Morning Prayer (Matins) in Contemporary Language

Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Praise

1O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; ♦
my soul is athirst for you.

2My flesh also faints for you, ♦
as in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

3So would I gaze upon you in your holy place, ♦
that I might behold your power and your glory.

4Your loving-kindness is better than life itself ♦
and so my lips shall praise you.

5I will bless you as long as I live ♦
and lift up my hands in your name.

6My soul shall be satisfied, as with marrow and fatness, ♦
and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,

7When I remember you upon my bed ♦
and meditate on you in the watches of the night.

8For you have been my helper ♦
and under the shadow of your wings will I rejoice.

9My soul clings to you; ♦
your right hand shall hold me fast.

Psalm 63.1-9

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 147

Refrain: Great is our Lord and mighty in power.

1 Alleluia.
How good it is to make music for our God, ♦
how joyful to honour him with praise.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem ♦
and gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted ♦
and binds up all their wounds. R

4 He counts the number of the stars ♦
and calls them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; ♦
his wisdom is beyond all telling.

6 The Lord lifts up the poor, ♦
but casts down the wicked to the ground. R

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; ♦
make music to our God upon the lyre;

8 Who covers the heavens with clouds ♦
and prepares rain for the earth;

9 Who makes grass to grow upon the mountains ♦
and green plants to serve our needs. R

10 He gives the beasts their food ♦
and the young ravens when they cry.

11 He takes no pleasure in the power of a horse, ♦
no delight in human strength;

12 But the Lord delights in those who fear him, ♦
who put their trust in his steadfast love. R

13 Sing praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; ♦
praise your God, O Zion;

14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates ♦
and has blest your children within you.

15 He has established peace in your borders ♦
and satisfies you with the finest wheat. R

16 He sends forth his command to the earth ♦
and his word runs very swiftly.

17 He gives snow like wool ♦
and scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.

18 He casts down his hailstones like morsels of bread; ♦
who can endure his frost? R

19 He sends forth his word and melts them; ♦
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.

20 He declares his word to Jacob, ♦
his statutes and judgements to Israel.

21 He has not dealt so with any other nation; ♦
they do not know his laws.
Alleluia.

Refrain: Great is our Lord and mighty in power.

Compassionate God,
as you know each star you have created,
so you know the secrets of every heart;
in your loving mercy bring to your table
all who are fearful and broken,
all who are wounded and needy,
that our hungers may be satisfied
in the city of your peace;
through Christ who is our peace.

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.

Joshua 6.1-20

Now Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. The Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead.’ So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.’ To the people he said, ‘Go forward and march around the city; have the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.’

As Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets; the rearguard came after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. To the people Joshua gave this command: ‘You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.’ So the ark of the Lord went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp.

Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord passed on, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rearguard came after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. On the second day they marched around the city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

On the seventh day they rose early, at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. The city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers we sent. As for you, keep away from the things devoted to destruction, so as not to covet and take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel an object for destruction, bringing trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.’ So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.

Canticle

A Song of Jerusalem our Mother, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 48 (page 600), may be said

Refrain:

AllThus says our God, I will comfort you,
you shall see and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.

1‘Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, ♦
all you who love her,’ says the Lord.

2 ‘Rejoice with her in joy, ♦
all you who mourn over her,

3‘That you may drink deeply with delight ♦
from her consoling breast.’

4For thus says our God, ♦
‘You shall be nursed and carried on her arm.

5‘As a mother comforts her children, ♦
so I will comfort you;

6‘You shall see and your heart shall rejoice; ♦
you shall flourish like the grass of the fields.’

Isaiah 66.10, 11a, 12a, 12c, 13a, 14a, b

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.

AllThus says our God, I will comfort you,
you shall see and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Luke 10.17-24

The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’

At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

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

Your salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
AllThat glory may dwell in our land.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.

from Psalm 85

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:

AllThey were faithful until death
and God has given them the crown of life. Alleluia.

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:

AllThey were faithful until death
and God has given them the crown of life. Alleluia.

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 362–363

¶ Our homes, families, friends and all whom we love
¶ Those whose time is spent caring for others
¶ Those who are close to death
¶ Those who have lost hope
¶ The worship of the Church

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 of compassion and love,
by whose grace your servant Josephine Butler
followed in the way of your Son
in caring for those in need:
help us like her to work with strength
for the restoration of all to the dignity
      and freedom of those created in your image;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour,
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

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
AllAmen.

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