Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hammarskjold (1905 – 1961) was born into an influential Swedish family; his father was a former prime minister. He studied law and economics after which he was offered the post of Swedish ambassador to the United Nations. Hammarskjold then was elected Secretary General, an honored but difficult role he played for eight years. On September 18, 1961, he died in a plane crash in central Africa. Praise came from around the world for his wisdom, devotion to duty, and his relentless search for peace in a time when nuclear war seemed on the horizon.
Shortly after his death, a just completed manuscript was discovered in his apartment and published as Markings. The journal entries and commentary by Hammarskjold often revolve around religious matters such as faith, meaning, duty, loneliness, and pride. On these pages, he reveals “my negotiations with myself and with God.” 1
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/cye7pa7m
Come to me, all who labor and are burdened,
and I will refresh you, says the Lord. Matthew 11
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: Sy Miller and Jill Jackson
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/2kde6prj
Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me.
let there be peace on earth,
the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father,/With God our Creator,
brothers all are we;/we are family.
Let me walk with my brother/Let us walk with each other
in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me,
let this be the moment now.
With ev’ry step I take,
let this be my solemn vow:
To take each moment and live each moment
in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me.
PSALMS
Psalm 90 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uzj6wj2)
1 Lord, thou hast been our refuge *
from one generation to another.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever the earth and the world were made *
thou art God from everlasting, and world without end.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction *
again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday *
seeing that is past as a watch in the night.
5 As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep *
and fade away suddenly like the grass.
6 In the morning it is green, and groweth up *
but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
7 For we consume away in thy displeasure *
and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation.
8 Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee *
and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9 For when thou art angry all our days are gone *
we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told.
10 The days of our age are threescore years and ten;
and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years *
yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow;
so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.
11 But who regardeth the power of thy wrath *
for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure.
12 So teach us to number our days *
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13 Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last *
and be gracious unto thy servants.
14 O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon *
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15 Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us *
and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.
16 Shew thy servants thy work *
and their children thy glory.
17 And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us *
prosper thou the work of our hands upon us,
O prosper thou our handy-work.
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 91 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/w5pwhvg)
1 Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High *
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold *
my God, in him will I trust.
3 For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter *
and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall defend thee under his wings,
and thou shalt be safe under his feathers *
his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night *
nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 For the pestilence that walketh in darkness *
nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.
7 A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand *
but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold *
and see the reward of the ungodly.
9 For thou, Lord, art my hope *
thou hast set thine house of defence very high.
10 There shall no evil happen unto thee *
neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee *
to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee in their hands *
that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder *
the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him *
I will set him up, because he hath known my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will hear him *
yea, I am with him in trouble;
I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.
16 With long life will I satisfy him *
and shew him 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 92 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/v6sub7d)
1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord *
and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest;
2 To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning *
and of thy truth in the night-season;
3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute *
upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.
4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works *
and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.
5 O Lord, how glorious are thy works *
thy thoughts are very deep.
6 An unwise man doth not well consider this *
and a fool doth not understand it.
7 When the ungodly are green as the grass,
and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish *
then shall they be destroyed for ever;
but thou, Lord, art the most Highest for evermore.
8 For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish *
and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.
9 But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn *
for I am anointed with fresh oil.
10 Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies *
and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that arise up against me.
11 The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree *
and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
12 Such as are planted in the house of the Lord *
shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
13 They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age *
and shall be fat and well-liking.
14 That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is *
and that there is no unrighteousness in him.
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 90 (LSB Tone G: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-90-LSB.mp3)
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place*
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,*
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dust*
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,*
or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood;*
they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;*
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;*
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,*
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;*
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;*
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,*
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days*
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD! How long?*
Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,*
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,*
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,*
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;*
yes, establish the work of our hands!
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 91 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-91.mp3)
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the LORD,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
7 A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8 Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the LORD your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.
Psalm 92 (LSB Tone D: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-92-LSB.mp3)
1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,*
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,*
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,*
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;*
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O LORD!*
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:*
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O LORD,*
are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O LORD,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;*
all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn
like that of the wild ox;*
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;*
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree*
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD;*
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;*
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the LORD is upright;*
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
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
Creator God,
you have planted your Word in our hearts
that you might harvest forth justice.
So root us in your love,
that we may always flourish,
yielding all the fruits of the Spirit
from youth to old age;
through Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and fell facedown before him, bowing low to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, “Put the blame on me, my master! But please let me, your servant, speak to you directly. Please listen to what your servant has to say. Please, my master, pay no attention to this despicable man Nabal. He’s exactly what his name says he is! His name means fool, and he is foolish! But I myself, your servant, didn’t see the young men that you, my master, sent. I pledge, my master, as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, that the Lord has held you back from bloodshed and taking vengeance into your own hands! But now let your enemies and those who seek to harm my master be exactly like Nabal! Here is a gift, which your servant has brought to my master. Please let it be given to the young men who follow you, my master. Please forgive any offense by your servant. The Lord will definitely make an enduring dynasty for my master because my master fights the Lord’s battles, and nothing evil will be found in you throughout your lifetime. If someone chases after you and tries to kill you, my master, then your life will be bound up securely in the bundle of life by the Lord your God, but he will fling away your enemies’ lives as from the pouch of a sling. When the Lord has done for my master all the good things he has promised you, and has installed you as Israel’s leader, don’t let this be a blot or burden on my master’s conscience, that you shed blood needlessly or that my master took vengeance into his own hands. When the Lord has done good things for my master, please remember your servant.”
