Morning Prayer (Matins) in Contemporary Language

Blessed are you, sovereign God,
creator of heaven and earth,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your living Word, eternal in heaven,
assumed the frailty of our mortal flesh,
may the light of your love be born in us
to fill our hearts with joy as we sing:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

a suitable hymn, or A Song of the Bride

1I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, ♦
my soul shall exult in my God;

2Who has clothed me with the garments of salvation, ♦
and has covered me with the cloak of integrity,

3As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, ♦
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

4For as the earth puts forth her blossom, ♦
and as seeds in the garden spring up,

5So shall God make righteousness and praise ♦
blossom before all the nations.

6For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, ♦
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest

7Until her deliverance shines out like the dawn, ♦
and her salvation as a burning torch.

8The nations shall see your deliverance, ♦
and all rulers shall see your glory;

9Then you shall be called by a new name ♦
which the mouth of God will give.

10You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, ♦
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Isaiah 61.10,11; 62.1-3

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

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 111

Refrain: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

1 Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, ♦
in the company of the faithful and in the congregation.

2 The works of the Lord are great, ♦
sought out by all who delight in them.

3 His work is full of majesty and honour ♦
and his righteousness endures for ever.

4 He appointed a memorial for his marvellous deeds; ♦
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. R

5 He gave food to those who feared him; ♦
he is ever mindful of his covenant.

6 He showed his people the power of his works ♦
in giving them the heritage of the nations.

7 The works of his hands are truth and justice; ♦
all his commandments are sure. R

8 They stand fast for ever and ever; ♦
they are done in truth and equity.

9 He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; ♦
holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
a good understanding have those who live by it; ♦
his praise endures for ever.

Refrain: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

Gracious God, you are full of compassion;
may we who long for your kingdom to come
rejoice to do your will
and acknowledge your power alone to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 112

Refrain: The righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.

1 Alleluia.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord ♦
and have great delight in his commandments.

2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land, ♦
a generation of the faithful that will be blest.

3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, ♦
and their righteousness endures for ever.

4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; ♦
gracious and full of compassion are the righteous. R

5 It goes well with those who are generous in lending ♦
and order their affairs with justice,

6 For they will never be shaken; ♦
the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.

7 They will not be afraid of any evil tidings; ♦
their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. R

8 Their heart is sustained and will not fear, ♦
until they see the downfall of their foes.

9 They have given freely to the poor;
their righteousness stands fast for ever; ♦
their head will be exalted with honour.

10 The wicked shall see it and be angry;
they shall gnash their teeth in despair; ♦
the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Refrain: The righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.

Generous God,
save us from the meanness
that calculates its interest and hoards its earthly gain;
as we have freely received,
so may we freely give;
in the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 113

Refrain: From the rising of the sun to its setting
let the name of the Lord be praised.

1 Alleluia.
Give praise, you servants of the Lord, ♦
O praise the name of the Lord.

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord, ♦
from this time forth and for evermore.

3 From the rising of the sun to its setting ♦
let the name of the Lord be praised.

4 The Lord is high above all nations ♦
and his glory above the heavens. R

5 Who is like the Lord our God,
that has his throne so high, ♦
yet humbles himself to behold
the things of heaven and earth?

6 He raises the poor from the dust ♦
and lifts the needy from the ashes,

7 To set them with princes, ♦
with the princes of his people.

8 He gives the barren woman a place in the house ♦
and makes her a joyful mother of children.
Alleluia.

Refrain: From the rising of the sun to its setting
let the name of the Lord be praised.

From the rising of the sun to its setting
we praise your name, O Lord;
may your promise to raise the poor from the dust
and turn the fortunes of the needy upside down
be fulfilled in our time also,
as it was in your Son, 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.

Isaiah 59.1-15a

See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save,
   nor his ear too dull to hear.
Rather, your iniquities have been barriers
   between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
   so that he does not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood,
   and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies,
   your tongue mutters wickedness.
No one brings suit justly,
   no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
   conceiving mischief and begetting iniquity.
They hatch adders’ eggs,
   and weave the spider’s web;
whoever eats their eggs dies,
   and the crushed egg hatches out a viper.
Their webs cannot serve as clothing;
   they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
   and deeds of violence are in their hands.
Their feet run to evil,
   and they rush to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,
   desolation and destruction are in their highways.
The way of peace they do not know,
   and there is no justice in their paths.
Their roads they have made crooked;
   no one who walks in them knows peace.

Therefore justice is far from us,
   and righteousness does not reach us;
we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness;
   and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
We grope like the blind along a wall,
   groping like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
   among the vigorous as though we were dead.
We all growl like bears;
   like doves we moan mournfully.
We wait for justice, but there is none;
   for salvation, but it is far from us.
For our transgressions before you are many,
   and our sins testify against us.
Our transgressions indeed are with us,
   and we know our iniquities:
transgressing, and denying the Lord,
   and turning away from following our God,
talking oppression and revolt,
   conceiving lying words and uttering them from the heart.
Justice is turned back,
   and righteousness stands at a distance;
for truth stumbles in the public square,
   and uprightness cannot enter.
Truth is lacking,
   and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.

Canticle

A Song of the Messiah, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 21 (page 572) or number 26 (page 577), may be said

Refrain:

AllTo us a child is born,
to us a son is given. Alleluia.

1The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; ♦
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
upon them the light has dawned.

2You have increased their joy and given them great gladness; ♦
they rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest.

3For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them; ♦
the collar that lay heavy on their shoulders.

4For to us a child is born and to us a son is given, ♦
and the government will be upon his shoulder.

5And his name will be called: Wonderful Counsellor;
the Mighty God; ♦
the Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace.

6Of the increase of his government and of peace ♦
there will be no end,

7Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, ♦
to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness.

8From this time forth and for evermore; ♦
the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9.2, 3b, 4a, 6, 7

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.

AllTo us a child is born,
to us a son is given. 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 1.19-28

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said,
‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
“Make straight the way of the Lord” ’,
as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

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

The Word of life which was from the beginning
Allwe proclaim to you.
The darkness is passing away
and the true light is already shining;
Allthe Word of life which was from the beginning.
That which we heard, which we saw with our eyes,
and touched with our hands,
Allwe proclaim to you.
For our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
AllThe Word of life which was from the beginning
we proclaim to you.

from 1 John 1

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or Gloria in Excelsis (A Song of God’s Glory) (page 635) may be said

Refrain:

AllTo us is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
and all the heavenly hosts now sing,
Glory to God in the highest.

1Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.

2He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.

3Through his holy prophets God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,

4To show mercy to our ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.

5This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

6Free to worship him without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

7And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8To give his people knowledge of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9In the tender compassion of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

10To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

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:

AllTo us is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
and all the heavenly hosts now sing,
Glory to God in the highest.

Prayers

Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 364–365

¶ The Church, especially in places of conflict
¶ The Holy Land, for peace with justice, and reconciliation
¶ Refugees and asylum seekers
¶ Homeless people
¶ Families with young children

A form of prayer found on page 378 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 God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
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

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
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)

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
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 God, who has called us out of darkness
into his marvellous light,
bless us and fill us with peace.
AllAmen.

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