Oremus for May 11, 2026

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom should I dread?
When those who do evil draw near, they stumble and fall. Psalm 27

Creator God,
you made all that is, both seen and unseen.
You made us in your image, both male and female,
that we might reflect your goodness, wisdom, and love.
As we gather around your Word this day,
may our faith be renewed, that we may serve you. Amen. ^WS2

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: Christopher Wordsworth
Tune: Almsgiving https://tinyurl.com/y5mvwvv5

1 O Lord of heaven and earth and sea,
to thee all praise and glory be.
How shall we show our love to thee
who givest all?

2 The golden sunshine, vernal air,
sweet flowers and fruit, thy love declare;
when harvests ripen, thou art there,
who givest all.

3 For peaceful homes, and healthful days,
for all the blessings earth displays,
we owe thee thankfulness and praise,
who givest all.

4 Thou didst not spare thine only Son,
but gav’st him for a world undone,
and freely with that blessèd One
thou givest all.

5 Thou giv’st the Holy Spirit’s dower,
Spirit of life and love and power,
and dost his sevenfold graces shower
upon us all.

6 For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven,
for means of grace and hopes of heaven,
Father, what can to thee be given,
who givest all?

7 We lose what on ourselves we spend,
we have as treasure without end
whatever, Lord, to thee we lend,
who givest all.

8 To thee, from whom we all derive
our life, our gifts, our power to give:
O may we ever with thee live,
who givest all.

PSALMS

Psalm 56 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y89cbz8u)
1  Be merciful unto me, O God, for man goeth about to devour me *
he is daily fighting, and troubling me.
2  Mine enemies are daily in hand to swallow me up *
for they be many that fight against me, O thou most Highest.
3  Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid *
yet put I my trust in thee.
4  I will praise God, because of his word *
I have put my trust in God, and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5  They daily mistake my words *
all that they imagine is to do me evil.
6  They hold all together, and keep themselves close *
and mark my steps, when they lay wait for my soul.
7  Shall they escape for their wickedness *
thou, O God, in thy displeasure shalt cast them down.
8  Thou tellest my flittings ; put my tears into thy bottle *
are not these things noted in thy book?
9  Whensoever I call upon thee,
then shall mine enemies be put to flight *
this I know; for God is on my side.
10  In God’s word will I rejoice *
in the Lord’s word will I comfort me.
11  Yea, in God have I put my trust *
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12  Unto thee, O God, will I pay my vows *
unto thee will I give thanks.
13  For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
and my feet from falling *
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
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 57 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/yb9ln9xn)
1  Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me,
for my soul trusteth in thee *
and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge,
until this tyranny be over-past.
2  I will call unto the most high God *
even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand.
3  He shall send from heaven *
and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up.
4  God shall send forth his mercy and truth *
my soul is among lions.
5  And I lie even among the children of men, that are set on fire *
whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
6  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
and thy glory above all the earth.
7  They have laid a net for my feet, and pressed down my soul *
they have digged a pit before me,
and are fallen into the midst of it themselves.
8  My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed *
I will sing, and give praise.
9  Awake up, my glory; awake, lute and harp *
I myself will awake right early.
10  I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people *
and I will sing unto thee among the nations.
11  For the greatness of thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens *
and thy truth unto the clouds.
12  Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
and thy glory above all the earth.
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 58 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y79vycco)
1  Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye congregation *
and do ye judge the thing that is right, O ye sons of men?
2  Yea, ye imagine mischief in your heart upon the earth *
and your hands deal with wickedness.
3  The ungodly are froward, even from their mother’s womb *
as soon as they are born, they go astray, and speak lies.
4  They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent *
even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears;
5  Which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer *
charm he never so wisely.
6  Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths;
smite the jaw-bones of the lions, O Lord *
let them fall away like water that runneth apace;
and when they shoot their arrows let them be rooted out.
7  Let them consume away like a snail,
and be like the untimely fruit of a woman *
and let them not see the sun.
8  Or ever your pots be made hot with thorns *
so let indignation vex him, even as a thing that is raw.
9  The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance *
he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the ungodly.
10  So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous *
doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth.
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 56 (Gregorian Tone II.1)

1 Be merciful to me, O God,
for my adversaries are treading me down; *
they are daily fighting and troubling me.
2 My enemies go about hounding me daily, *
for there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Nevertheless, though I am sometimes afraid, *
yet I put my trust in you.
4 In God whose word I praise,
in God I trust and fear not, *
for what can flesh do to me?
5 They daily distort my words; *
all that they imagine is to do me evil.
6 They all gather together and lie in wait, *
and mark my steps, while they seek after my life.
7 Shall they escape despite their wickedness? *
O God, in your displeasure cast them down.
8 You record my lamentation;
put my tears into your bottle. *
Are not these things noted in your book?
9 Whenever I call upon you,
then shall my enemies be put to flight; *
this I know, for God is on my side.
10 In God, whose word I praise, *
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 In God have I put my trust; *
I will not be afraid, for what can mortals do to me?
12 Unto you, O God, will I pay my vows; *
unto you will I give thanks.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death
and my feet from stumbling, *
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
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 57 (Gregorian Tone II.1)

