Oremus for Thursday, June 26, 2025

The Finding of Moses,  Lawrence Alma Tadema, 1904

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/4x5vwaa5

You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord. Psalm 16

With the flame
of your eternal light, O God,
kindle in us the fire of love;
and renew us with your Holy Spirit,
that we may shine like stars
in a dark world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Common Order

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!

PSALMS

Psalm 119:145-176
(Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y74yj68g)

145  I call with my whole heart *
 hear me, O Lord, I will keep thy statutes.
146  Yea, even unto thee do I call *
 help me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
147  Early in the morning do I cry unto thee *
 for in thy word is my trust.
148  Mine eyes prevent the night-watches *
 that I might be occupied in thy words.
149  Hear my voice, O Lord, according unto thy loving-kindness *
 quicken me, according as thou art wont.
150  They draw nigh that of malice persecute me *
 and are far from thy law.
151  Be thou nigh at hand, O Lord *
 for all thy commandments are true.
152  As concerning thy testimonies, I have known long since *
 that thou hast grounded them for ever.

153  O consider mine adversity, and deliver me *
 for I do not forget thy law.
154  Avenge thou my cause, and deliver me *
 quicken me, according to thy word.
155  Health is far from the ungodly *
 for they regard not thy statutes.
156  Great is thy mercy, O Lord *
 quicken me, as thou art wont.
157  Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me *
 yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies.
158  It grieveth me when I see the transgressors *
 because they keep not thy law.
159  Consider, O Lord, how I love thy commandments *
 O quicken me, according to thy loving-kindness.
160  Thy word is true from everlasting *
 all the judgements of thy righteousness endure for evermore.

161  Princes have persecuted me without a cause *
 but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162  I am as glad of thy word *
 as one that findeth great spoils.
163  As for lies, I hate and abhor them *
 but thy law do I love.
164  Seven times a day do I praise thee *
 because of thy righteous judgements.
165  Great is the peace that they have who love thy law *
 and they are not offended at it.
166  Lord, I have looked for thy saving health *
 and done after thy commandments.
167  My soul hath kept thy testimonies *
 and loved them exceedingly.
168  I have kept thy commandments and testimonies *
 for all my ways are before thee.

169  Let my complaint come before thee, O Lord *
 give me understanding according to thy word.
170  Let my supplication come before thee *
 deliver me, according to thy word.
171  My lips shall speak of thy praise *
 when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172  Yea, my tongue shall sing of thy word *
 for all thy commandments are righteous.
173  Let thine hand help me *
 for I have chosen thy commandments.
174  I have longed for thy saving health, O Lord *
 and in thy law is my delight.
175  O let my soul live, and it shall praise thee *
 and thy judgements shall help me.
176  I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost *
 O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.
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 119:145-176 (Karl Kohlhase:
http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-119-145-176-KH.mp3)

I cried with all my heart; answer me,
O LORD! I will keep your laws.
I cried to you; please rescue me,
and I shall keep your teachings.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I wait upon your words.
My eyes wait for the night watches,
to meditate on your word.
Hear my voice according to your love;
revive me, O LORD, by your judgments.
Those who love to do evil draw near;
they are far from your law.
but you also are near, O LORD,
and all your commandments are truth.
Your testimonies from of old,
I know you have founded forever.

See my trouble and rescue me,
for I will not forget your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me;
revive me by your word.
Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your ways.
Great are your mercies, O LORD;
restore me by your decrees.
O how many who stand against me,
yet I will not leave your teachings.
I see treacherous ones whom I loathe,
who do not abide in your word.
Please consider how I love your precepts;
revive me, O LORD, by your love.
The sum of your word is truth,
all your righteous laws are eternal.

Princes hate me without reason,
but my heart is in awe of your words.
So I rejoice at your word,
as one who finds great spoil.
I hate and despise all falsehood,
but I love your law.
Seven times daily I praise you,
because of your righteous decrees.
Those who love your law have great peace,
and nothing can cause them to stumble.
LORD, I hope for your salvation,
and keeping your commands.
My soul keeps your testimonies,
exceedingly I love them.
Your precepts and teachings I’ll keep,
for all my ways are before you.

