Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/3wcmx574
Receive the joy of your glory, giving thanks to God,
who has called you into the heavenly kingdom, alleluia. 2 Ezra
Lord God,
you so tend the vine you planted
that now it extends its branches throughout the world.
Keep us in Christ as branches on the vine,
that, grafted firmly in your love,
we may show the whole world your great power
and bear the fruit of righteousness;
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: Dan Feiten
Tune: https://tinyurl.com/adnyx7jh
Refrain:
Seed, scattered and sown,
wheat, gathered and grown,
bread, broken and shared as one,
the living Bread of God.
Vine, fruit of the land,
wine, work of our hands,
one cup that is shared by all,
the living Cup, the living Bread of God.
1 Is not the bread we break a sharing in our Lord?
Is not the cup we bless the blood of Christ outpoured? [Refrain]
2 The seed which falls on rock will wither and will die.
The seed within good ground will flower and have life. [Refrain]
3 As wheat upon the hills was gathered and was grown,
so may the church of God be gathered into one. [Refrain]
PSALMS
Psalm 79 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ssjuezl)
1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance *
thy holy temple have they defiled,
and made Jerusalem an heap of stones.
2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given
to be meat unto the fowls of the air *
and the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the land.
3 Their blood have they shed like water on every side of Jerusalem *
and there was no man to bury them.
4 We are become an open shame to our enemies *
a very scorn and derision unto them that are round about us.
5 Lord, how long wilt thou be angry *
shall thy jealousy burn like fire for ever?
6 Pour out thine indignation upon the heathen
that have not known thee *
and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy Name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob *
and laid waste his dwelling-place.
8 O remember not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon *
for we are come to great misery.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy Name *
O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, for thy Name’s sake.
10 Wherefore do the heathen say *
Where is now their God?
11 O let the vengeance of thy servants’ blood that is shed *
be openly shewed upon the heathen in our sight.
12 O let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee *
according to the greatness of thy power,
preserve thou those that are appointed to die.
13 And for the blasphemy
wherewith our neighbours have blasphemed thee *
reward thou them, O Lord, seven-fold into their bosom.
14 So we, that are thy people, and sheep of thy pasture,
shall give thee thanks for ever *
and will alway be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation.
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 80 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ry2whon)
1 Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel,
thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep *
shew thyself also, thou that sittest upon the cherubims.
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses *
stir up thy strength, and come, and help us.
3 Turn us again, O God *
shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
4 O Lord God of hosts *
how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?
5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears *
and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink.
6 Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Turn us again, thou God of hosts *
shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt *
thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
9 Thou madest room for it *
and when it had taken root it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it *
and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar-trees.
11 She stretched out her branches unto the sea *
and her boughs unto the river.
12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedge *
that all they that go by pluck off her grapes?
13 The wild boar out of the wood doth root it up *
and the wild beasts of the field devour it.
14 Turn thee again, thou God of hosts, look down from heaven *
behold, and visit this vine;
15 And the place of the vineyard that thy right hand hath planted *
and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself.
16 It is burnt with fire, and cut down *
and they shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand *
and upon the son of man,
whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.
18 And so will not we go back from thee *
O let us live, and we shall call upon thy Name.
19 Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts *
shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
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 81 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/tl45xkf)
1 Sing we merrily unto God our strength *
make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Take the psalm, bring hither the tabret *
the merry harp with the lute.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new-moon *
even in the time appointed, and upon our solemn feast-day.
4 For this was made a statute for Israel *
and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony *
when he came out of the land of Egypt, and had heard a strange language.
6 I eased his shoulder from the burden *
and his hands were delivered from making the pots.
7 Thou calledst upon me in troubles, and I delivered thee *
and heard thee what time as the storm fell upon thee.
8 I proved thee also *
at the waters of strife.
9 Hear, O my people, and I will assure thee, O Israel *
if thou wilt hearken unto me,
10 There shall no strange god be in thee *
neither shalt thou worship any other god.
11 I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt *
open thy mouth wide, and I shall fill it.
12 But my people would not hear my voice *
and Israel would not obey me.
13 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lusts *
and let them follow their own imaginations.
14 O that my people would have hearkened unto me *
for if Israel had walked in my ways,
15 I should soon have put down their enemies *
and turned my hand against their adversaries.
16 The haters of the Lord should have been found liars *
but their time should have endured for ever.
17 He should have fed them also with the finest wheat-flour *
and with honey out of the stony rock should I have satisfied thee.
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 79 (Gregorian Tone VII.7)
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; *
they have defiled your holy temple, and made
Jerusalem a heap of stones.
2 The dead bodies of your servants have they given
to be meat for the birds of the air, *
and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the land.
3 Their blood have they shed
like water on every side of Jerusalem, *
and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our enemies, *
an object of scorn and derision to those
who are round about us.
5 O Lord, how long will you be angry? *
Shall your jealousy burn like fire for ever?
6 Pour out your indignation
upon the nations that have not known you, *
and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your Name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob *
and laid waste his dwelling place.
8 O remember not our past sins, but have mercy on us speedily, *
for we have come to great misery.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your Name; *
O deliver us and forgive our sins for your Name’s sake.
