You are in: Home » Prayer » CofE Daily Offices » Traditional Language (Book of Common Prayer) » Morning Prayer

10.44am on Thursday 22 May 2025

Morning Prayer (Matins) in Traditional Language

View the service for yesterday | today | tomorrow

Please note: Daily Prayer provided by the official Church of England web site, © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2004.

 

   Morning Prayer from
    The Book of Common Prayer
    Thursday, 22 May 2025
  The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.
  Introduction
   
  The minister may use a seasonal sentence before using one or more of the penitential sentences.
   
  The minister introduces the service
     
    Dearly beloved [brethren],
    the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge
       and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;
     
    [and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before
       the face of almighty God our heavenly Father;
    but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent and
       obedient heart;
    to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same
       by his infinite goodness and mercy.
    And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge
       our sins before God;
    yet ought we most chiefly so to do,
    when we assemble and meet together
    to render thanks for the great benefits that we have
       received at his hands,
    to set forth his most worthy praise,
    to hear his most holy word,
    and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary,
    as well for the body as the soul.]
     
    Wherefore I pray and beseech you,
    as many as are here present,
    to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice,
    unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying [after me]:
     
    (or)
     
    Beloved, we are come together in the presence of almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and shew forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all men such things as their well-being doth require.
     
    Wherefore let us kneel in silence, and remember God's presence with us now.
   
All
   Almighty and most merciful Father,
    we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep.
    We have followed too much the devices and desires
       of our own hearts.
    We have offended against thy holy laws.
    We have left undone those things
       which we ought to have done;
    and we have done those things
         which we ought not to have done;
    and there is no health in us.
    But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.
    Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults.
    Restore thou them that are penitent;
    according to thy promises declared unto mankind
       in Christ Jesu our Lord.
    And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
    that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
    to the glory of thy holy name.
  Amen.
   
  A priest says
     
    Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    who desireth not the death of a sinner,
    but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live;
    and hath given power, and commandment, to his ministers
    to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,
    the absolution and remission of their sins:
    he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent
       and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.
    Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance,
       and his Holy Spirit,
    that those things may please him which we do at this present;
    and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;
    so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
   
  or other ministers may say
     
    Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord,
    to thy faithful people pardon and peace,
    that they may be cleansed from all their sins,
    and serve thee with a quiet mind;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
   
All
   Our Father, which art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy name;
    thy kingdom come;
    thy will be done,
    in earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread.
    And forgive us our trespasses,
  as we forgive them that 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.
  Morning Prayer
   
  The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.
   
  These responses are used
     
    O Lord, open thou our lips
All
   and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
    and to the Holy Ghost;
All
   as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
    world without end. Amen.
     
    Praise ye the Lord.
All
   The Lord's name be praised.
     
Venite, exultemus Domino  
     
1
   O come, let us sing unto the Lord :
    let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
     
2
   Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving :
    and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.
     
3
   For the Lord is a great God :
    and a great King above all gods.
     
4
   In his hand are all the corners of the earth :
    and the strength of the hills is his also.
     
5
   The sea is his, and he made it :
    and his hands prepared the dry land.
     
6
   O come, let us worship, and fall down :
    and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
     
7
   For he is the Lord our God :
    and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
     
[8
   Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts :
    as in the provocation,
         and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness;
     
9
   When your fathers tempted me :
    proved me, and saw my works.
     
10
   Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said :
    It is a people that do err in their hearts,
       for they have not known my ways.
     
11
   Unto whom I sware in my wrath :
    that they should not enter into my rest.]
   
Psalm 95
     
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
    and to the Holy Ghost;
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
    world without end. Amen.
     
Psalmody  
   

Psalm 107

  
 

  
1
 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
 and his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
2
 Let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed *
 and delivered from the hand of the enemy;
  
 
  
3
 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west *
 from the north, and from the south.
  
 
  
4
 They went astray in the wilderness out of the way *
 and found no city to dwell in;
  
 
  
5
 Hungry and thirsty *
 their soul fainted in them.
  
 
  
6
 So they cried unto the Lord in their trouble *
 and he delivered them from their distress.
  
 
  
7
 He led them forth by the right way *
 that they might go to the city where they dwelt.
  
 
  
8
 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness *
 and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
  
 
  
9
 For he satisfieth the empty soul *
 and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
  
 
  
10
 Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death *
 being fast bound in misery and iron;
  
 
  
11
 Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord *
 and lightly regarded the counsel of the most Highest;
  
 
  
12
 He also brought down their heart through heaviness *
 they fell down, and there was none to help them.
  
 
  
13
 So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble *
 he delivered them out of their distress.
  
 
  
14
 For he brought them out of darkness, and out of the shadow of death *
 and brake their bonds in sunder.
  
 
  
15
 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness *
 and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men !
  
 
  
16
 For he hath broken the gates of brass *
 and smitten the bars of iron in sunder.
  
 
  
17
 Foolish men are plagued for their offence *
 and because of their wickedness.
  
 
  
18
 Their soul abhorred all manner of meat *
 and they were even hard at death’s door.
  
 
  
19
 So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble *
 he delivered them out of their distress.
  
 
  
20
 He sent his word, and healed them *
 and they were saved from their destruction.
  
 
  
21
 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness *
 and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
  
 
  
22
 That they would offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
 and tell out his works with gladness!
  
 
  
23
 They that go down to the sea in ships *
 and occupy their business in great waters;
  
 
  
24
 These men see the works of the Lord *
 and his wonders in the deep.
  
 
  
25
 For at his word the stormy wind ariseth *
 which lifteth up the waves thereof.
  
 
  
26
 They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep *
 their soul melteth away because of the trouble.
  
 
  
27
 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man *
 and are at their wit’s end.
  
