Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/8zfp8pca
Behold, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age, alleluia. Matthew 28
O God,
your love is wider than all the universe
and your mercy greater than the heights of heaven.
When we are tempted to break faith with you,
put a new song of love on our lips,
that we may sing your praises to all nations on earth,
through your Son, our only hope and defense. Amen. BCW
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: John L Bell & Graham Maule ©
Tune: The Summons https://tinyurl.com/bde2zbk3
1 Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown
in you and you in me?
2 Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
in you and you in me?
3 Will you let the blinded see
if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean
in you and you in me?
4 Will you love the “you” you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound
in you and you in me?
5 Christ, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow
in you and you in me.
PSALMS
Psalm 108 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9us7zs5)
1 O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready *
I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have.
2 Awake, thou lute, and harp *
I myself will awake right early.
3 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people *
I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
4 For thy mercy is greater than the heavens *
and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
5 Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
and thy glory above all the earth.
6 That thy beloved may be delivered *
let thy right hand save them, and hear thou me.
7 God hath spoken in his holiness *
I will rejoice therefore, and divide Sichem,
and mete out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine *
Ephraim also is the strength of my head.
9 Judah is my law-giver, Moab is my wash-pot *
over Edom will I cast out my shoe; upon Philistia will I triumph.
10 Who will lead me into the strong city *
and who will bring me into Edom?
11 Hast not thou forsaken us, O God *
and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12 O help us against the enemy *
for vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do great acts *
and it is he that shall tread down our enemies.
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 109 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9dslk3v)
1 Hold not thy tongue, O God of my praise *
for the mouth of the ungodly, yea,
the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.
2 And they have spoken against me with false tongues *
they compassed me about also with words of hatred,
and fought against me without a cause.
3 For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part *
but I give myself unto prayer.
4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good *
and hatred for my good will.
5 Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him *
and let Satan stand at his right hand.
6 When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned *
and let his prayer be turned into sin.
7 Let his days be few *
and let another take his office.
8 Let his children be fatherless *
and his wife a widow.
9 Let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread *
let them seek it also out of desolate places.
10 Let the extortioner consume all that he hath *
and let the stranger spoil his labour.
11 Let there be no man to pity him *
nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children.
12 Let his posterity be destroyed *
and in the next generation let his name be clean put out.
13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be had
in remembrance in the sight of the Lord *
and let not the sin of his mother be done away.
14 Let them alway be before the Lord *
that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth;
15 And that, because his mind was not to do good *
but persecuted the poor helpless man,
that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart.
16 His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him *
he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him.
17 He clothed himself with cursing, like as with a raiment *
and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
18 Let it be unto him as the cloke that he hath upon him *
and as the girdle that he is alway girded withal.
19 Let it thus happen from the Lord unto mine enemies *
and to those that speak evil against my soul.
20 But deal thou with me, O Lord God, according unto thy Name *
for sweet is thy mercy.
21 O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor *
and my heart is wounded within me.
22 I go hence like the shadow that departeth *
and am driven away as the grasshopper.
23 My knees are weak through fasting *
my flesh is dried up for want of fatness.
24 I became also a reproach unto them *
they that looked upon me shaked their heads.
25 Help me, O Lord my God *
O save me according to thy mercy;
26 And they shall know, how that this is thy hand *
and that thou, Lord, hast done it.
27 Though they curse, yet bless thou *
and let them be confounded that rise up against me;
but let thy servant rejoice.
28 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame *
and let them cover themselves with their own confusion,
as with a cloke.
29 As for me, I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth *
and praise him among the multitude;
30 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor *
to save his soul from unrighteous judges.
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 108 (Gregorian Tone IV.4)
1 O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is firmly fixed; *
I will sing and give praise with the best that I have.
2 Awake, my soul; awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will awaken the dawn.
3 I will give thanks unto you, O Lord, among the peoples, *
and I will sing praises unto you among the nations,
4 For the greatness of your mercy reaches to the heavens, *
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
5 Exalt yourself, O God, above the heavens; *
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 That your beloved may be delivered, *
save me by your right hand, and answer me.
7 God has spoken in his holiness: *
“I will rejoice and divide Shechem,
and parcel out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; *
Ephraim also is the helmet for my head;
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast my shoe; *
over Philistia will I triumph.”
