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8.51pm on Wednesday 18 March 2026

Morning Prayer (Matins) in Traditional Language

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   Morning Prayer from
    The Book of Common Prayer
    Tuesday, 17 March 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 86

  
 

  
1
 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me *
 for I am poor, and in misery.
  
 
  
2
 Preserve thou my soul, for I am holy *
 my God, save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee.
  
 
  
3
 Be merciful unto me, O Lord *
 for I will call daily upon thee.
  
 
  
4
 Comfort the soul of thy servant *
 for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
  
 
  
5
 For thou, Lord, art good and gracious *
 and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
  
 
  
6
 Give ear, Lord, unto my prayer *
 and ponder the voice of my humble desires.
  
 
  
7
 In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee *
 for thou hearest me.
  
 
  
8
 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord *
 there is not one that can do as thou doest.
  
 
  
9
 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee, O Lord *
 and shall glorify thy Name.
  
 
  
10
 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things *
 thou art God alone.
  
 
  
11
 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth *
 O knit my heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name.
  
 
  
12
 I will thank thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart *
 and will praise thy Name for evermore.
  
 
  
13
 For great is thy mercy toward me *
 and thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell.
  
 
  
14
 O God, the proud are risen against me *
 and the congregations of naughty men have sought after my soul, and have not set thee before their eyes.
  
 
  
15
 But thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion and mercy *
 long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and truth.
  
 
  
16
 O turn thee then unto me, and have mercy upon me *
 give thy strength unto thy servant, and help the son of thine handmaid.
  
 
  
17
 Shew some token upon me for good, that they who hate me may see it, and be ashamed *
 because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
  
 

Psalm 87

  
 

  
1
 Her foundations are upon the holy hills *
 the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
  
 
  
2
 Very excellent things are spoken of thee *
 thou city of God.
  
 
  
3
 I will think upon Rahab and Babylon *
 with them that know me.
  
 
  
4
 Behold ye the Philistines also *
 and they of Tyre, with the Morians; lo, there was he born.
  
 
  
5
 And of Sion it shall be reported that he was born in her *
 and the most High shall stablish her.
  
 
  
6
 The Lord shall rehearse it when he writeth up the people *
 that he was born there.
  
 
  
7
 The singers also and trumpeters shall he rehearse *
 All my fresh springs shall be in thee.
  
 

Psalm 88

  
 

  
1
 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee *
 O let my prayer enter into thy presence, incline thine ear unto my calling.
  
 
  
2
 For my soul is full of trouble *
 and my life draweth nigh unto hell.
  
 
  
3
 I am counted as one of them that go down into the pit *
 and I have been even as a man that hath no strength.
  
 
  
4
 Free among the dead, like unto them that are wounded, and lie in the grave *
 who are out of remembrance, and are cut away from thy hand.
  
 
  
5
 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit *
 in a place of darkness, and in the deep.
  
 
  
6
 Thine indignation lieth hard upon me *
 and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms.
  
 
  
7
 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me *
 and made me to be abhorred of them.
  
 
  
8
 I am so fast in prison *
 that I cannot get forth.
  
 
  
9
 My sight faileth for very trouble *
 Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched forth my hands unto thee.
  
 
  
10
 Dost thou shew wonders among the dead *
 or shall the dead rise up again, and praise thee?
  
 
  
11
 Shall thy loving-kindness be shewed in the grave *
 or thy faithfulness in destruction?
  
 
  
12
 Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark *
 and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten?
  
 
  
13
 Unto thee have I cried, O Lord *
 and early shall my prayer come before thee.
  
 
  
14
 Lord, why abhorrest thou my soul *
 and hidest thou thy face from me?
  
 
  
15
 I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die *
 even from my youth up thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind.
  
 
  
16
 Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me *
 and the fear of thee hath undone me.
  
 
  
17
 They came round about me daily like water *
 and compassed me together on every side.
  
 
  
18
 My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me *
 and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight.
  
 
   
  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 2.23 - 3.20

And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

 

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

   
  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: Hebrews 9.15-end

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

   
  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  
     
    Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; 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.
   
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