Morning Prayer (Matins) in Contemporary Language

Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Compassion

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 85

Refrain: Show us your mercy, O Lord.

1 Lord, you were gracious to your land; ♦
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2 You forgave the offence of your people ♦
and covered all their sins.

3 You laid aside all your fury ♦
and turned from your wrathful indignation. R

4 Restore us again, O God our Saviour, ♦
and let your anger cease from us.

5 Will you be displeased with us for ever? ♦
Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?

6 Will you not give us life again, ♦
that your people may rejoice in you?

7 Show us your mercy, O Lord, ♦
and grant us your salvation. R

8 I will listen to what the Lord God will say, ♦
for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful,
that they turn not again to folly.

9 Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, ♦
that his glory may dwell in our land. R

10 Mercy and truth are met together, ♦
righteousness and peace have kissed each other;

11 Truth shall spring up from the earth ♦
and righteousness look down from heaven.

12 The Lord will indeed give all that is good, ♦
and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him ♦
and direct his steps in the way.

Refrain: Show us your mercy, O Lord.

Most holy God,
when we come to you fearing that
truth condemns us,
show us that truth is one with love
in your Word made flesh,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Psalm 150

Refrain: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

1 Alleluia.
O praise God in his holiness; ♦
praise him in the firmament of his power.

2 Praise him for his mighty acts; ♦
praise him according to his excellent greatness. R

3 Praise him with the blast of the trumpet; ♦
praise him upon the harp and lyre.

4 Praise him with timbrel and dances; ♦
praise him upon the strings and pipe. R

5 Praise him with ringing cymbals; ♦
praise him upon the clashing cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath ♦
praise the Lord.
Alleluia.

Refrain: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

God of life and love,
whose Son was victorious over sin and death,
make us alive with his life,
that the whole world may resound with your praise;
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.

1 Samuel 2.1-10

Hannah prayed and said,
‘My heart exults in the Lord;
   my strength is exalted in my God.
My mouth derides my enemies,
   because I rejoice in my victory.

‘There is no Holy One like the Lord,
   no one besides you;
   there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
   let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
   and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
   but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
   but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
   but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
   he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
   he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
   he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
   and inherit a seat of honour.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
   and on them he has set the world.

‘He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
   but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;
   for not by might does one prevail.
The Lord! His adversaries shall be shattered;
   the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
   he will give strength to his king,
   and exalt the power of his anointed.’

Canticle

The following, or another suitable canticle, may be said or sung

Refrain:

AllSend Wisdom forth from your holy heavens;
from the throne of your glory
send what is pleasing to you. Alleluia.

1O God of our ancestors and Lord of mercy, ♦
you have made all things by your word.

2By your wisdom you have formed us ♦
to have dominion over the creatures you have made;

3To rule the world in holiness and righteousness ♦
and to pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul.

4Give us the Wisdom that sits by your throne; ♦
do not reject us from among your servants,

5For we are your servants, ♦
with little understanding of judgement and laws.

6Even one who is perfect among us ♦
will be regarded as nothing
without the wisdom that comes from you.

7With you is Wisdom, she who knows your works, ♦
and was present when you made the world.

8She understands what is pleasing in your sight ♦
and what is right according to your commandments.

9Send her forth from the holy heavens, ♦
from the throne of your glory send her.

10That she may labour at our side ♦
and that we may learn what is pleasing to you.

11For she knows and understands all things, ♦
she will guide us wisely in our actions
and guard us with her glory.

Wisdom 9.1-5a,c, 6, 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.

AllSend Wisdom forth from your holy heavens;
from the throne of your glory
send what is pleasing to you. 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 3.31-end

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

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 Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or the Te Deum Laudamus (A Song of the Church) (page 636) may be said

Refrain:

All In the womb of Mary, you found a dwelling place on earth,
O Christ;
remain for ever in our hearts. Alleluia.

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:

All In the womb of Mary, you found a dwelling place on earth,
O Christ;
remain for ever in our hearts. Alleluia.

Prayers

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

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

¶ The media and the arts
¶ Farming and fishing
¶ Commerce and industry
¶ Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful or fraught with danger
¶ All who are unemployed

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

Mighty God,
by whose grace Elizabeth rejoiced with Mary
and greeted her as the mother of the Lord:
look with favour on your lowly servants
that, with Mary, we may magnify your holy name
and rejoice to acclaim her Son our Saviour,
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

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

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.