 
  
28
 So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble *
 he delivereth them out of their distress.
  
 
  
29
 For he maketh the storm to cease *
 so that the waves thereof are still.
  
 
  
30
 Then are they glad, because they are at rest *
 and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.
  
 
  
31
 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness *
 and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!
  
 
  
32
 That they would exalt him also in the congregation of the people *
 and praise him in the seat of the elders!
  
 
  
33
 Who turneth the floods into a wilderness *
 and drieth up the water-springs.
  
 
  
34
 A fruitful land maketh he barren *
 for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
  
 
  
35
 Again, he maketh the wilderness a standing water *
 and water-springs of a dry ground.
  
 
  
36
 And there he setteth the hungry *
 that they may build them a city to dwell in;
  
 
  
37
 That they may sow their land, and plant vineyards *
 to yield them fruits of increase.
  
 
  
38
 He blesseth them, so that they multiply exceedingly *
 and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
  
 
  
39
 And again, when they are minished, and brought low *
 through oppression, through any plague, or trouble;
  
 
  
40
 Though he suffer them to be evil intreated through tyrants *
 and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness;
  
 
  
41
 Yet helpeth he the poor out of misery *
 and maketh him households like a flock of sheep.
  
 
  
42
 The righteous will consider this, and rejoice *
 and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped.
  
 
  
43
 Whoso is wise will ponder these things *
 and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.
  
 
   
  At the end of each psalm these words are said or sung
   
  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
  and to the Holy Ghost;
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
  world without end. Amen.
   
  Old Testament Reading  
   

First Reading: Deuteronomy 19

 

When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
 And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;
 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

   
  Te Deum Laudamus  
   
  Either the Te Deum Laudamus (as follows) or Benedicite, omnia opera is said or sung.
   
  We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
  All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
  To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein.
  To thee cherubin and seraphin continually do cry,
  Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
  Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
  The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
  The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
  The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
  The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee:
  the Father of an infinite majesty;
  thine honourable, true and only Son;
  also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
   
  Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.
  Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
  When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
       thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
  When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
       thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
  Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
  We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.
  We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,
       whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
  Make them to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting.
   
  O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage.
  Govern them and lift them up for ever.
  Day by day we magnify thee;
  and we worship thy name, ever world without end.
  Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
  O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
  O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.
  O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.
   
  New Testament Reading  
   

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2.11-end

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

   
  Benedictus  
   
  Either The Benedictus (as follows) or Jubilate Deo (Psalm 100) is said or sung.
   
 
1
   Blessed be the Lord God of Israel :
  for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
   
 
2
   And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us :
  in the house of his servant David;
   
 
3
   As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets :
  which have been since the world began;
   
 
4
   That we should be saved from our enemies :
  and from the hands of all that hate us;
   
 
5
   To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers :
      and to remember his holy covenant;
       
 
6
   To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham :
      that he would give us,
       
 
7
   That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies :
      might serve him without fear,
       
 
8
   In holiness and righteousness before him :
      all the days of our life.
       
 
9
   And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest :
      for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
       
 
10
   To give knowledge of salvation unto his people :
      for the remission of their sins;
       
 
11
   Through the tender mercy of our God :
      whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;
       
 
12
   To give light to them that sit in darkness,
         and in the shadow of death :
      and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
     
Luke 1.68-79
   
  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
  and to the Holy Ghost;
  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
  world without end. Amen.
   
  The Apostles' Creed  
   
All
   I believe in God the Father almighty,
    maker of heaven and earth:
  and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
    who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
    born of the Virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, dead, and buried.
    He descended into hell;
    the third day he rose again from the dead;
    he ascended into heaven,
    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;
    from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
    I believe in the Holy Ghost;
    the holy catholic Church;
    the communion of saints;
    the forgiveness of sins;
    the resurrection of the body,
    and the life everlasting.
    Amen.
     
  Prayers  
     
    The Lord be with you.
All
   And with thy spirit.
     
    Let us pray.
     
    Lord, have mercy upon us.
All
   Christ, have mercy upon us.
    Lord, have mercy upon us.
     
All
   Our Father, which art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy name;
    thy kingdom come;
    thy will be done,
    in earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread.
    And forgive us our trespasses,
    as we forgive them that trespass against us.
    And lead us not into temptation;
    but deliver us from evil. Amen.
     
    O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
All
   And grant us thy salvation.
     
    O Lord, save the King.
All
   And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
     
    Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
All
   And make thy chosen people joyful.
     
    O Lord, save thy people.
All
   And bless thine inheritance.
     
    Give peace in our time, O Lord.
All
   Because there is none other that fighteth for us,
  but only thou, O God.
     
    O God, make clean our hearts within us.
All
   And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
     
  Three Collects are said.
     
The Collect of the Day  
     
    O almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
     
     
The Collect for Peace  
     
    O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord,
    in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life,
    whose service is perfect freedom;
    defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies;
    that we, surely trusting in thy defence,
    may not fear the power of any adversaries;
    through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
     
The Collect for Grace  
     
    O Lord, our heavenly Father,
    almighty and everlasting God,
    who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day;
    defend us in the same with thy mighty power;
    and grant that this day we fall into no sin,
    neither run into any kind of danger,
    but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance,
    to do always that is righteous in thy sight;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
     
  The order for the end of the service may include:
     
  hymns or anthems
    a sermon
    further prayers (which may include prayers from here)
     
  This prayer may be used to conclude the service
     
    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    and the love of God,
    and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,
    be with us all evermore.
All
   Amen.
   
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004
All of the official Common Worship publications are available from Church House Publishing.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2020.

After Sunday is a registered charity, number 1128086. Website development by Hiltonian Media.