Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Tuesday
Tuesday, 20 October 2026

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 Mercy and Truth

1O God, will you not give us life again, ♦
that your people may rejoice in you?

2Show us your mercy, O Lord, ♦
and grant us your salvation.

3Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, ♦
that his glory may dwell in our land.

4Mercy and truth are met together, ♦
righteousness and peace have kissed each other;

5Truth shall spring up from the earth ♦
and righteousness look down from heaven.

6Righteousness shall go before him ♦
and direct his steps in the way.

Psalm 85.6, 7, 9-11, 13

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 (134)

Refrain: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

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

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

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

Refrain: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Guard all your household, Lord,
through the dark night of faith,
and purify the hearts of those who wait on you,
until your kingdom dawns with the
rising of your Son,
Christ, the morning star.

Psalm 135

Refrain: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

1 Alleluia.
Praise the name of the Lord; ♦
give praise, you servants of the Lord,

2 You that stand in the house of the Lord, ♦
in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; ♦
make music to his name, for it is lovely.

4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself ♦
and Israel for his own possession. R

5 For I know that the Lord is great ♦
and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 The Lord does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth, ♦
in the seas and in all the deeps.

7 He brings up the clouds from the ends of the earth; ♦
he makes lightning with the rain
and brings the winds out of his treasuries.  R

8 He smote the firstborn of Egypt, ♦
the firstborn of man and beast.

9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, ♦
upon Pharaoh and all his servants.

10 He smote many nations ♦
and slew mighty kings:

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, the king of Bashan, ♦
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

12 He gave their land as a heritage, ♦
a heritage for Israel his people. R

13 Your name, O Lord, endures for ever ♦
and shall be remembered through all generations.

14 For the Lord will vindicate his people ♦
and have compassion on his servants. R

15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, ♦
the work of human hands.

16 They have mouths, but cannot speak; ♦
eyes have they, but cannot see;

17 They have ears, but cannot hear; ♦
neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 Those who make them shall become like them, ♦
and so will all who put their trust in them. R

19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel; ♦
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord.

20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi; ♦
you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion, ♦
who dwells in Jerusalem.
Alleluia.

Refrain: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

Wise and gracious God,
save us from the idols of our hearts
and keep us in your living presence,
that we may become a people for your praise
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

Ecclesiasticus 34.9-end

An educated person knows many things,
   and one with much experience knows what he is talking about.
An inexperienced person knows few things,
   but he that has travelled acquires much cleverness.
I have seen many things in my travels,
   and I understand more than I can express.
I have often been in danger of death,
   but have escaped because of these experiences.

The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live,
   for their hope is in him who saves them.
Those who fear the Lord will not be timid,
   or play the coward, for he is their hope.
Happy is the soul that fears the Lord!
   To whom does he look? And who is his support?
The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him,
   a mighty shield and strong support,
a shelter from scorching wind and a shade from noonday sun,
   a guard against stumbling and a help against falling.
He lifts up the soul and makes the eyes sparkle;
   he gives health and life and blessing.

If one sacrifices ill-gotten goods, the offering is blemished;
   the gifts of the lawless are not acceptable.
The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of the ungodly,
   nor for a multitude of sacrifices does he forgive sins.
Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes
   is the person who offers a sacrifice from the property of the poor.
The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;
   whoever deprives them of it is a murderer.
To take away a neighbour’s living is to commit murder;
   to deprive an employee of wages is to shed blood.

When one builds and another tears down,
   what do they gain but hard work?
When one prays and another curses,
   to whose voice will the Lord listen?
If one washes after touching a corpse, and touches it again,
   what has been gained by washing?
So if someone fasts for his sins,
   and goes again and does the same things,
who will listen to his prayer?
   And what has he gained by humbling himself?

or Ezekiel 37.15-end

Canticle

A Song of the Holy City, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 72 (page 630), may be said

Refrain:

AllI saw the holy city
coming down out of heaven from God. Alleluia.

1I saw a new heaven and a new earth, ♦
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away
and the sea was no more.

2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, ♦
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, ♦
‘Behold, the dwelling of God is among mortals.

4‘He will dwell with them and they shall be his peoples, ♦
and God himself will be with them.

5‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes, ♦
and death shall be no more.

6‘Neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain any more, ♦
for the former things have passed away.’

7And the One who sat upon the throne said, ♦
‘Behold, I make all things new.’

Revelation 21.1-5a

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.

AllI saw the holy city
coming down out of heaven from 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.

John 15.12-17

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.’

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

Open my eyes, O Lord
that I may see the wonders of your law.
AllOpen my eyes, O Lord
that I may see the wonders of your law.
Lead me in the path of your commandments
Allthat I may see the wonders of your law.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllOpen my eyes, O Lord
that I may see the wonders of your law.

from Psalm 119

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or Great and Wonderful (page 629) may be said

Refrain:

AllYou have mercy on those who fear you,
from generation to generation.

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 mercy on those who fear you,
from generation to generation.

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

¶ All who are sick in body, mind or spirit
¶ Those in the midst of famine or disaster
¶ Victims of abuse and violence, intolerance and prejudice
¶ Those who are bereaved
¶ All who work in the medical and healing professions

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, the giver of life,
whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church:
by the Spirit's gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ
      and make us eager to do your will,
that we may share with the whole creation
      the joys of eternal life;
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.