Antiphon 1
Ant. If a man wishes to come after me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
V. I will bless the Lord at all times; *
praise of him is always in my mouth.
Look towards him and be radiant; *
let your faces not be abashed.
This lowly one called; the Lord heard,
and rescued him from all his distress. Matthew 16; Psalm 34
Almighty God, we thank you
for planting in us the seed of your Word.
By your Holy Spirit,
help us to receive it with joy,
and live according to it,
that we may grow in faith and hope and love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. 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: Fred Kaan ©
Tune: Nyland https://tinyurl.com/3rwhwtyt
1 Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;
teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us and bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted, and meant to love and live.
2 Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life
we struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some,
to love them as we find them, or as they may become.
3 Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved
in living situations to do the truth in love;
to practice your acceptance until we know by heart
the table of forgiveness, and laughter’s healing art.
4 Lord, for today’s encounters with all who are in need,
who hunger for acceptance, for justice, and for bread,
we need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on;
renew us with your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!
PSALMS
Psalm 68 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybgjjxjc)
1 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered *
let them also that hate him flee before him.
2 Like as the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away *
and like as wax melteth at the fire,
so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God *
let them also be merry and joyful.
4 O sing unto God, and sing praises unto his Name *
magnify him that rideth upon the heavens, as it were upon an horse;
praise him in his Name JAH, and rejoice before him.
5 He is a Father of the fatherless,
and defendeth the cause of the widows *
even God in his holy habitation.
6 He is the God that maketh men to be of one mind in an house,
and bringeth the prisoners out of captivity *
but letteth the runagates continue in scarceness.
7 O God, when thou wentest forth before the people *
when thou wentest through the wilderness,
8 The earth shook, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God *
even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God,
who is the God of Israel.
9 Thou, O God, sentest a gracious rain upon thine inheritance *
and refreshedst it when it was weary.
10 Thy congregation shall dwell therein *
for thou, O God, hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word *
great was the company of the preachers.
12 Kings with their armies did flee, and were discomfited *
and they of the household divided the spoil.
13 Though ye have lien among the pots,
yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove *
that is covered with silver wings, and her feathers like gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings for their sake *
then were they as white as snow in Salmon.
15 As the hill of Basan, so is God’s hill *
even an high hill, as the hill of Basan.
16 Why hop ye so, ye high hills? this is God’s hill,
in the which it pleaseth him to dwell *
yea, the Lord will abide in it for ever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels *
and the Lord is among them, as in the holy place of Sinai.
18 Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive,
and received gifts for men *
yea, even for thine enemies,
that the Lord God might dwell among them.
19 Praised be the Lord daily *
even the God who helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us.
20 He is our God, even the God of whom cometh salvation *
God is the Lord, by whom we escape death.
21 God shall wound the head of his enemies *
and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness.
22 The Lord hath said,
I will bring my people again, as I did from Basan *
mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime from the deep of the sea.
23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies *
and that the tongue of thy dogs may be red through the same.
24 It is well seen, O God, how thou goest *
how thou, my God and King, goest in the sanctuary.
25 The singers go before, the minstrels follow after *
in the midst are the damsels playing with the timbrels.
26 Give thanks, O Israel, unto God the Lord in the congregations *
from the ground of the heart.
27 There is little Benjamin their ruler,
and the princes of Judah their counsel *
the princes of Zabulon, and the princes of Nephthali.
28 Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee *
stablish the thing, O God, that thou hast wrought in us,
29 For thy temple’s sake at Jerusalem *
so shall kings bring presents unto thee.
30 When the company of the spear-men,
and multitude of the mighty are scattered abroad
among the beasts of the people,
so that they humbly bring pieces of silver *
and when he hath scattered the people that delight in war;
31 Then shall the princes come out of Egypt *
the Morians’ land shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
32 Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth *
O sing praises unto the Lord;
33 Who sitteth in the heavens over all from the beginning *
lo, he doth send out his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe ye the power to God over Israel *
his worship, and strength is in the clouds.
35 O God, wonderful art thou in thy holy places *
even the God of Israel;
he will give strength and power unto his people;
blessed be 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 68 (LSB Tone K: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-68-LSB.mp3)
1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;*
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;*
as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God;*
they shall be jubilant with joy!
