stretch from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea. The Lord your God will force them out before you and remove them from you. Then you will take over their land, exactly as the Lord your God has promised you. Be very strong. Carefully obey everything written in the Instruction scroll from Moses. Don’t deviate a bit from it either to the right or to the left. Don’t have anything to do with these nations that remain with you. Don’t invoke the names of their gods or take oaths by them. Don’t serve them or worship them. Hold on to the Lord your God instead, exactly as you’ve done right up to today.
“The Lord has removed great and powerful nations before you. To this day, no one has stood up to you. A single one of you puts a thousand to flight. This is because the Lord your God fights for you, exactly as he promised you. For your own sake, be very careful to love the Lord your God. But if you should turn away and join the rest of these nations that remain with you, intermarry with them, and associate with each other, then know for certain that the Lord your God won’t keep on removing these nations before you. Instead, they will be a snare and a trap for you. They will be a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you vanish from this fertile land that the Lord your God has given you.
“Look. I’m now walking on the road to death that all the earth must take. You know with all your heart and being that not a single one of all the good things that the Lord your God promised about you has failed. They were all fulfilled for you. Not a single one of them has failed. But in the same way that every good thing that the Lord your God promised about you has been fulfilled, so the Lord could bring against you every bad thing as well. He could wipe you out from this fertile land that the Lord your God has given you. If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you to keep, and go on to serve other gods and worship them, then the Lord will be furious with you. You will quickly vanish from the fertile land that he has given you.”
HYMN: Philip Doddridge
Tune: Love Unknown https://tinyurl.com/4b62wh52
1 The promises I sing,
Which love supreme hath spoke;
Nor will th’eternal King
His words of grace revoke.
They stand secure
And steadfast still:
Not Sion’s hill
Abides so sure.
2 The mountains melt away,
When once the Judge appears;
And sun and moon decay,
That measure mortal years:
But still the same,
In radiant lines,
His promise shines
Through all the flame.
3 Their harmony shall sound
Thro’ my attentive ears,
When thunders cleave the ground,
And dissipate the spheres.
Midst all the shock
Of that dread scene,
I’ll stand serene,
Thy word my rock.
Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider was called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war justly. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many royal crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He wore a robe dyed with blood, and his name was called the Word of God. Heaven’s armies, wearing fine linen that was white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword that he will use to strike down the nations. He is the one who will rule them with an iron rod. And he is the one who will trample the winepress of the Almighty God’s passionate anger. He has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of kings and Lord of lords.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called out with a loud voice and said to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come and gather for God’s great supper. Come and eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of the powerful, and the flesh of horses and their riders. Come and eat the flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great.” Then I saw that the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies had gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was seized, along with the false prophet who had done signs in the beast’s presence. (He had used the signs to deceive people into receiving the beast’s mark and into worshipping the beast’s image.) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed by the sword that comes from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds ate their fill of their flesh.
HYMN: Thomas Kelly
Tune: Coronae https://tinyurl.com/3tyy2nr6
1 Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious:
see the Man of Sorrows now;
from the fight returned victorious,
every knee to Him shall bow.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crowns become the Victor’s brow.
2 Crown the Savior, angels, crown Him;
rich the trophies Jesus brings;
in the seat of pow’r enthrone Him,
while the vault of heaven rings.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crown the Savior King of kings.
3 Sinners in derision crowned Him,
mocking thus the Savior’s claim;
saints and angels crowd around Him,
own His title, praise His name.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Spread abroad the Victor’s fame!
4 Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
Hark! those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
O what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him! Crown Him!
King of kings, and Lord of lords!
When Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them. Suddenly the whole crowd caught sight of Jesus. They ran to greet him, overcome with excitement. Jesus asked them, “What are you arguing about?”
Someone from the crowd responded, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, since he has a spirit that doesn’t allow him to speak. Wherever it overpowers him, it throws him into a fit. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and stiffens up. So I spoke to your disciples to see if they could throw it out, but they couldn’t.” Jesus answered them, “You faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.”
They brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a fit. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been going on?”
He said, “Since he was a child. It has often thrown him into a fire or into water trying to kill him. If you can do anything, help us! Show us compassion!” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can do anything’? All things are possible for the one who has faith.” At that the boy’s father cried out, “I have faith; help my lack of faith!”
Noticing that the crowd had surged together, Jesus spoke harshly to the unclean spirit, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again.” After screaming and shaking the boy horribly, the spirit came out. The boy seemed to be dead; in fact, several people said that he had died. But Jesus took his hand, lifted him up, and he arose.
After Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we throw this spirit out?” Jesus answered, “Throwing this kind of spirit out requires prayer.”
CANTICLE Ephesians 1:3-10
(John Michael Talbot https://tinyurl.com/ya8y3kqs)
Ant. God chose us in his Son to be his beloved children.
Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
who bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him before the world began, *
to be holy and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ, *
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom to understand fully the mystery, *
the plan he was pleased to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out in Christ, in the fullness of time, *
to bring all things into one in him, in the heavens and on the earth
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.
THE PRAYERS BCW
Give us your peace, O God, that we may rejoice in your goodness to us and to all
your children, and be thankful for your love revealed in Jesus Christ. Especially
we thank you for
people who reveal your truth and righteousness . . .
courage to be bold disciples . . .
those who show hospitality . . .
surprises that have blessed us . . .
the unity of the church of Jesus Christ. . . .
Give us your peace, O God, that we may be confident of your care for us and all
your children, as we remember the needs of others. Especially we pray for
friends and relatives who are far away . . .
neighbors in special need . . .
those who suffer hunger and thirst . . .
those who work at night while others sleep . . .
Episcopal and Methodist churches. . . .
(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.
Everliving God,
your saving power is always at work,
and, by the witness of John Knox,
you lit a candle which cannot be put out;
may the fire of your Spirit burn within us,
and the vision of your light guide every step,
that we may be constant in your service;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. FATS
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.
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
FATS For All the Saints, © The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, 2014
Stake Donald Wilson Stake, “A Calendar of Commemorations. ” Call to Worship, Volume 47.4, 2014
The main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 116 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 117 and 118 are in the version used in Lutheran Service Book: Pew Edition Concordia Publishing House, and are from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg.
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.
Oremus 