The Order for Evening Prayer
Daily throughout the year
Dec 07 2023
((In the week of) The First Sunday of Advent.)

Psalms 37
The First Lesson Job 29
Canticle The Magnificat
The Second Lesson 1 Timothy 2
Canticle Nunc dimittis (St. Luke ii. 29)

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. And then he shall say that which is written after the said Sentences.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 St. John i. 8, 9.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Psalm li. 9.

Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel ii. 13.

When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Ezek. xviii. 27.

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 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.

The people shall answer here, and at the end of all other prayers, 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, both here, and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service.

The Lord's Prayer

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.
Answer. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Priest. O God, make speed to save us.
Answer. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Here all standing up, the Priest shall say,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Priest. Praise ye the Lord.
Answer. The Lord's Name be praised.

Then shall be said or sung the Psalms in order as they be appointed. Then a Lesson of the Old Testament, as is appointed.

Psalm 37

Noli aemulari
FRET not thyself because of the ungodly : neither be thou envious against the evil-doers.
2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass : and be withered even as the green herb.
3. Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good : dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4. Delight thou in the Lord : and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.
5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in him : and he shall bring it to pass.
6. He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light : and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
7. Hold thee still in the Lord, and abide patiently upon him : but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.
8. Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure : fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
9. Wicked doers shall be rooted out : and they that patiently abide the Lord, those shall inherit the land.
10. Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone : thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.
11. But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth : and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
12. The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just : and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13. The Lord shall laugh him to scorn : for he hath seen that his day is coming.
14. The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow : to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as are of a right conversation.
15. Their sword shall go through their own heart : and their bow shall be broken.
16. A small thing that the righteous hath : is better than great riches of the ungodly.
17. For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken : and the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
18. The Lord knoweth the days of the godly : and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
19. They shall not be confounded in the perilous time : and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.
20. As for the ungodly, they shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord shall consume as the fat of lambs : yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.
21. The ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again : but the righteous is merciful and liberal.
22. Such as are blessed of God shall possess the land : and they that are cursed of him shall be rooted out.
23. The Lord ordereth a good man's going : and maketh his way acceptable to himself.
24. Though he fall, he shall not be cast away : for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
25. I have been young, and now am old : and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.
26. The righteous is ever merciful, and lendeth : and his seed is blessed.
27. Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good : and dwell for evermore.
28. For the Lord loveth the thing that is right : he forsaketh not his that be godly, but they are preserved for ever.
29. The unrighteous shall be punished : as for the seed of the ungodly, it shall be rooted out.
30. The righteous shall inherit the land : and dwell therein for ever.
31. The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom : and his tongue will be talking of judgement.
32. The law of his God is in his heart : and his goings shall not slide.
33. The ungodly seeth the righteous : and seeketh occasion to slay him.
34. The Lord will not leave him in his hand : nor condemn him when he is judged.
35. Hope thou in the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall promote thee, that thou shalt possess the land : when the ungodly shall perish, thou shalt see it.
36. I myself have seen the ungodly in great power : and flourishing like a green bay-tree.
37. I went by, and lo, he was gone : I sought him, but his place could no where be found.
38. Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right : for that shall bring a man peace at the last.
39. As for the transgressors, they shall perish together : and the end of the ungodly is, they shall be rooted out at the last.
40. But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord : who is also their strength in the time of trouble.
41. And the Lord shall stand by them, and save them : he shall deliver them from the ungodly, and shall save them, because they put their trust in him.


Then shall be read distinctly with an audible voice the First Lesson, taken out of the Old Testament, as is appointed in the Calendar, except there be proper Lessons assigned for that day : He that readeth so standing and turning himself, as he may best be heard of all such as are present. And after that, shall be said or sung, in English, the Hymn called Te Deum Laudamus, daily throughout the Year.

The First Lesson: Job 29

29:1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:

2   “Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
    as in the days when God watched over me,
3   when his lamp shone upon my head,
    and by his light I walked through darkness,
4   as I was in my prime,
    when the friendship of God was upon my tent,
5   when the Almighty was yet with me,
    when my children were all around me,
6   when my steps were washed with butter,
    and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7   When I went out to the gate of the city,
    when I prepared my seat in the square,
8   the young men saw me and withdrew,
    and the aged rose and stood;
9   the princes refrained from talking
    and laid their hand on their mouth;
10   the voice of the nobles was hushed,
    and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11   When the ear heard, it called me blessed,
    and when the eye saw, it approved,
12   because I delivered the poor who cried for help,
    and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13   The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,
    and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14   I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
    my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15   I was eyes to the blind
    and feet to the lame.
16   I was a father to the needy,
    and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
17   I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
    and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
18   Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,
    and I shall multiply my days as the sand,
19   my roots spread out to the waters,
    with the dew all night on my branches,
20   my glory fresh with me,
    and my bow ever new in my hand.’
21   “Men listened to me and waited
    and kept silence for my counsel.
22   After I spoke they did not speak again,
    and my word dropped upon them.
23   They waited for me as for the rain,
    and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24   I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
    and the light of my face they did not cast down.
25   I chose their way and sat as chief,
    and I lived like a king among his troops,
    like one who comforts mourners.

(ESV)

Magnificat: St. Luke I.


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 showed 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.

The Second Lesson: 1 Timothy 2

2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

(ESV)

Nunc dimittis: St. Luke ii. 29.


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.

Then shall be sung or said the Apostle's 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.
Answer. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Then the Minister, Clerks, and people shall say the Lord's Prayer with a loud voice.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Then the Priest standing up shall say,


O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
Priest. O Lord, save our Rulers.
Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Priest. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful.
Priest. O Lord, save thy people.
Answer. And bless thine inheritance.
Priest. Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Answer. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
Priest. O God, make clean our hearts within us.
Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the day, which shall be the same that is appointed at the Communion; The second for Peace; The third for Grace to live well. And the two last Collects shall never alter, but daily be said at Morning Prayer throughout all the year, as followeth, all kneeling.

THE COLLECT (The First Sunday of Advent.)

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. 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.

In Quires and Places where they sing here followeth the Anthem.

Then these Prayers following are to be read:

A Prayer for the Clergy and People.

Almighty and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels; Send down upon our Bishops, and Curates, and all Congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, 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.

2 Corinthians xiii.

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.

Here endeth the Order of Evening Prayer throughout the Year.



Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.