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 Blessing

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 78.1-39*

Refrain: O Lord, how glorious are your works.

1 Hear my teaching, O my people; ♦
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; ♦
I will pour forth mysteries from of old,

3 Such as we have heard and known, ♦
which our forebears have told us.

4 We will not hide from their children,
but will recount to generations to come, ♦
the praises of the Lord and his power
and the wonderful works he has done. R

5 He laid a solemn charge on Jacob
and made it a law in Israel, ♦
which he commanded them to teach their children,

6 That the generations to come might know,
and the children yet unborn, ♦
that they in turn might tell it to their children;

7 So that they might put their trust in God ♦
and not forget the deeds of God,
but keep his commandments,

8 And not be like their forebears,
a stubborn and rebellious generation, ♦
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
and whose spirit was not faithful to God.  R

9 The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow, ♦
turned back in the day of battle;

10 They did not keep the covenant of God ♦
and refused to walk in his law;

11 They forgot what he had done ♦
and the wonders he had shown them.

12 For he did marvellous things in the sight of their forebears, ♦
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. R

13 He divided the sea and let them pass through; ♦
he made the waters stand still in a heap.

14 He led them with a cloud by day ♦
and all the night through with a blaze of fire.

15 He split the hard rocks in the wilderness ♦
and gave them drink as from the great deep.

16 He brought streams out of the rock ♦
and made water gush out like rivers. R

17 Yet for all this they sinned more against him ♦
and defied the Most High in the wilderness.

18 They tested God in their hearts ♦
and demanded food for their craving.

19 They spoke against God and said, ♦
‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20 ‘He struck the rock indeed, so that the waters gushed out
and the streams overflowed, ♦
but can he give bread or provide meat for his people?’ R

21 When the Lord heard this, he was full of wrath; ♦
a fire was kindled against Jacob
and his anger went out against Israel,

22 For they had no faith in God ♦
and put no trust in his saving help.

23 So he commanded the clouds above ♦
and opened the doors of heaven.

24 He rained down upon them manna to eat ♦
and gave them the grain of heaven.

25 So mortals ate the bread of angels; ♦
he sent them food in plenty. R

26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens ♦
and led out the south wind by his might.

27 He rained flesh upon them as thick as dust ♦
and winged fowl like the sand of the sea.

28 He let it fall in the midst of their camp ♦
and round about their tents.

29 So they ate and were well filled, ♦
for he gave them what they desired.

30 But they did not stop their craving; ♦
their food was still in their mouths,

31 When the anger of God rose against them, ♦
and slew their strongest men
and felled the flower of Israel. R

32 But for all this, they sinned yet more ♦
and put no faith in his wonderful works.

33 So he brought their days to an end like a breath ♦
and their years in sudden terror.

34 Whenever he slew them, they would seek him; ♦
they would repent and earnestly search for God.

35 They remembered that God was their rock ♦
and the Most High God their redeemer. R

36 Yet they did but flatter him with their mouth ♦
and dissembled with their tongue.

37 Their heart was not steadfast towards him, ♦
neither were they faithful to his covenant.

38 But he was so merciful that he forgave their misdeeds
and did not destroy them; ♦
many a time he turned back his wrath
and did not suffer his whole displeasure to be roused.

39 For he remembered that they were but flesh, ♦
a wind that passes by and does not return.

Refrain: O Lord, how glorious are your works.

God our deliverer,
as you led our ancestors through the wilderness,
so lead us through the wilderness of this world,
that we may be saved through Christ for ever.

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.

1 Samuel 31

Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and many fell on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard upon Saul; the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by them. Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and thrust me through, and make sport of me.’ But his armour-bearer was unwilling; for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. When his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. So Saul and his three sons and his armour-bearer and all his men died together on the same day. When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their towns and fled; and the Philistines came and occupied them.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head, stripped off his armour, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to the houses of their idols and to the people. They put his armour in the temple of Astarte; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men set out, travelled all night long, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. They came to Jabesh and burned them there. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.

Canticle

A Song of the Covenant, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 44 (page 596), may be said

Refrain:

AllI have given you as a light to the nations,
and I have called you in righteousness. Alleluia.

1Thus says God, who created the heavens, ♦
who fashioned the earth and all that dwells in it;

2Who gives breath to the people upon it ♦
and spirit to those who walk in it,

3 ‘I am the Lord and I have called you in righteousness, ♦
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

4 ‘I have given you as a covenant to the people, ♦
a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind,

5‘To bring out the captives from the dungeon, ♦
from the prison, those who sit in darkness.

6‘I am the Lord, that is my name; ♦
my glory I give to no other.’

Isaiah 42.5-8a

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 have given you as a light to the nations,
and I have called you in righteousness. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Acts 4.32 - 5.11

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ‘Ananias,’ Peter asked, ‘why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!’ Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter said to her, ‘Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.’ And she said, ‘Yes, that was the price.’ Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

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

Fear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
AllFear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned.
AllI have called you by name; you are mine.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllFear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.

from Isaiah 43

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: