Oremus for Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/78ujert8

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice;
turn to the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face. Psalm 105

Blessed are you,
creator of heaven and earth;
amid the immensity of the universe,
you are mindful of us and seek us out.
Blessed are you for the gift of your Son,
who humbled himself to share our life
that we might be raised with him to glory and splendour.
Blessed be your holy name,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen. ^BAS

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: Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliott
Tune: Margaret https://tinyurl.com/yc8asrs4

1 Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

2 Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

3 The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

4 Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

5 When the heavens shall ring, and the angels sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

PSALMS

Psalm 6 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yxx3vdzs)
1  O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation *
 neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
2  Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak *
 O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.
3  My soul also is sore troubled *
 but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me?
4  Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul *
 O save me for thy mercy’s sake.
5  For in death no man remembereth thee *
 and who will give thee thanks in the pit?
6  I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed *
 and water my couch with my tears.
7  My beauty is gone for very trouble *
 and worn away because of all mine enemies.
8  Away from me, all ye that work vanity *
 for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9  The Lord hath heard my petition *
 the Lord will receive my prayer.
10  All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed *
 they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.
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 7 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/u4vua9c)
1  O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust *
 save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me;
2  Lest he devour my soul, like a lion, and tear it in pieces *
 while there is none to help.
3  O Lord my God, if I have done any such thing *
 or if there be any wickedness in my hands;
4  If I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me *
 yea, I have delivered him that without any cause is mine enemy;
5  Then let mine enemy persecute my soul, and take me *
 yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth,
and lay mine honour in the dust.
6  Stand up, O Lord, in thy wrath, and lift up thyself,
because of the indignation of mine enemies *
 arise up for me in the judgement that thou hast commanded.
7  And so shall the congregation of the people come about thee *
 for their sakes therefore lift up thyself again.
8  The Lord shall judge the people; give sentence with me, O Lord *
 according to my righteousness,
and according to the innocency that is in me.
9  O let the wickedness of the ungodly come to an end *
 but guide thou the just.
10  For the righteous God *
 trieth the very hearts and reins.
11  My help cometh of God *
 who preserveth them that are true of heart.
12  God is a righteous Judge, strong, and patient *
 and God is provoked every day.
13  If a man will not turn, he will whet his sword *
 he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
14  He hath prepared for him the instruments of death *
 he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
15  Behold, he travaileth with mischief *
 he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth ungodliness.
16  He hath graven and digged up a pit *
 and is fallen himself into the destruction that he made for other.
17  For his travail shall come upon his own head *
 and his wickedness shall fall on his own pate.
18  I will give thanks unto the Lord, according to his righteousness *
 and I will praise the Name of the Lord most High.
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 8 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vtzy6pg)
1  O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world *
 thou that has set thy glory above the heavens!
2  Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings
hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies *
 that thou mightest still the enemy, and the avenger.
3  For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers *
 the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him *
 and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5  Thou madest him lower than the angels *
 to crown him with glory and worship.
6  Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands *
 and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;
7  All sheep and oxen *
 yea, and the beasts of the field;
8  The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea *
 and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
9  O Lord our Governor *
 how excellent is thy Name in all the world!
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 6 (Gregorian Tone 2)

2 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;
reprove me not in your rage.
3 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I languish.
Lord, heal me; my bones are shaking,
and my soul is greatly shaken.
4 But you, O Lord, how long?
5 Return, Lord, rescue my soul.
Save me in your merciful love.
6 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
who can give you praise from Sheol?
7 I am exhausted with my groaning;
every night I drench my bed with tears,
I bedew my couch with weeping.
8 My eyes waste away with grief;
they have grown weak surrounded by all my foes.
9 Leave me, all who do evil,
for the Lord heeds the sound of my weeping.
10 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will receive my prayer.
11 All my foes will be shamed and greatly shaken,
suddenly put to shame.

