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

8.04pm on Wednesday 15 April 2026

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
    Wednesday, 15 April 2026
  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 75

  
 

  
1
 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks *
 yea, unto thee do we give thanks.
  
 
  
2
 Thy Name also is so nigh *
 and that do thy wondrous works declare.
  
 
  
3
 When I receive the congregation *
 I shall judge according unto right.
  
 
  
4
 The earth is weak, and all the inhabiters thereof *
 I bear up the pillars of it.
  
 
  
5
 I said unto the fools, Deal not so madly *
 and to the ungodly, Set not up your horn.
  
 
  
6
 Set not up your horn on high *
 and speak not with a stiff neck.
  
 
  
7
 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west *
 nor yet from the south.
  
 
  
8
 And why? God is the Judge *
 he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
  
 
  
9
 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red *
 it is full mixed, and he poureth out of the same.
  
 
  
10
 As for the dregs thereof *
 all the ungodly of the earth shall drink them, and suck them out.
  
 
  
11
 But I will talk of the God of Jacob *
 and praise him for ever.
  
 
  
12
 All the horns of the ungodly also will I break *
 and the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
  
 

Psalm 76

  
 

  
1
 In Jewry is God known *
 his Name is great in Israel.
  
 
  
2
 At Salem is his tabernacle *
 and his dwelling in Sion.
  
 
  
3
 There brake he the arrows of the bow *
 the shield, the sword, and the battle.
  
 
  
4
 Thou art of more honour and might *
 than the hills of the robbers.
  
 
  
5
 The proud are robbed, they have slept their sleep *
 and all the men whose hands were mighty have found nothing.
  
 
  
6
 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob *
 both the chariot and horse are fallen.
  
 
  
7
 Thou, even thou art to be feared *
 and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry?
  
 
  
8
 Thou didst cause thy judgement to be heard from heaven *
 the earth trembled, and was still,
  
 
  
9
 When God arose to judgement *
 and to help all the meek upon earth.
  
 
  
10
 The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise *
 and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain.
  
 
  
11
 Promise unto the Lord your God, and keep it, all ye that are round about him *
 bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
  
 
  
12
 He shall refrain the spirit of princes *
 and is wonderful among the kings of the earth.
  
 

Psalm 77

  
 

  
1
 I will cry unto God with my voice *
 even unto God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me.
  
 
  
2
 In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord *
 my sore ran, and ceased not in the night-season; my soul refused comfort.
  
 
  
3
 When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God *
 when my heart is vexed, I will complain.
  
 
  
4
 Thou holdest mine eyes waking *
 I am so feeble, that I cannot speak.
  
 
  
5
 I have considered the days of old *
 and the years that are past.
  
 
  
6
 I call to remembrance my song *
 and in the night I commune with mine own heart, and search out my spirits.
  
 
  
7
 Will the Lord absent himself for ever *
 and will he be no more intreated?
  
 
  
8
 Is his mercy clean gone for ever *
 and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore?
  
 
  
9
 Hath God forgotten to be gracious *
 and will he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure?
  
 
  
10
 And I said, It is mine own infirmity *
 but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most Highest.
  
 
  
11
 I will remember the works of the Lord *
 and call to mind thy wonders of old time.
  
 
  
12
 I will think also of all thy works *
 and my talking shall be of thy doings.
  
 
  
13
 Thy way, O God, is holy *
 who is so great a God as our God?
  
 
  
14
 Thou art the God that doeth wonders *
 and hast declared thy power among the people.
  
 
  
15
 Thou hast mightily delivered thy people *
 even the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
  
 
  
16
 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee, and were afraid *
 the depths also were troubled.
  
 
  
17
 The clouds poured out water, the air thundered *
 and thine arrows went abroad.
  
 
  
18
 The voice of thy thunder was heard round about *
 the lightnings shone upon the ground; the earth was moved, and shook withal.
  
 
  
19
 Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters *
 and thy footsteps are not known.
  
 
  
20
 Thou leddest thy people like sheep *
 by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
  
 
   
  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: Exodus 16.11-end

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.
 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
 And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
 So the people rested on the seventh day.
 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
 And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.
 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

   
  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: Colossians 2.1-15

 

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

   
  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  
     
    Almighty Father, who has given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may alway serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same thy Son 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.