Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/knfvtvew
Look to your covenant, O Lord,
and forget not the life of your poor ones for ever.
Arise, O God, and defend your cause,
and forget not the cries of those who seek you. Psalm 74
Holy God,
apart from you nothing is true, nothing is holy.
Do not look on our faithless ways,
but on the faithfulness of your Son.
Deliver us from doing evil,
remove the shame of your people,
and restore us to joy and gladness;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. BCW2018
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: Psalm 132; para. cento
Tune: Blaenwern https://tinyurl.com/3ux9ms8z
1 Gracious LORD, remember David,
all the grief and pain he bore.
2 To the Mighty One of Jacob,
to the LORD, this oath he swore:
3 “My house I will never enter;
4 rest and slumber I will shun,
5 till I find the LORD a dwelling
fit for Jacob’s Mighty One.”
6 This we heard of in Ephrathah,
found it in the fields of Jaar:
7 “Let us hasten to his dwelling,
worship at his footstool there.
8 Rise, O LORD, and dwell among us,
resting with your ark of might!
9 May your priests be clothed with honor;
may your saints sing with delight.”
10 For the sake of your own servant,
David, your appointed one,
do not turn away your favor
from his own anointed son.
11 God has sworn an oath to David;
he his word will not disown:
I will choose from your descendants
one to sit upon your throne.
12 “I will build a royal household
from the child you brought to birth;
if your children keep my covenant,
they will always rule the earth.”
13 You, O LORD, have chosen Zion,
you have always loved her well;
14 “Here’s my resting place for ever,
here it pleases me to dwell.
15 “I will bless her with abundance;
for her poor much food I’ll bring.
16 Her priests I’ll clothe with salvation,
and with joy her saints will sing.
17 I will raise a horn for David,
for him I’ve prepared a light.
18 With disgrace his foes I’ll cover;
but his crown will shine most bright.”
PSALMS
Psalm 53 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y6wzcn8t)
1 The foolish body hath said in his heart *
There is no God.
2 Corrupt are they, and become abominable in their wickedness *
there is none that doeth good.
3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men *
to see if there were any, that would understand, and seek after God.
4 But they are all gone out of the way,
they are altogether become abominable *
there is also none that doeth good, no not one.
5 Are not they without understanding that work wickedness *
eating up my people as if they would eat bread?
they have not called upon God.
6 They were afraid where no fear was *
for God hath broken the bones of him that besieged thee;
thou hast put them to confusion, because God hath despised them.
7 O that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Sion *
O that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity!
8 Then should Jacob rejoice *
and Israel should be right glad.
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 54 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y73kppwg)
1 Save me, O God, for thy Name’s sake *
and avenge me in thy strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God *
and hearken unto the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers are risen up against me *
and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul.
4 Behold, God is my helper *
the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies *
destroy thou them in thy truth.
6 An offering of a free heart will I give thee,
and praise thy Name, O Lord *
because it is so comfortable.
7 For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble *
and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine 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 55 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yb9gqlve)
1 Hear my prayer, O God *
and hide not thyself from my petition.
2 Take heed unto me, and hear me *
how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed.
3 The enemy crieth so, and the ungodly cometh on so fast *
for they are minded to do me some mischief;
so maliciously are they set against me.
4 My heart is disquieted within me *
and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me *
and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, O that I had wings like a dove *
for then would I flee away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, then would I get me away far off *
and remain in the wilderness.
8 I would make haste to escape *
because of the stormy wind and tempest.
9 Destroy their tongues, O Lord, and divide them *
for I have spied unrighteousness and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about within the walls thereof *
mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is therein *
deceit and guile go not out of their streets.
12 For it is not an open enemy, that hath done me this dishonour *
for then I could have borne it.
13 Neither was it mine adversary, that did magnify himself against me *
for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him.
14 But it was even thou, my companion *
my guide, and mine own familiar friend.
15 We took sweet counsel together *
and walked in the house of God as friends.
16 Let death come hastily upon them,
and let them go down quick into hell *
for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
17 As for me, I will call upon God *
and the Lord shall save me.
18 In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day
will I pray, and that instantly *
and he shall hear my voice.
19 It is he that hath delivered my soul in peace
from the battle that was against me *
for there were many with me.
20 Yea, even God, that endureth for ever,
shall hear me, and bring them down *
for they will not turn, nor fear God.
21 He laid his hands upon such as be at peace with him *
and he brake his covenant.
22 The words of his mouth were softer than butter,
having war in his heart *
his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very swords.
23 O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee *
and shall not suffer the righteous to fall for ever.
24 And as for them *
thou, O God, shalt bring them into the pit of destruction.
25 The blood-thirsty and deceitful men
shall not live out half their days *
nevertheless, my trust shall be in thee, O Lord.
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 53 (Gregorian tonus peregrinus)
2 The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
Their deeds are corrupt, depraved;
no one does any good.
