Antiphon 1
Ant. I am the good shepherd, alleluia;
I know my sheep and my own know me, alleluia, alleluia.
V. The Lord is my shepherd; *
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures *
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me; *
he revives my soul. John 20, Psalm 23
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/mb6h9xfa
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
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.
Alleluia, alleluia!
HYMN: Psalm 23; para. Henry Williams Baker
Tune: Dominus regit me https://tinyurl.com/55eshsd4
1 The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His.
And He is mine forever.
2 Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And, where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.
3 Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing brought me.
4 In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy Cross before to guide me.
5 Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thine unction grace bestoweth;
And O, what transport and delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!
6 And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd! may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.
PSALMS
Psalm 106 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yd2cn3x8)
1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
and his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Who can express the noble acts of the Lord *
or shew forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are they that alway keep judgement *
and do righteousness.
4 Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour
that thou bearest unto thy people *
O visit me with thy salvation;
5 That I may see the felicity of thy chosen *
and rejoice in the gladness of thy people,
and give thanks with thine inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers *
we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly.
7 Our fathers regarded not thy wonders in Egypt,
neither kept they thy great goodness in remembrance *
but were disobedient at the sea, even at the Red sea.
8 Nevertheless, he helped them for his Name’s sake *
that he might make his power to be known.
9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up *
so he led them through the deep, as through a wilderness.
10 And he saved them from the adversary’s hand *
and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.
11 As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them *
there was not one of them left.
12 Then believed they his words *
and sang praise unto him.
13 But within a while they forgat his works *
and would not abide his counsel.
14 But lust came upon them in the wilderness *
and they tempted God in the desert.
15 And he gave them their desire *
and sent leanness withal into their soul.
16 They angered Moses also in the tents *
and Aaron the saint of the Lord.
17 So the earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan *
and covered the congregation of Abiram.
18 And the fire was kindled in their company *
the flame burnt up the ungodly.
19 They made a calf in Horeb *
and worshipped the molten image.
20 Thus they turned their glory *
into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay.
21 And they forgat God their Saviour *
who had done so great things in Egypt;
22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham *
and fearful things by the Red sea.
23 So he said, he would have destroyed them,
had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap *
to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.
24 Yea, they thought scorn of that pleasant land *
and gave no credence unto his word;
25 But murmured in their tents *
and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
26 Then lift he up his hand against them *
to overthrow them in the wilderness;
27 To cast out their seed among the nations *
and to scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves unto Baalpeor *
and ate the offerings of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their own inventions *
and the plague was great among them.
30 Then stood up Phinees and prayed *
and so the plague ceased.
31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness *
among all posterities for evermore.
32 They angered him also at the waters of strife *
so that he punished Moses for their sakes;
33 Because they provoked his spirit *
so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
34 Neither destroyed they the heathen *
as the Lord commanded them;
35 But were mingled among the heathen *
and learned their works.
36 Insomuch that they worshipped their idols,
which turned to their own decay *
yea, they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils;
37 And shed innocent blood,
even the blood of their sons and of their daughters *
whom they offered unto the idols of Canaan;
and the land was defiled with blood.
38 Thus were they stained with their own works *
and went a whoring with their own inventions.
39 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people *
insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
40 And he gave them over into the hand of the heathen *
and they that hated them were lords over them.
41 Their enemies oppressed them *
and had them in subjection.
42 Many a time did he deliver them *
but they rebelled against him with their own inventions,
and were brought down in their wickedness.
43 Nevertheless, when he saw their adversity *
he heard their complaint.
44 He thought upon his covenant, and pitied them,
according unto the multitude of his mercies *
yea, he made all those that led them away captive to pity them.
45 Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen *
that we may give thanks unto thy holy Name, and make our boast of thy praise.
46 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and world without end *
and let all the people say, 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.
Psalm 106 (Kohlhase: https://tinyurl.com/2nshc92b)
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love is everlasting.
Who’ll tell of the power of the LORD,
or show forth all of his praise?
How blessed are those who keep justice,
and righteousness at all times!
Remember me, LORD, in your favor;
and visit me with your salvation.
