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4.54am on Thursday 27 August 2026

Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Traditional Language

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    Evening Prayer from
    The Book of Common Prayer
    Friday, 28 August 2026
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 430
  The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.
  Introduction
   
  The minister may use a seasonal sentence before using one or more of the penitential sentences.
   
  The minister introduces the service
     
    Dearly beloved [brethren],
    the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge
       and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;
     
    [and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before
       the face of almighty God our heavenly Father;
    but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent and
       obedient heart;
    to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same
       by his infinite goodness and mercy.
    And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge
       our sins before God;
    yet ought we most chiefly so to do,
    when we assemble and meet together
    to render thanks for the great benefits that we have
       received at his hands,
    to set forth his most worthy praise,
    to hear his most holy word,
    and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary,
    as well for the body as the soul.]
     
    Wherefore I pray and beseech you,
    as many as are here present,
    to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice,
    unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying [after me]:
     
    (or)
     
    Beloved, we are come together in the presence of almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and shew forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all men such things as their well-being doth require.
     
    Wherefore let us kneel in silence, and remember God's presence with us now.
   
All
   Almighty and most merciful Father,
    we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep.
    We have followed too much the devices and desires
       of our own hearts.
    We have offended against thy holy laws.
    We have left undone those things
       which we ought to have done;
    and we have done those things
         which we ought not to have done;
    and there is no health in us.
    But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.
    Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults.
    Restore thou them that are penitent;
    according to thy promises declared unto mankind
       in Christ Jesu our Lord.
    And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
    that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
    to the glory of thy holy name.
  Amen.
   
  A priest says
     
    Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    who desireth not the death of a sinner,
    but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live;
    and hath given power, and commandment, to his ministers
    to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,
    the absolution and remission of their sins:
    he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent
       and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.
    Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance,
       and his Holy Spirit,
    that those things may please him which we do at this present;
    and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;
    so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
   
  or other ministers may say
     
    Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord,
    to thy faithful people pardon and peace,
    that they may be cleansed from all their sins,
    and serve thee with a quiet mind;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
   
All
   Our Father, which art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy name;
    thy kingdom come;
    thy will be done,
    in earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread.
    And forgive us our trespasses,
  as we forgive them that 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.
  Evening Prayer
     
    The introduction to the service is used on Sundays, and may be used on any occasion. If the Introduction is not used, the service begins with the opening responses.
     
    These responses are used
     
    O Lord, open thou our lips
All
   and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
    and to the Holy Ghost;
All
   as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
    world without end. Amen.
     
    Praise ye the Lord.
All
   The Lord's name be praised.
     
  Psalmody  
   

Psalm 136

  
 

  
1
 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious *
 and his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
2
 O give thanks unto the God of all gods *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
3
 O thank the Lord of all lords *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
4
 Who only doeth great wonders *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
5
 Who by his excellent wisdom made the heavens *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
6
 Who laid out the earth above the waters *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
7
 Who hath made great lights *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
8
 The sun to rule the day *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
9
 The moon and the stars to govern the night *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
10
 Who smote Egypt with their first-born *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
11
 And brought out Israel from among them *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
12
 With a mighty hand, and stretched out arm *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
13
 Who divided the Red sea in two parts *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
14
 And made Israel to go through the midst of it *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
15
 But as for Pharaoh and his host, he overthrew them in the Red sea *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
16
 Who led his people through the wilderness *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
17
 Who smote great kings *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
18
 Yea, and slew mighty kings *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
19
 Sehon king of the Amorites *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
20
 And Og the king of Basan *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
21
 And gave away their land for an heritage *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
22
 Even for an heritage unto Israel his servant *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
23
 Who remembered us when we were in trouble *
 for his mercy endureth for ever;
  
 
  
24
 And hath delivered us from our enemies *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
25
 Who giveth food to all flesh *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
26
 O give thanks unto the God of heaven *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 
  
27
 O give thanks unto the Lord of lords *
 for his mercy endureth for ever.
  
 

Psalm 137

  
 

  
1
 By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept *
 when we remembered thee, O Sion.
  
 
  
2
 As for our harps, we hanged them up *
 upon the trees that are therein.
  
 
  
3
 For they that led us away captive required of us then a song, and melody, in our heaviness *
 Sing us one of the songs of Sion.
  
 
  
4
 How shall we sing the Lord’s song *
 in a strange land?
  
 
  
5
 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem *
 let my right hand forget her cunning.
  
 
  
6
 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth *
 yea if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth.
  