10 Why do the nations say, *
“Where now is their God?”
11 O let the vengeance of your servants’ blood that is shed *
be known in our sight among the nations.
12 O let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you; *
according to the greatness of your power,
preserve those who are condemned to die.
13 As for the blasphemy
by which our neighbors have blasphemed you, *
repay them, O Lord, seven-fold into their bosoms.
14 So we, who are your people and the sheep of your pasture,
shall give you thanks for ever, *
and will always be showing forth your praise
from generation to generation.
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 80 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-80.mp3)
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O LORD God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt; *
you cast out the nations and planted it.
9 You prepared the ground for it; *
it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shadow *
and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.
11 You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea *
and its branches to the River.
12 Why have you broken down its wall, *
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
13 The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it, *
and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.
14 Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine; *
preserve what your right hand has planted.
15 They burn it with fire like rubbish; *
at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
and son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Psalm 81 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-81.mp3)
1 Sing with joy to God our strength *
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song and sound the timbrel, *
the merry harp, and the lyre.
3 Blow the ram’s-horn at the new moon, *
and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
4 For this is a statute for Israel, *
a law of the God of Jacob.
5 He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph, *
when he came out of the land of Egypt.
6 I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, *
“I eased his shoulder from the burden;
his hands were set free from bearing the load.”
7 You called on me in trouble, and I saved you; *
I answered you from the secret place of thunder
and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: *
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; *
you shall not worship a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”
11 And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
and Israel would not obey me.
12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
to follow their own devices.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I should soon subdue their enemies *
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, *
and their punishment would last for ever.
16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
and satisfy him with honey from the rock.
PRAYER
God our strength,
you ease our burden
and set us free from bondage to death.
Help us listen always to your voice,
and satisfy our hearts with the finest bread,
food for this life and a foretaste of eternity:
your Son, Jesus Christ, the bread of life. Amen. BCW2018
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Exodus 14:15-23
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers.
HYMN: Ronald A Knox
Tune: Straf mich nicht https://tinyurl.com/38dydbyh
1. Through the Red Sea brought at last,
Alleluia!
Egypt’s chains behind we cast,
Alleluia!
deep and wide flows the tide
severing us from bondage past,
Alleluia!
2. Like the cloud that overhead,
Alleluia!
through the billows Israel led,
Alleluia!
by his tomb Christ makes room,
souls restoring from the dead.
Alleluia!
3. In that cloud and in that sea,
Alleluia!
buried and baptized were we,
Alleluia!
Earthly night brought us light
which is ours eternally,
Alleluia!
READING: Acts 22:12-29
Paul continued, “A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me, and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice, for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’
“After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’ Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”
Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him. But when they had tied him up with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman person who is uncondemned?” When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman.” The tribune came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.
HYMN: Christopher Hoyt ©
Tune: Arfon (minor) https://tinyurl.com/ym5zxyzs
1 Lord, if you would have me stand,
Raise me with your healing hand.
Lord, if you would have me hear,
Open wide my shuttered ears.
Lord, if I must tread the sea,
Should I sink, then rescue me.
Lord, if you would have me pray,
Teach me what I ought to say.
2 Lord, if you would have me pure,
Grant my leprous heart your cure.
Lord, if you would have my song,
Loose the taut string of my tongue.
Lord, if you would have me whole,
Knit the sinews of my soul.
Lord, if you would have me free,
Drive the devil out of me.
3 Christ the Truth has heard my grief;
He has helped my unbelief.
Christ the Way, the Only-Wise,
Bade the scales fall from my eyes.
Christ, the Word sent from above,
Gave me his own heart of love.
Christ, the Life in whom we live,
He shall heal, restore, forgive.
READING: Matthew 13:24-30
Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field, but while everybody was asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
CANTICLE Jeremiah 31:10-14
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
proclaim it on distant coasts, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
The Lord shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen;
They themselves shall be like watered gardens,
never again shall they languish.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
I will lavish choice portions upon the priests,
and my people shall be filled with my blessings,
says the Lord.
THE PRAYERS BCW
Eternal God,
we thank you for being with us today,
and for every sign of your truth and love in Jesus Christ.
Especially we thank you for
the gift of peace in Christ . . .
reconciliation in our relationships . . .
each new insight into your love . . .
energy and courage to share your love . . .
the ministries of the church. . . .
Gracious God,
we remember in our own hearts the needs of others,
that we may reach up to claim your love for them,
and reach out to give your love in the name of Christ.
Especially we pray for
racial harmony and justice . . .
those imprisoned . . .
strangers we have met today . . .
friends who are bereaved . . .
(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.
O God of mercy,
in Jesus Christ you freed us from sin and death,
and by your Holy Spirit
you nourish our mortal bodies with life.
Plant us now in good soil,
that our lives may flower
in righteousness and peace. 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 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
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 Psalms 80 and 81 are from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 79 is from Book of Common Prayer (2019) as recorded for the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps. The canticle is from Liturgy of the Hours as sung for Sing the Hours https://www.youtube.com/c/SingtheHours.
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 