Vespers (Evening Prayer)
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
O Light serene of God the Father’s glory,
To you, O Christ, we sing,
And with the evening star, at hour of sunset,
Our worship bring.
To Father, Son and God’s most Holy Spirit,
Eternal praise is due.
O Christ, who gave your life, the world gives glory
And thanks to you.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
Psalm 140 (141)
Prayer in time of danger
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense.
O Lord, I call on you,
hurry to my help:
listen to my voice when I call.
When I make my prayer, let it rise like incense before you;
when I raise my hands, let it be like the evening sacrifice.
Set a guard on my mouth, Lord,
a watch upon my lips.
Do not let my heart turn to evil thoughts,
to the planning of wicked deeds,
to alliance with wrongdoers.
Let me not share in their delights.
Let the just man strike and rebuke me out of kindness;
but sinners shall never anoint me with oil,
or I would be an ally in their plans.
When they fall into the hands of harsh judges,
they will see how kind my words were.
Like fragments of spoil after digging,
their bones will lie scattered round the mouth of the underworld.
To you, Lord, to you my eyes are turned.
I take refuge in you –
preserve my life.
Protect me from the trap they have laid for me,
save me from the snares of the wicked.
Let them be caught in their own nets, all of them,
while I pass by in safety.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense.
Psalm 141 (142)
You are my refuge
You are my refuge, Lord, my heritage in the land of the living.
My voice cries out to the Lord;
my voice cries out its entreaty.
I pour out lamentation in his sight,
I proclaim my troubles before him.
When my spirit is failing within me,
still, Lord, you know my paths.
On the road I was travelling,
they set up a trap for me.
I looked about me and saw
there was no-one beside me to help.
I have nowhere to flee;
and no-one will miss me.
I have cried to you, Lord,
I have said: “you are my refuge, my share in the land of the living.
Listen to my call for help, for I am crushed down.”
“Lead my spirit from prison, so that I may praise your name.
The upright will gather around me, because you have restored me.”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
You are my refuge, Lord, my heritage in the land of the living.
Canticle
Philippians 2
Christ, God's servant
The Lord Jesus humbled himself: therefore God has highly exalted him for ever.
Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature,
did not try to cling to his equality with God;
but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave,
and became like a man:
not in appearance only,
for he humbled himself by accepting death,
even death on a cross.
For this, God has raised him high,
and given him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend,
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
and every tongue will proclaim
“Jesus Christ is Lord,”
to the glory of God the Father.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord Jesus humbled himself: therefore God has highly exalted him for ever.
Short Reading
Romans 11:33-36
©
How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen.
Short Responsory
How great are your works, O Lord.
– How great are your works, O Lord.
In wisdom you have created them all.
– How great are your works, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– How great are your works, O Lord.
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
‘When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon,’ says the Lord. (Year C)
Or: Well done, my good servant, you have proved yourself faithful in small things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.
He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
‘When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon,’ says the Lord. (Year C)
Or: Well done, my good servant, you have proved yourself faithful in small things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.
Prayers and intercessions
Glory be to the one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as we humbly pray:
– Lord, be with your people.
Almighty Father, bring justice to our world,
that your people may live in the joy of your peace.
– Lord, be with your people.
Bring all peoples into your kingdom,
that all mankind may be saved.
– Lord, be with your people.
Give to married people the strength of your peace, the guidance of your will,
and the grace to live together in constant love.
– Lord, be with your people.
Be the reward of all who have given us their help,
and grant them eternal life.
– Lord, be with your people.
Have mercy on those who have lost their lives through warfare or violence,
and receive them into your rest.
– Lord, be with your people.
Our 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.
Lord our God,
give us grace to serve you always with joy,
because our full and lasting happiness
is to make of our lives
a constant service to the Author of all that is good.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
