26th December 2025 Evening Prayer

The Psalter

Psalm 30

Exaltabo te, Domine

I WILL magnify thee, O LORD; for thou hast set me up, * and not made my foes to triumph over me.

O LORD my God, I cried unto thee; * and thou hast healed me.

Thou, LORD, hast brought my soul out of hell: * thou hast kept my life, that I should not go down into the pit.

Sing praises unto the LORD, O ye saints of his; * and give thanks unto him, for a remembrance of his holiness.

For his wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye, and in his pleasure is life; * heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be removed: * thou, LORD, of thy goodness, hast made my hill so strong.

Thou didst turn thy face from me, * and I was troubled.

Then cried I unto thee, O LORD; * and gat me to my LORD right humbly.

What profit is there in my blood, * when I go down into the pit?

Shall the dust give thanks unto thee? * or shall it declare thy truth?

Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me; * LORD, be thou my helper.

Thou hast turned my heaviness into joy; * thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness:

Therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing. * O my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Psalm 31

In te, Domine, speravi

IN thee, O LORD, have I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion; * deliver me in thy righteousness.

Bow down thine ear to me; * make haste to deliver me.

And be thou my strong rock, and house of defence, * that thou mayest save me.

For thou art my strong rock, and my castle: * be thou also my guide, and lead me for thy Name's sake.

Draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me; * for thou art my strength.

Into thy hands I commend my spirit; * for thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, thou God of truth.

The First Lesson

Wisdom4:7-15

But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.

There was one who pleased God and was loved by him,

The Second Lesson

Acts7:59-

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

And there was great joy in that city.

Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (December 26)

Grant, O Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succour all those who suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

The Nativity of our Lord, or the Birthday of Christ, commonly called Christmas Day.

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.