Psalm 7 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-7.mp3)
1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; *
save and deliver me from all who pursue me;
2 Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces *
and snatch me away with none to deliver me.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done these things: *
if there is any wickedness in my hands,
4 If I have repaid my friend with evil, *
or plundered him who without cause is my enemy;
5 Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, *
trample my life into the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust.
6 Stand up, O LORD, in your wrath; *
rise up against the fury of my enemies.
7 Awake, O my God, decree justice; *
let the assembly of the peoples gather round you.
8 Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; *
O LORD, judge the nations.
9 Give judgment for me according to my
righteousness, O LORD, *
and according to my innocence, O Most High.
10 Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous; *
for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.
11 God is my shield and defense; *
he is the savior of the true in heart.
12 God is a righteous judge; *
God sits in judgment every day.
13 If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; *
he will bend his bow and make it ready.
14 He has prepared his weapons of death; *
he makes his arrows shafts of fire.
15 Look at those who are in labor with wickedness, *
who conceive evil, and give birth to a lie.
16 They dig a pit and make it deep *
and fall into the hole that they have made.
17 Their malice turns back upon their own head; *
their violence falls on their own scalp.
18 I will bear witness that the LORD is righteous; *
I will praise the Name of the LORD Most High.

Psalm 8 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-8.mp3)
1 O LORD our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!
2 Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
the son of man that you should seek him out?
6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn him with glory and honor;
7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:
8 All sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
10 O LORD our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

PRAYER

God of majesty,
amid the grandeur of your creation
you sought us out,
and by the coming of your Son
you adorned us with glory and honor,
giving us dominion over your works.
Enable us so to care for the earth
that all creation may radiate the splendor of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. ^BCW2018

THE WORD OF GOD
READING: 1 Samuel 24
Even as Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was informed that David was in the En-gedi wilderness. So Saul took three thousand men selected from all Israel and went to look for David and his soldiers near the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheep pens beside the road where there was a cave. Saul went into the cave to use the restroom. Meanwhile, David and his soldiers were sitting in the very back of the cave.

David’s soldiers said to him, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he promised you, ‘I will hand your enemy over to you, and you can do to him whatever you think best.’” So David snuck up and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. But immediately David felt horrible that he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

“The Lord forbid,” he told his men, “that I should do something like that to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him, because he’s the Lord’s anointed!” So David held his soldiers in check by what he said, and he wouldn’t allow them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way.

Then David also went out of the cave and yelled after Saul, “My master the king!” Saul looked back, and David bowed low out of respect, nose to the ground.

David said to Saul, “Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to ruin you’? Look! Today your own eyes have seen that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. But I refused to kill you. I spared you, saying, ‘I won’t lift a hand against my master because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Look here, my protector! See the corner of your robe in my hand? I cut off the corner of your robe but didn’t kill you. So know now that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I haven’t wronged you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me. May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but I won’t lift a hand against you. As the old proverb goes, ‘Evil deeds come from evildoers!’ but I won’t lift a hand against you. So who is Israel’s king coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A single flea? May the Lord be the judge and decide between you and me. May he see what has happened, argue my case, and vindicate me against you!”

As soon as David finished saying all this to Saul, Saul said, “David, my son, is that your voice?” Then he broke down in tears, telling David, “You are more righteous than I am because you have treated me generously, but I have treated you terribly. Today you’ve told me the good you have done for me—how the Lord handed me over to you, but how you didn’t kill me. When someone finds an enemy, do they send the enemy away in peace? May the Lord repay you with good for what you have done for me today. Now even I know that you will definitely become king, and Israel’s kingdom will flourish in your hands. Because of that, make a solemn pledge to me by the Lord that you won’t kill off my descendants after I’m gone and that you won’t destroy my name from my family lineage.”

David made a solemn pledge to Saul. Then Saul went back home, but David and his soldiers went up to the fortress.

HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Gopsal https://tinyurl.com/yck6y5m4

1 Rejoice! The Lord is King,
your Lord and King adore;
mortals, give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore:

Refrain:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

2 Jesus the Saviour reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
he took his seat above: [Refrain]

3 His kingdom cannot fail;
he rules o’er earth and heaven;
the keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus given: [Refrain]

4 He sits at God’s right hand
till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command,
and fall beneath his feet: [Refrain]

5 Rejoice in glorious hope;
Jesus the judge shall come,
and take his servants up
to their eternal home: [Refrain]

Refrain:
We soon shall hear the archangel’s voice;
the trump of God shall sound: rejoice!

