At the discretion of the minister, any of the following may be used in place of the Song of Praise appointed.
1 |
The desert shall re′joice and ′ blossom; it shall re′joice with ′ gladness · and ′ singing. |
2 |
The glory of the Lord shall ′ be re′vealed: and the ′ majes·ty ′ of our ′ God. |
3 |
Then shall the eyes of the ′ blind be ′ opened: and the ′ ears · of the ′ deaf un′stopped; |
4 |
then shall the lame ′ leap · like the ′ hart: and the tongue of the ′ dumb shall ′ sing for ′ joy. |
5† |
For waters shall break ′ forth · in the ′ wilderness: and ′ streams ′ in the ′ desert. |
6 |
The ransomed of the ′ Lord · shall re′turn: and come with singing, with everlasting ′ joy up′on their ′ heads. |
7 |
They shall obtain ′ joy and ′ gladness: and sorrow and ′ sighing · shall ′ flee a′way. Isaiah 35:1, 2, 5, 6, 10 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
There shall come forth a shoot from the ′ stump of ′ Jesse: and a ′ branch · shall grow ′ out of · its ′ roots, |
2 |
and the Spirit of the Lord shall ′ rest up′on him: the spirit of ′ wisdom · and ′ under′standing, |
3 |
the spirit of ′ counsel · and ′ might: the spirit of knowledge and the ′ fear ′ of the ′ Lord. |
4 |
He shall not judge by what his ′ eyes ′ see: or decide by ′ what his ′ ears ′ hear, |
5 |
but with righteousness he shall ′ judge the ′ poor: and decide with ′ equity · for the ′ meek of · the ′ earth. |
6 |
The wolf shall ′ dwell · with the ′ lamb: and the leopard shall ′ lie down ′ with the ′ kid, |
7 |
and the calf and the′ lion cub · to′gether: and a ′ little ′ child shall ′ lead them. |
8 |
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my ′ holy ′ mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord‿ as the ′ waters ′ cover · the ′ sea. Isaiah 11:1–4, 6, 9 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
Listen to ′ me you ′ islands: and hearken you ′ peoples ′ from a′far. |
2 |
My servant, in the time of my favour ′ I will ′ answer you: and in the day of sal′vation ′ I will ′ help you; |
3 |
to re′store the ′ land: and share out a′fresh its ′ deso·late ′ fields; |
4 |
to say to the ′ captives · ‘Go ′ free’: and to those in darkness, ′ ‘Come forth ′ into ′ light.’ |
5 |
They will feed be′side the ′ way: and find pasture on ′ every ′ barren ′ hill. |
6 |
They will neither ′ hunger · nor ′ thirst: nor will the desert heat or the ′ sun ′ beat up′on them, |
7† |
for the One who ′ loves them · will ′ guide them: and lead them be′side the ′ springs of ′ water. |
8 |
Shout for joy O heavens and ex′ult O ′ earth: break forth O ′ mountains ′ into ′ song; |
9 |
for I the Lord will ′ comfort · my ′ people: and will have compassion on my ′ own in ′ their dis′tress. Isaiah 49:1, 8–10, 13 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
O Lord almighty and ′ God · of our ′ ancestors: you made the heavens and the earth ′‿ in their ′ glorious · ar′ray. |
2 |
All things quake with fear ′ at your ′ presence: and ′ tremble · be′cause · of your ′ power. |
3 |
But your merciful promise is be′yond all ′ measure: it surpasses ′ all · that our ′ minds can ′ fathom. |
4 |
Lord you are′ full · of com′passion: long-suffering,′ and a′bounding · in ′ mercy. |
5 |
And now O Lord I ′ humble · my ′ heart: and make my appeal, ′ sure · of your ′ gracious ′ goodness. |
6 |
For you O Lord are the ′ God · of the ′ penitent: and in me you will ′ show ′ forth your ′ goodness. |
7 |
Unworthy as I am ′ you will ′ save me: and so I will praise you continually, ′ all the ′ days · of my ′ life. |
8 |
For all the host of heaven ′ sing your ′ praises: and your ′ glory · is for ′ ever · and ′ ever. Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
Who would have believed what ′ we have ′ heard: and to whom has the power of the ′ Lord ′ been re′vealed? |
2 |
He grew up before the Lord like a ′ tender ′ plant: like a ′ root · out of ′ arid ′ ground. |
3 |
He had no beauty, no majesty to ′ draw our ′ eyes: no grace to ′ make us · de′light in ′ him. |
4 |
He was des′pised · and re′jected: a man of ′ sorrows · and fa′miliar · with ′ suffering. |
5 |
Like one from whom people ′ hide their ′ faces: he was despised, and ′ we es′teemed him ′ not. |
6 |
Surely he has borne our griefs and ′ carried · our ′ sorrows: yet we considered him stricken, smitten by ′ God, ′ and af′flicted. |
7 |
But he was wounded for ′ our trans′gressions: he was ′ bruised for ′ our in′iquities. |
8 |
The punishment that brought us peace was ′ laid up·on ′ him: and by his ′ wounds ′ we are ′ healed. Isaiah 53:1–5 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
I will sing to the Lord, for the Lord has ′ triumphed ′ gloriously: the horse and its rider‿ have been ′ thrown ′ into · the ′ sea. |
2 |
