Morning Prayer - September 9, 2026

Today's Readings

Psalm 38:1-22

Job 12:1,14:1-22

Acts 12:18-25

John 8:47-59

Ordinary Time
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Confession of Sin
Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen

The Invitatory and Psalter
Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise
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 Alleluia

Venite

ⓘ 'Venite' is Latin for 'O Come,' the opening word of Psalm 95: Venite exultemus Domino ('O Come, let us sing to the LORD').

Psalm 95:1 to 7
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
   let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
   and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth,
   and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
   and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee,
   and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
    Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

The Antiphon:

ⓘ A short, reflective sentence recited alongside a psalm to deepen our understanding of the readings.

The earth is the Lord's for he made it: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 38

⁽¹⁾ To bring to remembrance. O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!⁽²⁾ For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down.⁽³⁾ There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin.⁽⁴⁾ For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

⁽⁵⁾ My wounds are foul and festering Because of my foolishness.⁽⁶⁾ I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.⁽⁷⁾ For my loins are full of inflammation, And there is no soundness in my flesh.⁽⁸⁾ I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.

⁽⁹⁾ Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.⁽¹⁰⁾ My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.⁽¹¹⁾ My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, And my relatives stand afar off.⁽¹²⁾ Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, And plan deception all the day long.

⁽¹³⁾ But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.⁽¹⁴⁾ Thus I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth is no response.⁽¹⁵⁾ For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.⁽¹⁶⁾ For I said, 'Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.'

⁽¹⁷⁾ For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me.⁽¹⁸⁾ For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.⁽¹⁹⁾ But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.⁽²⁰⁾ Those also who render evil for good, They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.

⁽²¹⁾ Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me!⁽²²⁾ Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

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.

Job Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ Then Job answered and said:⁽¹⁾ Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.⁽²⁾ He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.⁽³⁾ And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?⁽⁴⁾ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!

⁽⁵⁾ Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.⁽⁶⁾ Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day.⁽⁷⁾ For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.⁽⁸⁾ Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground,

⁽⁹⁾ Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.⁽¹⁰⁾ But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he?⁽¹¹⁾ As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up,⁽¹²⁾ So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep.

⁽¹³⁾ Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!⁽¹⁴⁾ If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.⁽¹⁵⁾ You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.⁽¹⁶⁾ For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin.

⁽¹⁷⁾ My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You cover my iniquity.⁽¹⁸⁾ But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place;⁽¹⁹⁾ As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man.⁽²⁰⁾ You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.

⁽²¹⁾ His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.⁽²²⁾ But his flesh will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Acts Chapter 12

⁽¹⁸⁾ Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.⁽¹⁹⁾ But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.⁽²⁰⁾ Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king's personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king's country.⁽²¹⁾ So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

⁽²²⁾ And the people kept shouting, 'The voice of a god and not of a man!'⁽²³⁾ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.⁽²⁴⁾ But the word of God grew and multiplied.⁽²⁵⁾ And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 8

⁽⁴⁷⁾ He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.'⁽⁴⁸⁾ Then the Jews answered and said to Him, 'Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?'⁽⁴⁹⁾ Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.⁽⁵⁰⁾ And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.

⁽⁵¹⁾ Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.'⁽⁵²⁾ Then the Jews said to Him, 'Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'⁽⁵³⁾ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?'⁽⁵⁴⁾ Jesus answered, 'If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.

⁽⁵⁵⁾ Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.⁽⁵⁶⁾ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.'⁽⁵⁷⁾ Then the Jews said to Him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?'⁽⁵⁸⁾ Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'

⁽⁵⁹⁾ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Apostles' Creed
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.

The Prayers

The Lord's Prayer

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 and ever. Amen.

Suffrages

ⓘ A simple prayer to God for help, mercy, or intercession, rooted in the Latin word for support.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.

Seasonal Collect: Proper 17 The Sunday closest to August 31
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Personal Prayers and Reflection

This is a time to pause, consider and listen. Pray for yourself and others.

Closing Prayers

Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory, and, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Conclude with the following
Let Us Bless the Lord, Thanks be to God

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21