David said to Abigail, “Bless the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today! And bless you and your good judgment for preventing me from shedding blood and taking vengeance into my own hands today! Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives—the one who kept me from hurting you—if you hadn’t come quickly and met up with me, there wouldn’t be one single one who urinates on a wall left come morning.” Then David accepted everything she had brought for him. “Return home in peace,” he told her. “Be assured that I’ve heard your request and have agreed to it.”
When Abigail got back home to Nabal, he was throwing a party fit for a king in his house. Nabal was in a great mood and very drunk, so Abigail didn’t tell him anything until daybreak. In the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him everything. Nabal’s heart failed inside him, and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Bless the Lord, who has rendered a verdict regarding Nabal’s insult to me and who kept me, his servant, from doing something evil! The Lord has brought Nabal’s evil down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, saying that he would take her as his wife.
When David’s servants reached Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you so you can become his wife.” She bowed low to the ground and said, “I am your servant, ready to serve and wash the feet of my master’s helpers.” Then Abigail got up quickly and rode on her donkey, with five of her young women going with her. She followed David’s messengers and became his wife. David also married Ahinoam from Jezreel, so both of them were his wives. But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti, Laish’s son, from Gallim.
HYMN: Henry Williams Baker
Tune: Erhalt uns, Herr https://tinyurl.com/bp596t6e
1 O God of Love, O King of Peace,
Make wars throughout the world to cease;
The wrath of sinful man restrain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
2 Remember, Lord, Thy works of old,
The wonders that our fathers told;
Remember not our sin’s dark stain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
3 Whom shall we trust but Thee, O Lord?
Where rest but on Thy faithful Word?
None ever called on Thee in vain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
4 Where saints and angels dwell above,
All hearts are knit in holy love;
O bind us in that heavenly chain,
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
So we try to persuade people, since we know what it means to fear the Lord. We are well known by God, and I hope that in your heart we are well known by you as well. We aren’t trying to commend ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you could answer those who take pride in superficial appearance, and not in what is in the heart.
If we are crazy, it’s for God’s sake. If we are rational, it’s for your sake. The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all; therefore, all died. He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who died for them and was raised.
So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now. So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!
All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.
So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.
HYMN: Thomas O Chisholm
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/5erscart
1. Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain:
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
2. Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.
3. Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy Name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.
4. Living for Jesus through earth’s little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.
After John’s messengers were gone, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A stalk blowing in the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in refined clothes? Look, those who dress in fashionable clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. He is the one of whom it’s written: Look, I’m sending my messenger before you, who will prepare your way before you. I tell you that no greater human being has ever been born than John. Yet whoever is least in God’s kingdom is greater than he.” Everyone who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and legal experts rejected God’s will for themselves because they hadn’t been baptized by John.
“To what will I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace calling out to each other, ‘We played the flute for you and you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song and you didn’t cry.’ John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ Yet the Human One came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved to be right by all her descendants.”
CANTICLE Micah 6:6-8
(Tune: Sharpthorne https://tinyurl.com/yafplab4)
What does the Lord require
for praise and offering?
What sacrifice, desire,
or tribute bid you bring?
Do justly,
love mercy,
walk humbly with your God.
Rulers of earth, give ear!
Should you not justice know?
Will God your pleading hear
while crime and cruelty grow?
Do justly,
love mercy,
walk humbly with your God.
Still down the ages ring
the prophet’s stern commands;
to merchant, worker, king
he brings God’s high commands:
do justly,
love mercy,
walk humbly with your God.
How shall our life fulfill
God’s law so hard and high?
Let Christ endue our will
with grace to fortify.
Then justly,
in mercy,
we’ll humbly walk with God.
THE PRAYERS PWC
God of Jerusalem, send the riches of your grace
upon the church throughout the world.
Creator of all, carry us in your arms.
Fill all who proclaim the word of truth with the infinite wisdom of Christ.
Creator of all, carry us in your arms.
Inspire all who have consecrated their lives to your reign
and all who are struggling to follow the way of Christ with the gifts of the Spirit.
Creator of all, carry us in your arms.
Strengthen all who govern the nations
so that they strive for justice and peace.
Creator of all, carry us in your arms.
Enlighten scholars and research-workers
so that their studies may benefit humanity.
Creator of all, carry us in your arms.
Give your peace to all who have passed from this life in faith and obedience.
Creator of all, carry us in your arms.
(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.
Almighty God, who exalted your humble Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords: Kindle within the hearts of the leaders of this world a yearning for peace with justice, as you did within your servant Dag Hammarskjöld, and, following his good example, ever guide our feet into the way of peace; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 2
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.
1 https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/naming-the-days/view/23953/dag-hammarskjold-day
2 dailyoffice.wordpress.com/2019/09/18/evening-prayer-9-18-19-dag-hammarskjold-diplomat-peacemaker-1961/
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 91 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 90 and 92 are from Lutheran Service Book, 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 © 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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