13th August 2025 Evening Prayer

The Psalter

LORD, what love have I unto thy law! * all the day long is my study in it.

Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies; * for they are ever with me.

I have more understanding than my teachers; * for thy testimonies are my study.

I am wiser than the aged; * because I keep thy commandments.

I have refrained my feet from every evil way, * that I may keep thy word.

I have not shrunk from thy judgments; * for thou teachest me.

O how sweet are thy words unto my throat; * yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth!

Through thy commandments I get understanding: * therefore I hate all evil ways.

THY word is a lantern unto my feet, * and a light unto my paths.

I have sworn, and am stedfastly purposed, * to keep thy righteous judgments.

I am troubled above measure: * quicken me, O LORD, according to thy word.

Let the free-will offerings of my mouth please thee, O LORD; * and teach me thy judgments.

My soul is alway in my hand; * yet do I not forget thy law.

The ungodly have laid a snare for me; * but yet I swerved not from thy commandments.

Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever; * and why? they are the very joy of my heart.

I have applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes alway, * even unto the end.

Psalm 117

Laudate Dominum

O PRAISE the LORD, all ye nations; * praise him, all ye peoples.

For his merciful kindness is ever more and more toward us; * and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise the LORD.

The First Lesson

Dan6:16-23

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

The Second Lesson

Acts27:9-26

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.