Let me see your chosen ones prosper,
and glory with your inheritance.
We’ve erred like our fathers, committing sin;
so poorly we have behaved.
In Egypt they misunderstood your signs;
your graces they scorned at the sea.
But for your name’s sake you saved them,
to make your power known.
Rebuking the Red Sea he dried it up,
led through the deep as a wilderness.
Saved them from the hand of hostile ones,
redeemed from the hand of their foe.
The waters returned to drown their foes;
not one among them was left.
Therefore they trusted his words;
and they sang out his praise.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
However, they quickly forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel,
their cravings were strong in the wilderness,
they tested their God in the desert.
He gave to them as they desired,
along with a wasting disease.
The camp envied Moses and Aaron,
the holy ones of the LORD.
Earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
engulfing the clan of Abiram.
A fire broke out in their company;
the flame consumed the wicked.
They then made a calf in Horeb,
and worshiped a molten image.
So they exchanged their glory,
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
Forgetting their God and Savior,
who did great things in Egypt;
his signs in the land of Ham,
and marvels at the Red Sea.
He said that he would destroy them,
had Moses not stood in the gap,
to turn away his anger, from destroying them.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Then they despised the pleasant land;
they did not trust in his word,
but grumbled there within their tents,
not heeding the voice of the LORD.
Therefore he swore unto them,
he’d cast them down in the desert,
and cast their seed among nations,
to scatter them throughout the lands.
They joined themselves to Baal-peor,
and ate what was offered the dead.
Provoking his anger by their deeds,
a plague broke out among them.
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
thereby the plague was stopped.
Reckoned to him as righteousness,
to all generations forever.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
At Meribah’s waters they angered him,
thus making it hard for Moses;
for when they rejected the Spirit,
he rashly spoke with his lips.
They did not destroy the nations,
as ordered by the LORD,
but with the nations they mingled,
and learned of all their ways.
They started to serve their idols,
becoming a snare unto them.
For even their sons they sacrificed,
and gave their daughters to demons.
They shed the innocent blood,
of their daughters and of their sons;
gave them to the idols of Canaan.
polluting the land with their blood.
Becoming unclean in their dealings,
in deed they played the harlot.
The LORD’s anger burned at his people,
detesting his own inheritance.
He gave them into the nations’ hands,
those hating them became their rulers.
Their enemies also oppressed them,
subduing them under their power.
He often would save and counsel them;
rebellious they sank in their sin;
but he still considered their troubles,
whenever he heard their cry;
for them he remembered his covenant,
he turned from the depths of his love.
He made them as objects of pity,
in the presence of their captors.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Save us, O LORD our God,
regather us from all the nations;
to give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
forever and forever;
let the people say, “Amen.”
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
PRAYER
Merciful God,
remembering your covenant,
you graciously pardoned those who rebelled against you.
Grant that, where sin abounds,
grace may abound more;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I’m going to make bread rain down from the sky for you. The people will go out each day and gather just enough for that day. In this way, I’ll test them to see whether or not they follow my Instruction. On the sixth day, when they measure out what they have collected, it will be twice as much as they collected on other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you will see the Lord’s glorious presence, because your complaints against the Lord have been heard. Who are we? Why blame us?” Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning because the Lord heard the complaints you made against him. Who are we? Your complaints aren’t against us but against the Lord.”
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole Israelite community, ‘Come near to the Lord, because he’s heard your complaints.’” As Aaron spoke to the whole Israelite community, they turned to look toward the desert, and just then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
The Lord spoke to Moses, “I’ve heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat. And in the morning you will have your fill of bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
In the evening a flock of quail flew down and covered the camp. And in the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the desert surface were thin flakes, as thin as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” They didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”\
HYMN: Josiah Conder
Tune: Bread of Heaven https://tinyurl.com/2cy55wy5
1 Bread of heaven, on thee we feed,
for thou art our food indeed.
Ever may our souls be fed
with this true and living Bread,
day by day with strength supplied
through the life of Christ who died.
2 Vine of heaven, thy love supplies
this blest cup of sacrifice.
‘Tis thy wounds our healing give;
to thy cross we look and live.
