O Sapientia
The Western Church has been singing the “O” Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative “Come!” embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.
Antiphon
Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ycfhbq7w
O Sapientia,
quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
O Wisdom,
your words uttered in the beginning
generated a world of beauty and goodness,
giving purpose and value to each creature;
instruct us in the way of prudence,
that we may nurture the world with justice and joy.
Help us to resist evil and to obey you,
so that we may walk in your ways and
that the beauty of your creation may flourish—
through the one whom we know as the Wisdom of the ages,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. WS2
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: William Walsham How
Tune: Munich https://tinyurl.com/yy4u9b2f
1 O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky,
we praise thee for the radiance
that from the hallowed page,
a lantern to our footsteps,
shines on from age to age.
2 The church from her dear Master
received the gift divine,
and still that light she lifteth
o’er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket,
where gems of truth are stored;
it is the heav’n drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word.
3 It floateth like a banner
before God’s host unfurled;
it shineth like a beacon
above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass
that o’er life’s surging sea,
‘mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
still guides, O Christ, to thee.
4 O make thy church, dear Savior,
a lamp of purest gold,
to bear before the nations
thy true light, as of old.
O teach thy wand’ring pilgrims
by this their path to trace,
’til, clouds and darkness ended,
they see thee face to face.
PSALMS
Psalm 89 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydygwbyj)
1 My song shall be alway of the loving kindness of the Lord *
with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth
from one generation to another.
2 For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever *
thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen *
I have sworn unto David my servant;
4 Thy seed will I stablish for ever *
and set up thy throne from one generation to another.
5 O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works *
and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.
6 For who is he among the clouds *
that shall be compared unto the Lord?
7 And what is he among the gods *
that shall be like unto the Lord?
8 God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints *
and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.
9 O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee *
thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.
10 Thou rulest the raging of the sea *
thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.
11 Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it *
thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.
12 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine *
thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.
13 Thou hast made the north and the south *
Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.
14 Thou hast a mighty arm *
strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat *
mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
16 Blessed is the people, O Lord, that can rejoice in thee *
they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.
17 Their delight shall be daily in thy Name *
and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.
18 For thou art the glory of their strength *
and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.
19 For the Lord is our defence *
the Holy One of Israel is our King.
20 Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst *
I have laid help upon one that is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
21 I have found David my servant *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.
22 My hand shall hold him fast *
and my arm shall strengthen him.
23 The enemy shall not be able to do him violence *
the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.
24 I will smite down his foes before his face *
and plague them that hate him.
25 My truth also and my mercy shall be with him *
and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.
26 I will set his dominion also in the sea *
and his right hand in the floods.
27 He shall call me, Thou art my Father *
my God, and my strong salvation.
28 And I will make him my first-born *
higher than the kings of the earth.
29 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore *
and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
30 His seed also will I make to endure for ever *
and his throne as the days of heaven.
31 But if his children forsake my law *
and walk not in my judgements;
32 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments *
I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.
33 Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him *
nor suffer my truth to fail.
34 My covenant will I not break,
nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips *
I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.
35 His seed shall endure for ever *
and his seat is like as the sun before me.
36 He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon *
and as the faithful witness in heaven.
37 But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine Anointed *
and art displeased at him.
38 Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant *
and cast his crown to the ground.
39 Thou hast overthrown all his hedges *
and broken down his strong holds.
40 All they that go by spoil him *
and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
41 Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies *
and made all his adversaries to rejoice.
42 Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword *
and givest him not victory in the battle.
43 Thou hast put out his glory *
and cast his throne down to the ground.
44 The days of his youth hast thou shortened *
and covered him with dishonour.
45 Lord, how long wilt thou hide thyself, for ever *
and shall thy wrath burn like fire?
46 O remember how short my time is *
wherefore hast thou made all men for nought?
47 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death *
and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of hell?
48 Lord, where are thy old loving-kindnesses *
which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
49 Remember, Lord, the rebuke that thy servants have *
and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people;
50 Wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee,
and slandered the footsteps of thine Anointed *
Praised be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
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 89 (Genevan 89th https://tinyurl.com/4phuhwc5)
1 Forever I will sing of your great love, O LORD,
to every changing age your faithfulness record.