10 Who will lead me into the strong city, *
and who will bring me into Edom?
11 Have you not forsaken us, O God? *
And will you not, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12 O help us against the enemy, *
for vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do great acts, *
for it is he who shall tread down our enemies.
Glory be 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.
Psalm 109 (Gregorian Tone IV.4)
1 Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise, *
for the mouth of the ungodly,
the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.
2 They have spoken against me with false tongues; *
they encompassed me with words of hatred,
and fought against me without a cause.
3 In return for the love that I had for them,
they have become my adversaries; *
but I give myself to prayer.
4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good, *
and hatred for my love.
5 Set an ungodly man to be ruler over him, *
and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
6 When judgment is given, let him be condemned, *
and let sentence be passed on him for guilt.
7 Let his days be few, *
and let another take his office.
8 Let his children be fatherless *
and his wife a widow.
9 Let his children be vagabonds and beg their bread; *
let them be driven out, even from desolate places.
10 Let the creditor consume all that he has, *
and let strangers take his labor for spoil.
11 Let there be no one to pity him, *
nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children.
12 Let his posterity be destroyed, *
and in the next generation let his name be blotted out.
13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be held in remembrance
in the sight of the Lord, *
and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
14 Let them be always before the Lord, *
that he may root out the memorial of them from the earth,
15 Because he was not minded to do good, *
but persecuted to death the poor and needy,
and those who were brokenhearted.
16 His delight was in cursing;
let curses come upon him; *
he loved not blessing;
therefore let it be far from him.
17 He clothed himself with cursing as with a garment, *
so let it soak into his body like water,
and like oil into his bones.
18 Let it be to him as the cloak that he has on *
and as the belt that he always wears.
19 Let this be the recompense from the Lord to my enemies, *
and to those who speak evil against my soul.
20 But deal with me, O Lord God, according to your Name; *
for sweet is your mercy.
21 O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, *
and my heart is wounded within me.
22 I disappear like the shadow that lengthens, *
and am shaken off like a grasshopper.
23 My knees are weak through fasting; *
my flesh is grown lean for want of nourishment.
24 I have become a reproach to them; *
when they look on me, they shake their heads.
25 Help me, O Lord my God; *
save me according to your mercy;
26 And they shall know that this is your hand, *
and that you, O Lord, have done it.
27 Though they curse, yet you bless; *
let them be confounded who rise up against me,
but let your servant rejoice.
28 Let my adversaries be clothed with shame, *
and let them cover themselves with their
own disgrace as with a cloak.
29 As for me,
I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth, *
and praise him among the multitude,
30 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, *
to save their souls from the unrighteous judges.
Glory be 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
God,
source of all truth and love,
the comfort and consolation
of the reproached and friendless,
in your great mercy draw
near to deliver the poor, the needy,
and the wounded of heart;
through the one who suffered rejection
and rebuke for us all,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BAS
THE WORD OF GOD
Look here! Today I’ve set before you life and what’s good versus death and what’s wrong. If you obey the Lord your God’s commandments that I’m commanding you right now by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments, his regulations, and his case laws, then you will live and thrive, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and so are misled, worshipping other gods and serving them, I’m telling you right now that you will definitely die. You will not prolong your life on the fertile land that you are crossing the Jordan River to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth as my witnesses against you right now: I have set life and death, blessing and curse before you. Now choose life—so that you and your descendants will live— by loving the Lord your God, by obeying his voice, and by clinging to him. That’s how you will survive and live long on the fertile land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors: to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Then Moses said these words to all Israel, telling them: I’m 120 years old today. I can’t move around well anymore. Plus, the Lord told me “You won’t cross the Jordan River.” But the Lord your God, he’s the one who will cross over before you! He’s the one who will destroy these nations before you so you can displace them. Joshua too will cross over before you just like the Lord indicated. The Lord will do to these enemies the same thing he did to the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, and to their land, when he destroyed them. The Lord will lay them out before you, and you will do to them exactly what the command I’ve given you dictates. Be strong! Be fearless! Don’t be afraid and don’t be scared by your enemies, because the Lord your God is the one who marches with you. He won’t let you down, and he won’t abandon you.
