Your donation helps keep the Cathedral open to God, open to all

No, I'd prefer to donate another time

Menu

Evening Prayer (Evensong) 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.

    Evening Prayer from
    The Book of Common Prayer
    Tuesday, 7 May 2024
  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.
  Evening 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.
     
  Psalmody  
   

Psalm 37

  
 

  
1
 Fret not thyself because of the ungodly *
 neither be thou envious against the evil doers.
  
 
  
2
 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass *
 and be withered even as the green herb.
  
 
  
3
 Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good *
 dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
  
 
  
4
 Delight thou in the Lord *
 and he shall give thee thy heart’s desire.
  
 
  
5
 Commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in him *
 and he shall bring it to pass.
  
 
  
6
 He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light *
 and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
  
 
  
7
 Hold thee still in the Lord, and abide patiently upon him *
 but grieve not thyself at him, whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.
  
 
  
8
 Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure *
 fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
  
 
  
9
 Wicked doers shall be rooted out *
 and they that patiently abide the Lord, those shall inherit the land.
  
 
  
10
 Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone *
 thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.
  
 
  
11
 But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth *
 and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
  
 
  
12
 The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just *
 and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
  
 
  
13
 The Lord shall laugh him to scorn *
 for he hath seen that his day is coming.
  
 
  
14
 The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow *
 to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as are of a right conversation.
  
 
  
15
 Their sword shall go through their own heart *
 and their bow shall be broken.
  
 
  
16
 A small thing that the righteous hath *
 is better than great riches of the ungodly.
  
 
  
17
 For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken *
 and the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
  
 
  
18
 The Lord knoweth the days of the godly *
 and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
  
 
  
19
 They shall not be confounded in the perilous time *
 and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.
  
 
  
20
 As for the ungodly, they shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord shall consume as the fat of lambs *
 yea, even as the smoke, shall they consume away.
  
 
  
21
 The ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again *
 but the righteous is merciful, and liberal.
  
 
  
22
 Such as are blessed of God shall possess the land *
 and they that are cursed of him shall be rooted out.
  
 
  
23
 The Lord ordereth a good man’s going *
 and maketh his way acceptable to himself.
  
 
  
24
 Though he fall, he shall not be cast away *
 for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
  
 
  
25
 I have been young, and now am old *
 and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.
  
 
  
26
 The righteous is ever merciful, and lendeth *
 and his seed is blessed.
  
 
  
27
 Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good *
 and dwell for evermore.
  
 
  
28
 For the Lord loveth the thing that is right *
 he forsaketh not his that be godly, but they are preserved for ever.
  
 
  
29
 The unrighteous shall be punished *
 as for the seed of the ungodly, it shall be rooted out.
  
 
  
30
 The righteous shall inherit the land *
 and dwell therein for ever.
  
 
  
31
 The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom *
 and his tongue will be talking of judgement.
  
 
  
32
 The law of his God is in his heart *
 and his goings shall not slide.
  
 
  
33
 The ungodly seeth the righteous *
 and seeketh occasion to slay him.
  
 
  
34
 The Lord will not leave him in his hand *
 nor condemn him when he is judged.
  
 
  
35
 Hope thou in the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall promote thee, that thou shalt possess the land *
 when the ungodly shall perish, thou shalt see it.
  
 
  
36
 I myself have seen the ungodly in great power *
 and flourishing like a green bay tree.
  
 
  
37
 I went by, and lo, he was gone *
 I sought him, but his place could no where be found.
  
 
  
38
 Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right *
 for that shall bring a man peace at the last.
  
 
  
39
 As for the transgressors, they shall perish together *
 and the end of the ungodly is, they shall be rooted out at the last.
  
 
  
40
 But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord *
 who is also their strength in the time of trouble.
  
 
  
41
 And the Lord shall stand by them, and save them *
 he shall deliver them from the ungodly, and shall save them, because they put their trust in him.
  
 
     
    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: Deuteronomy 28.1-14

 

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.
 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.
 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

       
  Magnificat  
     
    Either the Magnificat (as follows) or Cantate Domino (Psalm 98) is said or sung.
     
1
   My soul doth magnify the Lord :
    and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
     
2
   For he hath regarded :
    the lowliness of his handmaiden.
     
3
   For behold, from henceforth :
    all generations shall call me blessed.
     
4
   For he that is mighty hath magnified me :
    and holy is his Name.
     
5
   And his mercy is on them that fear him :
    throughout all generations.
     
6
   He hath shewed strength with his arm :
    he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
     
7
   He hath put down the mighty from their seat :
    and hath exalted the humble and meek.
     
8
   He hath filled the hungry with good things :
    and the rich he hath sent empty away.
     
9
   He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :
    as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
   
Luke 1.46-55
     
    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.
     
  New Testament Reading  
 
   

Second Reading: 1 Peter 4.12-end

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

     
  Nunc dimittis  
     
    Either the Nunc dimittis (as follows) or Deus misereatur (Psalm 67) is said or sung.
     
1
   Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :
    according to thy word.
     
2
   For mine eyes have seen :
    thy salvation;
     
3
   Which thou hast prepared :
    before the face of all people;
     
4
   To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :
    and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
   
Luke 2.29-32
     
    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  
     
    O Lord, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ.
All
   Amen.
     
     
  The 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 both, 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.
All
   Amen.
     
  The Collect for Aid against all 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.
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.