2 I will declare how firm your steadfast love is founded,
established in the skies with faithfulness unbounded.
3 Your cov’nant with David no pow’r on earth can sever.
4 You promised to establish his descendants fore’er.
5 O LORD, the heav’ns extol the wonders of your ways;
the holy ones in their assembly sing your praise.
6 Who in their mighty host compares with you in splendor?
7 They all before your throne to you their homage render.
8 O LORD, who is like you? Who else has pow’r unbounded?
You are the mighty God by faithfulness surrounded.
9 You rule the swelling tides, the surging of the sea,
and on the roaring waves impose tranquility.
10 Proud Rahab you have crushed, its carcass you have shattered;
you with your mighty arm your enemies have scattered.
11 Both earth and skies are yours, for yours is all creation;
the world with all it holds you placed on its foundation.
12 You made both north and south and ev’ry mountain height;
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon glory in your might.
13 Your arm, your strong right hand, evokes their jubilation.
14 True righteousness and justice are your throne’s foundation.
The love and faithfulness that will endure forever
before you make their way as heralds of your favor.
15 Blest are the people who acclaim you as their King,
and walk in the light, before your face rejoicing.
16 They praise fore’er your name, your justice and salvation.
17 For your strength and pow’r are their source of exultation.
18 To you belongs our shield, our king so great and glorious;
you, LORD, came to his aid and made him victorious.
19 Of old your vision came to David, as you said:
20 “I offer him the crown, my oil upon his head.
21 I will abide with him; my hand will not forsake him.
22-23 His enemies will fear; their armies will not break him.
24 My steadfast love and power will go with him forever.
25 I’ll set his hand on every sea and every river.”
26 “You are my God and Rock,” my chosen one will cry.
27 among the kings he’ll reign, the highest of the high.
28 My steadfast love for him I will maintain forever;
the cov’nant made with him I will not break or sever.
29 In keeping with my pledge, the throne to David given
will stand forever firm, enduring like the heavens.
30 “Although his children stray, and disobey my law,
31 ignoring my commands, not holding them in awe,
32 then I will punish them, flog them for their transgression,
33 but will not take from him my love and my compassion.
34 My cov’nant will stand firm, my vow will not be broken,
nor will I change a word of what my lips have spoken.
35 “I once for all have sworn by my own holiness.
I will not break my word, but David I will bless;
36 his throne will evermore from heir to heir be handed,
for like the sun it will endure as I commanded.
37 And like the moon, the faithful witness in the heavens,
his reign will be secure. My promise I have given.”
38 But now, O LORD, in wrath you turn against your own.
39 You have removed his crown, cast down his royal throne.
40 LORD, you have breached the walls, brought widespread devastation,
reduced the citadels to scenes of desolation.
41 See how all who pass by have robbed and plundered him;
he is his neighbors’ scorn, enduring bitter shame.
42 His enemies rejoice, all with laughter greet him.
43 Their armies lay him low; in battle defeat him.
44 You turned his scepter and his throne to desolation;
45 his joy and youth are changed to shame and violation.
46 How long, O LORD? How long will you from him be hiding?
How long before your blazing wrath will be subsiding?
47 Remember, LORD, my life, its brief and fleeting span.
O for what vanity have you created man!
48 Who can outwit the grave or claim to be immortal?
Who can escape the ruinous power of Sheol?
49 Lord, where is now your love? Why has it waned and wavered?
Where is the faithfulness that once you swore to David?
50 Remember how I bear within my heart, O Lord,
the insults and the taunts that I have long endured.
51 Your servant has been mocked and jeered by all the nations;
foes taunted your anointed with their provocations.
52 Yet praise and worship God! His mercy will not waver.
Yes, Amen and Amen. Praised be the LORD forever!
PRAYER
As we sing of your love, O Lord,
anoint us with the Spirit’s seal,
that we may praise your faithfulness
and proclaim your truth from age to age;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. CW:DP
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Sirach 24:1-9
Common English Bible
Wisdom will praise herself,
and she will boast in the midst of her people.
