Evening Prayer: Wednesday 28 May 2025
Wednesday 28 May 2025
This is the new revised order for Daily Prayer authorised for experimental use. You can find the 2006 Revised version here.
Wednesday after Sixth Sunday After Easter
Easter
O God make speed to save us;
O Lord make haste to help us.
Glory to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.
Amen.
PSALMODY
Antiphon: With you is the well of life,* and in your light we see light.
(Psalm 36.9)
Opening (from (Psalm 36))
1. Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,*
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
2. Your righteousness is like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep;*
you save both man and beast, O Lord.
3. How priceless is your love, O God!*
your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
4. They feast upon the abundance of your house;*
you give them drink from the river of your delights.
and your faithfulness to the clouds.
2. Your righteousness is like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep;*
you save both man and beast, O Lord.
3. How priceless is your love, O God!*
your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
4. They feast upon the abundance of your house;*
you give them drink from the river of your delights.
Glory ...
or a suitable Hymn
1. Hear my teaching, O my people; *
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2. I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3. That which we have heard and known, and what our ancestors have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.
4. We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *
who has done wonderful works.
5. The Lord gave a decree to Jacob and established a law for Israel, *
commanding them to teach their children;
6. that the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; *
that they in their turn might tell it to their children;
7. so that they might put their trust in God, *
and not forget those mighty deeds, but keep the commandments;
8. and not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, *
a generation whose heart was not steadfast, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9. The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow, *
turned back in the day of battle;
10. they did not keep the covenant of God, *
and refused to walk in the law;
11. they forgot what God had done, *
and the wonders God had shown them.
12. God worked marvels in the sight of their
ancestors, *
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan,
13. splitting open the sea and letting them pass through, *
making the waters stand up like walls;
14. leading them with a cloud by day, *
and all the night through with the glow of fire;
15. splitting hard rocks in the wilderness, *
and giving them drink as from the great deep;
16. bringing streams out of the cliff, *
and the waters gushing out like rivers.
17. But they went on sinning against God, *
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18. They tested God in their hearts, *
demanding food for their craving.
19. They railed against God and said, *
“Can God set a table in the wilderness?
20. True, God struck the rock, the waters gushed out,
and the gullies overflowed; *
but is God able to give bread or to provide meat for this people?”
21. Hearing this, the Lord was full of wrath; *
a fire was kindled against Jacob, and the divine anger mounted against Israel;
22. for they had no faith in God, *
nor did they put their trust in the saving power of God
23. So God commanded the clouds above *
and opened the doors of heaven,
24. raining down manna upon them to eat *
and giving them grain from heaven.
25. So mortals ate the bread of angels; *
God provided for them food enough.
26. The Lord caused the east wind to blow in the heavens *
and powerfully led out the south wind,
27. raining down flesh upon them like dust *
and winged birds like the sand of the sea,
28. letting it fall in the midst of their camp *
and round about their dwellings.
29. So they ate and were well filled, *
for God gave them what they craved.
30. But they did not stop their craving, *
though the food was still in their mouths.
31. So the anger of God mounted against them; *
the Lord slew their strongest men and laid low the youth of Israel.
32. In spite of all this, they went on sinning *
and had no faith in the wonderful works of God.
33. So the Lord brought their days to an end like a breath *
and their years in sudden terror.
34. Whenever God slew them, they would seek the Lord, *
and repent and diligently search for God.
35. They would remember that God was their rock, *
and the Most High God their redeemer.
36. But they flattered God with their mouths *
and lied with their tongues.
37. Their heart was not steadfast *
nor were they faithful to the covenant.
38. But God, being merciful, forgave their sins and did not destroy them, *
holding back the divine anger and not permitting wrath to be roused.
39. For the Lord remembered that they were but
flesh, *
a breath that goes forth and does not return.
40. How often the people disobeyed God in the wilderness *
and offended in the desert!
41. Again and again they tempted God *
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42. They did not remember the power of God *
in the day when the Lord ransomed them from the enemy;
43. how God wrought signs in Egypt *
and omens in the field of Zoan,
44. turning their rivers into blood, *
so that they could not drink of their streams;
45. sending swarms of flies among them, which ate them up, *
and frogs, which destroyed them;
46. giving their crops to the caterpillar, *
the fruit of their toil to the locust;
47. killing their vines with hail *
and their sycamores with frost;
48. delivering their cattle to hailstones *
and their livestock to hot thunderbolts.
49. God poured out upon them blazing anger: *
fury, indignation and distress, a troop of destroying angels.
