Ascension Day
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/47syb79m
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
praise the Lord, who ascends above the highest heavens;
his majesty and might are in the skies, alleluia.
Most High God, we are witnesses:
to the life of Jesus Christ our Lord:
written in the Law,
promised by the prophets,
sung by the psalmists;
given in love for the world,
risen from the dust of death,
lifted up in heavenly glory.
Let our lives proclaim Christ’s life.
Draw us into your presence
that we may worship you always,
continually blessing your name;
through Jesus Christ our Savior
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen. BCW2018
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: Charles Wesley
Tune: Llanfair https://tinyurl.com/45v5phet
1 Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!
to his throne beyond the skies. Alleluia!
Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia!
enters now the highest heaven. Alleluia!
2 There for him high triumph waits; Alleluia!
lift your heads, eternal gates. Alleluia!
He has conquered death and sin; Alleluia!
take the King of glory in. Alleluia!
3 Highest heaven its Lord receives; Alleluia!
yet he loves the earth he leaves. Alleluia!
Though returning to his throne, Alleluia!
still he calls us all his own. Alleluia!
4 See, he lifts his hands above; Alleluia!
see, he shews the prints of love; Alleluia!
hark, his gracious lips bestow, Alleluia!
blessings on his church below. Alleluia!
5 Still for us he intercedes;
his atoning death he pleads, Alleluia!
near himself prepares our place, Alleluia!
he the firstfruits of our race. Alleluia!
6 There we shall with you remain, Alleluia!
partners of your endless reign. Alleluia!
There thy face unclouded see, Alleluia!
Find our heav’n of heav’ns in thee! Alleluia!
PSALMS
Psalm 24 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9wmst8w)
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all that therein is *
the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas *
and prepared it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord *
or who shall rise up in his holy place?
4 Even he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart *
and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity,
nor sworn to deceive his neighbour.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord *
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him *
even of them that seek thy face, O Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors *
and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is the King of glory *
it is the Lord strong and mighty, even the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors *
and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is the King of glory *
even the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.
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 47 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/sk7c3h7)
1 Clap your hands together, all ye people *
O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
2 For the Lord is high, and to be feared *
he is the great King upon all the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He shall choose out an heritage for us *
even the worship of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God is gone up with a merry noise *
and the Lord with the sound of the trump.
6 O sing praises, sing praises unto our God *
O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.
7 For God is the King of all the earth *
sing ye praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the heathen *
God sitteth upon his holy seat.
9 The princes of the people are joined
unto the people of the God of Abraham *
for God, which is very high exalted,
doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.
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 108 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9us7zs5)
1 O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready *
I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have.
2 Awake, thou lute, and harp *
I myself will awake right early.
3 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people *
I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
4 For thy mercy is greater than the heavens *
and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
5 Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens *
and thy glory above all the earth.
6 That thy beloved may be delivered *
let thy right hand save them, and hear thou me.
7 God hath spoken in his holiness *
I will rejoice therefore, and divide Sichem,
and mete out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine *
Ephraim also is the strength of my head.
9 Judah is my law-giver, Moab is my wash-pot *
over Edom will I cast out my shoe; upon Philistia will I triumph.
10 Who will lead me into the strong city *
and who will bring me into Edom?
11 Hast not thou forsaken us, O God *
and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12 O help us against the enemy *
for vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do great acts *
and 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 24 (Joseph Barnby; https://tinyurl.com/45m649j3)
1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that fills it,
the compass of the world and all who dwell therein.
2 For he has founded it upon the seas
and set it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
3 ‘Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord,
or who can rise up in his holy place?’
4 ‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,
who have not lifted up their soul to an idol,
nor sworn an oath to a lie;
5 ‘They shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
a just reward from the God of their salvation.’
6 Such is the company of those who seek him,
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, O gates;
be lifted up, you everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.
8 ‘Who is the King of glory?’
‘The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord who is mighty in battle.’
9 Lift up your heads, O gates;
be lifted up, you everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.
10 ‘Who is this King of glory?’
‘The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.’
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.
Psalm 47 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-47.mp3)
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *
shout to God with a cry of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared; *
he is the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdues the peoples under us, *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
5 God has gone up with a shout, *
the LORD with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is King of all the earth; *
sing praises with all your skill.
8 God reigns over the nations; *
God sits upon his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *
with the people of the God of Abraham.
10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, *
and he is highly exalted.
Psalm 108 (Gregorian Tone IV.4)
1 O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is firmly fixed; *
I will sing and give praise with the best that I have.
2 Awake, my soul; awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will awaken the dawn.
3 I will give thanks unto you, O Lord, among the peoples, *
and I will sing praises unto you among the nations,
4 For the greatness of your mercy reaches to the heavens, *
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
5 Exalt yourself, O God, above the heavens; *
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 That your beloved may be delivered, *
save me by your right hand, and answer me.
7 God has spoken in his holiness: *
“I will rejoice and divide Shechem,
and parcel out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; *
Ephraim also is the helmet for my head;
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast my shoe; *
over Philistia will I triumph.”
10 Who will lead me into the strong city, *
and who will bring me into Edom?
11 Have you not forsaken us, O God? *
And will you not, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12 O help us against the enemy, *
for vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do great acts, *
for it is he who shall tread down our enemies.
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
Loving God,
glorious in giving and restoring life,
do not hide your face from your people overcome with loneliness and fear.
Turn our weeping into dancing,
our despair into joy,
and raise us up with Christ,
that we may rejoice in your presence forever. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Daniel 7:9-14
As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. As I watched in the night visions,
I saw one like a human being
coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion
and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
that shall never be destroyed.
HYMN: Christopher Wordsworth
Tune: Rex gloriae https://tinyurl.com/3varb5ap
1 See, the Conqu’ror mounts in triumph;
see the King in royal state,
riding on the clouds, his chariot,
to his heav’nly palace gate.
Hear the choir of angel voices
joyful alleluias sing,
and the gates on high are opened
to receive their heav’nly King.
2 Who is this that comes in glory,
trumpets sound with jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies,
he has gained the victory.
He who on the cross did suffer,
he who from the grave arose,
he has conquered sin and Satan,
he by death has beat his foes.
3 You have raised our human nature
on the clouds to God’s right hand;
there we’ll sit in heav’nly places,
there with you in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels,
man with God is on the throne;
mighty Lord, in your ascension
we by faith behold our own.
READING: Acts 1:1-14
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
HYMN: Sylvia G Dunstan ©
Tune: St Theodulph https://tinyurl.com/mr4aef8j
1 Lift up your hearts, believers!
This is the holy day
when Jesus, our Redeemer,
completes salvation’s way.
The forty days are over,
and clouds shine high and bright
as Christ, the overcomer,
is lifted from our sight.
2 Lift up your hearts, believers!
Ye gates, lift up your heads!
Though minds be full of wonder,
though souls be filled with dread.
The Spirit has been promised,
and, though we are alone,
we wait until the moment
when fire and wind are known.
3 Lift up your hearts believers!
And do not be downcast,
for Jesus, our Redeemer,
receives the crown at last.
The thorns of crucifixion
are changed to stars of light,
and Christ, the Lord of glory,
is named as God’s delight.
READING: Luke 24:44-53
Then Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
CANTICLE Te Deum
(Norman Warren, https://tinyurl.com/49bdupku)
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as the Lord;
all creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all praise,
the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
We praise your name for ever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy,
for we have put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
let us never be put to shame.
THE PRAYERS CW:TS
Let us join our prayers with those of our Saviour Christ,
seeking the Father’s blessing and the gifts of the Spirit.
Jesus Christ, great high priest,
living for ever to intercede for us,
pray for the Church, your broken body in the world …
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, king of righteousness,
enthroned at the right hand of the majesty on high,
pray for the world, and make it subject to your gentle rule …
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, Son of Man,
drawing humanity into the life of God,
pray for your brothers and sisters in need, distress or sorrow …
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, pioneer of our salvation,
bringing us to glory through your death and resurrection,
surround with your saints and angels
those who have died trusting your promises …
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, Lord over all things,
ascended far above the heavens and filling the universe,
pray for us who receive the gifts you give us for work in your service …
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ,
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at your feet;
for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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.
Almighty God,
your blessed Son, our Savior Jesus Christ,
ascended far above all heavens
that he might fill all things.
Mercifully give us faith to trust
that, as he promised,
he abides with us on earth to the end of time;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. 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
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 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). Psalm 24 is from Common Worship and comes from the RSCM album The Gift of This New Day. The modern language version of Psalms 47 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. The modern language version of Psalm 108 and 109 is from Book of Common Prayer (2019) as recorded for 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.
Oremus 