Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer
Wednesday, 8 May 2024
Eve of Ascension Day
Rogation Day

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

Your throne has been established from of old;
Allyou are from everlasting. Alleluia.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A Song of the King’s Glory (page 553), an Ascension hymn, or this prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the darkness of death you have raised your Christ
to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith, his passion accomplished,
has opened for us the way to heaven
and sends on us the promised Spirit.
May we be ready to follow the Way
and so be brought to the glory of his presence
where songs of triumph for ever sound:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 15

Refrain: Through the greatness of your mercy,
I will come into your house.

1 Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? ♦
Who may rest upon your holy hill?

2 Whoever leads an uncorrupt life ♦
and does the thing that is right;

3 Who speaks the truth from the heart ♦
and bears no deceit on the tongue;

4 Who does no evil to a friend ♦
and pours no scorn on a neighbour;

5 In whose sight the wicked are not esteemed, ♦
but who honours those who fear the Lord.

6 Whoever has sworn to a neighbour ♦
and never goes back on that word;

7 Who does not lend money in hope of gain, ♦
nor takes a bribe against the innocent;

8 Whoever does these things ♦
shall never fall.

Refrain: Through the greatness of your mercy,
I will come into your house.

Lord, lead us to our heavenly home
by single steps of self-restraint
and deeds of righteousness;
through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 24

Refrain: The Lord of hosts: he is the King of glory.

1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that fills it, ♦
the compass of the world and all who dwell therein.

2 For he has founded it upon the seas ♦
and set it firm upon the rivers of the deep. R

3 ‘Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, ♦
or who can rise up in his holy place?’

4 ‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, ♦
who have not lifted up their soul to an idol,
nor sworn an oath to a lie;

5 ‘They shall receive a blessing from the Lord, ♦
a just reward from the God of their salvation.’

6 Such is the company of those who seek him, ♦
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob. R

7 Lift up your heads, O gates;
be lifted up, you everlasting doors; ♦
and the King of glory shall come in.

8 ‘Who is the King of glory?’ ♦
‘The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord who is mighty in battle.’

9 Lift up your heads, O gates;
be lifted up, you everlasting doors; ♦
and the King of glory shall come in.

10 ‘Who is this King of glory?’ ♦
‘The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.’

Refrain: The Lord of hosts: he is the King of glory.

O Lord of hosts,
purify our hearts
that the King of glory may come in,
your Son, Jesus our redeemer.

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.

2 Samuel 23.1-5

Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
   the oracle of the man whom God exalted,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
   the favourite of the Strong One of Israel:

The spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
   his word is upon my tongue.
The God of Israel has spoken,
   the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
   ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning,
   like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
   gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.

Is not my house like this with God?
   For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
   ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
   all my help and my desire?

Canticle

The following, or another suitable canticle, may be said or sung

Refrain:

AllChrist was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.

1Christ Jesus was revealed in the flesh ♦
and vindicated in the spirit.

2He was seen by angels ♦
and proclaimed among the nations.

3Believed in throughout the world, ♦
he was taken up in glory.

4This will be made manifest at the proper time ♦
by the blessed and only Sovereign,

5Who alone has immortality, ♦
and dwells in unapproachable light.

1 Timothy 3.16; 6.15, 16

AllTo the King of kings and Lord of lords ♦
be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.

AllChrist was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Colossians 2.20 - 3.4

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’? All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

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

Sing to the Lord and bless his name;
Alltell out his salvation from day to day.
God has gone up with a merry noise;
Allsing to the Lord and bless his name.
The Lord with the sound of the trumpet:
Alltell out his salvation from day to day.
He has led captivity captive, and given gifts to his people.
AllSing to the Lord and bless his name;
tell out his salvation from day to day.

from Psalms 47 and 68

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is said

Refrain:

AllChrist was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

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:

AllChrist was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

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

¶ God’s royal priesthood, for empowerment by the Spirit
¶ Those who wait on God, that they may find renewal
¶ All people, that they may acknowledge the kingdom of the ascended Christ
¶ The earth, for productivity and for fruitful harvests
¶ All who are struggling with broken relationships

A form of prayer found on page 383 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

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens,
so we in heart and mind may also ascend
and with him continually dwell;
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

Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
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)

Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
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.