Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Wednesday
Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Preparation

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

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
AllBlessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Descending

1I love you, O Lord my strength. ♦
The Lord is my crag, my fortress and my deliverer.

2In my distress I called upon the Lord ♦
and cried out to my God for help.

3He heard my voice in his temple ♦
and my cry came to his ears.

4He parted the heavens and came down ♦
and thick darkness was under his feet.

5He rode upon the cherubim and flew; ♦
he came flying on the wings of the wind.

6He made darkness his covering round about him, ♦
dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.

7From the brightness of his presence, through the clouds ♦
burst hailstones and coals of fire.

8The Lord also thundered out of heaven; ♦
the Most High uttered his voice
with hailstones and coals of fire.

9For you will save a lowly people ♦
and bring down the high looks of the proud.

10You also shall light my candle; ♦
the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.

11As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord is tried in the fire; ♦
he is a shield to all who trust in him.

Psalm 18.1, 6, 7 ,10-14, 28, 29, 31

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 91

Refrain: Keep me as the apple of your eye.

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High ♦
and abides under the shadow of the Almighty,

2 Shall say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my stronghold, ♦
my God, in whom I put my trust.’

3 For he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler ♦
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He shall cover you with his wings
and you shall be safe under his feathers; ♦
his faithfulness shall be your shield and buckler. R

5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, ♦
nor of the arrow that flies by day;

6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, ♦
nor of the sickness that destroys at noonday.

7 Though a thousand fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, ♦
yet it shall not come near you.

8 Your eyes have only to behold ♦
to see the reward of the wicked. R

9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge ♦
and the Most High your stronghold,

10 There shall no evil happen to you, ♦
neither shall any plague come near your tent.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, ♦
to keep you in all your ways.

12 They shall bear you in their hands, ♦
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; ♦
the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. R

14 Because they have set their love upon me,
therefore will I deliver them; ♦
I will lift them up, because they know my name.

15 They will call upon me and I will answer them; ♦
I am with them in trouble,
I will deliver them and bring them to honour.

16 With long life will I satisfy them ♦
and show them my salvation.

Refrain: Keep me as the apple of your eye.

Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
and, as you have bound us to yourself in love,
leave us not who call upon your name,
but grant us your salvation,
made known in the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 93

Refrain: The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

1 The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel; ♦
the Lord has put on his glory
and girded himself with strength.

2 He has made the whole world so sure ♦
that it cannot be moved.

3 Your throne has been established from of old; ♦
you are from everlasting. R

4 The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice; ♦
the floods lift up their pounding waves.

5 Mightier than the thunder of many waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea, ♦
the Lord on high is mightier.

6 Your testimonies are very sure; ♦
holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever.

Refrain: The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

Christ our King,
you put on the apparel of our nature
and raised us to your glory;
reign from your royal throne
above the chaos of this world,
that all may see the victory you have won
and trust in your salvation;
for your glory’s sake.

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.

Micah 3

And I said:
Listen, you heads of Jacob
   and rulers of the house of Israel!
Should you not know justice?—
   you who hate the good and love the evil,
who tear the skin off my people,
   and the flesh off their bones;
who eat the flesh of my people,
   flay their skin off them,
break their bones in pieces,
   and chop them up like meat in a kettle,
   like flesh in a cauldron.

Then they will cry to the Lord,
   but he will not answer them;
he will hide his face from them at that time,
   because they have acted wickedly.

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets
   who lead my people astray,
who cry ‘Peace’
   when they have something to eat,
but declare war against those
   who put nothing into their mouths.
Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,
   and darkness to you, without revelation.
The sun shall go down upon the prophets,
   and the day shall be black over them;
the seers shall be disgraced,
   and the diviners put to shame;
they shall all cover their lips,
   for there is no answer from God.
But as for me, I am filled with power,
   with the spirit of the Lord,
   and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
   and to Israel his sin.

Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob
   and chiefs of the house of Israel,
who abhor justice
   and pervert all equity,
who build Zion with blood
   and Jerusalem with wrong!
Its rulers give judgement for a bribe,
   its priests teach for a price,
   its prophets give oracles for money;
yet they lean upon the Lord and say,
   ‘Surely the Lord is with us!
   No harm shall come upon us.’
Therefore because of you
   Zion shall be ploughed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
   and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

Canticle

A Song of the Blessed, or another suitable canticle,
for example, number 69 (page 627), may be said

Refrain:

AllRejoice and be glad
for you are the light of the world,
and great is your reward in heaven. Alleluia.

1Blessed are the poor in spirit, ♦
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2Blessed are those who mourn, ♦
for they shall be comforted.

3Blessed are the meek, ♦
for they shall inherit the earth.

4Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst after righteousness, ♦
for they shall be satisfied.

5Blessed are the merciful, ♦
for they shall obtain mercy.

6Blessed are the pure in heart, ♦
for they shall see God.

7Blessed are the peacemakers, ♦
for they shall be called children of God.

8Blessed are those who suffer persecution
for righteousness’ sake, ♦
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5.3-10

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.

AllRejoice and be glad
for you are the light of the world,
and great is your reward in heaven. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Mark 5.35-end

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

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

Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.

from Psalm 73

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or the Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon) (page 613) may be said

AllRemember your promise of mercy,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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.

AllRemember your promise of mercy,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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

¶ The social services
¶ All who work in the criminal justice system
¶ Victims and perpetrators of crime
¶ The work of aid agencies throughout the world
¶ Those living in poverty or under oppression

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

O God, you declare your almighty power
most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,
that we, running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
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.