Evening Prayer

Monday, November 17, 2025

Trinity

The Order for Evening Prayer

At the beginning of Evening Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice some one or more of these Sentences of the Scriptures that follow.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Revelation 4:8

Then the Minister shall say,

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 cloke 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:

A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling.

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.

The Absolution or Remission of sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling.

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. Amen.

Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer with an audible voice; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him.

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.

Then likewise he shall say,

O Lord, open thou our lips.

And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Praise ye the Lord.

The Lord's Name be praised.

Here, all standing up, the Priest shall say,

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.

Praise ye the Lord.

The Lord's Name be praised.

Then shall follow the Psalms in order as they are appointed.

The Psalms

Psalm 89

Misericordias Domini

¹ MY SONG shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord * with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth from one generation to another.

² For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever * thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.

³ I have made a covenant with my chosen * I have sworn unto David my servant;

⁴ Thy seed will I stablish for ever * and set up thy throne from one generation to another.

⁵ O Lord, the very heavens shall praise thy wondrous works * and thy truth in the congregation of the saints.

⁶ For who is he among the clouds * that shall be compared unto the Lord?

⁷ And what is he among the gods * that shall be like unto the Lord?

⁸ God is very greatly to be feared in the council of the saints * and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him.

⁹ O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee * thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.

¹⁰ Thou rulest the raging of the sea * thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.

¹¹ Thou hast subdued Egypt, and destroyed it * thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm.

¹² The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine * thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is.

¹³ Thou hast made the north and the south * Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.

¹⁴ Thou hast a mighty arm * strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

¹⁵ Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat * mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

¹⁶ Blessed is the people, O Lord, that can rejoice in thee * they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.

¹⁷ Their delight shall be daily in thy Name * and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast.

¹⁸ For thou art the glory of their strength * and in thy loving-kindness thou shalt lift up our horns.

¹⁹ For the Lord is our defence * the Holy One of Israel is our King.

²⁰ Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst * I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

²¹ I have found David my servant * with my holy oil have I anointed him.

²² My hand shall hold him fast * and my arm shall strengthen him.

²³ The enemy shall not be able to do him violence * the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.

²⁴ I will smite down his foes before his face * and plague them that hate him.

²⁵ My truth also and my mercy shall be with him * and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.

²⁶ I will set his dominion also in the sea * and his right hand in the floods.

²⁷ He shall call me, Thou art my Father * my God, and my strong salvation.

²⁸ And I will make him my first-born * higher than the kings of the earth.

²⁹ My mercy will I keep for him for evermore * and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

³⁰ His seed also will I make to endure for ever * and his throne as the days of heaven.

³¹ But if his children forsake my law * and walk not in my judgements;

³² If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments * I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.

³³ Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him * nor suffer my truth to fail.

³⁴ My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips * I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.

³⁵ His seed shall endure for ever * and his seat is like as the sun before me.

³⁶ He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon * and as the faithful witness in heaven.

³⁷ But thou hast abhorred and forsaken thine Anointed * and art displeased at him.

³⁸ Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant * and cast his crown to the ground.

³⁹ Thou hast overthrown all his hedges * and broken down his strong holds.

⁴⁰ All they that go by spoil him * and he is become a reproach to his neighbours.

⁴¹ Thou hast set up the right hand of his enemies * and made all his adversaries to rejoice.

⁴² Thou hast taken away the edge of his sword * and givest him not victory in the battle.

⁴³ Thou hast put out his glory * and cast his throne down to the ground.

⁴⁴ The days of his youth hast thou shortened * and covered him with dishonour.

⁴⁵ Lord, how long wilt thou hide thyself, for ever * and shall thy wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁶ O remember how short my time is * wherefore hast thou made all men for nought?

⁴⁷ What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death * and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of hell?

⁴⁸ Lord, where are thy old loving-kindnesses * which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?

⁴⁹ Remember, Lord, the rebuke that thy servants have * and how I do bear in my bosom the rebukes of many people.

⁵⁰ Wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee, and slandered the footsteps of thine Anointed * Praised be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.

The First Lesson

Ecclesiasticus 48

¹ Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

² He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

³ By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.

⁴ O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!

⁵ Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the most High:

⁶ Who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed:

⁷ Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:

⁸ Who annointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:

⁹ Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:

¹⁰ Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord’s judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

¹¹ Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

¹² Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.

¹³ No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.

¹⁴ He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.

¹⁵ For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:

¹⁶ Of whom some did that which was pleasing to God, and some multiplied sins.

¹⁷ Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for waters.

¹⁸ In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.

¹⁹ Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.

²⁰ But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.

²¹ He smote the host of the Assyrians, and his angel destroyed them.

²² For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.

²³ In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king’s life.

²⁴ He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.

²⁵ He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came.

And after the first Lesson shall be sung or said the Magnificat, as followeth.

Magnificat

The Song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55)

My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.

He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.

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.

Or else this Psalm, Cantate Domino

Cantate Domino

Psalm 98

O sing unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he is come to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the people with equity.

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 Second Lesson

1 Timothy 6

¹ Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

² And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

³ If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

⁴ He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

⁵ Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain.

⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

⁸ And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

⁹ But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

¹⁰ For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹¹ But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

¹³ I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

¹⁴ That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

¹⁵ Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

¹⁶ Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

¹⁷ Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

¹⁸ That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

¹⁹ Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

²⁰ O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

²¹ Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

And after the second Lesson shall be sung or said Nunc dimittis, as followeth.

Nunc Dimittis

The Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32)

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace : according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation;

Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles : and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

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.

Or else this Psalm, Deus Misereatur

Deus Misereatur

Psalm 67

God be merciful unto us, and bless us : and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us;

That thy way may be known upon earth : thy saving health among all nations.

Let the people praise thee, O God : yea, let all the people praise thee.

O let the nations rejoice and be glad : for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

Let the people praise thee, O God : yea, let all the people praise thee.

Then shall the earth bring forth her increase : and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.

God shall bless us : and all the ends of the world shall fear him.

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.

Then shall be sung or said the Apostles' Creed by the Minister and the people, standing.

The Apostles' Creed

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 Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.

And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling; the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice,

The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Then the Priest standing up shall say,

O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.

And grant us thy salvation.

O Lord, save the King.

And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.

Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.

And make thy chosen people joyful.

O Lord, save thy people.

And bless thine inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord.

Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.

O God, make clean our hearts within us.

And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Then shall follow three Collects: The first of the Day; The second for Peace; The third for Grace.

The Collect of the Day

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: We beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer

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. Amen.

The Third 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. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom.

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise, that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14