The Lord is my ′ strength · and my ′ song: and has be′come ′ my sal′vation. |
3 |
This is my God, whom ′ I will ′ praise: the God of my ′ forbears · whom ′ I · will ex′alt. |
4 |
Who is like you O Lord a′mong the ′ gods: who is like ′ you ma′jestic · in ′ holiness? |
5 |
Who is like you O Lord a′mong the ′ gods: terrible in glorious ′ deeds and ′ doing ′ wonders? |
6 |
In your unfailing love you will lead‿ the people ′ you · have re′deemed: in your strength you will‿ guide them ′ to your ′ holy ′ dwelling. |
7 |
You will bring them in and plant them‿ on the mountain of ′ your in′heritance: the place O Lord that ′‿ you have ′ made for · your ′ dwelling, |
8 |
the sanctuary O Lord that your ′ hands · have e′stablished: you Lord will ′ reign for ′ ever · and ′ ever. Exodus 15:1, 2, 11, 13, 17 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
In you, Jesus, Son of God, we have a ′ great high ′ priest: you have passed through the heavens, and are seated at the right ′ hand of ′ God on ′ high. |
2 |
Therefore we hold fast to the faith that ′ we pro′fess: for you are not a high priest who is unable‿ to′ sympath·ise ′ with our ′ weaknesses. |
3 |
In every respect you have been ′ tempted · as ′ we are: and ′ yet you ′ did not ′ sin. |
4 |
Although a Son, you learned obedience‿ through ′ what you ′ suffered: and being made perfect, you have become the source‿ of eternal sal′vation · for ′ all · who o′bey you. |
5 |
This gives us ′ every ′ confidence: to draw ′ near · to the ′ throne of ′ grace. |
6 |
There we re′ceive ′ mercy: and find grace to ′ help in ′ time of ′ need. based on Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:8, 9; 8:1 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
In Christ the life-giving ′ law · of the ′ Spirit: has set us free from the ′ law of ′ sin and ′ death. |
2 |
All who are led by the Spirit of God are ′ children · of ′ God: it is the Spirit that enables us to ′ cry, ′ Abba, ′ Father. |
3 |
The Spirit confirms that ′ we are · God’s ′ children: and if ′ children · then ′ we are ′ heirs. |
4 |
We are heirs of God, and fellow-′heirs with ′ Christ: if we share his suffering now, in order to ′ share his ′ splendour · here′after. |
5 |
The sufferings we ′ now en′dure: bear no comparison with the ′ splendour ′‿ to be ′ shown to us. |
6 |
The created universe itself waits with ′ eager ′ longing: for the children of ′ God to ′ be re′vealed. based on Romans 8:2, 14–19 Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son: |
1 |
Let the whole creation ′ bless the ′ Lord: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
2 |
Bless the ′ Lord you ′ heavens: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
3 |
Bless the Lord you ′ angels · of the ′ Lord: bless the ′ Lord · all you ′ heavenly ′ hosts; |
(verses 4–17 may be omitted)
4 |
bless the Lord you waters a′bove the ′ heavens: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
5 |
Bless the Lord ′ sun and ′ moon: bless the ′ Lord you ′ stars of ′ heaven; |
6 |
bless the Lord all ′ rain and ′ dew: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
7 |
Bless the Lord all ′ winds that ′ blow: bless the ′ Lord you ′ fire and ′ heat; |
8 |
bless the Lord scorching wind and ′ bitter ′ cold: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
9 |
Bless the Lord dews and ′ falling ′ snow: bless the ′ Lord you ′ nights and ′ days; |
10 |
bless the Lord ′ light and ′ darkness: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
11 |
Bless the Lord ′ frost and ′ cold: bless the ′ Lord you ′ ice and ′ snow; |
12 |
bless the Lord ′ lightnings · and ′ clouds: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
13 |
O let the earth ′ bless the ′ Lord: bless the ′ Lord you ′ mountains and ′ hills; |
14 |
bless the Lord all that ′ grows · in the ′ soil: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
15 |
Bless the Lord you ′ springs of ′ water: bless the ′ Lord you ′ seas and ′ rivers; |
16 |
bless the Lord you whales‿ and all that ′ swim · in the ′ waters: praise and exalt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
17 |
Bless the Lord all ′ birds · of the ′ air: bless the ′ Lord you ′ beasts and ′ cattle; |
18 |
bless the Lord all you ′ dwellers · on ′ earth: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
19 |
Bless the Lord you ′ people · of ′ God: bless the ′ Lord you ′ priests · of the ′ Lord; |
20 |
bless the Lord you ′ servants · of the ′ Lord: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. |
21 |
Bless the Lord all you that are ′ upright · in ′ spirit: bless the Lord you that are ′ holy ·‿ and ′ humble · in ′ heart. |
22 |
Let us bless the Father, the Son and the ′ Holy ′ Spirit: praise and ex′alt our ′ God for ′ ever. Song of the Three Young Men, 35–65 |