READING: 2 Corinthians 11:21-33
I’m ashamed to say that we have been weak in comparison! But in whatever they challenge me, I challenge them (I’m speaking foolishly).

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I’m speaking like a crazy person. What I’ve done goes well beyond what they’ve done. I’ve worked much harder. I’ve been imprisoned much more often. I’ve been beaten more times than I can count. I’ve faced death many times. I received the “forty lashes minus one” from the Jews five times. I was beaten with rods three times. I was stoned once. I was shipwrecked three times. I spent a day and a night on the open sea. I’ve been on many journeys. I faced dangers from rivers, robbers, my people, and Gentiles. I faced dangers in the city, in the desert, on the sea, and from false brothers and sisters. I faced these dangers with hard work and heavy labor, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, and in the cold without enough clothes.

Besides all the other things I could mention, there’s my daily stress because I’m concerned about all the churches. Who is weak without me being weak? Who is led astray without me being furious about it? If it’s necessary to brag, I’ll brag about my weaknesses. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the one who is blessed forever, knows that I’m not lying. At Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to capture me, but I got away from him by being lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall.

HYMN: Howell Elvet Lewis
Tune: Bethany https://tinyurl.com/4rn8xf39

1. Lord of light, whose name outshineth
All the stars and suns of space,
Deign to make us Thy coworkers
In the kingdom of Thy grace;
Use us to fulfill Thy purpose
In the gift of Christ Thy Son.

Refrain
Father, as in highest heaven
So on earth Thy will be done.

2. By the toil of lowly workers
In some far outlying field;
By the courage where the radiance
Of the cross is still revealed;
By the victories of meekness,
Through reproach and suffering won. [Refrain]

3. Grant that knowledge, still increasing,
At Thy feet may lowly kneel;
With Thy grace our triumphs hallow,
With Thy charity our zeal;
Lift the nations from the shadows
To the gladness of the sun. [Refrain]

4. By the prayers of faithful watchmen,
Never silent day or night;
By the cross of Jesus bringing
Peace to men, and healing light;
By the love that passeth knowledge,
Making all Thy children one. [Refrain]

READING: Luke 9:57-62
As Jesus and his disciples traveled along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Human One has no place to lay his head.”

Then Jesus said to someone else, “Follow me.” He replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and spread the news of God’s kingdom.”

Someone else said to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say good-bye to those in my house.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand on the plow and looks back is fit for God’s kingdom.”

CANTICLE Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13
(Chant by Joe Cox: https://tinyurl.com/y499lmmp)
Ant. Splendor and honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore. Ant.

THE PRAYERS ^BCW
Loving God,
as the rising sun chases away the night,
so you have scattered the power of death
in the rising of Jesus Christ,
and you bring us all blessings in him.
Especially we thank you for
the community of faith in our church . . .
those with whom we work or share common concerns . . .
the diversity of your children . . .
indications of your love at work in the world . . .
those who work for reconciliation. . . .

Mighty God,
with the dawn of your love
you reveal your victory over all that would destroy or harm,
and you brighten the lives of all who need you.
Especially we pray for
families suffering separation . . .
people different from ourselves . . .
those isolated by sickness or sorrow . . .
the victims of violence or warfare . . .
the church in the Pacific region . . . .

(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.

God, you call us to go where Christ leads.
Turn us from the ways of the world;
guide us to fullness of joy in the Spirit,
where bodies and souls rest secure;
and grant us strength
to follow the way of the cross,
which frees us to love one another
for the sake of all creation. 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

---

^BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

^BCW2018 Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2018

^BAS Book of Alternative Services, Anglican Church of Canada, 1985.

^RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.

The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.

The traditional version of the psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). Psalm 6 is from The Abbey Psalter as recorded for the Chants & Rants YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@chantsandrants. The modern language versions of Psalm 7 and 8 are from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and are sung by Ryland Angel.

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.