Antiphon: https://tinyurl.com/4v96u5uv
Like newborn infants, you must long for the pure, spiritual milk,
that in him you may grow to salvation, alleluia. 1 Peter 2
Faithful God,
remember the covenant you made to your people of old,
as well as the one sealed by the blood of your Son.
Guard and guide those who look to you,
that we may proclaim your mercy in all the world;
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: Richard Leach ©
Tune: O mein Jesu, ich muß sterben https://tinyurl.com/5a9u3c96
1 Who will speak a word of warning
to a world whose wealth expands,
as the growing wealth is gathered
into ever fewer hands?
Christ, you speak a word of warning
for the church to know and tell:
greed is death and life is giving;
hands that give receive as well.
2 Who will speak a word of wisdom
to a world where truth gives way,
as the claims of pow’r and priv’lege
shift and shape the truth each day?
Christ, you speak a word of wisdom
for the church to heed and share:
truth is not the claims of power!
Truth is hurt and hope and prayer.
3 Who will speak a word of welcome
to the greatest and the least,
calling those with pow’r to service,
calling all to share the feast?
Christ, you speak a word of welcome
for the church to tell and live:
all who hunger, come, be seated;
take what Christ is here to give.
PSALMS
Psalm 73 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vztsodf)
1 Truly God is loving unto Israel *
even unto such as are of a clean heart.
2 Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone *
my treadings had well-nigh slipt.
3 And why? I was grieved at the wicked *
I do also see the ungodly in such prosperity.
4 For they are in no peril of death *
but are lusty and strong.
5 They come in no misfortune like other folk *
neither are they plagued like other men.
6 And this is the cause that they are so holden with pride *
and overwhelmed with cruelty.
7 Their eyes swell with fatness *
and they do even what they lust.
8 They corrupt other, and speak of wicked blasphemy *
their talking is against the most High.
9 For they stretch forth their mouth unto the heaven *
and their tongue goeth through the world.
10 Therefore fall the people unto them *
and thereout suck they no small advantage.
11 Tush, say they, how should God perceive it *
is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Lo, these are the ungodly, these prosper in the world,
and these have riches in possession *
and I said, Then have I cleansed my heart in vain,
and washed mine hands in innocency.
13 All the day long have I been punished *
and chastened every morning.
14 Yea, and I had almost said even as they *
but lo, then I should have condemned the generation of thy children.
15 Then thought I to understand this *
but it was too hard for me,
16 Until I went into the sanctuary of God *
then understood I the end of these men;
17 Namely, how thou dost set them in slippery places *
and castest them down, and destroyest them.
18 O how suddenly do they consume *
perish, and come to a fearful end!
19 Yea, even like as a dream when one awaketh *
so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city.
20 Thus my heart was grieved *
and it went even through my reins.
21 So foolish was I, and ignorant *
even as it were a beast before thee.
22 Nevertheless, I am alway by thee *
for thou hast holden me by my right hand.
23 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel *
and after that receive me with glory.
24 Whom have I in heaven but thee *
and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee.
25 My flesh and my heart faileth *
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
26 For lo, they that forsake thee shall perish *
thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee.
27 But it is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put my trust in the Lord God *
and to speak of all thy works in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
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 74 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/r9v5c9y)
1 O God, wherefore art thou absent from us so long *
why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?
2 O think upon thy congregation *
whom thou hast purchased, and redeemed of old.
3 Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance *
and mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
4 Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy *
which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.
5 Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations *
and set up their banners for tokens.
6 He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees *
was known to bring it to an excellent work.
7 But now they break down all the carved work thereof *
with axes and hammers.
8 They have set fire upon thy holy places *
and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name, even unto the ground.
9 Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havock of them altogether *
thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.
10 We see not our tokens, there is not one prophet more *
no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.
11 O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour *
how long shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name, for ever?
12 Why withdrawest thou thy hand *
why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom
to consume the enemy?
