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EVENING PRAYER
The Presentation Of Our Lord In the Temple
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 84
1 How dear to
me is your dwelling, O | Lord of
hosts!*
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of
the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the | living God.
2 The sparrow
has found her a house
and the swallow a nest
where she may | lay her young,*
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King | and my God.
3 Happy are
they who dwell | in your house!*
They will always be | praising you.
4 Happy are
the people whose strength | is in you,*
whose hearts are set on the | pilgrims' way.
5 Those who
go through the desolate valley will find it a | place of springs,*
for the early rains have covered it with | pools of
water.
6 They will
climb from | height to height,*
and the God of gods will reveal him- | self in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, | hear my prayer;*
hearken, O | God of Jacob.
8 Behold our
defend- | er, O God;*
and look upon the face of | your anointed.
9 For one day
in your courts is better than a thousand in | my own room,*
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents | of the wicked.
10 For the Lord God is both | sun and shield;*
he will give | grace and glory;
11 no good
thing will the | Lord withhold*
from those who walk | with integrity.
12 O | Lord of hosts,*
happy are they who put their | trust in you!
Hymn In His Temple Now Behold Him (sung to WESTMINSTER ABBEY)
1 In his temple now behold him,
see the long-expected Lord;
ancient prophets had foretold him,
God has now fulfilled his word.
Now to praise him, his redeemèd
shall break forth with one accord.
2 In the arms of her who bore him,
virgin pure, behold him lie,
while his aged saints adore him,
ere in perfect faith they die.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Lo, the incarnate God Most High!
3 Jesus, by your presentation,
when they blest you, weak and poor,
make us see your great salvation,
seal us with your promise sure;
and present us, in your glory,
to your Father, cleansed and pure.
Text:
Henry J. Pye, 1825-1903, alt.
READINGS
Following each reading:
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from The Light of the World by Jaroslav Pelikan
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 Dan, our bishop, for all 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
Be present, merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night; so that we, who are wearied by the changes and chances of life, may find our rest in you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us.
Amen
