Oremus for May 9, 2026

Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nazianzus in Cappadocia was born about 329. Brilliant and cultured, he longed to spend his days in prayer and philosophical reflection. His ability in defending the Nicene doctrine of Christ’s full divinity led others to expect political leadership which he could not give. Made Bishop of Constantinople in 381, Gregory wilted under the political pressures of the office and resigned within the year, seeking solitude near Nazianzus, where he died in 389. ^FATS

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/3n22z7k7

The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth;
by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia.

O All-Transcendent God
what words can sing Your praises?
No word does You justice.
What mind can probe Your secret?
No mind can encompass You.
You are alone beyond the power of speech,
yet all that we speak stems from You.
You are alone beyond the power of thought,
yet all that we can conceive springs from You.
All things proclaim You,
those endowed with reason and those bereft of it.
All the expectation and pain of the world coalesces in You.
All things utter a prayer to You,
a silent hymn composed by You.
You sustain everything that exists,
and all things move together to Your orders.
You are the goal of all that exists.
You are one and You are all,
yet You are none of the things that exist,
neither a part nor the whole.
You can avail Yourself of any name;
how shall I call You,
the only unnamable?
All-transcendent God! ^{attr. Gregory of Nazianzus}

Music: https://tinyurl.com/mb6h9xfa

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
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.
Alleluia, alleluia!

HYMN: Gregory of Nazianzus; trans. John Brownlie
Tune: Waverton

1 O Light that knew no dawn,
that shines to endless day,
all things in earth and heav’n
are lustered by thy ray;
no eye can to thy throne ascend,
nor mind thy brightness comprehend.

2 Thy grace, O Father, give,
that I may serve in fear;
above all boons, I pray,
grant me thy voice to hear;
from sin thy child in mercy free,
and let me dwell in light with thee:

3 That, cleansed from stain of sin,
I may meet homage give,
and, pure in heart, behold
thy beauty while I live;
clean hands in holy worship raise,
and thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.

4 In supplication meek
to thee I bend the knee;
O Christ, when thou shalt come,
in love remember me,
and in thy kingdom, by thy grace,
grant me a humble servant’s place.

5 Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly thee implore;
and let thy mercy bless
thy servant more and more.
All grace and glory be to thee,
from age to age eternally.

PSALMS

Psalm 44 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/4mebue34)
1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us :
 what thou hast done in their time of old;
2 How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand,
and planted them in :
 how thou hast destroyed the nations and cast them out.
3 For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword :
 neither was it their own arm that helped them;
4 But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance :
 because thou hadst a favour unto them.
5 Thou art my King, O God :
 send help unto Jacob.
6 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies :
 and in thy Name will we tread them under, that rise up against us.
7 For I will not trust in my bow :
 it is not my sword that shall help me;
8 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies :
 and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
9 We make our boast of God all day long :
 and will praise thy Name for ever.
10 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion :
 and goest not forth with our armies.
11 Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies :
 so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
12 Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep :
 and hast scattered us among the heathen.
13 Thou sellest thy people for nought :
 and takest no money for them.
14 Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours :
 to be laughed to scorn, and had in derision of them
that are round about us.
15 Thou makest us to be a by-word among the heathen :
 and that the people shake their heads at us.
16 My confusion is daily before me :
 and the shame of my face hath covered me;
17 For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer:
for the enemy and avenger.
18 And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee :
 nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
19 Our heart is not turned back :
 neither our steps gone out of thy way;
20 No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons :
 and covered us with the shadow of death.
21 If we have forgotten the Name of our God,
and holden up our hands to any strange god :
 shall not God search it out? for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.
22 For thy sake also are we killed all the day long :
 and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
23 Up, Lord, why sleepest thou :
 awake, and be not absent from us for ever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face :
 and forgettest our misery and trouble?
25 For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust :
our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
26 Arise, and help us :
 and deliver us for thy mercy’s sake.
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 45 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybupe5te)
1  My heart is inditing of a good matter *
 I speak of the things which I have made unto the King.
2  My tongue is the pen *
 of a ready writer.
3  Thou art fairer than the children of men *
 full of grace are thy lips, because God hath blessed thee for ever.
4  Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most Mighty *
 according to thy worship and renown.
5  Good luck have thou with thine honour *
 ride on, because of the word of truth, of meekness,
and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
6  Thy arrows are very sharp,
and the people shall be subdued unto thee *
 even in the midst among the King’s enemies.
7  Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever *
 the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
8  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity *
 wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
9  All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia *
 out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
10  Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women *
 upon thy right hand did stand the queen in a vesture of gold,
wrought about with divers colours.
11  Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear *
 forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house.
12  So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty *
 for he is thy Lord God, and worship thou him.
13  And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift *
 like as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before thee.
14  The King’s daughter is all glorious within *
 her clothing is of wrought gold.
15  She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work *
 the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company,
and shall be brought unto thee.
16  With joy and gladness shall they be brought *
 and shall enter into the King’s palace.
17  Instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children *
 whom thou mayest make princes in all lands.
18  I will remember thy Name from one generation to another *
 therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee, world without end.
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 46 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7svqcl3)
1  God is our hope and strength *
 a very present help in trouble.
2  Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved *
 and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea.
3  Though the waters thereof rage and swell *
 and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
4  The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God *
 the holy place of the tabernacle of the most Highest.
5  God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed *
 God shall help her, and that right early.
6  The heathen make much ado, and the kingdoms are moved *
 but God hath shewed his voice, and the earth shall melt away.
7  The Lord of hosts is with us *
 the God of Jacob is our refuge.
8  O come hither, and behold the works of the Lord *
 what destruction he hath brought upon the earth.
9  He maketh wars to cease in all the world *
 he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder,
and burneth the chariots in the fire.
10  Be still then, and know that I am God *
 I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth.
11  The Lord of hosts is with us *
 the God of Jacob is our refuge.
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 44 (Tonus Peregrinus)