13 For God is my King of old *
the help that is done upon earth he doeth it himself.
14 Thou didst divide the sea through thy power *
thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
15 Thou smotest the heads of Leviathan in pieces *
and gavest him to be meat for the people in the wilderness.
16 Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks *
thou driedst up mighty waters.
17 The day is thine, and the night is thine *
thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
18 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth *
thou hast made summer and winter.
19 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy hath rebuked *
and how the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
20 O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies *
and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever.
21 Look upon the covenant *
for all the earth is full of darkness, and cruel habitations.
22 O let not the simple go away ashamed *
but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy Name.
23 Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause *
remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
24 Forget not the voice of thine enemies *
the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more.
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 73 (Plainsong Tone V.3)
1 Truly, God is loving to Israel, *
even to those who have a clean heart.
2 Nevertheless, my feet had almost stumbled; *
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the proud *
when I saw the ungodly in such prosperity.
4 For they are in no fear of death, *
but their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They come to no misfortune like other folk, *
neither are they afflicted like others.
6 Therefore they wear pride as a necklace, *
and they wrap themselves with violence as with a garment.
7 Their eyes swell with greed, *
and their hearts overflow with wicked thoughts.
8 Their talk is malice and mockery; *
they have proud looks, and tyrannous words are on their lips.
9 For they set their mouth against the heavens, *
and their evil speech spreads through the world.
10 Therefore the people turn to them, *
and find no fault in them.
11 They say, “How should God perceive it? *
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the ungodly; *
they prosper in their ways, and they have riches in possession.
13 I said, “Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart *
and washed my hands in innocence.”
14 All the day long have I been afflicted, *
and chastened every morning.
15 Indeed, had I spoken as they do, *
then would I have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 When I sought to understand this, *
it was too hard for me,
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; *
then I understood their end.
18 Surely, you set them in slippery places, *
and cast them down, and destroy them.
19 Oh, how suddenly are they consumed; *
they perish and come to a fearful end.
20 Indeed, like a dream when one awakens, *
so shall you make their image vanish out of the city.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, *
and I was wounded within;
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant, *
as if I were a beast before you.
23 Nevertheless, I am always with you, *
for you hold me by my right hand.
24 You shall guide me with your counsel, *
and after that receive me with glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? *
And there is no one on earth whom I desire
in comparison with you.
26 Though my flesh and my heart fail me, *
God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For behold, those who forsake you shall perish; *
you destroy all those who are unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good for me to hold fast to God,
to put my trust in the Lord God, *
and to speak of all your works in the gates of the city of Zion.
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 74 (Plainsong Tone V.3)
1 O God, why have you utterly cast us off? *
Why is your wrath so hot against the
sheep of your pasture?
2 O think upon your congregation *
whom you have purchased and redeemed of old.
3 Think upon the tribe of your inheritance, *
and Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
4 Draw near and behold how all is made desolate *
and how the enemy has destroyed all that is in your sanctuary.
5 Your adversaries roar in the midst of your holy place *
and set up their banners as tokens of victory.
6 Like hewers of timber in a thicket of trees, *
so have they broken down all the carved work with
axes and hammers.
7 They have set fire to your holy place *
and have defiled the dwelling place of your Name,
even to the ground.
8 They said in their hearts,
“Let us make havoc of them altogether.” *
Thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.
9 We do not see any signs; there is not one prophet anymore; *
there is no one who knows how long
these things shall continue.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonor? *
How long shall the enemy blaspheme your Name, for ever?
11 Why do you withdraw your hand? *
Why do you not take your right hand out of your bosom
to consume the enemy?
12 For God is my King of old; *
he is the one bringing help upon the earth.
13 You divided the sea through your power; *
you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 You smote the heads of Leviathan in pieces *
and gave him to be food for the people in the wilderness.
15 You brought fountains and waters out of the hard rocks, *
and you dried up mighty waters.
16 The day is yours, and the night is yours; *
you have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth; *
you have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffed, *
and how the foolish people have blasphemed your Name.