Thou our life! O let us be
rooted, grafted, built on thee.
This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help—how can the love of God dwell in a person like that?
Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth. This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts in God’s presence. Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence in relationship to God. We receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love each other as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments dwell in God and God dwells in them. This is how we know that he dwells in us, because of the Spirit he has given us.
HYMN: Elton Trueblood
Tune: Ebenezer https://tinyurl.com/yckj5b68
1 God, whose purpose is to kindle,
now ignite us with your fire.
While the earth awaits your burning,
with your passion us inspire.
Overcome our sinful calmness,
stir us with your saving name.
Baptize with your fiery Spirit,
crown our lives with tongues of flame.
2 God, who still a sword delivers
rather than a placid peace,
with your sharpened word disturb us,
from complacency release!
Save us now from satisfaction,
when we privately are free,
yet are undisturbed in spirit
by our neighbor’s misery.
3 God, who in your holy gospel
wills that all should truly live,
make us sense our share of failure,
our tranquility forgive.
Teach us courage as we struggle
in all liberating strife.
Lift the smallness of our vision
by your own abundant life.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. When the hired hand sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. That’s because he isn’t the shepherd; the sheep aren’t really his. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. He’s only a hired hand and the sheep don’t matter to him.
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that don’t belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one shepherd.
“This is why the Father loves me: I give up my life so that I can take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I give it up because I want to. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.”
CANTICLE Exodus 15
(John Schiavone: https://tinyurl.com/ybknobsb)
Ant. I will sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him. Ant.
The Lord is a warrior, LORD is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea. Ant.
The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O Lord, has shattered the enemy. Ant.
You brought in the people you redeemed
and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O Lord,
the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands established.
The Lord shall reign forever and ever. Ant.
THE PRAYERS Joe Milner
For the Church: that we may distinguish the voice of the Good Shepherd from all the other messages that we hear and faithfully respond to all Christ’s invitations
For a spirit of openness: that we may allow the saving work of Jesus to heal and bring us to wholeness so that the power of the resurrection may be manifest to all the human family
For all who are laying down their lives in caring for sick children, the developmentally disabled, the elderly, or terminally ill: that God will renew them and fill them with energy and love
For all who are searching: that the Good Shepherd will find them and lead them to a fuller life with purpose and a sense of belonging
For greater stewardship of the earth: that God will inspire us to care for God’s creation and ensure that it benefits all of God’s children
For all run-away teens: that the Good Shepherd will care for them and lead them to a place of safety and healing
For all who are burdened by debt in the third world: that the Good Shepherd will touch hearts and open our understanding toward the longings and hopes of all who struggle with poverty
For all who have neglected their responsibilities as pastoral leaders: that the Good Shepherd will heal those who have been injured and transform these leaders into true shepherds to God’s people
For all discerning their life calling: that young people may listen carefully to God’s invitations and courageously respond to God with trusting faith and generous love
For children in dangerous situations: that God will protect the children at the border, those who live in areas of warfare and violence, or whose home life is unsafe from harm and injury
For leaders of nations: that God will give them a heart like the Good Shepherd, compassion toward those who are suffering, and wisdom to develop policies that advance the common good
For an end to violence: that the Good Shepherd will protect all of God’s children from random shootings, domestic violence, hate crimes, and acts of terrorism
(Plainsong: https://tinyurl.com/ahnrtv59)ELW
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.
Shepherd of all,
by laying down your life for your flock
you reveal your love for all.
Lead us from the place of death
to the place of abundant life,
that guided by your care for us,
we may rightly offer our lives
in love for you and our neighbors. Amen. RCLP
https://tinyurl.com/rkxkpmc
Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to God whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
Donation to Support This Ministry
Since 1993, Oremus has been done on a volunteer basis. If you are able, please consider supporting this work at the PayPal link below. For software reasons, I’ve set the value at $10.00, but feel free to change it. Thank you.
$10.00
BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
ELW The Lord’s Prayer is from Setting Five in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
The intercession is by Joe Milner http://liturgy.slu.edu
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 psalms are in the version sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html
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.
Oremus 