Antiphon 1
Ant. Come, let us worship God * and bow down before the Lord;
let us shed tears before the Lord who made us,
for he is the Lord our God.
V. Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord; *
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence, giving thanks; *
let us hail him with a song of praise. Psalm 95
Source of everlasting light,
send forth your truth into our hearts
and make your face shine on us,
that in giving thanks at your altar
we may come to your eternal dwelling on high;
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: Marty Haugen ©
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/3nz3n4ph
1 You are salt for the earth, O people,
salt for the kingdom of God!
Share the flavor of life, O people:
life in the kingdom of God!
Refrain:
Bring forth the kingdom of mercy,
bring forth the kingdom of peace.
Bring forth the kingdom of justice,
bring forth the city of God!
2 You are a light on the hill, O people,
light for the city of God!
Shine so holy and bright, O people:
shine for the kingdom of God! [Refrain]
3 “You are a seed of the Word, O people,
bring forth the kingdom of God!
Seeds of mercy and seeds of justice,
grow in the kingdom of God! [Refrain]
4 We are a bless’d and a pilgrim people,
bound for the kingdom of God!
Love our journey and love our homeland:
love is the kingdom of God! [Refrain]
PSALMS
Psalm 41 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/urktsqu)
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy *
the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord preserve him, and keep him alive,
that he may be blessed upon earth *
and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed *
make thou all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me *
heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me *
When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity *
and his heart conceiveth falsehood within himself,
and when he cometh forth he telleth it.
7 All mine enemies whisper together against me *
even against me do they imagine this evil.
8 Let the sentence of guiltiness proceed against him *
and now that he lieth, let him rise up no more.
9 Yea, even mine own familiar friend, whom I trusted *
who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for me.
10 But be thou merciful unto me, O Lord *
raise thou me up again, and I shall reward them.
11 By this I know thou favourest me *
that mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And when I am in my health, thou upholdest me *
and shalt set me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel *
world without end. 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.
Psalms 42 and 43 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wxrfhr8)
sung as the one psalm they originally were
1 Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks *
so longeth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night *
while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God?
4 Now when I think thereupon, I pour out my heart by myself *
for I went with the multitude,
and brought them forth into the house of God;
5 In the voice of praise and thanksgiving *
among such as keep holy-day.
6 Why art thou so full of heaviness, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
7 Put thy trust in God *
for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance.
8 My God, my soul is vexed within me *
therefore will I remember thee concerning the land of Jordan,
and the little hill of Hermon.
9 One deep calleth another, because of the noise of the water-pipes *
all thy waves and storms are gone over me.
10 The Lord hath granted his loving-kindness in the day-time *
and in the night-season did I sing of him,
and made my prayer unto the God of my life.
11 I will say unto the God of my strength, Why hast thou forgotten me *
why go I thus heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
12 My bones are smitten asunder as with a sword *
while mine enemies that trouble me cast me in the teeth;
13 Namely, while they say daily unto me *
Where is now thy God?
14 Why art thou so vexed, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
15 O put thy trust in God *
for I will yet thank him,
which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
1 Give sentence with me, O God,
and defend my cause against the ungodly people *
O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2 For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee *
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me *
and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
4 And that I may go unto the altar of God,
even unto the God of my joy and gladness *
and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
5 Why art thou so heavy, O my soul *
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
6 O put thy trust in God *
for I will yet give him thanks,
which is the help of my countenance, and my 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 41 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-41.mp3)
1 Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *
the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.
2 The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,
so that they may be happy in the land; *
he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed *
and ministers to them in their illness.
4 I said, “LORD, be merciful to me; *
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5 My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *
When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *
their heart collects false rumors;
they go outside and spread them.
7 All my enemies whisper together about me *
and devise evil against me.
8 “A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; *
he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.”
9 Even my best friend, whom I trusted,
who broke bread with me, *
has lifted up his heel and turned against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and raise me up, *
and I shall repay them.
11 By this I know you are pleased with me, *
that my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 In my integrity you hold me fast, *
and shall set me before your face for ever.
13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, *
from age to age. Amen. Amen.
Psalm 42 (Gregorian Tone 2 monasticus)
2 Like the deer that yearns
for running streams,
so my soul is yearning
for you, my God.
3 My soul is thirsting for God,
the living God;
when can I enter and appear
before the face of God?
4 My tears have become my bread,
by day, by night,
as they say to me ail the day long,
“Where is your God?”
5 These things will I remember
as I pour out my soul:
for I would go to the place
of your wondrous tent,
all the way to the house of God,
amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving,
the throng keeping joyful festival.
6 Why are you cast down, my soul;
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
7 My soul is cast down within me,
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and Mount Hermon,
from the Hill of Mizar.
8 Deep is calling on deep, .
in the roar of your torrents;
your billows and all your waves
swept over me.
9 By day the LoRD decrees his loving mercy;
by night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
10 I will say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
oppressed by the foe?”
