Evening

The Officiant begins:

Praise ye the Lord. The Lord's Name be praised. (From Easter Day until the eve of Trinity Sunday, Alleluia is added.)

The Appointed Psalms are said.

Psalm 32

B¹LESSED is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven : and whose sin is covered.

²Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin : and in whose spirit there is no guile.

³For while I held my tongue : my bones consumed away through my daily complaining.

⁴For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night : and my moisture is like the drought in summer.

⁵I will acknowledge my sin unto thee : and mine unrighteousness have I not hid.

⁶I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord : and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.

⁷For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found : but in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him.

⁸Thou art a place to hide me in, thou shalt preserve me from trouble : thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.

⁹I will inform thee, and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go : and I will guide thee with mine eye.

¹⁰Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding : whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, lest they fall upon thee.

¹¹Great plagues remain for the ungodly : but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, mercy embraceth him on every side.

¹²Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord : and be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.

Psalm 33

R¹EJOICE in the Lord, O ye righteous : for it becometh well the just to be thankful.

²Praise the Lord with harp : sing praises unto him with the lute, and instrument of ten strings.

³Sing unto the Lord a new song : sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage.

⁴For the word of the Lord is true : and all his works are faithful.

⁵He loveth righteousness and judgement : the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

⁶By the word of the Lord were the heavens made : and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth.

⁷He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon an heap : and layeth up the deep, as in a treasure-house.

⁸Let all the earth fear the Lord : stand in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the world.

⁹For he spake, and it was done : he commanded, and it stood fast.

¹⁰The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought : and maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes.

¹¹The counsel of the Lord shall endure for ever : and the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.

¹²Blessed are the people, whose God is the Lord Jehovah : and blessed are the folk, that he hath chosen to him to be his inheritance.

¹³The Lord looked down from heaven, and beheld all the children of men : from the habitation of his dwelling he considereth all them that dwell on the earth.

¹⁴He fashioneth all the hearts of them : and understandeth all their works.

¹⁵There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an host : neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.

¹⁶A horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man : neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength.

¹⁷Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him : and upon them that put their trust in his mercy;

¹⁸To deliver their soul from death : and to feed them in the time of dearth.

¹⁹Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord : for he is our help and our shield.

²⁰For our heart shall rejoice in him : because we have hoped in his holy Name.

²¹Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us : like as we do put our trust in thee.

Psalm 34

I¹ WILL alway give thanks unto the Lord : his praise shall ever be in my mouth.

²My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

³O praise the Lord with me : and let us magnify his Name together.

⁴I sought the Lord, and he heard me : yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.

⁵They had an eye unto him, and were lightened : and their faces were not ashamed.

⁶Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him : yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.

⁷The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him : and delivereth them.

⁸O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

⁹O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints : for they that fear him lack nothing.

¹⁰The lions do lack, and suffer hunger : but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good.

¹¹Come, ye children, and hearken unto me : I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

¹²What man is he that lusteth to live : and would fain see good days?

¹³Keep thy tongue from evil : and thy lips, that they speak no guile.

¹⁴Eschew evil, and do good : seek peace, and ensue it.

¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous : and his ears are open unto their prayers.

¹⁶The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil : to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them : and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart : and will save such as be of an humble spirit.

¹⁹Great are the troubles of the righteous : but the Lord delivereth him out of all.

²⁰He keepeth all his bones : so that not one of them is broken.

²¹But misfortune shall slay the ungodly : and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

²²The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants : and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

The First Lesson is read.

The First Lesson

Job 4

T¹hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

²“If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?

³Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.

⁴Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.

⁵But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.

⁶Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷“Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

⁹By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

¹⁰The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.

¹¹The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

¹²“Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it.

¹³Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

¹⁴dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

¹⁵A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.

¹⁶It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:

¹⁷‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?

¹⁸Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;

¹⁹how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth.

²⁰Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it.

²¹Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’

Then may be sung the Office Hymn.

Phos hilaron

O GRACIOUS Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

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.

The Second Lesson is read.

The Second Lesson

Hebrews 1

L¹ong ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

²but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

³He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

⁵For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

⁶And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God's angels worship him.”

⁷Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

⁸But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁹You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

¹⁰And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;

¹¹they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,

¹²like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

¹³And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

¹⁴Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

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.

Then shall be said the Apostles' Creed by the Officiant and the people, standing:

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.

Then follow these prayers, all devoutly kneeling:

Then shall follow the Collect of the Day, and after that these two Collects:

Tuesday after the 18th Sunday after Trinity

LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St Bruno

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost prepare mansions in heaven for them that forsake the world: we humbly entreat thy boundless mercy; that at the intercession of blessed Bruno, thy Confessor, we may be faithful to vows that we have made, and may obtain, to our eternal salvation, the rewards which thou hast promised to them that persevere unto the end; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer, 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. 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, an Anthem may follow. Then these Prayers may be read, or at least the Prayer of Saint Chrysostom and the Grace:

A Prayer for the King's Majesty

O LORD, our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of kings, Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth: Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Sovereign Lord, King CHARLES; and so replenish him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that he may alway incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts; grant him in health and wealth long to live; strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies; and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for the Royal Family

ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all goodness, we humbly beseech thee to bless Queen Camilla, William Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and all the Royal Family: Endue them with thy Holy Spirit; enrich them with thy heavenly grace; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 Saint 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

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.