Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer
Thursday, 29 May 2025
Ascension Day

Preparation

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

Your throne has been established from of old;
Allyou are from everlasting. Alleluia.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A Song of the King’s Glory (page 553), an Ascension hymn, or this prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the darkness of death you have raised your Christ
to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith, his passion accomplished,
has opened for us the way to heaven
and sends on us the promised Spirit.
May we be ready to follow the Way
and so be brought to the glory of his presence
where songs of triumph for ever sound:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

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 8

A second version of Psalm 8 can be found here.

1 O Lord our governor, ♦
how glorious is your name in all the world!

2 Your majesty above the heavens is praised ♦
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.

3 You have founded a stronghold against your foes, ♦
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.

4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, ♦
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,

5 What is man, that you should be mindful of him; ♦
the son of man, that you should seek him out?

6 You have made him little lower than the angels ♦
and crown him with glory and honour.

7 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands ♦
and put all things under his feet,

8 All sheep and oxen, ♦
even the wild beasts of the field,

9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea ♦
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.

10 O Lord our governor, ♦
how glorious is your name in all the world!

We bless you, master of the heavens,
for the wonderful order which enfolds this world;
grant that your whole creation
may find fulfilment in the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ our Saviour.

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.

Song of the Three 29-37

‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,
   and to be praised and highly exalted for ever;
And blessed is your glorious, holy name,
   and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
   and to be extolled and highly glorified for ever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim,
   and to be praised and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
   and to be extolled and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
   and to be sung and glorified for ever.

‘Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;
   sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens;
   sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord;
   sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

or 2 Kings 2.1-15

Canticle

The following, or another suitable canticle, may be said or sung

Refrain:

AllChrist was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.

1Christ Jesus was revealed in the flesh ♦
and vindicated in the spirit.

2He was seen by angels ♦
and proclaimed among the nations.

3Believed in throughout the world, ♦
he was taken up in glory.

4This will be made manifest at the proper time ♦
by the blessed and only Sovereign,

5Who alone has immortality, ♦
and dwells in unapproachable light.

1 Timothy 3.16; 6.15, 16

AllTo the King of kings and Lord of lords ♦
be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.

AllChrist was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Revelation 5

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
   saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;
you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,
   and they will reign on earth.’

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honour and glory and blessing!’
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might
for ever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.

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

Sing to the Lord and bless his name;
Alltell out his salvation from day to day.
God has gone up with a merry noise;
Allsing to the Lord and bless his name.
The Lord with the sound of the trumpet:
Alltell out his salvation from day to day.
He has led captivity captive, and given gifts to his people.
AllSing to the Lord and bless his name;
tell out his salvation from day to day.

from Psalms 47 and 68

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is said

Refrain:

AllI have made your name known to those you have given me;
and now I pray for them, for I am coming to you. 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:

AllI have made your name known to those you have given me;
and now I pray for them, for I am coming to you. 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 364–365

¶ God’s royal priesthood, for empowerment by the Spirit
¶ Those who wait on God, that they may find renewal
¶ All people, that they may acknowledge the kingdom of the ascended Christ
¶ The earth, for productivity and for fruitful harvests
¶ All who are struggling with broken relationships

A form of prayer found on page 383 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

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens,
so we in heart and mind may also ascend
and with him continually dwell;
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

Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
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)

Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
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

May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
AllAmen.

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