THE ORDER FOR EVENING PRAYER

Sentences of Scripture.

O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him. Psalm xcvi. 9.
 
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm xix. 14.

  General Confession & Absolution

              O Lord, open thou our lips.
Answer. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.

              Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Minister. Praise ye the Lord.
Answer. The Lord's Name be praised.
 

The First Lesson

Isaiah 49:1-6

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

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Gloria in excelsis.

GLORY be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
 

The Psalter

Psalm 102:15

The One Hundred Second Psalm

Domine, exaudi.

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HEAR my prayer, O LORD, * and let my crying come unto thee.

Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble; * incline thine ear unto me when I call; O hear me, and that right soon.

For my days are consumed away like smoke, * and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand.

My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass; * so that I forget to eat my bread.

For the voice of my groaning, * my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh.

I am become like a pelican in the wilderness, * and like an owl that is in the desert.

I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow, * that sitteth alone upon the housetop.

Mine enemies revile me all the day long; * and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me.

For I have eaten ashes as it were bread, * and mingled my drink with weeping;

And that, because of thine indignation and wrath; * for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down.

My days are gone like a shadow, * and I am withered like grass.

But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever, * and thy remembrance throughout all generations.

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion; * for it is time that thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come.

And why? thy servants think upon her stones, * and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.

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vs 15 The nations shall fear thy Name, O LORD; * and all the kings of the earth thy majesty;

When the LORD shall build up Sion, * and when his glory shall appear;

When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute, * and despiseth not their desire.

This shall be written for those that come after, * and the people which shall be born shall praise the LORD.

For he hath looked down from his sanctuary; * out of the heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

That he might hear the mournings of such as are in captivity, * and deliver them that are appointed unto death;

That they may declare the Name of the LORD in Sion, * and his worship at Jerusalem;

When the peoples are gathered together, * and the kingdoms also, to serve the LORD.

He brought down my strength in my journey, * and shortened my days.

But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age; * as for thy years, they endure throughout all generations.

Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, * and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: * they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed; * but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

The children of thy servants shall continue, * and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.

Psalm 117

The One Hundred Seventeenth Psalm

Laudate Dominum.

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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.

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Magnificat. St. Luke i. 46.

MY soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me; * and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; * and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel; * as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed, for ever.

  Cantate Domino       Bonum est confiteri

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 Second Lesson

I Corinthians 4:1-16

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

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Nunc Dimittis. St. Luke ii. 29.

LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, * according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen * thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared * before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, * and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

  Deus misereatur       Benedic, anima mea

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.

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.

              The Lord be with you.
Answer. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Let us pray.

The Lord's Prayer.

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Minister. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
Minister. O Lord, save the State.
Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Minister. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful.
Minister. O Lord, save thy people.
Answer. And bless thine inheritance.
Minister. Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Answer. For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.
Minister. O God, make clean our hearts within us.
Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
 

The Collect

St. Andrew the Apostle

ALMIGHTY God, who didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him without delay; Grant unto us all, that we, being called by thy holy Word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Peace.

O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

A Collect for Aid against Perils.

LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.


  A Prayer for the President of the United States

A Prayer for the Clergy and People.

Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift; Send down upon our Bishops, and other Clergy, and upon the Congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and, that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for All Conditions of Men.

O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [* especially those for whom our prayers are desired;] that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities; giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

  A General Thanksgiving       A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

2 Cor. xiii. 14.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Here endeth the Order of Evening Prayer.