Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted here.

Psalm 109 (110) The Messiah, king and priest

Christ the Lord is a priest for ever, a priest of the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia.

The Lord has said to my lord:

“Sit at my right hand

while I make your enemies your footstool.”

From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre,

and you will rule in the midst of your foes.

Royal power is yours in the day of your strength,

among the sacred splendours.

Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:

“You are a priest for ever,

a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”

The Lord is at your right hand,

and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will drink from the stream as he goes –

he will hold his head high.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Christ the Lord is a priest for ever, a priest of the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia.

Psalm 144 (145) The greatness and goodness of God

Our God is in the heavens; and what he wills, he does. Alleluia.

I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king –

I will bless your name for ever and for all time.

I will bless you, O God, day after day –

I will praise your name for ever and all time.

The Lord is great, to him all praise is due –

he is great beyond measuring.

Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds,

and tell the wonders you have done.

They will tell of your overwhelming power,

and pass on the tale of your greatness.

They will cry out the story of your great kindness,

they will celebrate your judgements.

The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful,

he is patient and endlessly kind.

The Lord is gentle to all –

he shows his kindness to all his creation.

Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord,

let your chosen ones bless you.

Let them tell of the glory of your reign,

let them speak of your power –

so that the children of men may know what you can do,

see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness.

Your kingdom stands firm for all ages,

your rule lasts for ever and ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Our God is in the heavens; and what he wills, he does. Alleluia.

Canticle	(Apocalypse 19)

The wedding of the Lamb

Praise God, all his servants, small and great. Alleluia.

Alleluia.

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

because his judgements are true and just.

Alleluia.

Praise our God, all his servants,

and you who fear him, small and great.

Alleluia.

For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty:

let us rejoice and exult and give him glory.

Alleluia.

The marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his spouse has made herself ready.

Alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Praise God, all his servants, small and great. Alleluia.

Short reading	1 Corinthians 15:25-28 ©

For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet. – Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.

Short Responsory

Your throne, O God, is established for ever.

– Your throne, O God, is established for ever.

The sceptre of your kingdom is a sceptre of justice.

– Your throne, O God, is established for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Your throne, O God, is established for ever.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,’ says the Lord.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,’ says the Lord.

Prayers and Intercessions

Christ gives eternal salvation to those who come to God through him: he lives and intercedes for us for ever. Filled with this belief we give him praise and honour and humbly beg him: