Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Friday
Friday, 9 October 2026
Denys, Bishop of Paris, and his Companions, Martyrs, c.250 [Commemoration]
Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, Philosopher, Scientist, 1253 [Commemoration]

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 Entreaty

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.

3My spirit faints within me; ♦
my heart within me is desolate.

4I stretch out my hands to you; ♦
my soul gasps for you like a thirsty land.

5O 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.

6Let 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.

7Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; ♦
let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.

8Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; ♦
for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

Psalm 143.1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10, 11

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 102

Refrain: My help comes from the Lord.

1 O Lord, hear my prayer ♦
and let my crying come before you.

2 Hide not your face from me ♦
in the day of my distress.

3 Incline your ear to me; ♦
when I call, make haste to answer me, R

4 For my days are consumed in smoke ♦
and my bones burn away as in a furnace.

5 My heart is smitten down and withered like grass, ♦
so that I forget to eat my bread.

6 From the sound of my groaning ♦
my bones cleave fast to my skin.

7 I am become like a vulture in the wilderness, ♦
like an owl that haunts the ruins.

8 I keep watch and am become like a sparrow ♦
solitary upon the housetop.

9 My enemies revile me all the day long, ♦
and those who rage at me have sworn together against me.

10 I have eaten ashes for bread ♦
and mingled my drink with weeping,

11 Because of your indignation and wrath, ♦
for you have taken me up and cast me down.

12 My days fade away like a shadow, ♦
and I am withered like grass. R

13 But you, O Lord, shall endure for ever ♦
and your name through all generations.

14 You will arise and have pity on Zion; ♦
it is time to have mercy upon her;
surely the time has come.

15 For your servants love her very stones ♦
and feel compassion for her dust.

16 Then shall the nations fear your name, O Lord, ♦
and all the kings of the earth your glory,

17 When the Lord has built up Zion ♦
and shown himself in glory;

18 When he has turned to the prayer of the destitute ♦
and has not despised their plea. R

19 This shall be written for those that come after, ♦
and a people yet unborn shall praise the Lord.

20 For he has looked down from his holy height; ♦
from the heavens he beheld the earth,

21 That he might hear the sighings of the prisoner ♦
and set free those condemned to die;

22 That the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion ♦
and his praises in Jerusalem,

23 When peoples are gathered together ♦
and kingdoms also, to serve the Lord. R

24 He has brought down my strength in my journey ♦
and has shortened my days.

25 I pray, ‘O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days; ♦
your years endure throughout all generations.

26 ‘In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, ♦
and the heavens are the work of your hands;

27 ‘They shall perish, but you will endure; ♦
they all shall wear out like a garment.

28 ‘You change them like clothing, and they shall be changed; ♦
but you are the same, and your years will not fail.

29 ‘The children of your servants shall continue, ♦
and their descendants shall be established in your sight.’

Refrain: My help comes from the Lord.

Have pity on our frailty, O God,
and in the hour of our death
cast us not away as clothing that is worn,
for you are our eternal refuge;
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.

Ecclesiasticus 19.20-end

The whole of wisdom is fear of the Lord,
   and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.
The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom,
   nor is there prudence in the counsel of sinners.
There is a cleverness that is detestable,
   and there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.
Better are the God-fearing who lack understanding
   than the highly intelligent who transgress the law.
There is a cleverness that is exact but unjust,
   and there are people who abuse favours to gain a verdict.
There is the villain bowed down in mourning,
but inwardly he is full of deceit.
He hides his face and pretends not to hear,
   but when no one notices, he will take advantage of you.
Even if lack of strength keeps him from sinning,
   he will nevertheless do evil when he finds the opportunity.
A person is known by his appearance,
   and a sensible person is known when first met face to face.
A person’s attire and hearty laughter,
   and the way he walks, show what he is.

or Ezekiel 20.21-38

Canticle

A Song of the Justified, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 61 (page 619), may be said

Refrain:

AllOur hope is not in vain,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Alleluia.

1God reckons as righteous those who believe, ♦
who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;

2For Christ was handed over to death for our sins, ♦
and raised to life for our justification.

3Since we are justified by faith, ♦
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

4Through Christ we have gained access
to the grace in which we stand, ♦
and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.

5We even exult in our sufferings, ♦
for suffering produces endurance,

6And endurance brings hope, ♦
and our hope is not in vain,

7Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts, ♦
through the Holy Spirit, given to us.

8God proves his love for us: ♦
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

9Since we have been justified by his death, ♦
how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath.

10Therefore, we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ♦
in whom we have now received our reconciliation.

Romans 4.24, 25; 5.1-5, 8, 9, 11

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.

AllOur hope is not in vain,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. 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 16.1-8

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

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

Forsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.
AllForsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.
Make haste to help me,
O Lord of my salvation.
AllBe not far from me, O my God.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllForsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.

from Psalm 38

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or Saviour of the World (page 644) may be said

Refrain:

AllYou have scattered the proud in their conceit,
and lifted up the lowly.

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 scattered the proud in their conceit,
and lifted up the lowly.

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 King, members of parliament and the armed forces
¶ Peace and justice in the world
¶ Those who work for reconciliation
¶ All whose lives are devastated by war and civil strife
¶ Prisoners, refugees and homeless people

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 and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.