3 God looks down from heaven
on the human race,
to see if any are wise,
if any seek God.
4 All have left the right path,
depraved, every one;
there is no one who does any good,
no, not even one.
5 Do none who do evil understand?
They eat up my people as if eating bread;
they never call out to God.
6 There they shall tremble with fear without cause for fear
for God scatters the bones of your besiegers.
7 They are shamed; God rejects them.
Who will bring Israel salvation from Zion?
When God brings about the return of his people,
then Jacob will be glad and Israel rejoice.
Psalm 54 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-54-1.mp3)
1 Save me, O God, by your Name; *
in your might, defend my cause.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; *
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life, *
those who have no regard for God.
4 Behold, God is my helper; *
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
5 Render evil to those who spy on me; *
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
6 I will offer you a freewill sacrifice *
and praise your Name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For you have rescued me from every trouble, *
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
| 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.
Psalm 55 (Gregorian Tone 5)
2 Give ear, 0 God, to my prayer;
do not hide from my pleading.
3 Attend to me and reply;
with my cares, I cannot rest.
4 I tremble at the shouts of the foe,
at the cries of the wicked,
for they pile up evil upon me;
in anger they malign me.
5 My heart is stricken within me;
death’s terror falls upon me.
6 Trembling and fear come over me,
and horror overwhelms me.
7 I say, “O that I had wings like a dove,
to fly away and be at rest!
8 I would indeed escape far away,
and take refuge in the desert.
9 I would hasten to find my shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.”
10 Confound and confuse their tongues, 0 Lord,
for I see violence and strife in the city!
11 Night and day they patrol its walls.
In its midst are wickedness and evil.
12 Destruction lies within it.
Its streets are never free
from tyranny and deceit.
13 If an enemy made taunts against me,
I could bear it.
If my rival had risen against me,
I could hide from him.
14 But it is you, as my equal, my friend,
whom I knew so well,
15 with whom I enjoyed friendly counsel!
We walked together in harmony in the house of God.
16 May death fall suddenly upon them!
Let them go down alive to Sheol,
for wickedness dwells in their homes,
and deep in their hearts.
17 As for me, I will cry to God,
and the LORD will save me.
18 Evening, morning, and at noon,
I will cry and lament,
and he will hear my voice.
19 He will redeem my soul in peace
in the attack against me,
for those who fight me are many.
20 God, who is enthroned forever,
will hear them and humble them.
For they will not amend their ways;
they have no fear of God.
21 The traitor has turned against his friends;
he has broken his pact.
22 His speech is softer than butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
but they are swords unsheathed.
23 Entrust your cares to the LORD,
and he will support you.
He will never allow the just one to stumble.
24 But you will bring them down, O God,
to the pit of death:
the bloodthirsty and the liars
shall not live even half their days.
But I, I will trust in you, O Lord.
PRAYER
God our helper, hear our prayer
and uphold your church in times of testing.
Deliver us from evil,
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting
we may offer you our sacrifice of praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: 1 Chronicles 15:1-2, 25–16:7
After he had built houses for himself in David’s City, David prepared a place for God’s chest and pitched a tent for it. David said, “Only the Levites may carry God’s chest, because the Lord has chosen them to carry the Lord’s chest and to minister to him forever.”
Then David, along with Israel’s elders and the captains of the thousands, went with rejoicing to bring up the chest containing the Lord’s covenant from Obed-edom’s house. Since God had helped the Levites who were carrying the chest containing the Lord’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. David wore a fine-linen robe, as did the singers, all the Levites who were carrying the chest, and Chenaniah, the leader of transportation. David also wore a linen priestly vest. So all Israel brought up the chest containing the Lord’s covenant with shouts of joy, accompanied by the blast of the ram’s horn, by trumpets and cymbals, and playing on harps and lyres. As the chest containing the Lord’s covenant entered David’s City, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing, she lost all respect for him.
They brought in God’s chest and placed it inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then they brought entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices before God. When David had finished offering the entirely burned offerings and the well-being sacrifices, he blessed the people in the Lord’s name and distributed a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a raisin cake to every Israelite man and woman.
David appointed some of the Levites to serve before the Lord’s chest in order to remember, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, Israel’s God: Asaph was the leader, and Zechariah his assistant; also Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel with harps and lyres; Asaph sounding the cymbals; and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blowing trumpets regularly before the chest containing God’s covenant. On the same day, for the first time, David ordered Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord.
HYMN: Psalm 78; para. Michael Perry ©
Tune: Restoration https://tinyurl.com/bd3bbht2
1 We will tell each generation
all that you, our God, have done;
how you called and led your people,
chose us out to be your own.
2 Tell the time of our rebelling–
how we wandered from your way,
how your law our love compelling
taught us humbly to obey.
3 Tell how once, when spite and terror
threatened to engulf our land,
you defended us with vigor,
saved us by a mighty hand.
