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 the Benedicite – a Song of Creation (shorter version)
1Bless the Lord all you
works of the Lord: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
2Bless the Lord you heavens:
♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
3Bless the Lord you angels
of the Lord: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
4Bless the Lord all people
on earth: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
5O people of God bless
the Lord: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
6Bless the Lord you priests
of the Lord: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
7Bless the Lord you servants
of the Lord: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
8Bless the Lord all you
of upright spirit: ♦
bless the Lord you that are holy and humble in heart.
The Song of the Three 35-37, 60-65
AllBless the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit: ♦
sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
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: Great is our Lord and mighty in power.
1 Alleluia.
How good it is to make music for our God, ♦
how joyful to honour him with praise.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem ♦
and gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted ♦
and binds up all their wounds. R
4 He counts the number of the stars ♦
and calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; ♦
his wisdom is beyond all telling.
6 The Lord lifts up the poor, ♦
but casts down the wicked to the ground. R
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; ♦
make music to our God upon the lyre;
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds ♦
and prepares rain for the earth;
9 Who makes grass to grow upon the mountains ♦
and green plants to serve our needs. R
10 He gives the beasts their food ♦
and the young ravens when they cry.
11 He takes no pleasure in the power of a horse, ♦
no delight in human strength;
12 But the Lord delights in those who fear him, ♦
who put their trust in his steadfast love. R
13 Sing praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; ♦
praise your God, O Zion;
14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates ♦
and has blest your children within you.
15 He has established peace in your borders ♦
and satisfies you with the finest wheat. R
16 He sends forth his command to the earth ♦
and his word runs very swiftly.
17 He gives snow like wool ♦
and scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.
18 He casts down his hailstones like morsels of bread; ♦
who can endure his frost? R
19 He sends forth his word and melts them; ♦
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
20 He declares his word to Jacob, ♦
his statutes and judgements to Israel.
21 He has not dealt so with any other nation; ♦
they do not know his laws.
Alleluia.
Refrain: Great is our Lord and mighty in power.
Compassionate God,
as you know each star you have created,
so you know the secrets of every heart;
in your loving mercy bring to your table
all who are fearful and broken,
all who are wounded and needy,
that our hungers may be satisfied
in the city of your peace;
through Christ who is our peace.
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.
Sing, O barren one who did not bear;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labour!
For the children of the desolate woman will be more
than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.
Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
and your descendants will possess the nations
and will settle the desolate towns.
Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing wrath for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
This is like the days of Noah to me:
Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
and will not rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I am about to set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the prosperity of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
A Song of David, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 32 (page 583) or number 50 (page 602), may be said
Refrain:
AllSplendour and majesty are
yours, O God;
you are exalted as head over all. Alleluia.
1Blessed are you, God
of Israel, for ever and ever, ♦
for yours is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour and the majesty.
2Everything in heaven
and on earth is yours; ♦
yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
and you are exalted as head over all.
3Riches and honour come
from you ♦
and you rule over all.
4In your hand are power
and might; ♦
yours it is to give power and strength to all.
5And now we give you
thanks, our God, ♦
and praise your glorious name.
6For all things come
from you, ♦
and of your own have we given you.
1 Chronicles 29.10b-13, 14b
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.
AllSplendour and majesty are
yours, O God;
you are exalted as head over all. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead
AllAnd Christ shall give
you light.
You have died and your life is hid with Christ in God.
AllAwake, O sleeper, and
arise from the dead.
Set your minds on things that are above,
not on things that are on the earth.
AllAnd Christ shall give
you light.
When Christ our life appears you will appear with him in glory.
AllAwake, O sleeper, and
arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give you light.
from Colossians 3
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or the Easter Anthems (page 634) may be said
Refrain:
AllYou have raised up for us
a mighty Saviour,
born of the house of your servant David.
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:
AllYou have raised up for us
a mighty Saviour,
born of the house of your servant David.
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 universal Church
¶ Bishops, synods and all who lead the Church
¶ The leaders of the nations
¶ The natural world and the resources of the
earth
¶ All who are in any kind of need
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
Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.