Evening Prayer: Friday 5 December 2025

19. You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: *
“I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

20. I have found David my servant; *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.

21. My hand will hold him fast *
and my arm will make him strong.

22. No enemy shall deceive him, *
nor any wicked one bring him down.


23. I will crush his foes before him *
and strike down those who hate him.

24. My faithfulness and love shall be with him, *
and he shall be victorious through my name.

25. I shall make his dominion extend *
from the Great Sea to the River.

26. He will say to me, ’You are my Father, *
my God, and the rock of my salvation’

27. I will make him my firstborn *
and higher than the rulers of the earth.

28. I will keep my love for him for ever, *
and my covenant will stand firm for him.

29. I will establish his line for ever *
and his throne as the days of heaven.

30. If his children forsake my law *
and do not walk according to my judgements;

31. if they break my statutes *
and do not keep my commandments;

32. I will punish their transgressions with a rod *
and their iniquities with the lash;

33. but I will not take my love from him, *
nor let my faithfulness prove false.

34. I will not break my covenant, *
nor change what has gone out of my lips.

35. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness: *
‘I will not lie to David.

36. His line shall endure for ever *
and his throne as the sun before me;

37. It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon, *
the abiding witness in the sky.’”

38. But you have cast off and rejected your anointed; *
you have become enraged at him.

39. You have broken your covenant with your servant, *
defiled his crown, and hurled it to the ground.

40. You have breached all his walls *
and laid his strongholds in ruins.

41. All who pass by despoil him; *
he has become the scorn of his neighbours.

42. You have exalted the strong hand of his foes *
and have not sustained him in battle.

43. You have turned back the edge of his sword *
and have not sustained him in battle.

44. You have put an end to his splendour *
and cast his throne to the ground.

45. You have cut short the days of his youth *
and have covered him with shame.

46. How long will you hide yourself, O Lord? Will you hide yourself for ever? *
How long will your anger burn like fire?
47. Remember, Lord, how short life is, *
how frail you have made all flesh.

48. Who can live and not see death? *
Who can save oneself from the power of the grave?

49. Where, Lord, are your loving-kindnesses of old, *
which you promised David in your faithfulness?

50. Remember, Lord, how your servant is mocked, *
how I carry in my bosom the taunts of many peoples,

51. the taunts your enemies have hurled, O Lord, *
which they hurled at the heels of your anointed.

52. Blessed be the Lord for evermore! *
Amen, I say, Amen.