In the assembly of the Most High,
she will open her mouth,
and in the presence of
his heavenly forces, she will boast:
“I came forth from the mouth
of the Most High,
and I covered the earth like a mist.
I lived in the heights,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
I alone encircled the vault of heaven
and walked in the depths of abysses.
In the waves of the sea and in every land,
and among every people and nation,
I led the way.
I sought a resting place
among all of these.
In whose allotted territory
should I make my home?
“Then the creator of all things
gave me a command;
the one who created me pitched my tent
and said, ‘Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and let Israel receive your inheritance.’
Before the ages, from the beginning,
he created me,
and till eternity I will never fail.”
HYMN: Ruth Duck ©
Tune: Madeleine
1 Come and seek the ways of Wisdom,
she who danced when earth was new.
Follow closely what she teaches,
for her words are right and true.
Wisdom clears the path to justice,
showing us what love must do.
2 Listen to the voice of Wisdom,
crying in the marketplace.
Hear the Word made flesh among us,
full of glory, truth, and grace.
When the Word takes root and ripens,
peace and righteousness embrace.
3 Sister Wisdom, come, assist us;
nurture all who seek rebirth.
Spirit-guide and close companion,
bring to life our sacred worth.
Free us to become your people,
holy friends of God and earth.
READING: 2 Peter 1:1-11
From Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. To those who received a faith equal to ours through the justice of our God and savior Jesus Christ. May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.
This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election. Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Innocents https://tinyurl.com/j8tey65y
1 Sons of men, behold from far,
Hail the long-expected Star;
Jacob’s Star that gilds the night,
Guides bewildered nature right.
2 Mild it shines on all beneath,
Piercing through the shades of death;
Scatt’ring error’s wide-spread night,
Kindling darkness into light.
3 Nations all, remote and near,
Haste to see your God appear:
Haste, for Him your hearts prepare,
Meet Him manifested there.
4 There behold the Dayspring rise,
Pouring light upon your eyes;
See it chase the shades away,
Shining to the perfect day.
5 Sing, ye morning stars, again,
God descends on earth to reign,
Deigns for man His life t’employ;
Shout, ye sons of God, for joy!
READING: Matthew 1:1-17
A record of the ancestors of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Aram.
Aram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
Salmon was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz was the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth.
Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David the king.
David was the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asaph.
Asaph was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Joram.
Joram was the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amos.
Amos was the father of Josiah.
Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.
This was at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Achim.
Achim was the father of Eliud.
Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary—of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ.
So there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen generations from the exile to Babylon to the Christ.
CANTICLE Philippians 2:6-11
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/y8ljx8y7)
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
He was known to be of human estate
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
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 OSL
Come, O Wisdom, come!
Word, spoken in eternity by mouth of the Most High,
O Wisdom of the mind and heart of God!
Come, O Wisdom, come!
Eternal Archetype, all creation’s beauty
is fragment of your loveliness!
Come, O Wisdom, come!
Great Logos come to rest in the Virgin’s womb!
O Little Wisdom born to us!
Almighty clothed in tenderness!
Come, O Wisdom, come!
From end to end of time,
the grace of Love Incarnate orders all.
Come, O Wisdom, come!
O Wisdom, let me partake of you and yet still hunger,
and let me drink of you and always thirst.
Come, O Wisdom, come!
O Wisdom that is Love and love’s Delight,
teach me to search him through the darkened streets
for whom our hearts long
Come, O Wisdom, come!
(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.
O Wisdom,
your words uttered in the beginning
generated a world of beauty and goodness,
giving purpose and value to each creature;
Instruct us in the way of prudence,
that we may nurture the world with justice and joy;
through the Name of the One who is Coming,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Promise
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.
WS2 The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources
CW:DP Common Worship: Daily Prayer, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2005 and published by Church House Publishing
OSL The intercession is adapted from reprinted from THE DAILY OFFICE: A Book of Hours of Daily Prayer after the Use of the Order of Saint Luke, © 1997 by The Order of Saint Luke. Used by permission.
Promise The collect is from The Promise of His Glory (Mowbray), © The Central Board of Finance of the Church of England 1990, 1991, which is used with permission.
The scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 89 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.
Oremus 