Faithful cross, Noble tree (Mt 27:1-56))

Good Friday, March 21, 2008

Psalm 16; Matthew 27:1-56


Prayer for Good Friday
Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Anthems before the Cross

(1)
We glory in your cross, O Lord,
and praise and glorify your holy resurrection;
for by virtue of your cross joy has come to the whole world.

May God be merciful to us and bless us,
show us the light of his countenance, and come to us.

Let your ways be known upon earth,
your saving health among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

We glory in your cross, O Lord,
and praise and glorify your holy resurrection;
for by virtue of your cross joy has come to the whole world.

(2)
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
if we endure, we shall also reign with him.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

(3)
O Savior of the world,
who by thy cross and precious blood hast redeemed us;
Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.


Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle
(I love this hymn)

Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; of the mighty conflict sing;
tell the triumph of the victim, to his cross thy tribute bring.
Jesus Christ, the world’s Redeemer from that cross now reigns as King.

Thirty years among us dwelling, his appointed time fulfilled,
born for this, he meets his passion, this the Savior freely willed:
on the cross the Lamb is lifted, where his precious blood is spilled.

He endures the nail, the spitting, vinegar, and spear, and reed;
from that holy body broken blood and water forth proceed:
earth, and stars, and sky, and ocean, by that flood from stain are freed.

Faithful cross! Above all other, one and only noble tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peer may be:
sweetest wood and sweetest iron! sweetest weight is hung on thee.

Bend thy boughs, O tree of glory! Thy relaxing sinews bend;
for awhile the ancient rigor that thy birth bestowed suspend;
and the King of heavenly beauty gently on thine arms extend.

Praise and honor to the Father, praise and honor to the Son,
praise and honor to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One:
one in might and one in glory while eternal ages run.

Closing prayer of the Good Friday liturgy

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, we pray you to set your passion, cross, and death between your judgment and our souls, now and in the hour of our death. Give mercy and grace to the living; pardon and rest to the dead; to your holy Church peace and concord; and to us sinners everlasting life and glory; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


"You will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption."
(Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27)