Sentences of Scripture.
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand
in awe of him. Psalm xcvi. 9.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway
acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.
Psalm xix. 14.
General Confesssion & Absolution
O Lord, open thou our lips.
Answer. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
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.
Minister. Praise ye the Lord.
Answer. The Lord's Name be praised.
The Psalter
Psalm 24
The Twenty-Fourth Psalm
Domini est terra.
THE earth is the LORD'S, and all that therein is;
* the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas,
* and stablished it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?
* or who shall rise up in his holy place?
Even he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
* and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity, nor sworn
to deceive his neighbour.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD,
* and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is the generation of them that seek him;
* even of them that seek thy face, O God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up,
ye everlasting doors;
* and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
* It is the LORD strong and mighty, even the LORD
mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up,
ye everlasting doors;
* and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
* Even the LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.
Psalm 47
The Forty-Seventh Psalm
Omnes gentes, plaudite.
O CLAP your hands together, all ye peoples:
* O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
For the LORD is high, and to be feared;
* he is the great King upon all the earth.
He shall subdue the peoples under us,
* and the nations under our feet.
He shall choose out an heritage for us,
* even the excellency of Jacob, whom he loved.
God is gone up with a merry noise,
* and the LORD with the sound of the trump.
O sing praises, sing praises unto our God;
* O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.
For God is the King of all the earth:
* sing ye praises with understanding.
God reigneth over the nations;
* God sitteth upon his holy seat.
The princes of the peoples are joined unto the people of the God of Abraham;
* for God, which is very high exalted, doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.
Gloria in excelsis.
GLORY be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We
praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give
thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the
Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son
of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon
us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon
us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The First Lesson
Isaiah 33:5-6. 17, 20-22
The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the
Lord is his treasure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far
off. Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a
tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall
any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and
streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For the Lord is our
judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.
Magnificat. St. Luke i. 46.
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.
Cantate Domino
Bonum est confiteri
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
Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of
our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. For every high
priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts
and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way;
for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so
also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of
God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto
him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for
ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard
in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God
an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
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.
Deus misereatur
Benedic, anima mea
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 Apostles' 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 Catholic Church; The Communion of
Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: And the
Life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
Answer. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Let us pray.
The Lord's Prayer.
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, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Minister. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
Minister. O Lord, save the State.
Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Minister. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful.
Minister. O Lord, save thy people.
Answer. And bless thine inheritance.
Minister. Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Answer. For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.
Minister. O God, make clean our hearts within us.
Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
The Collect for the Day
Ascension Day
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as
we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also
in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually
dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
A Collect 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 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.
A Collect for Aid against 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.
A Prayer for the President of the United States
A Prayer for the Clergy and People.
Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect
gift; Send down upon our Bishops, and other Clergy, and upon the
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 for All Conditions of Men.
O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee
for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to
make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More
especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so
guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call
themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the
faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of
life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any
ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [* especially
those for whom our prayers are desired;] that it may please thee to
comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities; giving
them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their
afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
A General Thanksgiving
A Prayer of St. Chysostom
2 Cor. xiii. 14.
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.
