Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/ypfm8yec
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall have their fill. Matthew 5
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: Frank Houghton ©
Tune: Nyland http://tinyurl.com/5n63t8uh
1 Facing a task unfinished
that drives us to our knees,
a need that, undiminished,
rebukes our slothful ease,
we who rejoice to know you
renew before your throne
the solemn pledge we owe you
to go and make you known.
2 Where other lords beside you
hold their unhindered sway,
where forces that defied you
defy you still today,
with none to heed their crying
for life and love and light,
unnumbered souls are dying
and pass into the night.
3 We bear the torch that flaming
fell from the hands of those
who gave their lives proclaiming
that Jesus died and rose;
ours is the same commission,
the same glad message ours;
fired by the same ambition,
to you we yield our pow’rs.
4 O Father, who sustained them,
O Spirit, who inspired,
Savior, whose love constrained them
to toil with zeal untired,
from cowardice defend us,
from lethargy awake!
Forth on your errands send us
to labor for your sake.
PSALMS
Psalm 41 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/urktsqu)
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy *
the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord preserve him, and keep him alive,
that he may be blessed upon earth *
and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed *
make thou all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me *
heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me *
When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity *
and his heart conceiveth falsehood within himself,
and when he cometh forth he telleth it.
7 All mine enemies whisper together against me *
even against me do they imagine this evil.
8 Let the sentence of guiltiness proceed against him *
and now that he lieth, let him rise up no more.
9 Yea, even mine own familiar friend, whom I trusted *
who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for me.
10 But be thou merciful unto me, O Lord *
raise thou me up again, and I shall reward them.
11 By this I know thou favourest me *
that mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And when I am in my health, thou upholdest me *
and shalt set me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel *
world without end. Amen.
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.
Psalms 42 and 43 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wxrfhr8)
sung as the one psalm they originally were
1 Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks *
so longeth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night *
while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God?
4 Now when I think thereupon, I pour out my heart by myself *
for I went with the multitude,
and brought them forth into the house of God;
5 In the voice of praise and thanksgiving *
among such as keep holy-day.
6 Why art thou so full of heaviness, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
7 Put thy trust in God *
for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance.
8 My God, my soul is vexed within me *
therefore will I remember thee concerning the land of Jordan,
and the little hill of Hermon.
9 One deep calleth another, because of the noise of the water-pipes *
all thy waves and storms are gone over me.
10 The Lord hath granted his loving-kindness in the day-time *
and in the night-season did I sing of him,
and made my prayer unto the God of my life.
11 I will say unto the God of my strength, Why hast thou forgotten me *
why go I thus heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
12 My bones are smitten asunder as with a sword *
while mine enemies that trouble me cast me in the teeth;
13 Namely, while they say daily unto me *
Where is now thy God?
14 Why art thou so vexed, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
15 O put thy trust in God *
for I will yet thank him,
which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
1 Give sentence with me, O God,
and defend my cause against the ungodly people *
O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee *
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me *
and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
4 And that I may go unto the altar of God,
even unto the God of my joy and gladness *
and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
5 Why art thou so heavy, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
6 O put thy trust in God *
for I will yet give him thanks,
which is the help of my countenance, and 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 41 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-41.mp3)
1 Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *
the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.
2 The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,
so that they may be happy in the land; *
he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed *
and ministers to them in their illness.
4 I said, “LORD, be merciful to me; *
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5 My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *
When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *
their heart collects false rumors;
they go outside and spread them.
7 All my enemies whisper together about me *
and devise evil against me.
8 “A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; *
he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.”
9 Even my best friend, whom I trusted,
who broke bread with me, *
has lifted up his heel and turned against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and raise me up, *
and I shall repay them.
11 By this I know you are pleased with me, *
that my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 In my integrity you hold me fast, *
and shall set me before your face for ever.
13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, *
from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Psalms 42 and 43
(Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-42-43-MH.mp3
2 Like the deer that yearns for running streams,
so my soul is yearning for you, my God.
3 My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life;
when can I enter and see the face of God?
4 My tears have become my bread, by night, by day,
as I hear it said all the day long: “Where is your God?”
5 These things will I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I would lead the rejoicing crowd
into the house of God,
amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,
the throng wild with joy.
6 Why are you cast down, my soul,
why groan within me?
Hope in God;
I will praise him still, my savior and my God.
7 My soul is cast down within me as I think of you,
from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon,
from the Hill of Mizar.
8 Deep is calling on deep, in the roar of waters;
your torrents and all your waves swept over me.
9 By day the Lord will send his loving kindness;
by night I will sing to him,
praise the God of my life.
10 I will say to God, my rock: “Why have your forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning oppressed by the foe?”
11 With cries that pierce me to the heart,
my enemies revile me, saying to me all day long:
“Where is your God?”
12 Why are you cast down, my soul,
why groan within me?
Hope in God;
I will praise him still, my savior and my God.
1 Defend me, O God,
and plead my cause against a godless nation.
From deceitful and cunning men
rescue me, O God.
2 Since you, O God, are my stronghold,
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning oppressed by the foe?
3 O send forth your light and your truth;
let these be my guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 And I will come to the altar of God,
the God of my joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp, O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down my soul,
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him still,
my savior and my God.
Glory 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.