50. Giving full rein to anger, God did not spare their souls from death, *
but delivered their lives to the plague,
51. striking down all the firstborn of Egypt, *
the flower of youth in the dwellings of Ham.
52. God led this people like sheep *
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53. The Lord led them to safety, and they were not afraid; *
but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54. God brought them to the holy land, *
the mountain the strong hand of God had won.
55. God drove out the Canaanites before them and apportioned an inheritance to them by lot, *
making the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56. But they tested and defied the Most High *
and did not keep the commandments.
57. They turned away and were disloyal like their ancestors; *
they were undependable like a warped bow.
58. They grieved God with their hill-altars *
and provoked displeasure with their idols.
59. Hearing this, God was angry *
and utterly rejected Israel;
60. forsaking the shrine at Shiloh, *
the tabernacle where God had lived among this people;
61. delivering the ark into captivity, *
the glory of God into the adversary’s hand;
62. giving this people to the sword *
and becoming angry against the very inheritance of God.
63. The fire consumed their young men; *
there were no wedding songs for their young women.
64. Their priests fell by the sword, *
and their widows made no lamentation.
65. Then the Lord woke as though from sleep, *
like a warrior refreshed with wine,
66. striking the enemies of God on the backside *
and putting them to perpetual shame.
67. God rejected the tent of Joseph *
and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
68. choosing instead the tribe of Judah *
and Mount Zion, beloved by God,
69. where a sanctuary was built like the heights of heaven, *
like the everlasting earth.
70. God chose David as a servant *
and took him away from the sheepfolds,
71. bringing him from following the ewes, *
to be a shepherd over Jacob God’s people and over the inheritance of Israel.
72. So David shepherded them with a faithful and true heart *
and guided them with the skillfulness of God’s hands.
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2. I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3. That which we have heard and known, and what our ancestors have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.
4. We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *
who has done wonderful works.
5. The Lord gave a decree to Jacob and established a law for Israel, *
commanding them to teach their children;
6. that the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; *
that they in their turn might tell it to their children;
7. so that they might put their trust in God, *
and not forget those mighty deeds, but keep the commandments;
8. and not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, *
a generation whose heart was not steadfast, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9. The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow, *
turned back in the day of battle;
10. they did not keep the covenant of God, *
and refused to walk in the law;
11. they forgot what God had done, *
and the wonders God had shown them.
12. God worked marvels in the sight of their
ancestors, *
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan,
13. splitting open the sea and letting them pass through, *
making the waters stand up like walls;
14. leading them with a cloud by day, *
and all the night through with the glow of fire;
15. splitting hard rocks in the wilderness, *
and giving them drink as from the great deep;
16. bringing streams out of the cliff, *
and the waters gushing out like rivers.
17. But they went on sinning against God, *
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18. They tested God in their hearts, *
demanding food for their craving.
19. They railed against God and said, *
“Can God set a table in the wilderness?
20. True, God struck the rock, the waters gushed out,
and the gullies overflowed; *
but is God able to give bread or to provide meat for this people?”
21. Hearing this, the Lord was full of wrath; *
a fire was kindled against Jacob, and the divine anger mounted against Israel;
22. for they had no faith in God, *
nor did they put their trust in the saving power of God
23. So God commanded the clouds above *
and opened the doors of heaven,
24. raining down manna upon them to eat *
and giving them grain from heaven.
25. So mortals ate the bread of angels; *
God provided for them food enough.
26. The Lord caused the east wind to blow in the heavens *
and powerfully led out the south wind,
27. raining down flesh upon them like dust *
and winged birds like the sand of the sea,
28. letting it fall in the midst of their camp *
and round about their dwellings.
29. So they ate and were well filled, *
for God gave them what they craved.
30. But they did not stop their craving, *
though the food was still in their mouths.
31. So the anger of God mounted against them; *
the Lord slew their strongest men and laid low the youth of Israel.
32. In spite of all this, they went on sinning *
and had no faith in the wonderful works of God.
33. So the Lord brought their days to an end like a breath *
and their years in sudden terror.
34. Whenever God slew them, they would seek the Lord, *
and repent and diligently search for God.
35. They would remember that God was their rock, *
and the Most High God their redeemer.
36. But they flattered God with their mouths *
and lied with their tongues.
37. Their heart was not steadfast *
nor were they faithful to the covenant.
38. But God, being merciful, forgave their sins and did not destroy them, *
holding back the divine anger and not permitting wrath to be roused.
