Oremus for Tuesday, December 17, 2024

*The Calling of the Sons of Zebedee*, Master of Lourinhã, ca. 1520

O Sapientia
The Western Church has been singing the “O” Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative “Come!” embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.

Antiphon
Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ycfhbq7w

O Sapientia,
quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom,
your words uttered in the beginning
generated a world of beauty and goodness,
giving purpose and value to each creature;
instruct us in the way of prudence,
that we may nurture the world with justice and joy.
Help us to resist evil and to obey you,
so that we may walk in your ways and
that the beauty of your creation may flourish—
through the one whom we know as the Wisdom of the ages,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. ^WS2

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: William Walsham How
Tune: Munich https://tinyurl.com/yy4u9b2f

1 O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky,
we praise thee for the radiance
that from the hallowed page,
a lantern to our footsteps,
shines on from age to age.

2 The church from her dear Master
received the gift divine,
and still that light she lifteth
o’er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket,
where gems of truth are stored;
it is the heav’n drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word.

3 It floateth like a banner
before God’s host unfurled;
it shineth like a beacon
above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass
that o’er life’s surging sea,
‘mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
still guides, O Christ, to thee.

4 O make thy church, dear Savior,
a lamp of purest gold,
to bear before the nations
thy true light, as of old.
O teach thy wand’ring pilgrims
by this their path to trace,
’til, clouds and darkness ended,
they see thee face to face.

PSALMS

Psalm 89 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydygwbyj)
1  My song shall be alway of the loving kindness of the Lord *
with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth
from one generation to another.
2  For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever *
thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.
3  I have made a covenant with my chosen *
I have sworn unto David my servant;
4  Thy seed will I stablish for ever *
and set up thy throne from one generation to another.
5  O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works *
and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.
6  For who is he among the clouds *
that shall be compared unto the Lord?
7  And what is he among the gods *
that shall be like unto the Lord?
8  God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints *
and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.
9  O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee *
thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.
10  Thou rulest the raging of the sea *
thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.
11  Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it *
thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.
12  The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine *
thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.
13  Thou hast made the north and the south *
Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.
14  Thou hast a mighty arm *
strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
15  Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat *
mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
16  Blessed is the people, O Lord, that can rejoice in thee *
they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.
17  Their delight shall be daily in thy Name *
and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.
18  For thou art the glory of their strength *
and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.
19  For the Lord is our defence *
the Holy One of Israel is our King.
20  Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst *
I have laid help upon one that is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
21  I have found David my servant *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.
22  My hand shall hold him fast *
and my arm shall strengthen him.
23  The enemy shall not be able to do him violence *
the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.
24  I will smite down his foes before his face *
and plague them that hate him.
25  My truth also and my mercy shall be with him *
and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.
26  I will set his dominion also in the sea *
and his right hand in the floods.
27  He shall call me, Thou art my Father *
my God, and my strong salvation.
28  And I will make him my first-born *
higher than the kings of the earth.
29  My mercy will I keep for him for evermore *
and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
30  His seed also will I make to endure for ever *
and his throne as the days of heaven.
31  But if his children forsake my law *
and walk not in my judgements;
32  If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments *
I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.
33  Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him *
nor suffer my truth to fail.
34  My covenant will I not break,
nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips *
I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.
35  His seed shall endure for ever *
and his seat is like as the sun before me.
36  He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon *
and as the faithful witness in heaven.
37  But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine Anointed *
and art displeased at him.
38  Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant *
and cast his crown to the ground.
39  Thou hast overthrown all his hedges *
and broken down his strong holds.
40  All they that go by spoil him *
and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
41  Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies *
and made all his adversaries to rejoice.
42  Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword *
and givest him not victory in the battle.
43  Thou hast put out his glory *
and cast his throne down to the ground.
44  The days of his youth hast thou shortened *
and covered him with dishonour.
45  Lord, how long wilt thou hide thyself, for ever *
and shall thy wrath burn like fire?
46  O remember how short my time is *
wherefore hast thou made all men for nought?
47  What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death *
and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of hell?
48  Lord, where are thy old loving-kindnesses *
which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
49  Remember, Lord, the rebuke that thy servants have *
and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people;
50  Wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee,
and slandered the footsteps of thine Anointed *
Praised be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and 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 89 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-89-KH.mp3)
I will sing of the LORD’s love forever,
tell your faithfulness to all generations.
Say “His love is established forever,
and his faithfulness set in the heavens.”
With my chosen one I made a covenant;
I have sworn to David My servant,
“I’ll establish your seed forever,
build your throne to all generations.”