Morning Prayer (Matins) in Contemporary Language

¶ Morning Prayer on Thursday
Thursday, 2 September 2010
The Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1901 and 1942 [Commemoration]

Preparation

O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

One or more of the following is said or sung:
a prayer of thanksgiving (page 109),
a suitable hymn,
or A Song of God’s Blessing

1God be gracious to us and bless us •
and make his face to shine upon us,

2That your way may be known upon earth, •
your saving power among all nations.

3Let the peoples praise you, O God; •
let all the peoples praise you.

4O let the nations rejoice and be glad, •
for you will judge the peoples righteously
and govern the nations upon earth.

5Let the peoples praise you, O God; •
let all the peoples praise you.

6Then shall the earth bring forth her increase, •
and God, our own God, will bless us.

7God will bless us, •
and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

Psalm 67

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

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 143

Refrain: Show me, O Lord, the way that I should walk in.

1Hear my prayer, O Lord,
   and in your faithfulness give ear to my supplications; •
answer me in your righteousness.

2Enter not into judgement with your servant, •
for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3For the enemy has pursued me,
   crushing my life to the ground, •
making me sit in darkness like those long dead.

4My spirit faints within me; •
my heart within me is desolate. R

5I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds; •
I consider the works of your hands.

6I stretch out my hands to you; •
my soul gasps for you like a thirsty land.

7O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; •
hide not your face from me
   lest I be like those who go down to the Pit.

8Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
   for in you I put my trust; •
show me the way I should walk in,
   for I lift up my soul to you. R

9Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies, •
for I flee to you for refuge.

10Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; •
let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.

11Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; •
for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

12In your faithfulness, slay my enemies,
   and destroy all the adversaries of my soul, •
for truly I am your servant. R

Refrain: Show me, O Lord, the way that I should walk in.

Jesus, our companion,
when we are driven to despair,
help us, through the friends and strangers
we encounter on our path,
to know you as our refuge,
our way, our truth and our life.

Psalm 146

Refrain: The Lord shall reign for ever.

1Alleluia.
   Praise the Lord, O my soul:
   while I live will I praise the Lord; •
as long as I have any being,
   I will sing praises to my God.

2Put not your trust in princes,
   nor in any human power, •
for there is no help in them.

3When their breath goes forth, they return to the earth; •
on that day all their thoughts perish. R

4Happy are those who have the God of Jacob for their help, •
whose hope is in the Lord their God;

5Who made heaven and earth,
   the sea and all that is in them; •
who keeps his promise for ever;

6Who gives justice to those that suffer wrong •
and bread to those who hunger. R

7The Lord looses those that are bound; •
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;

8The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; •
the Lord loves the righteous;

9The Lord watches over the stranger in the land;
   he upholds the orphan and widow; •
but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

10The Lord shall reign for ever, •
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
   Alleluia.

Refrain: The Lord shall reign for ever.

Lord of all,
our breath and being come from you,
yet our earthly end is dust;
as you loose the bound and feed the hungry,
so bring us in your mercy through the grave and gate of death
to the feast of eternal life,
where you reign for evermore.

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 the Covenant, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 44 (page 596), may be said

Refrain:

AllI have given you as a light to the nations,
and I have called you in righteousness.

1Thus says God, who created the heavens, •
who fashioned the earth and all that dwells in it;

2Who gives breath to the people upon it •
and spirit to those who walk in it,

3 ‘I am the Lord and I have called you in righteousness, •
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

4 ‘I have given you as a covenant to the people, •
a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind,

5‘To bring out the captives from the dungeon, •
from the prison, those who sit in darkness.

6‘I am the Lord, that is my name; •
my glory I give to no other.’

Isaiah 42.5-8a

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.

AllI have given you as a light to the nations,
and I have called you in righteousness.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

2 Samuel 19.24-end

Mephibosheth grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; he had not taken care of his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes, from the day the king left until the day he came back in safety. When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, ‘Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?’ He answered, ‘My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, “Saddle a donkey for me, so that I may ride on it and go with the king.” For your servant is lame. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. For all my father’s house were doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to appeal to the king?’ The king said to him, ‘Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.’ Mephibosheth said to the king, ‘Let him take it all, since my lord the king has arrived home safely.’

Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. The king said to Barzillai, ‘Come over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.’ But Barzillai said to the king, ‘How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? Today I am eighty years old; can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward? Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own town, near the graves of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do for him whatever seems good to you.’ The king answered, ‘Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you; and all that you desire of me I will do for you.’ Then all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over; the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; all the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

Then all the people of Israel came to the king, and said to him, ‘Why have our kindred the people of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?’ All the people of Judah answered the people of Israel, ‘Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?’ But the people of Israel answered the people of Judah, ‘We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?’ But the words of the people of Judah were fiercer than the words of the people of Israel.

Acts 12.1-17

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, ‘Tell this to James and to the believers.’ Then he left and went to another place.

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

Fear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
AllFear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned.
AllI have called you by name; you are mine.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllFear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.

from Isaiah 43

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or Gloria in Excelsis (A Song of God's Glory) (page 635) may be said

Refrain

AllYou promised, O God, to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.

1Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, •
who has come to his people and set them free.

2He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, •
born of the house of his servant David.

3Through his holy prophets God promised of old •
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,

4To show mercy to our ancestors, •
and to remember his holy covenant.

5This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: •
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

6Free to worship him without fear, •
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

7And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, •
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8To give his people knowledge of salvation •
by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9In the tender compassion of our God •
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

10To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, •
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

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

AllYou promised, O God, to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.

Prayers

Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life

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,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
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

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
AllAmen.

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.