Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Monday
Monday, 6 September 2010
Allen Gardiner, Missionary, Founder of the South American Mission Society, 1851 [Commemoration]

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

One or more of the following is said or sung:
a prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),
a suitable hymn,
or A Song of God’s Greatness

1Bless the Lord, O my soul. •
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!

2You are clothed with majesty and honour, •
wrapped in light as in a garment.

3The sun knows the time for its setting. •
You make darkness that it may be night.

4O Lord, how manifold are your works! •
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

5When you send forth your spirit, they are created, •
and you renew the face of the earth.

6May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; •
may the Lord rejoice in his works;

7I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; •
I will make music to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 104.1, 2, 21b ,22a, 26, 32, 33, 35

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 4

Refrain: In peace I will lie down and sleep.

1Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; •
you set me at liberty when I was in trouble;
   have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2How long will you nobles dishonour my glory; •
how long will you love vain things and seek after falsehood?

3But know that the Lord has shown me his marvellous kindness; •
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

4Stand in awe, and sin not; •
commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. R

5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness •
and put your trust in the Lord.

6There are many that say, ‘Who will show us any good?’ •
Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.

7You have put gladness in my heart, •
more than when their corn and wine and oil increase.

8In peace I will lie down and sleep, •
for it is you Lord, only, who make me dwell in safety. R

Refrain: In peace I will lie down and sleep.

Give us today, O God,
a glad heart and a clear conscience,
that when we come to this day’s end
we may rest in peace with Christ our Lord.

Psalm 7

Refrain: Give judgement for me
according to my righteousness, O Lord.

1O Lord my God, in you I take refuge; •
save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me,

2Lest they rend me like a lion and tear me in pieces •
while there is no one to help me.

3O Lord my God, if I have done these things: •
if there is any wickedness in my hands,

4If I have repaid my friend with evil, •
or plundered my enemy without a cause,

5Then let my enemy pursue me and overtake me, •
trample my life to the ground,
   and lay my honour in the dust. R

6Rise up, O Lord, in your wrath;
   lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies. •
Awaken, my God, the judgement that you have commanded.

7Let the assembly of the peoples gather round you; •
be seated high above them: O Lord, judge the nations.

8Give judgement for me
   according to my righteousness, O Lord, •
and according to the innocence that is in me.

9Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,
   but establish the righteous; •
for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God. R

10God is my shield that is over me; •
he saves the true of heart.

11God is a righteous judge; •
he is provoked all day long.

12If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; •
he has bent his bow and made it ready.

13He has prepared the weapons of death; •
he makes his arrows shafts of fire. R

14Behold those who are in labour with wickedness, •
who conceive evil and give birth to lies.

15They dig a pit and make it deep •
and fall into the hole that they have made for others.

16Their mischief rebounds on their own head; •
their violence falls on their own scalp.

17I will give thanks to the Lord for his righteousness, •
and I will make music to the name of the Lord Most High. R

Refrain: Give judgement for me
according to my righteousness, O Lord.

Lord, your justice turns evil on itself:
move us to examine our hearts
and repent of all duplicity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ,
our Judge and righteous Saviour.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Canticle

A Song of God’s Grace, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 58 (page 615), may be said

Refrain:

AllThe glorious grace of God
is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

1Blessed are you,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, •
for you have blest us in Christ Jesus
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

2You chose us to be yours in Christ
before the foundation of the world, •
that we should be holy and blameless before you.

3In love you destined us for adoption as your children,
through Jesus Christ, •
according to the purpose of your will,

4To the praise of your glorious grace, •
which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

5In you, we have redemption
through the blood of Christ, •
the forgiveness of our sins,

6According to the riches of your grace, •
which you have lavished upon us.

7You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, •
the mystery of your will,

8According to your purpose
which you set forth in Christ, •
as a plan for the fullness of time,

9To unite all things in Christ, •
things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 1.3-10

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

AllThe glorious grace of God
is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Zechariah 4

The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep. He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.’ I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ Then the angel who talked with me answered me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ He said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.

‘These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.’ Then I said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?’ And a second time I said to him, ‘What are these two branches of the olive trees, which pour out the oil through the two golden pipes?’ He said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.’

Mark 9.38-end

John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

‘For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
and be not wise in your own sight.
AllTrust in the Lord with all your heart;
and be not wise in your own sight.
In all your ways acknowledge him
and he will make straight your paths.
AllTrust in the Lord with all your heart.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
AllTrust in the Lord with all your heart;
and be not wise in your own sight.

from Proverbs 3

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of the Blessed (page 606) may be said

Refrain:

AllMy spirit rejoices in you, O God,
my soul proclaims your greatness.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; •
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; •
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, •
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm •
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones •
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things •
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, •
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, •
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain:

AllMy spirit rejoices in you, O God,
my soul proclaims your greatness.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

The cycle on pages 364–365 and the prayer on page 377 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

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 for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

All The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.

© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2005
All of the official Common Worship publications are being published by Church House Publishing.
 
The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.