Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Sunday
Sunday, 26 July 2026
The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

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 Worship

1Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, ♦
you that by night stand in the house of the Lord.

2Lift up your hands towards the sanctuary ♦
and bless the Lord.

3The Lord who made heaven and earth ♦
give you blessing out of Zion.

Psalm 134

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 75

Refrain: God alone is judge.

1 We give you thanks, O God, we give you thanks, ♦
for your name is near, as your wonderful deeds declare.

2 ‘I will seize the appointed time; ♦
I, the Lord, will judge with equity.

3 ‘Though the earth reels and all that dwell in her, ♦
it is I that hold her pillars steady.

4 ‘To the boasters I say, “Boast no longer,” ♦
and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn.

5 ‘ “Do not lift up your horn on high; ♦
do not speak with a stiff neck.” ’ R

6 For neither from the east nor from the west, ♦
nor yet from the wilderness comes exaltation.

7 But God alone is judge; ♦
he puts down one and raises up another.

8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, ♦
well mixed and full of foaming wine.

9 He pours it out for all the wicked of the earth; ♦
they shall drink it, and drain the dregs. R

10 But I will rejoice for ever ♦
and make music to the God of Jacob.

11 All the horns of the wicked will I break, ♦
but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Refrain: God alone is judge.

Judge of all the earth,
restrain the ambition of the proud
and establish among us the reign of the Messiah,
who drained for us the cup of judgement
and is alive with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

[

Psalm 76

Refrain: The Lord has made fast his throne for judgement.

1 In Judah God is known; ♦
his name is great in Israel.

2 At Salem is his tabernacle, ♦
and his dwelling place in Zion.

3 There broke he the flashing arrows of the bow, ♦
the shield, the sword and the weapons of war. R

4 In the light of splendour you appeared, ♦
glorious from the eternal mountains.

5 The boastful were plundered; they have slept their sleep; ♦
none of the warriors can lift their hand.

6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, ♦
both horse and chariot fell stunned. R

7 Terrible are you in majesty: ♦
who can stand before your face when you are angry?

8 You caused your judgement to be heard from heaven; ♦
the earth trembled and was still,

9 When God arose to judgement, ♦
to save all the meek upon earth. R

10 You crushed the wrath of the peoples ♦
and bridled the wrathful remnant.

11 Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it; ♦
let all who are round about him bring gifts
to him that is worthy to be feared.

12 He breaks down the spirit of princes ♦
and strikes terror in the kings of the earth.

Refrain: The Lord has made fast his throne for judgement.

Majestic and gracious God,
more awesome than the agents of war,
more powerful than the wrath of nations,
restrain the violence of the peoples
and draw the despised of the earth
into the joyful life of your kingdom,
where you live and reign for ever and ever.

]

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.

1 Kings 6.11-14, 23-end

Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, ‘Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, obey my ordinances, and keep all my commandments by walking in them, then I will establish my promise with you, which I made to your father David. I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.’

So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house; the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one was touching one wall, and a wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall; their other wings towards the centre of the house were touching wing to wing. He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

He carved the walls of the house all round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. The floor of the house he overlaid with gold, in the inner and outer rooms.

For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided. He covered the two doors of olive wood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; he overlaid them with gold, and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olive wood, each four-sided, and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, overlaying them with gold evenly applied upon the carved work. He built the inner court with three courses of dressed stone to one course of cedar beams.

In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

Canticle

A Song of the Lamb, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 62 (page 620) or number 74 (page 632), may be said

Refrain:

AllLet us rejoice and exult
and give glory and homage to our God. Alleluia.

1Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, ♦
whose judgements are true and just.

2Praise our God, all you his servants, ♦
all who fear him, both small and great.

3The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns: ♦
let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.

4For the marriage of the Lamb has come ♦
and his bride has made herself ready.

5Blessed are those who are invited ♦
to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.

Revelation 19.1b, 2a, 5b, 6b, 7, 9b

AllTo the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb ♦
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.

AllLet us rejoice and exult
and give glory and homage to our God. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Acts 12.1-17

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, ‘Tell this to James and to the believers.’ Then he left and went to another place.

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

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
the Lord is the strength of my life.
AllThe Lord is my light and my salvation;
the Lord is the strength of my life.
The light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it.
AllThe Lord is the strength of my life.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllThe Lord is my light and my salvation;
the Lord is the strength of my life.

from Psalm 27 and John 1

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or the Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon) (page 613) may be said

Refrain:

AllYou have done great things, O God,
and holy is your name.

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 done great things, O God,
and holy is your name.

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 universal Church
¶ Bishops, synods and all who lead the Church
¶ The leaders of the nations
¶ The natural world and the resources of the earth
¶ All who are in any kind of need

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 Lord and everlasting God,
we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern
      both our hearts and bodies
in the ways of your laws
      and the works of your commandments;
that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
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.