O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
The Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day (page 108) may replace the Preparation as the start of Morning Prayer on any occasion.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
One of these prayers of thanksgiving (page 109),
Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
You founded the earth in the beginning
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
In the fullness of time you made us in your image,
and in these last days you have spoken to us
in your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among us
let the light of your love always shine in our hearts,
your Spirit ever renew our lives
and your praises ever be on our lips.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
(or)
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)
or a suitable hymn,
or A Song of God’s Glorious Name
1O Lord our governor,
♦
how glorious is your name in all the world!
2Your majesty above the
heavens is praised ♦
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.
3You have founded a stronghold
against your foes, ♦
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
4When I consider your
heavens, the work of your fingers, ♦
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,
5What are mortals, that
you should be mindful of them; ♦
mere human beings, that you should seek them out?
6You have made them little
lower than the angels ♦
and crown them with glory and honour.
7You have given them
dominion over the works of your hands ♦
and put all things under their feet,
8All sheep and oxen,
♦
even the wild beasts of the field,
9The birds of the air,
the fish of the sea ♦
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.
10O Lord our governor,
♦
how glorious is your name in all the world!
Psalm 8
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
This opening prayer may be said
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The appointed psalmody is said.
Refrain: I have longed for your salvation, O Lord.
153 O consider my affliction and deliver me, ♦
for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me; ♦
according to your promise, give me life.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked, ♦
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your compassion, O Lord; ♦
give me life, according to your judgements. R
157 Many there are that persecute and oppress me, ♦
yet do I not swerve from your testimonies.
158 It grieves me when I see the treacherous, ♦
for they do not keep your word.
159 Consider, O Lord, how I love your commandments; ♦
give me life according to your loving-kindness.
160 The sum of your word is truth, ♦
and all your righteous judgements endure for evermore. R
161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause, ♦
but my heart stands in awe of your word.
162 I am as glad of your word ♦
as one who finds great spoils.
163 As for lies, I hate and abhor them, ♦
but your law do I love.
164 Seven times a day do I praise you, ♦
because of your righteous judgements. R
165 Great peace have they who love your law; ♦
nothing shall make them stumble.
166 Lord, I have looked for your salvation ♦
and I have fulfilled your commandments.
167 My soul has kept your testimonies ♦
and greatly have I loved them.
168 I have kept your commandments and testimonies, ♦
for all my ways are before you.
169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord; ♦
give me understanding, according to your word.
170 Let my supplication come before you; ♦
deliver me, according to your promise.
171 My lips shall pour forth your praise, ♦
when you have taught me your statutes.
172 My tongue shall sing of your word, ♦
for all your commandments are righteous. R
173 Let your hand reach out to help me, ♦
for I have chosen your commandments.
174 I have longed for your salvation, O Lord, ♦
and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and it shall praise you, ♦
and let your judgements be my help.
176 I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; ♦
O seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
Refrain: I have longed for your salvation, O Lord.
God of mercy, swift to help us,
as our lips pour forth your praise,
fill our hearts with the peace you give
to those who wait for your salvation
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.
Do you see persons wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for fools than for them.
The lazy person says, ‘There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!’
As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a lazy person in bed.
The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,
and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.
The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem
than seven who can answer discreetly.
Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears
is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.
Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,
so is one who deceives a neighbour
and says, ‘I am only joking!’
For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarrelling ceases.
As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel
are smooth lips with an evil heart.
An enemy dissembles in speaking
while harbouring deceit within;
when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it,
for there are seven abominations concealed within;
though hatred is covered with guile,
the enemy’s wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.
A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
A Song of the Word of the Lord, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 35 (page 586), may be said
Refrain:
AllReturn to the Lord, who
will have mercy,
to our God, who will richly pardon. Alleluia.
1Seek the Lord while
he may be found, ♦
call upon him while he is near;
2Let the wicked abandon
their ways, ♦
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
3Return to the Lord,
who will have mercy; ♦
to our God, who will richly pardon.
4‘For my thoughts
are not your thoughts, ♦
neither are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord.
5‘For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, ♦
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
6‘As the rain and
the snow come down from above, ♦
and return not again but water the earth,
7‘Bringing forth
life and giving growth, ♦
seed for sowing and bread to eat,
8‘So is my word
that goes forth from my mouth; ♦
it will not return to me fruitless,
9‘But it will accomplish
that which I purpose, ♦
and succeed in the task I gave it.’
Isaiah 55.6-11
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllReturn to the Lord, who
will have mercy,
to our God, who will richly pardon. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive
me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
from Psalm 73
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)
is normally said,
or A Song of Redemption (page 620)
may be said
Refrain:
AllThey who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as an eagle. Alleluia.
1Blessed be the Lord
the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for
us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets
God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our
ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God
swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him
without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge
of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion
of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Refrain:
AllThey who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as an eagle. Alleluia.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life
Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363
¶ The social services
¶ All who work in the criminal justice system
¶ Victims and perpetrators of crime
¶ The work of aid agencies throughout the world
¶ Those living in poverty or under oppression
One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.
These responses may be used
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
(or)
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Silence may be kept.
The Collect of the day is said
Most glorious and holy God,
whose servant Hildegard, strong in the faith,
was caught up in the vision of your heavenly courts:
by the breath of your Spirit
open our eyes to glimpse your glory
and our lips to sing your praises with all the angels;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
(or)
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
©
The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from
Church House Publishing.
The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Implemented by Simon Kershaw at
Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.