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 27

Refrain: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

1 The 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?

2 When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh, ♦
they stumbled and fell.

3 Though 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.

4 One 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,

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

6 For 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.

7 And now shall he lift up my head ♦
above my enemies round about me;

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

9 Hear my voice, O Lord, when I call; ♦
have mercy upon me and answer me.

10 My heart tells of your word, ‘Seek my face.’ ♦
Your face, Lord, will I seek.

11 Hide not your face from me, ♦
nor cast your servant away in displeasure.

12 You have been my helper; ♦
leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

13 Though my father and my mother forsake me, ♦
the Lord will take me up.

14 Teach me your way, O Lord; ♦
lead me on a level path,
because of those who lie in wait for me.

15 Deliver me not into the will of my adversaries, ♦
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and those who breathe out violence.

16 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord ♦
in the land of the living.

17 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and he shall comfort your heart; ♦
wait patiently for the Lord.

Refrain: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

God, our light and our salvation,
illuminate our lives,
that we may see your goodness in the land of the living,
and, looking on your beauty,
may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 30

Refrain: You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead.

1 I will exalt you, O Lord,
because you have raised me up ♦
and have not let my foes triumph over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried out to you ♦
and you have healed me.

3 You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; ♦
you restored me to life from among those that go down to the Pit.

4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; ♦
give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye,
his favour for a lifetime. ♦
Heaviness may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning. R

6 In my prosperity I said,
‘I shall never be moved. ♦
You, Lord, of your goodness,
have made my hill so strong.’

7 Then you hid your face from me ♦
and I was utterly dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cried; ♦
to the Lord I made my supplication:

9 ‘What profit is there in my blood,
if I go down to the Pit? ♦
Will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?

10 ‘Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; ♦
O Lord, be my helper.’ R

11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; ♦
you have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness;

12 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; ♦
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.

Refrain: You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead.

Lord, you hide your face
when we trust in ourselves;
strip us of false security
and re-clothe us in your praise,
that we may know you
as the one who raises us from death,
as you raised your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

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 14.24-46

Now Saul committed a very rash act on that day. He had laid an oath on the troops, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food before it is evening and I have been avenged on my enemies.’ So none of the troops tasted food. All the troops came upon a honeycomb; and there was honey on the ground. When the troops came upon the honeycomb, the honey was dripping out; but they did not put their hands to their mouths, for they feared the oath. But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the troops with the oath; so he extended the staff that was in his hand, and dipped the tip of it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened. Then one of the soldiers said, ‘Your father strictly charged the troops with an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food this day.” And so the troops are faint.’ Then Jonathan said, ‘My father has troubled the land; see how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if today the troops had eaten freely of the spoil taken from their enemies; for now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.’

After they had struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, the troops were very faint; so the troops flew upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the troops ate them with the blood. Then it was reported to Saul, ‘Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ And he said, ‘You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone before me here.’ Saul said, ‘Disperse yourselves among the troops, and say to them, “Let all bring their oxen or their sheep, and slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.” ’ So all of the troops brought their oxen with them that night, and slaughtered them there. And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

Then Saul said, ‘Let us go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light; let us not leave one of them.’ They said, ‘Do whatever seems good to you.’ But the priest said, ‘Let us draw near to God here.’ So Saul inquired of God, ‘Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?’ But he did not answer him that day. Saul said, ‘Come here, all you leaders of the people; and let us find out how this sin has arisen today. For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall surely die!’ But there was no one among all the people who answered him. He said to all Israel, ‘You shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.’ The people said to Saul, ‘Do what seems good to you.’ Then Saul said, ‘O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If this guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, O Lord God of Israel, give Urim; but if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.’ And Jonathan and Saul were indicated by the lot, but the people were cleared. Then Saul said, ‘Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.’ And Jonathan was taken.

Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’ Jonathan told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand; here I am, I will die.’ Saul said, ‘God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan!’ Then the people said to Saul, ‘Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great victory in Israel? Perish the thought! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground; for he has worked with God today.’ So the people ransomed Jonathan, and he did not die. Then Saul withdrew from pursuing the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

Canticle

A Song of Deliverance, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 40 (page 591), may be said

Refrain:

AllAll the earth, shout and sing for joy,
for great in your midst is the Holy One. Alleluia.

1‘Behold, God is my salvation; ♦
I will trust and will not be afraid;

2‘For the Lord God is my strength and my song, ♦
and has become my salvation.’

3With joy you will draw water ♦
from the wells of salvation.

4On that day you will say, ♦
‘Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;

5‘Make known his deeds among the nations, ♦
proclaim that his name is exalted.

6‘Sing God’s praises, who has triumphed gloriously; ♦
let this be known in all the world.

7‘Shout and sing for joy, you that dwell in Zion, ♦
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.‘

Isaiah 12.2-6

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.

AllAll the earth, shout and sing for joy,
for great in your midst is the Holy One. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Luke 23.13-25

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him.’

Then they all shouted out together, ‘Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!’ (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’ A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.’ But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

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:

AllYou have set us free to worship you without fear,
holy and righteous in your sight.

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 have set us free to worship you without fear,
holy and righteous in your sight.

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

Almighty Lord and everlasting God,
we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern
      both our hearts and bodies
in the ways of your laws
      and the works of your commandments;
that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
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.