19 Deliver not the soul of your turtledove to the wild beasts, *
and forget not for ever the lives of your poor.
20 Look upon your covenant, *
for the dark places of the earth are full of violence.
21 Let not the oppressed go away ashamed, *
but let the poor and needy give praise to your Name.
22 Arise, O God, maintain your own cause; *
remember how the foolish one blasphemes you daily.
23 Forget not the voice of your enemies, *
nor the tumult of those who hate you,
which increases ever more and more.
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
God our strength,
you give honor to the pure in heart
and uphold all who trust in you.
Deliver us from chasing after this world’s illusions
that we may follow instead
the imperishable truth of your Word
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
REDING: 2 Samuel 11
In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
It happened, late one afternoon when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”
So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk, and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” As Joab kept watch over the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors. The men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite was killed as well. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting, and he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling the king all the news about the fighting, if the king’s anger rises and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead, too.’ ”
So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another; press your attack on the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”
When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
HYMN: Synesius of Cyrene; trans. Allen William Chatfield
Tune: Southwell https://tinyurl.com/2kufkkrv
1 Lord Jesus, think on me,
and purge away my sin;
from earthborn passions set me free,
and make me pure within.
2 Lord Jesus, think on me
with many a care opprest;
let me thy loving servant be,
and taste thy promised rest.
3 Lord Jesus, think on me,
nor let me go astray;
through darkness and perplexity
point thou the heavenly way.
4 Lord Jesus, think on me,
that, when the flood is past,
I may the eternal brightness see,
and share thy joy at last.
READING: 2 Corinthians 13:5-13
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed. But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may be restored. So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Be restored; listen to my appeal; agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
HYMN: Philip Doddridge
Tune: Abends https://tinyurl.com/3fetkwd2
1 Thy presence, everlasting God,
Wide o’er all nature spreads abroad;
Thy watchful eyes, which cannot sleep,
In every place Thy children keep.
2 While near each other we remain,
Thou dost our lives and souls sustain;
When absent, Thou dost make us share
Thy smiles, thy counsels, and Thy care.
3 To Thee we all our ways commit,
And seek our comforts at Thy feet;
Still on our souls vouchsafe to shine,
And guard and guide us still as Thine.
READING: Luke 11:37-41
While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give as alms those things that are within and then everything will be clean for you.”
CANTICLE Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
(Chant by John Michael Talbot: https://tinyurl.com/ycrn2d4f)
Ant. The Father has given Christ all power, honor, and kingship,
All people will obey him.
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power,
you have begun your reign.
the nations have raged in anger,
but then came your day of wrath
and the moment to judge the dead:
the time to reward your servants the prophets
and the holy ones who revere you,
the great and the small alike.
Now have salvation and power come,
the reign of our god and the authority
of his anointed one,
for the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who night and day accused them before God.
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens,
and you that dwell therein!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
THE PRAYERS BCW2018
We lift our voices in prayer and praise, holy God,
for you have lifted us to new life in Jesus Christ,
and your blessings come in generous measure.
Especially we thank you for
the good news of Jesus Christ for all . . .
the wonder and beauty of creation . . .
the love of family and friends . . .
opportunities for faithful service . . .
particular blessings of this day . . .
We hold up before you human needs, God of compassion,
for you have come to us in Jesus Christ and shared our life
so that we may share his resurrection.
Especially we pray for
the one holy catholic and apostolic church . . .
peace and justice in the world . . .
those in whom we see Christ’s suffering . . .
those who offer Christ’s compassion . . .
particular concerns of this day . . .
(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.
O God, your Spirit speaks through your prophets,
protecting your people
from those who would lead them astray.
Raise up new voices in our time
to speak with justice and power
and to challenge the complacency
that would have us rest easily with sin. 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
ELW The Lord’s Prayer is from Setting Five in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.
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 version of psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern version 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.