Then Moses called Joshua and, with all Israel watching, said to him: “Be strong and fearless because you are the one who will lead this people to the land the Lord swore to their ancestors to give to them; you are the one who will divide up the land for them. But the Lord is the one who is marching before you! He is the one who will be with you! He won’t let you down. He won’t abandon you. So don’t be afraid or scared!”
HYMN: Anna Letitia Waring
Tune: Whitfield https://tinyurl.com/3hjkxwst
1 In heav’nly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid,
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?
2 Wherever He may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh;
His sight is never dim.
He knows the way He taketh,
and I will walk with Him.
3 Green pastures are before me
which yet I have not seen.
Bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkest clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure;
my path to life is free.
My Savior is my treasure,
and He will walk with me.
If others have these rights over you, don’t we deserve them all the more? However, we haven’t made use of this right, but we put up with everything so we don’t put any obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get to eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share part of what is sacrificed on the altar? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should get their living from the gospel. But I haven’t taken advantage of this. And I’m not writing this so that it will be done for me. It’s better for me to die than to lose my right to brag about this! If I preach the gospel, I have no reason to brag, since I’m obligated to do it. I’m in trouble if I don’t preach the gospel. If I do this voluntarily, I get rewarded for it. But if I’m forced to do it, then I’ve been charged with a responsibility. What reward do I get? That when I preach, I offer the good news free of charge. That’s why I don’t use the rights to which I’m entitled through the gospel.
HYMN: Thomas H Troeger ©
Tune: Kingsfold https://tinyurl.com/2t63k5ak
1 A spendthrift lover is the Lord
who never counts the cost
or asks if heaven can afford
to woo a world that’s lost.
Our lover tosses coins of gold
across the midnight skies
and stokes the sun against the cold
to warm us when we rise.
2 Still more is spent in blood and tears
to win the human heart,
to overcome the violent fears
that drive the world apart.
Behold the bruised and thorn-crowned face
of one who bears our scars,
and empties out the wealth of grace
that’s hinted by the stars.
3 How shall we love this heart-strong God
who gives us everything,
whose ways to us are strange and odd;
what can we give or bring?
Acceptance of the matchless gift
is gift enough to give;
the very act will shake and shift
the way we love and live.
A man approached him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus said, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There’s only one who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.” The man said, “Which ones?” Then Jesus said, “Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” The young man replied, “I’ve kept all these. What am I still missing?” Jesus said, “If you want to be complete, go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away saddened, because he had many possessions.
Day 22
CANTICLE Isaiah 40:10-17 (Sing the Hours)
Here comes with power
the Lord God,
who rules by his strong arm;
here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.
Who has cupped in his hand the waters of the sea,
and marked off the heavens with a span?
Who has held in a measure the dust of the earth,
weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,
or has instructed him as his counselor?
Whom did he consult to gain knowledge?
Who taught him the path of judgment,
or showed him the way of understanding?
Behold, the nations count as a drop of the bucket,
as dust on the scales;
the coastlands weigh no more than powder.
Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,
nor its animals be enough for holocausts.
Before him all the nations are as nought,
as nothing and void he accounts them.
THE PRAYERS AAPB
God our Father,
you gave your Son Jesus Christ
to share our common life,
to grow in wisdom,
to work with his hands,
and to make known the ways of your kingdom:
We give thanks
for his revelation of yourself
for his care and acceptance of people
for his joy in obedience . . .
for the value he gave to human work
for the strength he promised us in serving others
for the call to follow in his way . . .
for all opportunities of work and leisure
for all the truth we have learned
for all the discoveries humankind has made . . .
We pray for our human society
those who work
the unemployed
those who teach and those who learn . . .
research workers . . .
those who work in the press, radio, and television . . .
those who maintain the life of our community . . .
Give us reverence for the truth,
and wisdom to use the knowledge you give us
to the glory of your Name
and the benefit of humankind
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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.
Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts.
Give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that all people may know the glorious liberty
of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. BCW
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.
BAS Book of Alternative Services © 1985, Anglican Church of Canada.
AAPB An Australian Prayer Book, © 1978 Anglican Church of Australia
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 versions of Psalms 108 and 109 are from Book of Common Prayer (2019) as recorded for the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps. The canticle is from Liturgy of the Hours as recorded for the Sing the Hours YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SingtheHours.
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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