Shane Raynor 9/8/26 Shane Raynor 9/8/26

Wed. morning Sep. 9

Opening response

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all, to you be glory and praise forever. You founded the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. In the fullness of time, you made us in your image, and in these last days you have spoken to us in your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among us, let the light of your love always shine in our hearts, your Spirit ever renew our lives, and your praises ever be on our lips.

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Confession of Sin

The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor recompensed us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward those who fear Him.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God,
Holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children,
so the LORD pities those who fear Him.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
andall that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.

Psalm 119:1-32

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
who seek Him with all their heart.
They also do no injustice;
they walk in His ways.
You have commanded us
to keep Your precepts diligently.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

Oh that my ways were directed
to keep Your statutes!
Then I shall not be ashamed,
when I look upon all Your commandments.
I will praise You with an upright heart,
when I learn Your righteous judgments.
I will keep Your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to Your word.
With my whole heart have I sought You;
let me not wander from Your commandments.
Your word have I hidden in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O LORD;
teach me Your statutes.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

With my lips have I declared
all the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts,
and have respect unto Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live
and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of Your law.
I am a stranger on the earth;
hide not Your commandments from me.
My soul is consumed with longing
for Your decrees at all times.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

You rebuke the proud, the cursed,
who stray from Your commandments.
Remove from me reproach and contempt,
for I have kept Your testimonies.
Even though princes sit and speak against me,
Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
Your testimonies also are my delight
and my counselors.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

My soul clings to the dust;
revive me according to Your word.
I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
teach me Your statutes.
Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
so shall I meditate on Your wondrous works.
My soul melts for sorrow;
strengthen me according to Your word.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

Remove from me the way of lying,
and graciously teach me Your law.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
Your judgments have I set before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, put me not to shame!
I will run the way of Your commandments,
for You shall enlarge my heart.

Glory 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.

𝙍: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes.

Psalm prayer

Faithful God, let your word be the treasure of our hearts, that we may delight in your truth and walk in the glorious liberty of your Son Jesus Christ.

Old Testament reading

1 Kings 3

Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He married Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace, the house of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people were sacrificing at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the name of the LORD. Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, though he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place, and he offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. While he was in Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night, and He said, “Ask what you want from Me.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You. And You have shown him great kindness in giving him a son to sit on his throne this day.

“Now, O LORD, my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, and I am still a little child and do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, so numerous that they cannot be numbered or counted. Give Your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and bad, for who is able to judge among so great a people?”

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself wisdom to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you in the past, and there shall never arise another like you. I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no kings will compare to you all of your days. If you will walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and My commandments as your father David did, then I will lengthen your days.” Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings and made a feast for all of his servants.

At that time, two women who were prostitutes came and stood before the king. The first woman said, “O my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I bore a child with her in the house. Three days after I gave birth, she also had a child, and we were together. There was no one else with us in the house, only the two of us were in the house.

“Then this woman’s child died during the night because she rolled over on it. She got up at midnight and took my son from beside me while your servant slept and laid him at her bosom and laid her dead child at my bosom. When I rose in the morning to feed my child, behold, it was dead. But when I looked closely in the morning light, behold, I recognized that it was not my son whom I bore.”

The other woman said, “No, the living is my son, and the dead is your son.”

And she said, “No, the dead is your son, and the living is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king.

Then the king said, “One says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead,’ and the other says, ‘No, but your son is dead, and my son is the living.’ ”

So the king said, “Bring me a sword.” And they brought a sword before the king. The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.”

Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son, and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and do not kill it.”

But the other said, “Let it be neither mine nor yours and divide it.”

Then the king replied, “Give her the living child, and do not slay it. She is its mother.”

All Israel heard of the king’s judgment, and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to execute sound judgment.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Acts 14:8-28

In Lystra there sat a man, crippled in his feet, who had never walked and was lame from birth. He heard Paul speaking, who looked intently at him and perceived that he had faith to be healed and said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he jumped up and walked.

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the main speaker. The priest of Zeus, who was in front of the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates to offer sacrifices with the crowds.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, preaching to you to turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them, who in times past allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying our hearts with food and gladness.” With these words they scarcely restrained the crowds from sacrificing to them.

Then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there and persuaded the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead. But as the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. The next day he departed with Barnabas for Derbe.

When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the minds of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, to go through many afflictions and thus enter the kingdom of God. When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they believed. Then they passed throughout Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia.

From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. When they arrived and had assembled the church, they reported what God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And there they stayed a long time with the disciples.

Silence may be kept.

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Luke 1:68-79

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for He has visited and redeemed His people,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant,
the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
might serve Him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
for you will go before the presence of the Lord to prepare His ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to His people
by the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
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 will be forever. Amen.

Brief silence.

The Apostle’s Creed

Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the
right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge
the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns:

The social services
All who work in the criminal justice system
Victims and perpetrators of crime
The work of aid agencies throughout the world
Those living in poverty or under oppression

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.

Response

Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

Almighty God, whose only Son has opened for us a new and living way into your presence: give us pure hearts and steadfast wills to worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

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,
forever. Amen.

Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 9/7/26 Shane Raynor 9/7/26

Tue. morning Sep. 8

Opening response

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Confession of Sin

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God,
Holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children,
so the LORD pities those who fear Him.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
andall that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.

Psalm 5

𝙍: You, LORD, will bless the righteous.

Give ear to my words, O LORD;
consider my meditation.
Listen to the voice of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to You will I pray.

O LORD, in the morning You will hear my voice;
in the morning I will direct my prayer to You,
and I will look up expectantly.
For You are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness,
nor will evil dwell with You.

𝙍: You, LORD, will bless the righteous.

Those who boast will not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You will destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors
the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But as for me, in the abundance of Your mercy
I will enter Your house;
in fear of You I will worship
at Your holy temple.

𝙍: You, LORD, will bless the righteous.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make Your way straight before me.
For there is no uprightness in their mouth;
destruction is in their midst;
their throat is an open tomb;
they flatter with their tongue.
Declare them guilty, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
for they have rebelled against You.

𝙍: You, LORD, will bless the righteous.

But let all those who take refuge in You rejoice;
let them ever shout for joy,
because You defend them;
let those who love Your name be joyful in You.

For You, LORD, will bless the righteous;
You surround him with favor like a shield.

Glory 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.

𝙍: You, LORD, will bless the righteous.

Psalm Prayer

Lord, protect us from the deceit of flattering tongues and lying lips; give us words of life which speak your truth and bless your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 6

𝙍: Return, O LORD, rescue my soul.

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
nor discipline me in the heat of Your anger.
Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am weak;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking.
My soul is greatly troubled,
but You, O LORD—how long?

Return, O LORD, rescue my soul.
Save me for the sake of Your lovingkindness.
For in death there is no remembrance of You;
in Sheol who will give You thanks?

I am weary with my groaning;
all night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
My eyes waste away from grief;
they grow weak because of all my enemies.

𝙍: Return, O LORD, rescue my soul.

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my supplication;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
May all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
may they turn back and be suddenly ashamed.

Glory 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.

𝙍: Return, O LORD, rescue my soul.

Psalm Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, may the tears shed in your earthly life be balm for all who weep, and may the prayers of your pilgrimage give strength to all who suffer; for your mercy’s sake.

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Lord,
how excellent is Your name in all the earth!

You have set Your glory
above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength
because of Your enemies,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You have established,
what is man that You are mindful of him,
and the son of man that You attend to him?

For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
and whatever travels the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
how excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Glory 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.

Psalm prayer

We bless you, master of the heavens, for the wonderful order which enfolds this world; grant that your whole creation may find fulfillment in the Son of Man, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Old Testament reading

1 Kings 1:32-2:4; 2:10-12

King David said, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada for me.” So they came before the king. And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel, and blow the trumpet and say, ‘God save King Solomon!’ Then you shall come up after him. And he shall come and sit on my throne, for he will be king in my place as I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.”

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, also say so! As the LORD has been with my lord the king, may He also be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “God save King Solomon!” All the people came up to see him and played flutes and greatly rejoiced, so that the earth shook at the sound.

Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard the commotion as they were finishing their meal, and when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is the city so loud and in an uproar?”

While he was speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a valiant man and bring good tidings.”

Jonathan answered Adonijah, saying, “Surely our lord King David has made Solomon king. The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites, and the Pelethites. And they had him ride on the king’s mule. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from their rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you heard. Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. Moreover, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself upon the bed. The king also said, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day so that I could see with my own eyes.’ ”

All the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid and rose up and went on their way. Adonijah feared Solomon. So he got up and went to the altar and held on to its horns. Then Solomon was told, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for he has caught hold of the horns on the altar, saying ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.’ ”

And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” So King Solomon sent for him, and they brought him down from the altar, and he came and bowed himself to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

Now it was coming close to the day of David’s death, and he gave his son Solomon a charge, saying:

“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself to be a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways, keeping His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may carry out His word that He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in faithfulness with all their hearts and with all their souls, you shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

So David slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.

David reigned over Israel forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Acts 13:44-14:7

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, blaspheming and contradicting what Paul was saying.

Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first. But seeing you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For thus has the Lord commanded us:

‘I have established you to be a light of the Gentiles,

that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And all who were ordained to eternal life believed.

The word of the Lord was spread throughout the entire region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women and the chief men of the city, and raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them from their region. So they shook off the dust of their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

At Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and so spoke that a great crowd of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brothers. So they continued there a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to His gracious word, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles. When an assault was planned by both Gentiles and Jews, with their leaders, to attack them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And there they preached the gospel.

Silence may be kept.

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Luke 1:68-79

Glory 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.

Brief silence.

The Apostle’s Creed

Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns:

All who are sick in body, mind, or spirit
Those in the midst of famine or disaster
Victims of abuse and violence, intolerance, and prejudice
Those who are bereaved
All who work in the medical and healing professions

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.

Response

Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 9/6/26 Shane Raynor 9/6/26

Mon. morning Sep. 7

Opening response

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Confession of Sin

Seek the LORD while He may be found,
call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

cf Isaiah 55

A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.

