Morning Prayer (Matins) in Contemporary Language

¶ Morning Prayer
from All Saints’ Day until
the day before the First Sunday of Advent
Thursday, 21 November 2024

Preparation

O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Your faithful servants bless you.
AllThey make known the glory of your kingdom. Alleluia.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

this or another prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
ruler and judge of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
In the darkness of this age that is passing away
may the light of your presence which the saints enjoy
surround our steps as we journey on.
May we reflect your glory this day
and so be made ready to see your face
in the heavenly city where night shall be no more.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

a suitable hymn, or A Song of Trust in God

1As the deer longs for the water brooks, ♦
so longs my soul for you, O God.

2My soul is athirst for God, even for the living God; ♦
when shall I come before the presence of God?

3My tears have been my bread day and night, ♦
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’

4Now when I think on these things, I pour out my soul: ♦
how I went with the multitude
and led the procession to the house of God,

5With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, ♦
among those who kept holy day.

6Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦
and why are you so disquieted within me?

7O put your trust in God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 42.1-7

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.

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 61

Refrain: You are my refuge, O God,
a strong tower against the enemy.

1 Hear my crying, O God, ♦
and listen to my prayer.

2 From the end of the earth I call to you with fainting heart; ♦
O set me on the rock that is higher than I.

3 For you are my refuge, ♦
a strong tower against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in your tent for ever ♦
and take refuge under the cover of your wings. R

5 For you, O God, will hear my vows; ♦
you will grant the request of those who fear your name.

6 You will add length of days to the life of the king, ♦
that his years may endure throughout all generations.

7 May he sit enthroned before God for ever; ♦
may steadfast love and truth watch over him.

8 So will I always sing praise to your name, ♦
and day by day fulfil my vows.

Refrain: You are my refuge, O God,
a strong tower against the enemy.

Risen Christ,
as you knew the discipline of suffering
and the victory that brings us salvation,
so grant us your presence in our weakness
and a place in your unending kingdom
now and for evermore.

Psalm 62

Refrain: Wait on God alone in stillness, O my soul.

1 On God alone my soul in stillness waits; ♦
from him comes my salvation.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, ♦
my stronghold, so that I shall never be shaken.

3 How long will all of you assail me to destroy me, ♦
as you would a tottering wall or a leaning fence?

4 They plot only to thrust me down from my place of honour;
lies are their chief delight; ♦
they bless with their mouth, but in their heart they curse.

5 Wait on God alone in stillness, O my soul; ♦
for in him is my hope.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, ♦
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken. R

7 In God is my strength and my glory; ♦
God is my strong rock; in him is my refuge.

8 Put your trust in him always, my people; ♦
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.

9 The peoples are but a breath,
the whole human race a deceit; ♦
on the scales they are altogether lighter than air.

10 Put no trust in oppression; in robbery take no empty pride; ♦
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.

11 God spoke once, and twice have I heard the same, ♦
that power belongs to God.

12 Steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord, ♦
for you repay everyone according to their deeds.

Refrain: Wait on God alone in stillness, O my soul.

O God, teach us to seek security,
not in money or theft,
not in human ambition or malice,
not in our own ability or power,
but in you, the only God,
our rock and our salvation.

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.

Daniel 9.20-end

While I was speaking, and was praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God on behalf of the holy mountain of my God—while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in a vision, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He came and said to me, ‘Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications a word went out, and I have come to declare it, for you are greatly beloved. So consider the word and understand the vision:

‘Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city: to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand: from the time that the word went out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the time of an anointed prince, there shall be seven weeks; and for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with streets and moat, but in a troubled time. After the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing, and the troops of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. He shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall make sacrifice and offering cease; and in their place shall be an abomination that desolates, until the decreed end is poured out upon the desolator.’

Canticle

A Song of the New Creation, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 28 (page 579), number 46 (page 598) or number 47 (page 599), may be said

Refrain:

AllI will make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert. Alleluia.

1‘I am the Lord, your Holy One, ♦
the Creator of Israel, your King.’

2Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, ♦
a path in the mighty waters,

3‘Remember not the former things, ♦
nor consider the things of old.

4‘Behold, I am doing a new thing; ♦
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

5‘I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert, ♦
to give drink to my chosen people,

6‘The people whom I formed for myself, ♦
that they might declare my praise.’

Isaiah 43.15, 16, 18, 19, 20c, 21

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.

AllI will make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Revelation 12

A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
‘Now have come the salvation and the power
   and the kingdom of our God
   and the authority of his Messiah,
for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,
   who accuses them day and night before our God.
But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
   and by the word of their testimony,
for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.
Rejoice then, you heavens
   and those who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
   for the devil has come down to you
with great wrath,
   because he knows that his time is short!’

So when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.

Then the dragon took his stand on the sand of the seashore.

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

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord,
Allmy lips shall proclaim your faithfulness.
The heavens bear witness to your wonders;
AllI will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
The assembly of your saints proclaims your truth;
Allmy lips shall proclaim your faithfulness.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
AllI will sing for ever of your love, O Lord,
my lips shall proclaim your faithfulness.

from Psalm 89

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or the Te Deum Laudamus (A Song of the Church) (page 636) may be said

Refrain:

AllYou will guide us with your counsel, O God,
and afterwards receive us with glory.

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:

AllYou will guide us with your counsel, O God,
and afterwards receive us with glory.

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 saints on earth, that they may live as citizens of heaven
¶ All people, that they may hear and believe the word of God
¶ All who fear the winter months
¶ All sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ
¶ All who grieve or wait with the dying

A form of prayer found on page 384 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

Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son was revealed
      to destroy the works of the devil
and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:
grant that we, having this hope,
may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory
we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he 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

Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
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)

Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
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 Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
AllAmen.

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