Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Friday
Friday, 9 June 2023
Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597 [Lesser Festival]
Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Hymn Writer, Teacher of the Faith, 373 [Commemoration]

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
AllBlessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of Entreaty

1Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and in your faithfulness give ear to my supplications; ♦
answer me in your righteousness.

2Enter not into judgement with your servant, ♦
for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3My spirit faints within me; ♦
my heart within me is desolate.

4I stretch out my hands to you; ♦
my soul gasps for you like a thirsty land.

5O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; ♦
hide not your face from me
lest I be like those who go down to the Pit.

6Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for in you I put my trust; ♦
show me the way I should walk in,
for I lift up my soul to you.

7Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; ♦
let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.

8Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; ♦
for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

Psalm 143.1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10, 11

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 22

Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, ♦
and are so far from my salvation,
from the words of my distress?

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime,
but you do not answer; ♦
and by night also, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are the Holy One, ♦
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

4 Our forebears trusted in you; ♦
they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 They cried out to you and were delivered; ♦
they put their trust in you and were not confounded. R

6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, ♦
scorned by all and despised by the people.

7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; ♦
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,

8 ‘He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; ♦
let him deliver him, if he delights in him.’

9 But it is you that took me out of the womb ♦
and laid me safe upon my mother’s breast.

10 On you was I cast ever since I was born; ♦
you are my God even from my mother’s womb.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near at hand ♦
and there is none to help. R

12 Mighty oxen come around me; ♦
fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.

13 They gape upon me with their mouths, ♦
as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint; ♦
my heart has become like wax
melting in the depths of my body.

15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd;
my tongue cleaves to my gums; ♦
you have laid me in the dust of death. R

16 For the hounds are all about me;
the pack of evildoers close in on me; ♦
they pierce my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones; ♦
they stand staring and looking upon me.

18 They divide my garments among them; ♦
they cast lots for my clothing.

19 Be not far from me, O Lord; ♦
you are my strength; hasten to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, ♦
my poor life from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth,
from the horns of wild oxen. ♦
You have answered me! R

22 I will tell of your name to my people; ♦
in the midst of the congregation will I praise you.

23 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; ♦
O seed of Jacob, glorify him;
stand in awe of him, O seed of Israel.

24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the suffering of the poor;
neither has he hidden his face from them; ♦
but when they cried to him he heard them.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; ♦
I will perform my vows
in the presence of those that fear you.

26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; ♦
those who seek the Lord shall praise him;
their hearts shall live for ever. R

27 All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the Lord, ♦
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s ♦
and he rules over the nations.

29 How can those who sleep in the earth
bow down in worship, ♦
or those who go down to the dust kneel before him?

30 He has saved my life for himself;
my descendants shall serve him; ♦
this shall be told of the Lord for generations to come.

31 They shall come and make known his salvation,
to a people yet unborn, ♦
declaring that he, the Lord, has done it.

Refrain: Be not far from me, O Lord.

Restless with grief and fear,
the abandoned turn to you:
in every hour of trial,
good Lord, deliver us,
O God most holy, God most strong,
whose wisdom is the cross of Christ.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Joshua 9.3-26

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning: they went and prepared provisions, and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes; and all their provisions were dry and mouldy. They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the Israelites, ‘We have come from a far country; so now make a treaty with us.’ But the Israelites said to the Hivites, ‘Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a treaty with you?’ They said to Joshua, ‘We are your servants.’ And Joshua said to them, ‘Who are you? And where do you come from?’ They said to him, ‘Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have heard a report of him, of all that he did in Egypt, and of all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, “Take provisions in your hand for the journey; go to meet them, and say to them, ‘We are your servants; come now, make a treaty with us.’ ” Here is our bread; it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey, on the day we set out to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and mouldy; these wineskins were new when we filled them, and see, they are burst; and these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.’ So the leaders partook of their provisions, and did not ask direction from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

But when three days had passed after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbours and were living among them. So the Israelites set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. But all the leaders said to all the congregation, ‘We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we must not touch them. This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath may not come upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.’ The leaders said to them, ‘Let them live.’ So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders had decided concerning them.

Joshua summoned them, and said to them, ‘Why did you deceive us, saying, “We are very far from you”, while in fact you are living among us? Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall always be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.’ They answered Joshua, ‘Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; so we were in great fear for our lives because of you, and did this thing. And now we are in your hand: do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.’ This is what he did for them: he saved them from the Israelites; and they did not kill them.

Canticle

A Song of the Justified, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 61 (page 619), may be said

Refrain:

AllOur hope is not in vain,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Alleluia.

1God reckons as righteous those who believe, ♦
who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;

2For Christ was handed over to death for our sins, ♦
and raised to life for our justification.

3Since we are justified by faith, ♦
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

4Through Christ we have gained access
to the grace in which we stand, ♦
and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.

5We even exult in our sufferings, ♦
for suffering produces endurance,

6And endurance brings hope, ♦
and our hope is not in vain,

7Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts, ♦
through the Holy Spirit, given to us.

8God proves his love for us: ♦
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

9Since we have been justified by his death, ♦
how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath.

10Therefore, we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ♦
in whom we have now received our reconciliation.

Romans 4.24, 25; 5.1-5, 8, 9, 11

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

AllOur hope is not in vain,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Luke 11.29-36

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!

‘No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar, but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.’

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Forsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.
AllForsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.
Make haste to help me,
O Lord of my salvation.
AllBe not far from me, O my God.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllForsake me not, O Lord;
be not far from me, O my God.

from Psalm 38

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or Saviour of the World (page 644) may be said

Refrain:

AllHow beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news and proclaim
the gospel of peace. Alleluia.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain:

AllHow beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news and proclaim
the gospel of peace. Alleluia.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

¶ The King, members of parliament and the armed forces
¶ Peace and justice in the world
¶ Those who work for reconciliation
¶ All whose lives are devastated by war and civil strife
¶ Prisoners, refugees and homeless people

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Almighty God,
who filled the heart of Columba
with the joy of the Holy Spirit
and with deep love for those in his care:
may your pilgrim people follow him,
strong in faith, sustained by hope,
and one in the love that binds us to you;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Conclusion

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

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.