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July 12, 2026
See TodaySixth Sunday after Trinity
One-Year Lectionary
- First Reading
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Ex. 20:1–17 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
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- Psalm
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Psalm 19 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
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- Epistle
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Rom. 6:(1–2) 3–11 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
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- Gospel
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Matt. 5:(17–19) 20–26 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
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Sixth Sunday after Trinity
One-Year Lectionary
About this service
Our Only Hope Is in Christ’s Righteousness
“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:20). God demands nothing less than perfection and holiness from you in regard to His commandments (Ex. 20:1–17). Your only hope, then, is not in your own goodness but in the goodness of Christ, who did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them for you. In Christ, your righteousness does indeed exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. For you have been baptized into Christ’s death and your sinful nature crucified. Therefore, he who has died has been freed from sin (Rom. 6:1–11). You are now raised with Christ to walk in newness of life and to share in His resurrection on the Last Day. Christ has brought you through the baptismal sea “out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex. 20:2). Therefore, “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — One-Year Lectionary (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
Source: LCMS One-Year Series Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Collect
Historical Collect — Sixth Sunday after Trinity
LORD of all power and might, Who art the Author and Giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of Thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (Baltimore, 1893), Introits and Collects for the Church Year (opens in a new tab). Public-domain text (published 1893), transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of the Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for July 12, 2026 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O God of all truth, goodness and beauty, teach us the truth of Your Word. Fill us with virtue and righteousness. Inspire in our hearts the adoration of Your glory, that we may always be one with You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father, You alone are our dwelling place and have given us order, peace and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the faith. Bless and guide our Synod, its leaders, its organizations and our congregation, that we may honor and follow You above all else. Keep us faithful to the end even as You have preserved and strengthened us to this day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You gave the Law that we might know Your will and live as Your holy people. Increase in us true fear, love and trust in Your holy name and saving Word, that we may have no other gods but You. Guide and bless all fathers and mothers, pastors and teachers as they bring up children in the discipline and knowledge of the true faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, uphold Donald, our president; _____________, our governor; our legislatures and judges; our local leaders; and all who serve in our armed forces. Grant peace graciously, O Lord, in our time; for there is no other who fights for us but You only, O Lord, our God. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, preserve us and all who call to You in any need [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he would turn from his evil way and live. We flee to Your mercy in Christ Jesus. Grant that we may ever thus believe and never waver. Grant that in such faith we may worthily go to Your altar to receive the very body and true blood that Your Son has given for our redemption, that we may ever praise, serve and honor You and Your Son. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed are You, O Lord, for the gift of eternal life and for all who rest in their graves in the hope of the resurrection. You indeed have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we confess that we are poor, miserable sinners with no good in us. Our hearts and our flesh and blood are so corrupted by sin that we are never without sinful desires in this life. Therefore, we implore You, forgive us our sins. Let Your Holy Spirit so cleanse our hearts that we would love Your Word, abide by it and, by Your grace, be saved forever; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — One-Year 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for July 12, 2026 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For Christian people as they ponder all truth, goodness and beauty, that they would learn the truth of God’s Word, be filled with virtue and righteousness, and be inspired to adore the glory of the Lord, and so always be one with Him, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our Synod, its leaders, its organizations and our congregation, that we may honor and follow God and dwell in Him from everlasting to everlasting, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all Christians, that God would increase in them true fear, love and trust in His saving name; and that we may have no other gods but Him, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all fathers and mothers, pastors and teachers, that God would guide and bless them as they bring up children in the discipline and knowledge of the true faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For Donald, our president; _____________, our governor; our legislatures and judges; our local leaders; and all who serve in our armed forces, that God would grant peace graciously in our time, since there is no other who fights for us but the Lord, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For ourselves and all who call to God in any need, [especially _____________,] let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who commune, that we would believe firmly that our God does not desire the death of sinners, but rather that they would turn from their evil way and live; and that, in such faith, we would worthily go to His altar to receive the very body and blood that Christ gave for our redemption, and so praise, serve and honor Him always, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
In thanksgiving for joy in the Lord’s gift of eternal life, that we, with the faithful dead who rest in the hope of the resurrection, may dwell in the Lord throughout all generations, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we confess that we are poor, miserable sinners with no good in us. Our hearts and our flesh and blood are so corrupted by sin that we are never without sinful desires in this life. Therefore, we implore You, forgive us our sins. Let Your Holy Spirit so cleanse our hearts that we would love Your Word, abide by it and, by Your grace, be saved forever; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — One-Year 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
LSB 562 All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for Sixth Sunday after Trinity (One-Year).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, p. 169 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 590 Baptized into Your Name Most Holy
- Distribution LSB 579 The Law of God Is Good and Wise
- Distribution LSB 580 The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace
- Distribution LSB 563 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness
- Closing LSB 574 Before the Throne of God Above
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — One-Year Lectionary Series 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Hymn numbers and titles only; hymn texts are not reproduced. Reproduction for individual, church or school use does not require permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.