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for my soul trusts in you, *
and under the shadow of your wings shall be my refuge,
until this tribulation has passed.
2 I will call unto the Most High God, *
even unto the God who shall fulfill his purpose for me.
3 He shall send from heaven and save me;
he shall confound those who trample on me. *
God shall send forth his mercy and truth.
4 My soul is among lions that devour the people; *
their teeth are spears and arrows,
and their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Exalt yourself, O God, above the heavens; *
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They have laid a net for my feet,
and brought down my soul; *
they dug a pit before me,
but have fallen into the midst of it themselves.
7 My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *
I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake, my soul; awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will awaken the dawn.
9 I will give thanks unto you, O Lord, among the peoples, *
and I will sing praises unto you among the nations.
10 For the greatness of your mercy reaches unto the heavens, *
and your truth unto the clouds.
11 Exalt yourself, O God, above the heavens; *
let your glory be over all the earth.
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 58 (Gregorian Tone II.1)

1 Do you indeed decree righteousness, O you rulers, *
and do you judge uprightly, O children of men?
2 No, you devise evil in your heart, *
and on the earth your hands deal out violence.
3 The ungodly err even from their mother’s womb; *
as soon as they are born, they go astray and speak lies.
4 They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent, *
even like the deaf adder that stops its ears,
5 Which refuses to hear the voice of the charmer, *
no matter how skillful his charming.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths; *
smite the jawbones of the ungodly.
7 Let them fall away like water that runs off; *
let them wither like the grass that is trodden underfoot.
8 Let them melt away like a snail, *
and be like a stillborn child that does not see the sun.
9 Before they bear fruit, let them be cut off like a briar; *
let them be like thorns and weeds that are swept away.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when they see the vengeance; *
they shall wash their feet in the blood of the ungodly.
11 So that people shall say,
“Truly, there is a reward for the righteous; *
surely, there is a God who judges the earth.”
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.

PRAYER

Merciful God, righteous judge,
give us the wisdom to perceive your Spirit in others,
and to examine our own conduct;
so that on the great and final day
we may approach you not with fear
but with trust in your boundless compassion;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.^BCW2018

THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Isaiah 61
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks;
foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines,
but you shall be called priests of the Lord;
you shall be named ministers of our God;
you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,
and in their riches you shall glory.
Because their shame was double
and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot,
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
everlasting joy shall be theirs.

For I, the Lord, love justice,
I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my whole being shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.

HYMN: Isaac Watts
Tune: Duke Street https://tinyurl.com/bdzbucny

1 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
doth his successive journeys run;
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.

2 To him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head;
his Name like sweet perfume shall rise
with every morning sacrifice.

3 People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song;
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his Name.

4 Blessings abound where’er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.

5 Let every creature rise and bring
peculiar honors to our King;
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen.

READING: 1 Timothy 4:7-16
Have nothing to do with profane and foolish tales. Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

HYMN: Joseph Hart
Tune: Celeste https://tinyurl.com/k85b9hzx

1 How good is the God we adore!
Our faithful, unchangeable friend:
his love is as great as his pow’r
and knows neither knows measure nor end.

2 For Christ is the first and the last;
his Spirit will guide us safe home;
we’ll praise him for all that is past
and trust him for all that’s to come.

READING: John 12:44-50
Then Jesus cried aloud: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

CANTICLE Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *
the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him, *
the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior; *
The Lord is his Name.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; *
the finest of those who bear armor
have been drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *
your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *
Who is like you, glorious in holiness,
awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand; *
the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *
you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them *
on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and for ever.
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.

PRAYERS ^CW:TS

Let us ask the God of creation to send a blessing upon us.
Upon the rich earth send a blessing, O Lord.
Let the earth be fruitful
and its resources be hallowed.
We ask in faith:
we ask you to hear us, good Lord.

Upon human labour send a blessing, O Lord.
Prosper the work of our hands;
may all find dignity and just reward in their work;
free the exploited and oppressed.
We ask in faith:
we ask you to hear us, good Lord.

Upon the produce of the earth send a blessing, O Lord.
Guide us into a sustainable future,
and give us the will to share the fruits of the world.
We ask in faith:
we ask you to hear us, good Lord.

Upon the seas and waters send a blessing, O Lord.
Teach us to cherish the water of the earth,
and to conserve the seas, lakes and rivers.
We ask in faith:
we ask you to hear us, good Lord.

Upon aid agencies send a blessing, O Lord.
Where the earth is parched and the well has run dry;
where war brings want, and children go hungry;
where the poor cry out for bread and for justice,
give hands to care and heal, and compel us to be generous.
We ask in faith:
we ask you to hear us, good Lord.

We ask you to hear us, good Lord,
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Plainsong: https://tinyurl.com/ahnrtv59)^ELW

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.

God of creation,
we give thanks for the goodness of the earth
that you made and sustain.
Our voices join in praise with all creation:
with the sea that roars,
the trees that clap their hands,
and the birds that sing in joy.
Unite us by your Spirit,
that we may be signs of your abundant mercy
and live in thanksgiving for your grace,
as we wait for the completion of your creation
in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. ^BCW2018

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.

^BCW2018 Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2018

^ELW The Lord’s Prayer is from Setting Five in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

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.

The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of the psalms are from Book of Common Prayer (2019), the version sung in the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps.

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.

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