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
The psalmody begins with this prayer for forgiveness and protection:
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. Ps. 141:1-7
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
Silence for reflection.
Response
In many and various ways
God spoke to his 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.
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
L Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,
C have mercy and hear us.
C 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
C I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
L Show us your mercy, O Lord,
C and grant us your salvation.
L Clothe your ministers with righteousness.
C Let your people sing with joy.
L Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
C for only in you can we live in safety.
L Lord, keep this nation under your care,
C and guide us in the way of justice and truth.
L Let your way be known upon earth;
C your saving health among all nations.
L Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten,
C nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
L Create in us clean hearts, O God,
C and sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
L The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
L Let us pray. . . .
C Amen
6. The final prayer is that appropriate to the time of day:
EVENING
L We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have this day so graciously protected us. We beg you to forgive us all our sins and the wrong which we have done. By your great mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of this night. Into your hands we commend our bodies and souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels have charge of us, that the wicked one have no power over us.
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
L The Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
C Amen