39. For the Lord remembered that they were but
flesh, *
a breath that goes forth and does not return.
40. How often the people disobeyed God in the wilderness *
and offended in the desert!
41. Again and again they tempted God *
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42. They did not remember the power of God *
in the day when the Lord ransomed them from the enemy;
43. how God wrought signs in Egypt *
and omens in the field of Zoan,
44. turning their rivers into blood, *
so that they could not drink of their streams;
45. sending swarms of flies among them, which ate them up, *
and frogs, which destroyed them;
46. giving their crops to the caterpillar, *
the fruit of their toil to the locust;
47. killing their vines with hail *
and their sycamores with frost;
48. delivering their cattle to hailstones *
and their livestock to hot thunderbolts.
49. God poured out upon them blazing anger: *
fury, indignation and distress, a troop of destroying angels.
50. Giving full rein to anger, God did not spare their souls from death, *
but delivered their lives to the plague,
51. striking down all the firstborn of Egypt, *
the flower of youth in the dwellings of Ham.
52. God led this people like sheep *
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53. The Lord led them to safety, and they were not afraid; *
but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54. God brought them to the holy land, *
the mountain the strong hand of God had won.
55. God drove out the Canaanites before them and apportioned an inheritance to them by lot, *
making the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56. But they tested and defied the Most High *
and did not keep the commandments.
57. They turned away and were disloyal like their ancestors; *
they were undependable like a warped bow.
58. They grieved God with their hill-altars *
and provoked displeasure with their idols.
59. Hearing this, God was angry *
and utterly rejected Israel;
60. forsaking the shrine at Shiloh, *
the tabernacle where God had lived among this people;
61. delivering the ark into captivity, *
the glory of God into the adversary’s hand;
62. giving this people to the sword *
and becoming angry against the very inheritance of God.
63. The fire consumed their young men; *
there were no wedding songs for their young women.
64. Their priests fell by the sword, *
and their widows made no lamentation.
65. Then the Lord woke as though from sleep, *
like a warrior refreshed with wine,
66. striking the enemies of God on the backside *
and putting them to perpetual shame.
67. God rejected the tent of Joseph *
and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
68. choosing instead the tribe of Judah *
and Mount Zion, beloved by God,
69. where a sanctuary was built like the heights of heaven, *
like the everlasting earth.
70. God chose David as a servant *
and took him away from the sheepfolds,
71. bringing him from following the ewes, *
to be a shepherd over Jacob God’s people and over the inheritance of Israel.
72. So David shepherded them with a faithful and true heart *
and guided them with the skillfulness of God’s hands.
Glory …
Psalm 76
1. In Judah are you known, O God; *
your name is great in Israel.
2. At Salem is your tabernacle, *
and your dwelling is in Zion.
3. There you 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 you, O 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 bring gifts to the One who is worthy to be feared
12. who breaks the spirit of princes, *
and strikes terror in the rulers of the earth.
your name is great in Israel.
2. At Salem is your tabernacle, *
and your dwelling is in Zion.
3. There you 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 you, O 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 bring gifts to the One who is worthy to be feared
12. who breaks the spirit of princes, *
and strikes terror in the rulers of the earth.
Conclusion
Colossians 1
1. Give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;*
he has delivered us from the dominion of darkness.
2. He has transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,*
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
3. He is the image of the invisible God,*
the first-born of all creation.
4. For in him all things were created,*
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.
5 He is the head of the body, the church;*
he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead.
6. In him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell,*
to reconcile all things to himself, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Glory …
Antiphon: With you is the well of life,* and in your light we see light.
READING(S)
2 Kings 2.1-15
Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I know; keep silent.’
Elijah said to him, ‘Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?’ And he answered, ‘Yes, I know; be silent.’
Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’ Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.’ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, ‘Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’ They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
Revelation 5.1-14
Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’
Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;
you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,
and they will reign on earth.’
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honour and glory and blessing!’
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might
for ever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.
Silence
Response (Psalm 30.1)
I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up; alleluia, alleluia.
I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up; alleluia, alleluia.
You have not let my enemies triumph over me.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up; alleluia, alleluia.
SONG OF MARY
Song of Mary Antiphon: I am the vine* you are the branches, says the Lord; alleluia!
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)
Song of Mary Antiphon: I am the vine* you are the branches, says the Lord; alleluia!
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 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
O God, from whom all good things arise:
grant such grace to those who call on you,
that, by your inspiration,
we may ponder those things that are right,
and, by your guidance, do them;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen
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.
