Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Saturday
Saturday, 16 February 2019

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 Light

1The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? ♦
The Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?

2Though a host encamp against me,
my heart shall not be afraid, ♦
and though there rise up war against me,
yet will I put my trust in him.

3One thing have I asked of the Lord
and that alone I seek: ♦
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,

4To behold the fair beauty of the Lord ♦
and to seek his will in his temple.

5For in the day of trouble
he shall hide me in his shelter; ♦
in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me
and set me high upon a rock.

6Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation
with great gladness; ♦
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Psalm 27.1, 3-6, 8

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 45

Refrain: Behold our defender, O God,
and look upon the face of your anointed.

1 My heart is astir with gracious words; ♦
as I make my song for the king,
my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

2 You are the fairest of men; ♦
full of grace are your lips,
for God has blest you for ever.

3 Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one; ♦
gird on your majesty and glory.

4 Ride on and prosper in the cause of truth ♦
and for the sake of humility and righteousness.

5 Your right hand will teach you terrible things; ♦
your arrows will be sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies,
so that peoples fall beneath you. R

6 Your throne is God’s throne, for ever; ♦
the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness.

7 You love righteousness and hate iniquity; ♦
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

8 All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia; ♦
from ivory palaces the music of strings makes you glad.

9 Kings’ daughters are among your honourable women; ♦
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. R

10 Hear, O daughter; consider and incline your ear; ♦
forget your own people and your father’s house.

11 So shall the king have pleasure in your beauty; ♦
he is your lord, so do him honour.

12 The people of Tyre shall bring you gifts; ♦
the richest of the people shall seek your favour.

13 The king’s daughter is all glorious within; ♦
her clothing is embroidered cloth of gold.

14 She shall be brought to the king in raiment of needlework; ♦
after her the virgins that are her companions.

15 With joy and gladness shall they be brought ♦
and enter into the palace of the king.

16 ‘Instead of your fathers you shall have sons, ♦
whom you shall make princes over all the land.

17 ‘I will make your name to be remembered through all generations; ♦
therefore shall the peoples praise you for ever and ever.’

Refrain: Behold our defender, O God,
and look upon the face of your anointed.

Lord our God,
bring your bride, your holy Church,
with joy to the marriage feast of heaven,
and unite us with your anointed Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, ♦
a very present help in trouble;

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, ♦
and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea;

3 Though the waters rage and swell, ♦
and though the mountains quake at the towering seas.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, ♦
the holy place of the dwelling of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her;
therefore shall she not be removed; ♦
God shall help her at the break of day.

6 The nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken, ♦
but God utters his voice and the earth shall melt away.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; ♦
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

8 Come and behold the works of the Lord, ♦
what destruction he has wrought upon the earth.

9 He makes wars to cease in all the world; ♦
he shatters the bow and snaps the spear
and burns the chariots in the fire.

10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God; ♦
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.’

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; ♦
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

God of Jacob,
when the earth shakes
and the nations are in uproar,
speak, and let the storm be still;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

Numbers 6.1-5, 21-end

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When either men or women make a special vow, the vow of a nazirite, to separate themselves to the Lord, they shall separate themselves from wine and strong drink; they shall drink no wine vinegar or other vinegar, and shall not drink any grape juice or eat grapes, fresh or dried. All their days as nazirites they shall eat nothing that is produced by the grape-vine, not even the seeds or the skins.

All the days of their nazirite vow no razor shall come upon the head; until the time is completed for which they separate themselves to the Lord, they shall be holy; they shall let the locks of the head grow long.

This is the law for the nazirites who take a vow. Their offering to the Lord must be in accordance with the nazirite vow, apart from what else they can afford. In accordance with whatever vow they take, so they shall do, following the law for their consecration.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Canticle

A Song of God’s Love, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 53 (page 606), may be said

Refrain:

AllGod’s love was revealed among us
so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.

1Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God; ♦
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

2Whoever does not love does not know God, ♦
for God is love.

3In this the love of God was revealed among us, ♦
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.

4In this is love,
not that we loved God but that he loved us, ♦
and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.

5Beloved, since God loved us so much, ♦
we ought also to love one another.

6For if we love one another, God abides in us, ♦
and God’s love will be perfected in us.

1 John 4.7-11, 12b

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.

AllGod’s love was revealed among us
so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

1 Timothy 5.17-end

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching; for the scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain’, and, ‘The labourer deserves to be paid.’ Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. Do not ordain anyone hastily, and do not participate in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

The sins of some people are conspicuous and precede them to judgement, while the sins of others follow them there. So also good works are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden.

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

Your salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
AllThat glory may dwell in our land.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.

from Psalm 85

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of Praise (page 627) may be said

Refrain:

AllYou have looked with favour on your lowly servant,
from this day all generations will call her blessed.

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:

AllYou have looked with favour on your lowly servant,
from this day all generations will call her blessed.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

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

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

¶ Our homes, families, friends and all whom we love
¶ Those whose time is spent caring for others
¶ Those who are close to death
¶ Those who have lost hope
¶ The worship of the Church

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 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 alone can bring order
to the unruly wills and passions of sinful humanity:
give your people grace
so to love what you command
and to desire what you promise,
that, among the many changes of this world,
our hearts may surely there be fixed
where true joys are to be found;
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. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.