Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Monday
Monday, 25 May 2026
The Venerable Bede, Monk at Jarrow, Scholar, Historian, 735 [Lesser Festival]
Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne, 709 [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 God’s Greatness

1Bless the Lord, O my soul. ♦
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!

2You are clothed with majesty and honour, ♦
wrapped in light as in a garment.

3The sun knows the time for its setting. ♦
You make darkness that it may be night.

4O Lord, how manifold are your works! ♦
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

5When you send forth your spirit, they are created, ♦
and you renew the face of the earth.

6May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; ♦
may the Lord rejoice in his works;

7I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; ♦
I will make music to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 104.1, 2, 21b ,22a, 26, 32, 33, 35

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 127

Refrain: The Lord shall keep watch over your going out
and your coming in.

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, ♦
those who build it labour in vain.

2 Unless the Lord keeps the city, ♦
the guard keeps watch in vain.

3 It is in vain that you hasten to rise up early
and go so late to rest, eating the bread of toil, ♦
for he gives his beloved sleep. R

4 Children are a heritage from the Lord ♦
and the fruit of the womb is his gift.

5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, ♦
so are the children of one’s youth.

6 Happy are those who have their quiver full of them: ♦
they shall not be put to shame
when they dispute with their enemies in the gate.

Refrain: The Lord shall keep watch over your going out
and your coming in.

Lord, you are ever watchful
and bless us with your gifts;
as you provide for all our needs,
so help us to build only what pleases you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 128

Refrain: How abundant is your goodness, O Lord.

1 Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, ♦
and walk in his ways.

2 You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; ♦
it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be. R

3 Your wife within your house
shall be like a fruitful vine; ♦
your children round your table,
like fresh olive branches.

4 Thus shall the one be blest ♦
who fears the Lord. R

5 The Lord from out of Zion bless you, ♦
that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity
all the days of your life.

6 May you see your children’s children, ♦
and may there be peace upon Israel.

Refrain: How abundant is your goodness, O Lord.

O Christ, our true vine,
may we your branches
be ever fruitful in your service
and share your love and peace with all your children,
in the power of the Spirit and to the glory of the Father.

Psalm 129

Refrain: The Lord ransoms the life of his servants.

1 ‘Many a time have they fought against me from my youth,’ ♦
may Israel now say;

2 ‘Many a time have they fought against me from my youth, ♦
but they have not prevailed against me.’

3 The ploughers ploughed upon my back ♦
and made their furrows long.

4 But the righteous Lord ♦
has cut the cords of the wicked in pieces. R

5 Let them be put to shame and turned backwards, ♦
as many as are enemies of Zion.

6 Let them be like grass upon the housetops, ♦
which withers before it can grow,

7 So that no reaper may fill his hand, ♦
nor a binder of sheaves his bosom;

8 And none who go by may say,
‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you. ♦
We bless you in the name of the Lord.’

Refrain: The Lord ransoms the life of his servants.

Jesus our redeemer,
you bore the cut of the lash
for us and our salvation;
help us to bear our sufferings
and to share in the affliction
of all who suffer for your holy name.

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.

2 Chronicles 17.1-12

His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him, and strengthened himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had taken. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father; he did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honour. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord; and furthermore he removed the high places and the sacred poles from Judah.

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. With them were the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the Lord with them; they went around through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; and the Arabs also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats. Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah.

Canticle

A Song of God’s Grace, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 58 (page 615), may be said

Refrain:

AllThe glorious grace of God
is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Alleluia.

1Blessed are you,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ♦
for you have blest us in Christ Jesus
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

2You chose us to be yours in Christ
before the foundation of the world, ♦
that we should be holy and blameless before you.

3In love you destined us for adoption as your children,
through Jesus Christ, ♦
according to the purpose of your will,

4To the praise of your glorious grace, ♦
which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

5In you, we have redemption
through the blood of Christ, ♦
the forgiveness of our sins,

6According to the riches of your grace, ♦
which you have lavished upon us.

7You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, ♦
the mystery of your will,

8According to your purpose
which you set forth in Christ, ♦
as a plan for the fullness of time,

9To unite all things in Christ, ♦
things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 1.3-10

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.

AllThe glorious grace of God
is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Romans 1.1-17

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish — hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’

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

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
and be not wise in your own sight.
AllTrust in the Lord with all your heart;
and be not wise in your own sight.
In all your ways acknowledge him
and he will make straight your paths.
AllTrust in the Lord with all your heart.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
AllTrust in the Lord with all your heart;
and be not wise in your own sight.

from Proverbs 3

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of the Blessed (page 606) may be said

Refrain:

AllYou have left all things and followed me:
you will be rewarded a hundred times over and gain eternal life. 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:

AllYou have left all things and followed me:
you will be rewarded a hundred times over and gain eternal life. 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 media and the arts
¶ Farming and fishing
¶ Commerce and industry
¶ Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful or fraught with danger
¶ All who are unemployed

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

God our maker,
whose Son Jesus Christ gave to your servant Bede
grace to drink in with joy the word
      that leads us to know you and to love you:
in your goodness
grant that we also may come at length to you,
the source of all wisdom,
and stand before your face;
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.