PRAYER
Eternal God, source of everlasting light,
send forth your truth into our hearts,
and bring us into your presence with joy and gladness
in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Now, Israel, in light of all that, listen to the regulations and the case laws that I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and possess the land that the Lord, your ancestors’ God, is giving to you. Don’t add anything to the word that I am commanding you, and don’t take anything away from it. Instead, keep the commands of the Lord your God that I am commanding all of you.
You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did concerning the Baal of Peor. The Lord your God destroyed everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who stayed true to the Lord your God are alive today. So pay attention! I am teaching all of you the regulations and the case laws exactly as the Lord my God commanded me. You must do these in the land you are entering to possess. Keep them faithfully because that will show your wisdom and insight to the nations who will hear about all these regulations. They will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and insightful people!” After all, is there any great nation that has gods as close to it as the Lord our God is close to us whenever we call to him? Or does any great nation have regulations and case laws as righteous as all this Instruction that I am setting before you today?
But be on guard and watch yourselves closely so that you don’t forget the things your eyes saw and so they never leave your mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your grandchildren. Remember that day when you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me: “Gather the people to me. I will declare my words to them so that they will learn to fear me every day of their lives on the fertile land, and teach their children to do the same.” Then you all came close and stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain was blazing with fire up to the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick smoke! The Lord spoke to you out of the very fire itself. You heard the sound of words, but you didn’t see any form. There was only a voice. The Lord declared his covenant to you, which he commanded you to do—the Ten Commandments—and wrote them on two stone tablets. At that time, the Lord commanded me to teach you all the regulations and the case laws that you must keep in the land that you are entering to possess.
HYMN: Psalm 46; para. Book of Psalms for Worship, alt.
Tune: Ein feste Burg http://tinyurl.com/3vw37xf7
1 God is our refuge and our strength,
a present help in our distress.
2 We will not therefore be afraid
though all the earth should be removed,
though mountains great be hurled
into the ocean’s depths,
3 though seas may roar and foam
and billows shake the shore,
though mountains tremble at their power.
4 A river brings refreshing streams
to cheer the city of our God,
the Most High’s holy dwelling place.
5 God is in her; she won’t be moved;
at dawn will God help her.
6 The nations rage; realms quake;
he lifts his voice; earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts with us!
Our fortress strong is Jacob’s God.
8 O come, see what the LORD has done:
’midst desolation brought on earth;
9 on earth he puts an end to wars,
breaks bow and spear, and chariots burns.
10 Be still! Know I am God.
exalted o’er nations,
exalted o’er all earth.
11 The LORD of hosts with us!
Our fortress strong is Jacob’s God.
So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. I’m saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the ancestors, and so that the Gentiles could glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing praises to your name.
And again, it says,
Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people.
And again,
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and all the people should sing his praises.
And again, Isaiah says,
There will be a root of Jesse,
who will also rise to rule the Gentiles.
The Gentiles will place their hope in him.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and are able to teach each other. But I’ve written to you in a sort of daring way, partly to remind you of what you already know. I’m writing to you in this way because of the grace that was given to me by God. It helps me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I’m working as a priest of God’s gospel so that the offering of the Gentiles can be acceptable and made holy by the Holy Spirit. So in Christ Jesus I brag about things that have to do with God. I don’t dare speak about anything except what Christ has done through me to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles. He did it by what I’ve said and what I’ve done, by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. So I’ve completed the circuit of preaching Christ’s gospel from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. In this way, I have a goal to preach the gospel where they haven’t heard of Christ yet, so that I won’t be building on someone else’s foundation. Instead, as it’s written, Those who hadn’t been told about him will see, and those who hadn’t heard will understand.
HYMN: Henry Emerson Fosdick
Tune: Cwm Rhondda http://tinyurl.com/sk6bzy68
1 God of grace and God of glory,
on thy people pour thy power;
now fulfil thy church’s story;
bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour.
2 Lo, the hosts of evil round us
scorn thy Christ, assail his ways;
from the fears that long have bound us
free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days.
3 Cure thy children’s warring madness,
bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton selfish gladness,
rich in goods and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.
4 Set our feet on lofty places,
gird our lives that they may be
armoured with all Christlike graces
in the fight till all be free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
that we fail not earth nor thee.
Jesus told them, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.”
CANTICLE Colossians 1:12-20
(Chant by John Michael Talbot https://tinyurl.com/ya95yzto)
Ant. He is the first born of all creation,
in every way the primacy is his.
Let us give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints in light.
He rescued us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him; all were created for him.
He is before all else that is.
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church!
He who is the beginning, the first-born of the dead,
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross.
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
Eternal God, we rejoice today in the gift of life, which we have received
by your grace, and the new life you give in Jesus Christ.
Especially we thank you for
the love of our families . . .
the affection of our friends . . .
strength and abilities to serve your purpose today . . .
this community in which we live . . .
opportunities to give as we have received. . . .
God of grace, we offer our prayers for the needs of others and commit ourselves
to serve them even as we have been served in Jesus Christ. Especially we pray for
those closest to us, families, friends, neighbors . . .
refugees and homeless men, women and children . . .
the outcast and persecuted . . .
those from whom we are estranged . . .
the church in Africa. . . .
Setting by Eric Wyse:2
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,
you have opened the way for us
and brought us to yourself.
Pour your love into our hearts,
that, overflowing with joy,
we may freely share the blessings of your realm
and faithfully proclaim the good news of 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 language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 41 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 42 and 43 are from The Grail Psalter and are from the manualhopper YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwov5_qdAhY
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 © 2024 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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