Philip the Evangelist
Philip, who has been traditionally referred to as a Deacon and an Evangelist, was one of seven honest men appointed, some sources say ordained, by the apostles to distribute bread and alms to the widows and the poor in Jerusalem. After the martyrdom of Stephen, Philip went to Samaria to preach the gospel. In his travels south to Gaza he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a servant of the Ethiopian queen, reading the Isaiah text on the Suffering Servant. They traveled together, and in the course of their journey the Ethiopian was converted and baptized by Philip. Subsequently, Philip traveled as a missionary from Ashdod northwards and settled in Caesarea. It was in Caesarea that he hosted St. Paul. HWHM
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/4xhpruzx
Remember your word to your servant, O Lord,
by which you have given me hope.
This is my comfort when I am brought low. Psalm 119
Strong and merciful God,
stand with the oppressed
against the triumph of evil
and the complacency of your people,
and establish in Jesus Christ
your new order of generosity and joy,
for he is alive and reigns now and for ever. Amen. CW:DP
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: Philip Doddridge
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dv724
1 O happy day that fixed my choice
On Thee, my Saviour and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
And tell its raptures all abroad.
Refrain:
Happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away.
He taught me how to watch and pray,
And live rejoicing every day.
Happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away.
2 O happy bond, that seals my vows,
To Him who merits all my love!
Let cheerful anthems fill His house,
While to that sacred shrine I move. [Refrain]
3 ‘Tis done, the great transaction’s done,
I am my Lord’s, and He is mine;
He drew me, and I followed on,
Charmed to confess the voice divine. [Refrain]
4 Now rest, my long-divided heart;
Fixed on this blissful centre, rest;
Nor ever from thy Lord depart,
With Him of every good possest. [Refrain]
5 High Heaven, that heard the solemn vow,
That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till in life’s latest hour I bow,
And bless in death a bond so dear. [Refrain]
PSALMS
Psalm 59 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7xjmm3n)
1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O God *
defend me from them that rise up against me.
2 O deliver me from the wicked doers *
and save me from the blood-thirsty men.
3 For lo, they lie waiting for my soul *
the mighty men are gathered against me,
without any offence or fault of me, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault *
arise thou therefore to help me, and behold.
5 Stand up, O Lord God of hosts, thou God of Israel,
to visit all the heathen *
and be not merciful unto them that offend of malicious wickedness.
6 They go to and fro in the evening *
they grin like a dog, and run about through the city.
7 Behold, they speak with their mouth, and swords are in their lips *
for who doth hear?
8 But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derision *
and thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn.
9 My strength will I ascribe unto thee *
for thou art the God of my refuge.
10 God sheweth me his goodness plenteously *
and God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11 Slay them not, lest my people forget it *
but scatter them abroad among the people,
and put them down, O Lord, our defence.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips,
they shall be taken in their pride *
and why? their preaching is of cursing and lies.
13 Consume them in thy wrath, consume them, that they may perish *
and know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob,
and unto the ends of the world.
14 And in the evening they will return *
grin like a dog, and will go about the city.
15 They will run here and there for meat *
and grudge if they be not satisfied.
16 As for me, I will sing of thy power,
and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning *
for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing *
for thou, O God, art my refuge, and my merciful God.
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 60 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yaj9c4se)
1 O God, thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad *
thou hast also been displeased; O turn thee unto us again.
2 Thou hast moved the land, and divided it *
heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh.
3 Thou hast shewed thy people heavy things *
thou hast given us a drink of deadly wine.
4 Thou hast given a token for such as fear thee *
that they may triumph because of the truth.
5 Therefore were thy beloved delivered *
help me with thy right hand, and hear me.
6 God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, and divide Sichem *
and mete out the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine *
Ephraim also is the strength of my head; Judah is my law-giver;
8 Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe *
Philistia, be thou glad of me.
9 Who will lead me into the strong city *
who will bring me into Edom?
10 Hast not thou cast us out, O God *
wilt not thou, O God, go out with our hosts?
11 O be thou our help in trouble *
for vain is the help of man.
12 Through God will we do great acts *
for 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 61 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ycmkl8hs)
1 Hear my crying, O God *
give ear unto my prayer.
2 From the ends of the earth will I call upon thee *
when my heart is in heaviness.
3 O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I *
for thou hast been my hope,
and a strong tower for me against the enemy.
4 I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever *
and my trust shall be under the covering of thy wings.
5 For thou, O Lord, hast heard my desires *
and hast given an heritage unto those that fear thy Name.
6 Thou shalt grant the King a long life *
that his years may endure throughout all generations.
7 He shall dwell before God for ever *
O prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.
8 So will I alway sing praise unto thy Name *
that I may daily perform my vows.
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 59 (Gregorian Tone 1f)
2 Rescue me from my foes, O God;
protect me from those who attack me.
2 O rescue me from those who do evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
4 See, they lie in wait for my life;
the strong band together against me.
For no offense, no sin of mine, 0 LoRD,
5 for no guilt of mine they rush to take their stand.
Awake! Come to meet me, and see!
6 LORD God of hosts, you are Israel’s God.
Rouse yourself and punish the nations;
show no mercy to evil traitors.