Let my cry reach you, O LORD;
help me understand by your word.
O let my prayer come before you;
deliver me by your word.
Let my lips flow with your praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
Let my tongue speak of your word,
for all your commandments are just.
Let your hand be ready to help,
for I have chosen your precepts.
O LORD, for your salvation I long,
your law also is my delight.
Let my soul live that it may praise you,
and let your judgements help me.
Seek your servant, a straying sheep,
let me not forget your commands.

PRAYER

O God for whom there are no barriers,
no stones too big to remove,
roll away our resistance to you.
Let your words fill us with new life
and bring us out from the tomb of indifference,
alive again in you.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. CGP

THE WORD OF GOD

Now a man from Levi’s household married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that the baby was healthy and beautiful, so she hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer, she took a reed basket and sealed it up with black tar. She put the child in the basket and set the basket among the reeds at the riverbank. The baby’s older sister stood watch nearby to see what would happen to him.

Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, while her women servants walked along beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds, and she sent one of her servants to bring it to her. When she opened it, she saw the child. The boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children.”

Then the baby’s sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Would you like me to go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”

Pharaoh’s daughter agreed, “Yes, do that.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I’ll pay you for your work.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. After the child had grown up, she brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I pulled him out of the water.”

The church at Antioch included prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (nicknamed Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen (a childhood friend of Herod the ruler), and Saul. As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to the work I have called them to undertake.” After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on these two and sent them off.

After the Holy Spirit sent them on their way, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. In Salamis they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant. They traveled throughout the island until they arrived at Paphos. There they found a certain man named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who was a false prophet and practiced sorcery. He kept company with the governor of that province, an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul since he wanted to hear God’s word. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that’s what people understood his name meant) opposed them, trying to steer the governor away from the faith. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Saul, also known as Paul, glared at Bar-Jesus and said, “You are a deceiver and trickster! You devil! You attack anything that is right! Will you never stop twisting the straight ways of the Lord into crooked paths? Listen! The Lord’s power is set against you. You will be blind for a while, unable even to see the daylight.” At once, Bar-Jesus’ eyes were darkened, and he began to grope about for someone to lead him around by the hand. When the governor saw what had taken place, he came to believe, for he was astonished by the teaching about the Lord.

Jesus said, “Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you. Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed. Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved. Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human One comes.

CANTICLE 1 Peter 2:21-24
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/y94v9fvt)

Ant. If we share fully in the sufferings of Christ,
through Christ we shall know the fullness of his consolation.

Christ suffered for you,
and left you an example
to have you follow in his footsteps.
He did no wrong;
no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted,
he returned no insult.
When he was made to suffer,
he did not counter with threats.
Instead he delivered himself up
to the One who judges justly.
In his own body
he brought your sins to the cross,
so that all of us, dead to sin,
could live in accord with God’s will.
By his wounds you were healed.

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 AAPB

Eternal God,
you raised Jesus our Lord from death and gave him glory,
and through him you called your church into being
that your people might know you,
and that they might make your Name known:

We give thanks
for the gospel committed to your church for the whole world
for the continuing presence and power of the Holy Spirit
for the ministry of word, sacrament, and prayer . . .
for the mission you have called us to share
for the call to unity and its fruit in common action
for the faithful witness of those who follow our Lord . . .
for all works of Christian compassion
for every service which proclaims your love . . .

We pray for the church
universal and local . . .
the ministries of the church . . .
the mission of the church . . .
the renewal of the church . . .
our fellow Christians in this place . . .

In peace and unity may your people offer you the unfailing
sacrifice of praise,
that the whole world may know your rule,
and all nations know your salvation and your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Traditional chant: http://oremus.org/chant/LP-1940.mp3)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And 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.

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.

AAPB An Australian Prayer Book, © 1978 Anglican Church of Australia

Common Order The Book of Common Order © 1994 The Church of Scotland

The Lord’s Prayer is the traditional chant as set in The Hymnal 1940 and sung by Kathryn Mannyng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJ2TB9pLbU

The three main scripture readings © 2011 Common English Bible.

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 119 is 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 © 2025 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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