Antiphon1
Ant. Guide my footsteps, O Lord, according to your word,*
so that no iniquity may ever gain the upper hand, O Lord.
V. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, *
who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep his decrees! *
With all their hearts they seek him.
O God,
none can compare with you;
your wondrous deeds for our salvation are without number.
Make us bold witnesses to your faithfulness,
that all the earth may rejoice in your love toward us
in 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: Laurentius Laurenti; trans. Sarah Findlater
Tune: Llangloffan https://tinyurl.com/37pt5ns4
1 Rejoice, rejoice, believers!
And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing,
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising,
And soon he will draw nigh;
Up! pray, and watch, and wrestle!
At midnight comes the cry.
2 See that your lights are burning;
Replenish them with oil;
Look now for your salvation,
The end of sin and toil.
The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near,
Go meet him as he cometh,
With alleluias clear.
3 O wise and holy virgins,
Now raise your voices higher,
Till, in your jubilations
Ye meet the angel choir.
The marriage-feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, up, ye heirs of glory!
The Bridegroom is at hand.
4 Our hope and expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, thou Sun so longed for,
O’er this benighted sphere!
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The days of earth’s redemption,
And ever be with thee!
PSALMS
Psalm 38 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y8u2a6mz)
1 Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger *
neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me *
and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure *
neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.
4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head *
and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt *
through my foolishness.
6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery *
that I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease *
and there is no whole part in my body.
8 I am feeble, and sore smitten *
I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, thou knowest all my desire *
and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me *
and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble *
and my kinsmen stood afar off.
12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me *
and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness,
and imagined deceit all the day long.
13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not *
and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.
14 I became even as a man that heareth not *
and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust *
thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I have required that they, even mine enemies,
should not triumph over me *
for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me.
17 And I, truly, am set in the plague *
and my heaviness is ever in my sight.
18 For I will confess my wickedness *
and be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty *
and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.
20 They also that reward evil for good are against me *
because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God *
be not thou far from me.
22 Haste thee to help me *
O Lord God of my salvation.
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 39 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9dmgm3b)
1 I said, I will take heed to my ways *
that I offend not in my tongue.
2 I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle *
while the ungodly is in my sight.
3 I held my tongue, and spake nothing *
I kept silence, yea, even from good words;
but it was pain and grief to me.
4 My heart was hot within me,
and while I was thus musing the fire kindled *
and at the last I spake with my tongue;
5 Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days *
that I may be certified how long I have to live.
6 Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long *
and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee;
and verily every man living is altogether vanity.
7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain *
he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
8 And now, Lord, what is my hope *
truly my hope is even in thee.
9 Deliver me from all mine offences *
and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish.
10 I became dumb, and opened not my mouth *
for it was thy doing.
11 Take thy plague away from me *
I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand.
12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin,
thou makest his beauty to consume away,
like as it were a moth fretting a garment *
every man therefore is but vanity.
13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling *
hold not thy peace at my tears.
14 For I am a stranger with thee *
and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength *
before I go hence, and be no more seen.
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 40 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybregq8q)
1 I waited patiently for the Lord *
and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.
2 He brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay *
and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth *
even a thanksgiving unto our God.
4 Many shall see it, and fear *
and shall put their trust in the Lord.
5 Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lord *
and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies.
6 O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done,
like as be also thy thoughts which are to us-ward *
and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee.
7 If I should declare them, and speak of them *
they should be more than I am able to express.
8 Sacrifice, and meat-offering, thou wouldest not *
but mine ears hast thou opened.
9 Burnt-offerings, and sacrifice for sin, hast thou not required *
then said I, Lo, I come,
10 In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil thy will, O my God *
I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart.
11 I have declared thy righteousness in the great congregation *
lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that thou knowest.
12 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart *
my talk hath been of thy truth, and of thy salvation.
13 I have not kept back thy loving mercy and truth *
from the great congregation.
14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me, O Lord *
let thy loving-kindness and thy truth alway preserve me.
15 For innumerable troubles are come about me;
my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up *
yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart hath failed me.
16 O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me *
make haste, O Lord, to help me.
17 Let them be ashamed, and confounded together,
that seek after my soul to destroy it *
let them be driven backward, and put to rebuke, that wish me evil.
18 Let them be desolate, and rewarded with shame *
that say unto me, Fie upon thee, fie upon thee.
19 Let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee *
and let such as love thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised.
20 As for me, I am poor and needy *
but the Lord careth for me.
21 Thou art my helper and redeemer *
make no long tarrying, O my 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 38 (Gregorian Tone VIII.1)
1 Rebuke me not, O Lord, in your anger, *
neither chasten me in your weighty displeasure.
2 For your arrows stick fast in me, *
and your hand presses me hard.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of your displeasure; *
neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head *
and are like a heavy burden, too much for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink and fester, *
by reason of my foolishness.
6 I am brought into such great trouble and misery *
that I go about mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with burning, *
and there is no wholeness in my body.
8 I am feeble and sorely smitten; *
I have roared because of the tumult of my heart.
9 Lord, you know all my desire, *
and my groaning is not hidden from you.
10 My heart is panting, my strength has failed me, *
and the sight of my eyes is gone from me.
11 My friends and my neighbors turn away from my trouble, *
and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12 Those also who seek after my life lay snares for me, *
and those who go about to do me evil
talk of wickedness and imagine deceit all the day long.