11 With a deadly wound in my bones,
my enemies revile me,
saying to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
12 Why are you cast down, my soul;
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
Psalm 43 (Gregorian Tone 6)
1 Give me justice, O God, and plead my cause
against a nation that is faithless.
From the deceitful and the cunning
rescue me, O God.
2 You, O God, are my strength;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning,
oppressed by the foe?
3 O send forth your light and your truth;
they will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 And I will come to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp,
O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, my soul;
why groan within me?
Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
PRAYER
Eternal God, source of everlasting light,
send forth your truth into our hearts,
and bring us into your presence with joy and gladness
in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Exodus 19:1-8
On exactly the third-month anniversary of the Israelites’ leaving the land of Egypt, they came into the Sinai desert. They traveled from Rephidim, came into the Sinai desert, and set up camp there. Israel camped there in front of the mountain while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain, “This is what you should say to Jacob’s household and declare to the Israelites: You saw what I did to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to me. So now, if you faithfully obey me and stay true to my covenant, you will be my most precious possession out of all the peoples, since the whole earth belongs to me. You will be a kingdom of priests for me and a holy nation. These are the words you should say to the Israelites.”
So Moses came down, called together the people’s elders, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. The people all responded with one voice: “Everything that the Lord has said we will do.”
HYMN: John H Sammis
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/mr8rjevj
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey,
for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus,
but to trust and obey.
2 Ev’ry burden we bear,
ev’ry sorrow we share,
all our toil he doth richly repay.
Even grief, pain, and loss
as we carry a cross
will be blessed as we trust and obey. [Refrain]
3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love,
until all on the altar we lay,
for the favor he shows,
and the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way.
What he says we will do,
where he sends we will go,
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]
READING: 1 Peter 2:9-12
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. Once you weren’t a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends, since you are immigrants and strangers in the world, I urge that you avoid worldly desires that wage war against your lives. Live honorably among the unbelievers. Today, they defame you, as if you were doing evil. But in the day when God visits to judge they will glorify him, because they have observed your honorable deeds.
HYMN: James E Seddons ©
Tune: Lux eoi https://tinyurl.com/mr63jcy9
1 Church of God, elect and glorious,
holy nation, chosen race,
called as God’s own special people,
royal priests and heirs of grace;
know the purpose of your calling,
show to all his mighty deeds,
tell of love that knows no limits,
grace that meets all human needs.
2 God has called you out of darkness
into his most marv’lous light,
brought his truth to life within you,
turned your blindness into sight.
Let your light so shine around you
that God’s name is glorified
and all find fresh hope and purpose
in Christ Jesus crucified.
3 Once you were an alien people,
strangers to God’s heart of love,
but he brought you home in mercy,
citizens of heav’n above.
Let his love flow out to others,
let them feel the Father’s care,
that they too may know his welcome
and his countless blessings share.
4 Church of God, elect and holy,
be the people he intends,
strong in faith and swift to answer
each command your master sends.
Royal priests, fulfill your calling
through your sacrifice and prayer;
give your lives in joyful service
sing his praise, his love declare.
READING: Matthew 5:13-20
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? It’s good for nothing except to be thrown away and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.
“Don’t even begin to think that I have come to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I haven’t come to do away with them but to fulfill them. I say to you very seriously that as long as heaven and earth exist, neither the smallest letter nor even the smallest stroke of a pen will be erased from the Law until everything there becomes a reality. Therefore, whoever ignores one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps these commands and teaches people to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. I say to you that unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the legal experts and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
CANTICLE Luke 1:68-79
(John Harper, https://tinyurl.com/4wwy9fbs)
Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,
who has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets God promised of old
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
To show mercy to our ancestors,
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS BCW2018
Let us pray for the needs of the church,
the whole human family,
and all the world, saying: Hear our prayer.
That churches of all traditions
may discover their unity in Christ
and exercise their gifts in service of all,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
That the earth may be freed
from war, famine, and disease,
and the air, soil, and waters cleansed of poison,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
That those who govern and maintain peace in every land
may exercise their powers in obedience to your commands,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
That you will strengthen this nation to pursue just priorities
so that the races may be reconciled;
the young, educated; and the old, cared for;
the hungry, filled; and the homeless, housed;
and the sick, comforted and healed,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
That you will preserve all who live and work
in this [city, town, village, community]
in peace and safety,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
That you will comfort and empower
those who face any difficulty or trial:
the sick [especially N., N.],
the disabled, the poor, the oppressed,
those who grieve and those in prison,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
That you will accept our thanksgiving
for all faithful servants of Christ now at rest,
who, with us, await a new heaven and a new earth,
your everlasting kingdom,
we pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
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.
O God of light,
your searching Spirit reveals and illumines
your presence in creation.
Shine your radiant holiness into our lives,
that we may offer our hands and hearts to your work:
to heal and shelter,
to feed and clothe,
to break every yoke and silence evil tongues. 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
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalm 41 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalms 42 and 43 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 three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
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 © 2026 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 