Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Monday
Monday, 15 June 2026
Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941 [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 47

Refrain: O sing praises to God, sing praises.

1 Clap your hands together, all you peoples; ♦
O sing to God with shouts of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared; ♦
he is the great King over all the earth.

3 He subdued the peoples under us ♦
and the nations under our feet.

4 He has chosen our heritage for us, ♦
the pride of Jacob, whom he loves. R

5 God has gone up with a merry noise, ♦
the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.

6 O sing praises to God, sing praises; ♦
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth; ♦
sing praises with all your skill. R

8 God reigns over the nations; ♦
God has taken his seat upon his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the peoples are gathered together ♦
with the people of the God of Abraham.

10 For the powers of the earth belong to God ♦
and he is very highly exalted.

Refrain: O sing praises to God, sing praises.

As Christ was raised by your glory, O Father,
so may we be raised to new life
and rejoice to be called your children,
both now and for ever.

Psalm 49

Refrain: Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

1 Hear this, all you peoples; ♦
listen, all you that dwell in the world,

2 You of low or high degree, ♦
both rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom ♦
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a parable; ♦
I will unfold my riddle with the lyre. R

5 Why should I fear in evil days, ♦
when the malice of my foes surrounds me,

6 Such as trust in their goods ♦
and glory in the abundance of their riches?

7 For no one can indeed ransom another ♦
or pay to God the price of deliverance.

8 To ransom a soul is too costly; ♦
there is no price one could pay for it,

9 So that they might live for ever, ♦
and never see the grave.

10 For we see that the wise die also;
with the foolish and ignorant they perish ♦
and leave their riches to others.

11 Their tomb is their home for ever,
their dwelling through all generations, ♦
though they call their lands after their own names.

12 Those who have honour, but lack understanding, ♦
are like the beasts that perish. R

13 Such is the way of those who boast in themselves, ♦
the end of those who delight in their own words.

14 Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die;
death is their shepherd; ♦
they go down straight to the Pit.

15 Their beauty shall waste away, ♦
and the land of the dead shall be their dwelling.

16 But God shall ransom my soul; ♦
from the grasp of death will he take me. R

17 Be not afraid if some grow rich ♦
and the glory of their house increases,

18 For they will carry nothing away when they die, ♦
nor will their glory follow after them.

19 Though they count themselves happy while they live ♦
and praise you for your success,

20 They shall enter the company of their ancestors ♦
who will nevermore see the light.

21 Those who have honour, but lack understanding, ♦
are like the beasts that perish.

Refrain: Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

Save us from envy, God our Redeemer,
and deliver us from the chains of wealth,
that, ransomed through your Son,
we may inherit the crown of everlasting life;
through 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.

Ezra 1

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom, and also in a written edict declared:

‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem; and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’

The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—got ready to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbours aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely offered. King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. King Cyrus of Persia had them released into the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. And this was the inventory: gold basins, thirty; silver basins, one thousand; knives, twenty-nine; gold bowls, thirty; other silver bowls, four hundred and ten; other vessels, one thousand; the total of the gold and silver vessels was five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar brought up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

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 9.1-18

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but ‘It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named after you.’ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise said, ‘About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.’ Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac. Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, not by works but by his call) she was told, ‘The elder shall serve the younger.’ As it is written,
‘I have loved Jacob,
   but I have hated Esau.’

What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses,
‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
   and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’
So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomsoever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomsoever he chooses.

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:

AllMy spirit rejoices in you, O God,
my soul proclaims your greatness.

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:

AllMy spirit rejoices in you, O God,
my soul proclaims your greatness.

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

Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ's sake,
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.