 
  
7
 Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem *
 how they said, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground.
  
 
  
8
 O daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery *
 yea, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us.
  
 
  
9
 Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children *
 and throweth them against the stones.
  
 

Psalm 138

  
 

  
1
 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart *
 even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
  
 
  
2
 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth *
 for thou hast magnified thy Name, and thy Word, above all things.
  
 
  
3
 When I called upon thee, thou heardest me *
 and enduedst my soul with much strength.
  
 
  
4
 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord *
 for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
  
 
  
5
 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord *
 that great is the glory of the Lord.
  
 
  
6
 For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly *
 as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
  
 
  
7
 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me *
 thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
  
 
  
8
 The Lord shall make good his loving-kindness toward me *
 yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.
  
 
     
    At the end of each psalm these words are said or sung
     
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
    and to the Holy Ghost;
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
    world without end. Amen.
     
    Old Testament Reading  
 
   

First Reading: Habakkuk 2.6-end

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
 Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.
 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
 But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

       
  Magnificat  
     
    Either the Magnificat (as follows) or Cantate Domino (Psalm 98) is said or sung.
     
1
   My soul doth magnify the Lord :
    and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
     
2
   For he hath regarded :
    the lowliness of his handmaiden.
     
3
   For behold, from henceforth :
    all generations shall call me blessed.
     
4
   For he that is mighty hath magnified me :
    and holy is his Name.
     
5
   And his mercy is on them that fear him :
    throughout all generations.
     
6
   He hath shewed strength with his arm :
    he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
     
7
   He hath put down the mighty from their seat :
    and hath exalted the humble and meek.
     
8
   He hath filled the hungry with good things :
    and the rich he hath sent empty away.
     
9
   He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :
    as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
   
Luke 1.46-55
     
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
    and to the Holy Ghost;
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
    world without end. Amen.
     
  New Testament Reading  
 
   

Second Reading: Mark 7.31-end

Departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

     
  Nunc dimittis  
     
    Either the Nunc dimittis (as follows) or Deus misereatur (Psalm 67) is said or sung.
     
1
   Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :
    according to thy word.
     
2
   For mine eyes have seen :
    thy salvation;
     
3
   Which thou hast prepared :
    before the face of all people;
     
4
   To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :
    and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
   
Luke 2.29-32
     
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
    and to the Holy Ghost;
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
    world without end. Amen.
     
  The Apostles' Creed  
     
All
   I believe in God the Father almighty,
    maker of heaven and earth:
    and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
    who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
    born of the Virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, dead, and buried.
    He descended into hell;
    the third day he rose again from the dead;
    he ascended into heaven,
    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;
    from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
    I believe in the Holy Ghost;
    the holy catholic Church;
    the communion of saints;
    the forgiveness of sins;
    the resurrection of the body,
    and the life everlasting.
    Amen.
     
  Prayers  
     
    The Lord be with you.
All
   And with thy spirit.
     
    Let us pray.
     
    Lord, have mercy upon us.
All
   Christ, have mercy upon us.
    Lord, have mercy upon us.
     
All
   Our Father, which art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy name;
    thy kingdom come;
    thy will be done,
    in earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread.
    And forgive us our trespasses,
    as we forgive them that trespass against us.
    And lead us not into temptation;
    but deliver us from evil. Amen.
     
    O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
All
   And grant us thy salvation.
     
    O Lord, save the King.
All
   And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
     
    Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
All
   And make thy chosen people joyful.
     
    O Lord, save thy people.
All
   And bless thine inheritance.
     
    Give peace in our time, O Lord.
All
   Because there is none other that fighteth for us,
    but only thou, O God.
     
    O God, make clean our hearts within us.
All
   And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
     
    Three Collects are said.
     
  The Collect of the Day  
     
    Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire, or deserve; Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy; forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.
All
   Amen.
     
     
  The Collect for Peace  
     
    O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels,
         and all just works do proceed;
    give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give;
    that both, our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments,
    and also that, by thee,
    we being defended from the fear of our enemies
    may pass our time in rest and quietness;
    through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
All
   Amen.
     
  The Collect for Aid against all Perils  
     
    Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord;
    and by thy great mercy defend us
         from all perils and dangers of this night;
    for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All
   Amen.
     
    The order for the end of the service may include:
     
    hymns or anthems
       a sermon
    further prayers (which may include prayers from here)
     
    This prayer may be used to conclude the service
     
    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    and the love of God,
    and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,
    be with us all evermore.
All
   Amen.
     
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