1 We have heard with our ears, O God,
our fathers have told us *
what you did in the days of old:
2 How you drove out the nations with your hand,
and planted our fathers in the land; *
how you destroyed the nations and cast them out.
3 For they did not possess the land by their own sword, *
neither was it their own arm that helped them,
4 But by your right hand, and your arm,
and the light of your countenance, *
because you favored them.
5 You are my King, O God; * †
you send help to Jacob.
6 Through you we will overthrow our enemies, *
and in your Name will we tread down those who rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow; *
it is not my sword that shall help me;
8 But you save us from our enemies *
and put to shame those who hate us.
9 We make our boast in God all day long *
and will praise your Name for ever.
10 But now you have cast us off and put us to shame, *
and you do not go forth with our armies.
11 You make us turn our backs upon our enemies, *
so that those who hate us plunder our goods.
12 You let us be eaten up like sheep *
and have scattered us among the nations.
13 You sell your people for nothing *
and take no money for them.
14 You make us the reproach of our neighbors, *
to be laughed to scorn, and held in derision by those who are round about us.
15 You make us a byword among the nations, *
so that the peoples shake their heads at us.
16 My disgrace is daily before me, *
and the shame of my face has covered me,
17 Because of the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, *
because of the enemy and avenger.
18 And though all this has come upon us, yet we do not forget you, *
nor have we been unfaithful to your covenant.
19 Our heart has not turned back, *
nor have our steps departed from your way,
20 Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, *
and covered us with the shadow of death.
21 If we have forgotten the Name of our God,
and held up our hands to any strange god, *
shall not God search it out?
For he knows the very secrets of the heart.
22 For your sake we are killed all the day long, *
and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
23 Rise up, O Lord! Why are you sleeping? *
Awake, and cast us not away for ever.
24 Why do you hide your face *
and forget our misery and trouble?
25 For our soul is brought low, even to the dust; *
our belly cleaves to the ground.
26 Arise, O Lord, and help us, *
and deliver us for your mercy’s sake.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 45 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-45.mp3)
1 My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *
my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
2 You are the fairest of men; *
grace flows from your lips,
because God has blessed you for ever.
3 Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *
in your pride and in your majesty.
4 Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *
and for the sake of justice.
5 Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *
your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.
6 The peoples are falling at your feet, *
and the king’s enemies are losing heart.
7 Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *
a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;
you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
8 Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
9 All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *
and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
10 Kings’ daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *
on your right hand is the queen,
adorned with the gold of Ophir.
11 “Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *
forget your people and your father’s house.
12 The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13 The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
the rich among the people seek your favor.”
14 All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15 In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16 With joy and gladness they are brought, *
and enter into the palace of the king.
17 “In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18 I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *
therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”

Psalm 46 (LSB Tone C: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-46-LSB.mp3)
1 God is our refuge and strength,*
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,*
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,*
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,*
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;*
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;*
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,*
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;*
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.*
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;*
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
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.

PRAYER

God of Jacob,
when the earth shakes
and the nations are in uproar,
speak, and let the storm be still;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^CW:DP

THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Isaiah 60:1-11, 19-22
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth
and thick darkness the peoples,
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together; they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried in their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you;
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
they shall be acceptable on my altar,
and I will glorify my glorious house.

Who are these that fly like a cloud
and like doves to their windows?
For the coastlands shall wait for me,
the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring your children from far away,
their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the Lord your God
and for the Holy One of Israel,
because he has glorified you.
Foreigners shall build up your walls,
and their kings shall minister to you,
for in my wrath I struck you down,
but in my favor I have had mercy on you.
Your gates shall always be open;
day and night they shall not be shut,
so that nations shall bring you their wealth,
with their kings led in procession.
The sun shall no longer be
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give light to you by night,
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
Your sun shall no more go down
or your moon withdraw itself,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning shall be ended.
Your people shall all be righteous;
they shall possess the land forever.
They are the shoot that I planted, the work of my hands,
so that I might be glorified.
The least of them shall become a clan
and the smallest one a mighty nation;
I am the Lord;
in its time I will accomplish it quickly.

HYMN: Thomas Hastings
Tune: Wesley https://shorturl.at/qAXvy

1. Hail to the brightness of Zion’s glad morning!
Joy to the lands that in darkness have lain;
Hushed be the accents of sorrow and mourning,
Zion in triumph begins her mild reign.

2. Hail to the brightness of Zion’s glad morning!
Long by the prophets of Israel foretold;
Hail to the millions from bondage returning;
Gentiles and Jews the blest vision behold.

3. Lo, in the desert rich flowers are springing,
Streams ever copious are gliding along;
Loud from the mountain tops echoes are ringing,
Trees rise in verdure and mingle in song.

4. See, from all lands, from the isles of the ocean,
Praise to Jehovah ascending on high;
Fallen the engines of war and commotion,
Shouts of salvation are rending the sky.

READING: 1 Timothy 4:1-6
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.

If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed.

HYMN: Anna Barbauld
Tune: Dix https://shorturl.at/j3HyS

1 Praise to God, immortal praise,
for the love that crowns our days!
Bounteous source of every joy,
let thy praise our tongues employ:

2 for the blessings of the fields,
for the stores the gardens yield,
flocks that whiten all the plain,
yellow sheaves of ripened grain;

3 all that spring with bounteous hand
scatters o’er the smiling land;
all that liberal autumn pours
from her rich o’erflowing stores.

4 These to thee, my God, we owe,
source whence all our blessings flow;
and for these our souls shall raise
grateful vows and solemn praise.

READING: John 12:37-43
Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

“Lord, who has believed our message,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,

“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not look with their eyes
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.

CANTICLE Song of the Three Young Men 35-65
(New Camaldoli chant: https://tinyurl.com/yawzzmsx)

All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord!
Heavens and waters above the heavens, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Powers of the Lord, God be praised and exalted above all forever!
Sun and moon, bless the Lord!
All you stars of heaven, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

All rain and dew, bless the Lord!
And let every wind, bless the Lord!
Fire and heat, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Cold and warmth, bless the Lord!
Dew and snowstorm, bless the Lord!
Frost and cold, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Ice and snow, bless the Lord!
Nights and days, bless the Lord!
Light and darkness, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord!
Let the whole earth bless the Lord!
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Every plant that grows, bless the Lord!
Springs of water, bless the Lord!
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Everything that moves in the waters, bless the Lord!
And let every kind of bird bless the Lord!
All you beasts wild and tame, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Let the whole human race, bless the Lord!
O Israel, bless the Lord!
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

All you the Lord’s servants, bless the Lord!
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord!
Humble-hearted people, bless the Lord!
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

God has freed us from the underworld,
saved us from the hand of death
and drawn us from the heart of the flame:
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

Give thanks to the Lord who is so good!
Bless the God of gods, all you who fear him.
Praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
God be praised and exalted above all forever!

THE PRAYERS ^CW:TS

In joy and hope let us pray to the Father.
That our risen Saviour may fill us [and …] with the joy of his
glorious and life-giving resurrection …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That isolated and persecuted churches
may find fresh strength in the good news of Easter …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That God may grant us humility
to be subject to one another in Christian love …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That he may provide for those who lack food, work or shelter …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That by his power war and famine may cease through all the world …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That he may reveal the light of his presence to the sick,
the weak and the dying,
to comfort and strengthen them …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That, according to his promises,
all who have died in the faith of the resurrection
may be raised on the last day …
Lord, hear our prayer.

That he may send the fire of the
Holy Spirit upon his people,
so that we may bear faithful witness to his resurrection,
Lord, hear our prayer.

(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.

Gracious God,
you inspired your servant Gregory of Nazianzus
to witness to the truth of the gospel;
grant that we may continue steadfast
in our confession of the faith
and constant in our worship of you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen. ^FATS

https://tinyurl.com/rkxkpmc
Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to God whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.    Ephesians 3:20,21

---

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

^CW:DP Common Worship: Daily Prayer, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2005 and published by Church House Publishing

^CW:TS Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2006 and published by Church House Publishing

The Lord’s Prayer is the traditional chant as set in The Hymnal 1940 and sung by Kathryn Mannyng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJ2TB9pLbU

^WS2 The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources

The main scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

^FATS For All the Saints, © The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, 2014

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).  The modern language version of Psalm 44 is from Book of Common Prayer (2019) and recorded for the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps. Psalm 45 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 46 is the version in Lutheran Service Book and is from the Next to the Word of God YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkVRYL-MRebncw584Ql2xfg.

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.