13 As for me, I am like the deaf who do not hear, *
and as one who is mute, who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who hears not, *
and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in you, O Lord, have I put my trust; *
you shall answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I have said, “Let not my enemies triumph over me,” *
for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly over me.
17 Truly, I am about to fall, *
and my pain is ever with me.
18 For I will confess my wickedness, *
and be sorry for my sin.
19 But my enemies live, and are mighty, *
and those who hate me wrongfully are many in number.
20 Those also who repay evil for good are against me, *
because I follow that which is good.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God; *
O be not far from me.
22 Make haste to help me, *
O Lord God of my salvation.
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 39 (Gregorian Tone VIII.1)
I said, “I will take heed to my ways, *
that I may not offend with my tongue.
2 I will keep my mouth as with a bridle *
while the ungodly are in my sight.”
3 I held my tongue and spoke nothing; *
I kept silence, even from good words;
but it was pain and grief to me.
4 My heart was hot within me,
and while I was thus pondering the fire kindled, *
and at the last I spoke with my tongue:
5 “Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days, *
that I may learn how short my life is.
6 Behold, you have made my days as a span in length, *
and my age is even as nothing before you;
and truly, everyone living is but a breath.
7 For everyone walks about as a shadow,
and disquiets himself in vain; *
he heaps up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them.
8 And now, Lord, what is my hope? *
Truly, my hope is in you.
9 Deliver me from all my offenses, *
and make me not a taunt of the foolish.
10 I became mute and opened not my mouth, *
for it was you that brought it to pass.
11 Take your affliction from me; *
I am consumed by the blows of your heavy hand.
12 When you, with rebukes, chasten someone for sin,
you consume what is dear to him,
like a moth eating a garment; *
everyone therefore is but vanity.
13 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and with your ears consider my cry; *
hold not your peace at my tears.
14 For I am a stranger with you, *
and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
15 O turn your gaze from me, that I may again be glad, *
before I go away to be seen no 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.
Psalm 40 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-40.mp3)
1 I waited patiently upon the LORD; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Happy are they who trust in the LORD! *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
5 Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God!
how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
there is none who can be compared with you.
6 Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *
but they are more than I can count.
7 In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
(you have given me ears to hear you);
8 Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
and so I said, “Behold, I come.
9 In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
‘I love to do your will, O my God;
your law is deep in my heart.'”
10 I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
behold, I did not restrain my lips;
and that, O LORD, you know.
11 Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the
great congregation.
12 You are the LORD;
do not withhold your compassion from me; *
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,
13 For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *
they are more in number than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
14 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; *
O LORD, make haste to help me.
15 Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed
who seek after my life to destroy it; *
let them draw back and be disgraced
who take pleasure in my misfortune.
16 Let those who say “Aha!” and gloat over me be confounded, *
because they are ashamed.
17 Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; *
let those who love your salvation continually say,
Great is the LORD!”
18 Though I am poor and afflicted, *
the Lord will have regard for me.
19 You are my helper and my deliverer; *
do not tarry, O my God.
PRAYER
Everlasting God,
through your Son you taught us
not to fear tomorrow
but to commit our lives to your care.
Take not your Spirit from us,
but help us find a life of peace amid days of trouble;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. BCW2018
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: Isaiah 52:1-6
Awake; awake;
put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city,
for the uncircumcised and the unclean
shall enter you no more.
Shake yourself from the dust; rise up,
O captive Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter Zion!
For thus says the Lord: You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money. For thus says the Lord God: Long ago, my people went down into Egypt to reside there as aliens; the Assyrian, too, has oppressed them without cause. Now therefore what am I doing here, says the Lord, seeing that my people are taken away without cause? Their rulers howl, says the Lord, and continually, all day long, my name is despised. Therefore my people shall know my name; on that day they shall know that it is I who speak—it is I!
HYMN: William Shrubsole
Tune: Hesperus https://tinyurl.com/4jrmbp3t
1 Zion! awake, thy strength renew;
Put on thy robes of beauteous hue;
And let the admiring world behold
The King’s fair daughter clothed in gold.
2 Church of our God! arise and shine,
Bright with the beams of truth divine;
Then shall thy radiance stream afar,
Wide as the heathen nations are.
3 Gentiles and kings thy light shall view,
And shall admire and love thee too;–
They come, like clouds across the sky,
As doves that to their windows fly.
READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
HYMN: Thomas Troeger ©
Tune: Franklin Park
1 View the present through the promise,
Christ will come again.
Trust despite the deepening darkness,
Christ will come again.
Lift the world above its grieving
through your watching and believing
in the hope past hope’s conceiving:
Christ will come again.
2 Probe the present with the promise,
Christ will come again.
Let your daily actions witness,
Christ will come again.
Let your loving and your giving
and your justice and forgiving
be a sign to all the living:
Christ will come again.
3 Match the present to the promise,
Christ will come again.
Make this hope your guiding premise,
Christ will come again.
Pattern all your calculating
and the world you are creating
to the advent you are waiting:
Christ will come again.
READING: Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Tenyoung women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
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.
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
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,
by whom the meek are guided in judgment
and light rises in darkness for the godly:
Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties,
the grace to ask what you would have us do;
that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices,
and that in your light we may see light,
and in your straight path may not stumble;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen. BCW
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
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.
1 Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language versions of Psalm 38 and 39 are from Book of Common Prayer (2019) and are sung by Ben Jefferies https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps. Psalm 40 is from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. The canticle is from the RSCM album The Gift of This New Day.
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.