Lord God, I have sinned against you; I have done what is evil in your sight. I am sorry and repent. Have mercy on me according to your lovingkindness. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Renew a right spirit within me, and restore unto me the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

cf Psalm 51

May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins, and restore us in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Blessed be the LORD,
because He has heard the voice of my supplications.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will thank Him.

cf Psalm 28:7,9

Psalm 1

𝙍: The LORD knows the way of the righteous.

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
or stand in the path of sinners,
or sit in the seat of mockers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that brings forth its fruit in its season;
its leaf will not wither,
and whatever he does will prosper.

𝙍: The LORD knows the way of the righteous.

The wicked are not so,
but are like the chaff
which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Glory 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.

𝙍: The LORD knows the way of the righteous.

Psalm prayer

Christ our wisdom, give us delight in your law, that we may bear fruits of patience and peace in the kingdom of the righteous; for your mercy’s sake.

Psalm 2

𝙍: The LORD is the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD
and against His anointed, saying,
“Let us tear off their bonds
and cast away their ropes from us.”

𝙍: The LORD is the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the LORD ridicules them.
Then He will speak to them in His wrath
and terrify them in His burning anger:
“I have set My king
on Zion, My holy hill.”

𝙍: The LORD is the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

I will declare the decree of the LORD:

He said to me, “You are My son;
today have I begotten you.
Ask of Me,
and I will give you the nations for your inheritance,
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

𝙍: The LORD is the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Now then, you kings, be wise;
be admonished, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear;
and tremble with trepidation!
Kiss the son, lest He become angry,
and you perish in the way,
when His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all who seek refuge in Him.

Glory 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.

𝙍: The LORD is the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Psalm prayer

Most high and holy God, lift our eyes to your Son enthroned on Calvary; and as we behold his meekness, shatter our earthly pride; for he is Lord forever and ever.

Psalm 3

𝙍: You, O LORD, are a shield for me.

LORD, how my foes have multiplied!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying about my life,
“There is no help for him in God.”

𝙍: You, O LORD, are a shield for me.

But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,
my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the LORD with my voice,
and He answered me from His holy hill.

I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of multitudes of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

𝙍: You, O LORD, are a shield for me.

Arise, O LORD;
save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek;
You have broken the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to the LORD.
Your blessing is on Your people.

Glory 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.

𝙍: You, O LORD, are a shield for me.

Psalm prayer

Shield us, Lord, from all evil, and lift us from apathy and despair, that even when we are terrified, we may trust your power to save; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

1 kings 1:5-31

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king,” and he assembled chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him. His father had not confronted him at any time by asking, “Why have you done this?” He also was a very attractive man, and he was born next after Absalom.

He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they agreed to help him. But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David’s mighty men did not join Adonijah.

Adonijah slaughtered sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the Stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

Therefore Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns and David our lord does not know it? Now please come and let me give you some advice, so that you may save your own life as well as that of your son Solomon. Go to King David and say to him, ‘Did not you, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying: Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?’ Then while you are still there talking with the king, I will come in and confirm your words.”

So Bathsheba went to the king’s chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to him. Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king.

And the king said, “What do you want?”

And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your handmaid, saying: Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. Now, behold, Adonijah reigns, although you, my lord, O king, do not know it. He has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. And you, my lord, O king, all the eyes of Israel are upon you that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be considered offenders.”

While she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here,” and when he entered the king’s presence, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne’? For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen, fat cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the guard, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking with him, saying, ‘God save King Adonijah!’ But he has not invited me, your servant, or Zadok the priest or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.

The king vowed, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, even as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead,’ even so will I certainly do this day.”

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground in reverence to the king and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Acts 13:13-43

Now when Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. But they departed from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.”

Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt, and with great power He led them out of it. For about forty years He endured their conduct in the desert. When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave them their land as an inheritance by lot.

“After about four hundred and fifty years, God gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they requested a king. And God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. When He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, of whom He testified, saying, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will fulfill My entire will.’

“From this man’s descendants God has raised a Savior for Israel, Jesus, according to His promise. Before His coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there is coming One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those of you who fear God, the word of this salvation has been sent to us. Because those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, did not know Him, in condemning Him they have fulfilled the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath. Though they found in Him no cause worthy of death, yet they asked Pilate to have Him killed. When they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree and placed Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.

“We preach to you good news: The promise which was made to the fathers, God has fulfilled to us, their children, raising Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

‘You are My Son;
today I have become Your Father.’

That He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken in this way:

‘I will give You the holy and sure blessings of David.’

So He says in another Psalm:

‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’

“For after David had served by the counsel of God in his own generation, he fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw decay. But He whom God raised up saw no decay.

“Therefore, brothers, let it be known to you that through this Man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses. Therefore beware, lest what is spoken of in the prophets come upon you:

‘Look, you scoffers,
marvel and perish!
For I will perform a work in your days
which you will never believe,
even if someone declares it to you.’ ”

When Paul and Barnabas went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles asked that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Silence may be kept.

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Luke 1:68-79

Glory 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.

Brief silence.

The Apostle’s Creed

Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns:

The media and the arts
Farming and fishing
Commerce and industry
Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful, or fraught with danger
All who are unemployed

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.

Response

Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.