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;*
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD; exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows*
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,*
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people,*
when you marched through the wilderness,
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,*
before God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;*
you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;*
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the word;*
the women who announce the news are a great host:
12 “The kings of the armies— they flee, they flee!”*
The women at home divide the spoil—
13 though you men lie among the sheepfolds—*
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,*
let snow fall on Zalmon.
15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;*
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,*
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;*
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 You ascended on high,
leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men,*
even among the rebellious,
that the LORD God may dwell there.
19 Blessèd be the Lord, who daily bears us up;*
God is our salvation.
20 Our God is a God of salvation,*
and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,*
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan,*
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may strike your feet in their blood,*
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
24 Your procession is seen, O God,*
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,*
between them virgins playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,*
the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,*
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your power, O God,*
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem*
kings shall bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.*
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Nobles shall come from Egypt;*
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;*
sing praises to the Lord,
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;*
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,*
whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary;*
the God of Israel—
he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessèd be God!
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
Lord Jesus,
you came to us in our bondage,
and led us to freedom by the cross and resurrection.
May our lives praise you,
and our lips proclaim your mighty power to all people
that they may find their hope in you,
and live to your honor and glory,
now and forever. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Genesis 50:15-21
Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” So they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
HYMN: Psalm 103; para. cento
Tune: Lux eoi https://tinyurl.com/mrcbmzbp
1 O my soul, bless God who made us;
all within me bless his name;
2 O my soul, bless God who loves us;
forget not all his mercies.
3 He forgives your great transgressions,
heals your pain and your sickness.
4 He redeems you from the deep pit,
crowns you with his tenderness.
He with tender mercies crowns you,
5 satisfies your full request,
so that like the tireless eagle
you with youth renewed are blest.
6 Righteous is the LORD in judgment
for all those that are oppressed;
7 to his people he always
makes his goodness manifest.
8 God the LORD is full of mercy
and compassion for distress,
slow to anger and abounding
in his grace and tenderness.
9 He will not always be angry,
nor will he forever chide;
10 though we oft have sinned against him
his love and grace still abide.
11 As the heav’ns are high above us,
great his love to us has proved;
12 far as the east is from the west,
he has all our sins removed.
13 As a father loves his children,
feeling pity for their woes,
so the Lord to those who fear him
mercy and compassion shows.
14 Our God remembers we are dust,
15 all our days like tender grass
16 here today and gone tomorrow,
from the scorching winds that pass.
17 Changeless is the LORD’s steadfast love
for all those who fear his name
18 and those who keep his covenant
and for their descendants the same.
19 God has set his throne in heaven;
his great kingdom rules o’er all.
20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
mighty ones who do his will!
21 Bless the LORD, you hosts of heaven,
servants who perform his word!
22 Bless the LORD, his whole dominion.
Come my soul and bless the LORD!
READING: Ephesians 4:29-5:2
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Vienna https://tinyurl.com/5e8tm526
1 Jesus, Lord, we look to Thee;
let us in Thy name agree;
show Thyself the Prince of Peace;
bid all strife forever cease.
2 By Thy reconciling love
ev’ry stumbling block remove;
each to each unite, endear;
come, and spread Thy banner here!
3 Make us of one heart and mind,
courteous, merciful, and kind,
lowly, meek, in thought and word,
altogether like our Lord.
4 Let us for each other care,
each the other’s burden bear;
to Thy church the pattern give,
show how true believers live.
5 Free from anger and from pride,
let us thus in God abide;
all the depths of love express,
all the heights of holiness.
6 Let us then with joy remove
to the family above;
on the wings of angels fly;
show how true believers die.
READING: Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
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 Joseph and all his brothers,
your forgiveness transcends
whatever wrong exists between us.
Grant us the courage to forgive others,
and to practice reconciliation
by the kindness of our speaking,
the sharing of our resources,
and the honoring of your desire for good. 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.
2 Eric Wyse, Lord’s Prayer, ©; audio from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_a40ME7aVk
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 version of Psalm 68 is in the version used in Lutheran Service Book: Pew Edition © Concordia Publishing House, 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.
Oremus 