7 Each evening they come back;
howling like dogs, they roam about the city.
8 See how their mouths utter insults;
their lips are like sharpened swords.
“For who,” they say, “will hear us?”
9 But you, LORD, will laugh them to scorn.
You make a mockery of all the nations.
10 O my Strength, for you will I watch,
for you, 0 God, are my stronghold,
11 the God who shows me merciful love.
Now God will proceed before me;
God will let me look upon my foes.
12 Do not kill them lest my people forget;
rout them by your power, lay them low.
It is you, O Lord, who are our shield.
13 For the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride;
for the curses and lies that they speak.
14 Consume them, consume them in anger,
till they are no more.
Then they will know that God is the ruler
over Jacob and the ends of the earth.
15 Each evening they come back;
they howl like dogs and roam about the city.
16 They prowl in seard1 of food;
they growl till they have their fill.
17 As for me, I will sing of your strength,
and acclaim your mercy in the morning,
for you have been my stronghold,
a refuge in the day of my distress.
18 O my Strength, to you I will sing praise,
for you, 0 God, are my stronghold,
the God who shows me merciful love.
Psalm 60 (Gregorian Tone 2)
3 O God, you have rejected us, and broken us.
You have been angry; come back to us.
4 You have made the earth quake, torn it open.
Repair what is shattered, for it sways.
5 You have inflicted hardships on your people,
made us drink a wine that dazed us.
6 For those who fear you, you gave the signal
to flee from the face of the bow.
7 With your right hand, grant salvation, and give answer,
that those whom you love may be free.
8 From his holy place God has spoken:
“I will exult, and divide the land of Shechem;
I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
9 Mine is Gilead, mine is Manasseh;
Ephraim I take for my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
10 Moab is my washbowl;
on Edom I will toss my shoe.
Over Philistia I will shout in triumph.”
11 But who will lead me to the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?
12 Have you not cast us off, O God?
Will you march with our armies no longer?
13 Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is vain.
14 With God, we shall do bravely,
and he will trample down our foes.
Psalm 61 (Gregorian Tone 8)
2 Listen, O God, to my cry!
Attend to my prayer!
3 From the end of the earth I call you;
my heart is faint.
Set me high upon the rock
too high for me to reach,
4 you, my refuge and mighty tower
against the foe.
5 Then will I dwell in your tent forever,
and rude in the shelter of your wings.
6 For you, 0 God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those
who fear your name.
7 Day upon day you will add to the king,
his years from age to age.
8 May he ever sit enthroned before God:
bid mercy and truth be his protection.
9 So I will sing to your name forever,
and day after day fulfill my vows.
PRAYER
O God our refuge,
in the midst of violence be a tower of safety
for all who cry out to you.
Strengthen our faith in your mercy,
that we may sing your praise from generation to generation;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. BCW2018
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: 1 Chronicles 16:7-36
On the same day, for the first time, David ordered Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord.
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make his deeds known to all people!
Sing to God, sing praises to him;
dwell on all his wondrous works!
Give praise to God’s holy name!
Let the hearts of all those seeking the Lord rejoice!
Pursue the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always!
Remember the wondrous works he has done,
all his marvelous works,
and the justice he declared—
you who are the offspring of Israel, his servant,
and the children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
The Lord—he is our God.
His justice is everywhere throughout the whole world.
God remembers his covenant forever,
the word he commanded to a thousand generations,
which he made with Abraham,
the solemn pledge he swore to Isaac.
God set it up as binding law for Jacob,
as an eternal covenant for Israel,
promising, “I hereby give you the land of Canaan
as your allotted inheritance.”
When they were few in number—
insignificant, just immigrants—
wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to the next,
God didn’t let anyone oppress them.
God punished kings for their sake:
“Don’t touch my anointed ones;
don’t harm my prophets!”
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Share the news of his saving work every single day!
Declare God’s glory among the nations;
declare his wondrous works among all people
because the Lord is great and so worthy of praise.
He is awesome beyond all other gods
because all the gods of the nations are just idols,
but it is the Lord who created heaven!
Greatness and grandeur are in front of him;
strength and joy are in his place.
Give to the Lord, all families of the nations—
give to the Lord glory and power!
Give to the Lord the glory due his name!
Bring gifts! Enter his presence!
Bow down to the Lord
in his holy splendor!
Tremble before him, all the earth!
Yes, he set the world firmly in place;
it won’t be shaken.
Let heaven celebrate!
Let the earth rejoice!
Let the nations say, “The Lord rules!”
Let the sea and everything in it roar!
Let the countryside and everything in it celebrate!
Then the trees of the forest will shout out joyfully
before the Lord, because he is coming
to establish justice on earth!
Give thanks to the Lord because he is good,
because his faithful love endures forever.
Say: “Save us, God, our savior!
Gather us! Deliver us from among the nations
so we can give thanks to your holy name
and rejoice in your praise.”
Bless the Lord, Israel’s God,
from forever in the past to forever always.
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord!
