Evening Prayer: Tuesday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent
Anticipation
O God, make speed to save us;
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory 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.
PSALMODY
Antiphon: My eyes are turned to you, Lord God;*
in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life. (Ps. 141.8)
Opening (from Psalms 140 and 141)
1 I have said to the Lord, ‘You are my God;*
listen, O Lord, to my supplication.’
2 O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;*
hear my voice when I cry to you.
3 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor*
and render justice to the needy.
4 Surely, the righteous will give thanks to your name,*
and the upright shall continue in your sight.
Glory to the Father…
or a suitable hymn
Psalm 75
1 We give you thanks, O God, we give you thanks,*
calling upon your name and declaring all your wonderful deeds.
2 ‘I will appoint a time,’ says God;*
‘I will judge with equity.
3 Though the earth and all its inhabitants are quaking,*
I will make its pillars fast.
4 I will say to the boasters, “Boast no more,”*
and to the wicked, “Do not toss your horns;
5 Do not toss your horns so high,*
nor speak with a proud neck.”’
6 For judgement is neither from the east nor from the west,*
nor yet from the wilderness or the mountains.
7 It is God who judges;*
he puts down one and lifts up another.
8 For in the Lord’s hand there is a cup,
full of spiced and foaming wine, which he pours out,*
and all the wicked of the earth shall drink and drain the dregs.
9 But I will rejoice for ever;*
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 He shall break off all the horns of the wicked;*
but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
O God, let not pride stiffen our necks, but help us to give you thanks and praise your name for ever, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Psalm 76
1 In Judah is God known;*
his name is great in Israel.
2 At Salem is his tabernacle,*
and his dwelling is in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,*
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of battle.
4 How glorious you are!*
more splendid than the everlasting mountains!
5 The strong of heart have been despoiled;
they sink into sleep;*
none of the warriors can lift a hand.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,*
both horse and rider lie stunned.
7 What terror you inspire!*
who can stand before you when you are angry?
8 From heaven you pronounced judgement;*
the earth was afraid and was still;
9 When God rose up to judgement*
and to save all the oppressed of the earth.
10 Truly, wrathful Edom will give you thanks,*
and the remnant of Hamath will keep your feasts.
11 Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it;*
let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of princes,*
and strikes terror in the kings of the earth.
Judge eternal, love is the government of your holy city and the indictment of the proud. We give thanks for the great salvation you have revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Conclusion (from Revelation 22)
1 ‘Behold, I am coming soon*
to repay everyone for what he has done.
2 ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,*
the beginning and the end.
3 ‘I am the root and offspring of David,*
the bright morning star.’
4 The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’;*
let anyone who hears, say, ‘Come’,
5 Let anyone who is thirsty come;*
let anyone who desires take the water of life without price.
6 The Lord says, ‘Surely I am coming soon’.*
Amen; come, Lord Jesus!
Glory to the Father…
Antiphon: My eyes are turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life.
READING(S)
Luke 1:57-66
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
Silence
Response (Ps. 28.11)
Save your people and bless your inheritance.
Save your people and bless your inheritance.
Shepherd them and carry them for ever.
Bless your inheritance.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Save your people and bless your inheritance.
MAGNIFICAT
Magnificat Antiphons: (O Emmanuel) O Emmanuel* our King and law-giver, for whom the nations wait, O Saviour of all people: Come, Lord our God, and save us.
1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father… (may be said by all)
Magnificat Antiphons: (O Emmanuel) O Emmanuel* our King and law-giver, for whom the nations wait, O Saviour of all people: Come, Lord our God, and save us.
PRAYERS
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Our 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.
Do not bring us to to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Collect of the Day
Heavenly Father, who chose the Virgin Mary, full of grace, to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour: now fill us with your grace, that we in all things may embrace your will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(A suitable hymn)
Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
