EVENING PRAYER
for
Wednesday before the Epiphany
Vespers
(Lutheran
Book of Worship, page 142)
The
people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
The
light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Those
who dwelt in the land of deep darkness,
on them light has shined.
We
have beheld Christ’s glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father.
For
to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given.
In
him was life,
and the life was the light of all people.
Joyous
light of glory:
of
the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed
Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the
sun,
and we look to the
evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices
forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims
your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give
him thanks and praise.
We praise and thank you, O God, for you are
without beginning and without end. Through Christ you are the creator and
preserver of the whole world; but, above all, you are his God and Father, the
giver of the Spirit, and the ruler of all that is, seen and unseen. You made
the day for the works of light and the night for the refreshment of our
weakness. O loving Lord and source of all that is good, mercifully accept our
evening sacrifice of praise. As you have conducted us through the day and
brought us to night’s beginning, keep us now in Christ; grant us a peaceful
evening and a night free from sin, and at the end, bring us to everlasting life
through Christ our Lord. Through him we offer glory, honor, and worship to you
in the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
Amen
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to
you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before
my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.
Let not my heart
incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness
with evildoers.
But my eyes are
turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not
of my life.
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it
was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
Silence for meditation.
Let
the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your
lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your
praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify
you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 5
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
1 Give ear to
my | words, O Lord;*
consider my | meditation.
2 Hearken to
my cry for help, my King | and my God,*
for I make my | prayer to you.
3 In the
morning, Lord, you | hear my
voice;*
early in the morning I make my appeal and | watch for
you.
4 For you are
not a God who takes pleas- | ure in wickedness,*
and evil cannot | dwell with you.
5 Braggarts
cannot stand | in your sight;*
you hate all those | who work wickedness.
6 You destroy
those | who speak lies;*
the bloodthirsty and deceitful, O Lord, | you abhor.
7 But as for
me, through the greatness of your mercy I will go in- | to your house;*
I will bow down toward your holy temple in | awe of
you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of
those who lie in | wait for me;*
make your way | straight before me.
9 For there
is no truth | in their mouth;*
there is destruction | in their heart;
10 their
throat is an | open grave;*
they flatter | with their tongue.
11 Declare
them guilt- | y, O God;*
let them fall, because | of their schemes.
12 Because of
their many transgressions | cast them out,*
for they have re- | belled against you.
13 But all
who take refuge in you | will be glad;*
they will sing out their | joy forever.
14 You will |
shelter them,*
so that those who love your name may ex- | ult in
you.
15 For you, O
Lord, will | bless the righteous;*
you will defend them with your favor as | with a
shield.
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
Holy Lord, all justice and all goodness come from you; you hate evil and abhor lies. Lead us in the path of justice, so that all who hope in you may with the Church rejoice in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hymn LBW 230 Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word
READINGS
Ezekiel 20:40-42
Mark 8:34-38
Following each reading:
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Response
In
many and various ways
God
spoke to this people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to
us by his Son.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
Antiphon:
Our
Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,
revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.
My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his
lowly servant.
From this day all generations will
call me blessed.
The Almighty has done
great things for me,
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those
who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his
arm;
he has scattered the proud in their
conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from
their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good
things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his
servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of
mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and
will be forever. Amen
Antiphon:
Our
Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,
revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.
The LITANY is sung. (LBW p. 148)
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for
the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us
pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
[names], for our pastor/pastors in Christ, for all servants of
the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
our public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may
be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and
every place, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those
who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the
Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for
peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to
the Lord.
C Lord,
have mercy.
L For
the faithful who have gone before us and are at rest, let us give thanks to the
Lord.
C Alleluia.
L Help,
save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Silence for
meditation.
L Rejoicing
in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and
our whole life to Christ, our Lord.
C To
you, O Lord.
L O
God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works:
Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our
hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended
from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the
merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, God forever. (255)
C Amen
Other collects are said with the response, Amen.
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.
For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen
Let
us bless the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Prayer
and Benediction
Accept,
O Lord, our praises and supplications, and look graciously on our households
and our faith family, that we may abide this night in peace and safety under
the shadow of your wings, and so assist us by your grace that we may be made
fit for that kingdom where there shall be no more sin, nor sorrow, nor pain,
but all shall be joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, to whom, with you, O Father,
and you, O blessed Jesus, be all glory, both now and evermore.
Amen
The
almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless
and preserve you. Amen