4 Tell the grace that falls from heaven,
angels’ food as faith’s reward;
tell how sins may be forgiven
through the mercy of the Lord.
5 We will tell each generation
all that you, our God, have done.
As a shepherd you have led us;
by your hand still lead your own.
READING: Philippians 2:12-30
Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes. Do everything without grumbling and arguing so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world because you hold on to the word of life. This will allow me to say on the day of Christ that I haven’t run for nothing or worked for nothing. But even if I am poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith, I am glad. I’m glad with all of you. You should be glad about this in the same way. Be glad with me!
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to see you soon so that I may be encouraged by hearing about you. I have no one like him. He is a person who genuinely cares about your well-being. All the others put their own business ahead of Jesus Christ’s business. You know his character, how he labors with me for the gospel like a son works with his father. So he is the one that I hope to send as soon as I find out how things turn out here for me. I trust in the Lord that I also will visit you soon.
I think it is also necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. He is my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier; and he is your representative who serves my needs. He misses you all, and he was upset because you heard he was sick. In fact, he was so sick that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him—and not just on him but also on me, because his death would have caused me great sorrow. Therefore, I am sending him immediately so that when you see him again you can be glad and I won’t worry. So welcome him in the Lord with great joy and show great respect for people like him. He risked his life and almost died for the work of Christ, and he did this to make up for the help you couldn’t give me.
HYMN: Mary Ann Thomson
Tune: Tidings https://tinyurl.com/yxkxwxrz
1 O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
to tell to all the world that God is Light;
that He who made all nations is not willing
one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.
Refrain:
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
tidings of Jesus, redemption, and release.
2 Behold, how many thousands still are lying,
bound in the darksome prison-house of sin,
with none to tell them of the Savior’s dying,
or of the life He died for them to win. [Refrain]
3 Proclaim to ev’ry people, tongue, and nation
that God, in whom they live and move, is love;
tell how He stooped to save His lost creation,
and died on earth that we might live above. [Refrain]
4 Give of thy sons to bear the message glorious;
give of thy wealth to speed them on their way;
pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious;
O Zion, haste to bring the brighter day. [Refrain]
READING: Luke 11:14-26
Jesus was throwing out a demon that causes muteness. When the demon was gone, the man who couldn’t speak began to talk. The crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He throws out demons with the authority of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.” Others were testing him, seeking a sign from heaven.
Because Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom involved in civil war becomes a wasteland, and a house torn apart by divisions will collapse. If Satan is at war with himself, how will his kingdom endure? I ask this because you say that I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul. If I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, then by whose authority do your followers throw them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if I throw out demons by the power of God, then God’s kingdom has already overtaken you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are secure. But as soon as a stronger one attacks and overpowers him, the stronger one takes away the armor he had trusted and divides the stolen goods.
“Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me, scatters. When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house cleaned up and decorated. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning.”
CANTICLE Ephesians 1:3-10
(John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/mrymmyvk)
Ant. God chose us in his Son to be his beloved children.
Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
who bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him before the world began, *
to be holy and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us to be
his adopted children through Jesus Christ, *
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood,
we have been redeemed, *
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery, *
the plan he was pleased to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out in Christ,
in the fullness of time, *
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on the earth
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 COS, alt.
Let us call to mind
our concerns and commitments,
and let us join our prayers
for peace and well-being
to the prayers of the whole Church
as they are offered this day for the whole world.
Let us remember those people we know
who are in trouble,
and pray for healing and happiness for all.
Let us seek divine encouragement
for honest trade and decent commerce,
for useful and courteous service in daily life,
for medicine and education,
and for those gifts and aptitudes in every person
which make for happier
and fairer community living.
Let us pray
for peace on earth,
for the generous sharing of the earth’s resources
and the responsible sharing
of the earth’s problems;
for tolerance across divisions
and willingness to regard
the diversity of human culture
as more stimulating than threatening;
for the turning of swords into ploughshares
and spears into pruning hooks.
Let us pray for the Church,
by all its names and in all its places;
for its continuing usefulness
as a channel of grace and hope;
for its rescue
from pretentiousness and pomposity
and from taking some things
more seriously than is healthy.
Let us commend to the Lord
our families and friends;
and let us ask him to help us
in the days that come. Amen.
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
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.
Sovereign God, ruler of all hearts,
you call us to obey you
and favor us with true freedom.
Keep us faithful to the ways of your Son,
that, leaving behind all that hinders us,
we may fix our eyes on him
and steadfastly follow in the paths of your kingdom.
Grant this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. 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
BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
BCW2018 Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2018
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
COS Common Order, © 1994 Church of Scotland
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
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 version of Psalms 54 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 53 and 55 are from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles ©2010, 2018 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. ©2020 as recorded for the Chants and Rants YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chantsandrants
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.
Oremus 