HYMN: Johann Jakob Schütz; trans. Frances Elizabeth Cox
Tune: Mit Freuden zart https://tinyurl.com/bdfurbv2
1 Sing praise to God who reigns above,
the God of all creation,
the God of power, the God of love,
the God of our salvation;
with healing balm my soul he fills,
and every faithless murmur stills:
to God all praise and glory!
2 The Lord is never far away,
but, through all grief distressing,
an ever-present help and stay,
our peace and joy and blessing;
as with a mother’s tender hand
he leads his own, his chosen band:
to God all praise and glory!
3 Thus all my gladsome way along
I sing aloud thy praises,
that all may hear the grateful song
my voice unwearied raises;
be joyful in the Lord, my heart;
both soul and body bear your part:
to God all praise and glory!
READING: Acts 8:26-40
An angel from the Lord spoke to Philip, “At noon, take the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) So he did. Meanwhile, an Ethiopian man was on his way home from Jerusalem, where he had come to worship. He was a eunuch and an official responsible for the entire treasury of Candace. (Candace is the title given to the Ethiopian queen.) He was reading the prophet Isaiah while sitting in his carriage. The Spirit told Philip, “Approach this carriage and stay with it.”
Running up to the carriage, Philip heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you really understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “Without someone to guide me, how could I?” Then he invited Philip to climb up and sit with him. This was the passage of scripture he was reading:
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent
so he didn’t open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was taken away from him.
Who can tell the story of his descendants
because his life was taken from the earth?
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? Is he talking about himself or someone else?” Starting with that passage, Philip proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. As they went down the road, they came to some water.
The eunuch said, “Look! Water! What would keep me from being baptized?” He ordered that the carriage halt. Both Philip and the eunuch went down to the water, where Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Lord’s Spirit suddenly took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Philip found himself in Azotus. He traveled through that area, preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.
HYMN: K.
Tune: Foundation https://tinyurl.com/bdzy7ta8
1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
2 “Fear not, I am with you; O be not dismayed,
for I am your God, and will still give you aid.
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
3 “When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow,
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you the deepest distress.
4 “When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply.
The flames shall not hurt you. I only design
your dross to consume, and your gold to refine.
5 “The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes.
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!”
READING: Luke 11:27-28
While Jesus was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd spoke up: “Happy is the mother who gave birth to you and who nursed you.” But he said, “Happy rather are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
CANTICLE Deuteronomy 32:1-12 (Sing the Hours)
Give ear, O heavens, while I speak;
let the earth hearken to the words of my mouth!
May my instruction soak in like the rain,
and my discourse permeate like the dew,
Like a downpour upon the grass,
like a shower upon the crops:
For I will sing the Lord’s renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock – how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
A faithful God, without deceit,
how just and upright he is!
Yet basely has he been treated by his degenerate children,
a perverse and crooked race!
Is the Lord to be thus repaid by you,
O stupid and foolish people?
Is he not your father who created you?
Has he not made you and established you?
Think back on the days of old,
reflect on the years of age upon age.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
ask your elders and they will tell you:
When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage,
when he parceled out the descendants of Adam,
He set up the boundaries of the peoples
after the number of the sons of God;
While the Lord’s own portion was Jacob,
His hereditary share was Israel.
He found them in a wilderness,
a wasteland of howling desert.
He shielded them and cared for them,
guarding them as the apple of his eye.
As an eagle incites its nestlings forth
by hovering over its brood,
So he spread his wings to receive them
and bore them up on his pinions.
The Lord alone was their leader,
no strange god was with him.
THE PRAYERS COS, alt.
God of faith and love,
by your grace alone
we are called to be your people.
As members of the Christian family in this place,
we pray for the whole Church of Jesus Christ.
Take from us all that disrupts our unity,
and make us faithful in your service.
May we so live in Christ and he in us,
that we may be his body in the world today.
We pray for the world which you love,
and for which Christ gave his life.
Guide the leaders of the nations
and all who strive for peace and justice.
Look in mercy on all who are powerless,
and shelter those who are homeless,
hungry, or oppressed.
Help us to care for our neighbours
and to cherish the life of your creation,
that your will may be done on earth.
We pray for our nation.
Grant that none in our land
may be despised or rejected,
and that your kingdom of love may prevail.
We pray for those in need,
for ill or distressed people,
and for those who draw near to death.
In the name of him who bears our griefs
and carries our sorrows,
bring them your comfort and peace.
We give you thanks
for all who have departed this life in faith.
Keep us with them in communion
with Christ our risen Lord,
and bring us at the last with all your saints
to eat and drink
in the glory of your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ,
to whom with you, Father, and the Holy Spirit,
be praise and honour for ever. 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.
Holy God, no one is excluded from your love, and your truth transforms the minds of all who seek you: As your servant Philip was led to embrace the fullness of your salvation and to bring the stranger to Baptism, so give us all the grace to be heralds of the Gospel, proclaiming your love in Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. HWHM
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
CW:DP Common Worship: Daily Prayer, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2005 and published by Church House Publishing
COS Common Order, © 1994 Church of Scotland
HWHM Holy Women, Holy Men © 2010 The Church Pension Fund.
The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).
Psalms marked Gregorian 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
The canticle is from Liturgy of the Hours as recorded for Sing the Hours 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.
Oremus 