Morning Prayer: Wednesday 13 August 2025
This is the new revised order for Daily Prayer authorised for experimental use. You can find the 2006 Revised version here.
Jeremy Taylor, Bishop, 1667
Week B
Week of Proper 19
O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
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.
Amen.
PSALMODY
Antiphon: Your sovereignty is an everlasting one;* your dominion endures throughout all ages. (Psalm 145.13)
Opening
Come, let us sing
1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to God with psalms.
3 For you, O Lord, are a great God, *
and a great sovereign above all gods.
4 In your hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
5 The sea is yours, for you made it, *
and your hands have moulded the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For you are our God, and we are the people of your pasture and the sheep of your hand. *
Oh, that today we would hearken to your voice!
8 “Harden not your hearts, *
as your forebears did in the wilderness.
9 They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.
10 So I swore in my wrath, *
‘They shall not enter into my rest.’”
Glory ...
or a suitable Hymn
(Or from Psalm 145)
1. I will exalt you, O God my sovereign,*
and bless your name for ever and ever.
2. All your works praise you, O Lord,*
and your faithful servants bless you.
3. They make known the glory of your dominion *
and speak of your power;
4. So that the peoples may know of your power *
and the glorious splendour of your dominion.
Glory ...
or a suitable hymn
and whose mercy endures for ever.
2. Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim *
that God redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
3. The Lord gathered them out of the lands; *
from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
4. Some wandered in desert wastes; *
they found no way to a city where they might dwell.
5. They were hungry and thirsty; *
their spirits languished within them.
6. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, *
who delivered them from their distress.
7. The Lord put their feet on a straight path *
to go to a city where they might dwell.
8. Let them give thanks to you, O Lord, for your mercy *
and the wonders you do for your children.
9. For you satisfy the thirsty *
and fill the hungry with good things.
10. Some sat in darkness and deep gloom, *
bound fast in misery and iron;
11. because they rebelled against the words of God *
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12. So you humbled their spirits with hard labour; *
they stumbled, and there was none to help.
13. Then they cried to you in their trouble, *
and you delivered them from their distress.
14. You led them out of darkness and deep gloom *
and broke their bonds asunder.
15. Let them give thanks to you, O Lord, for your mercy *
and the wonders you do for your children.
16. For you shatter the doors of bronze *
and break in two the iron bars.
17. Some were fools and took to rebellious ways; *
they were afflicted because of their sins.
18. They abhorred all manner of food *
and drew near to death’s door.
19. Then they cried to you, O Lord, in their trouble, *
and you delivered them from their distress.
20. You sent forth your word and healed them *
and saved them from the grave.
21. Let them give thanks to you, O Lord, for your mercy *
and the wonders you do for your children.
22. Let them offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and tell of your acts with shouts of joy.
Glory ...
Conclusion
Isaiah 40
1. The Lord is the everlasting God,*
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
2. who does not faint nor grow weary,*
whose understanding is unsearchable,
3. who gives power to the faint,*
increase of strength to those who have no might.
4. Even youth shall faint and be weary;*
the young shall fall exhausted.
5 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;*
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
6. They shall run and not be weary,*
they shall walk and not faint.
Glory ...
Your sovereignty is an everlasting one;* your dominion endures throughout all ages.
READING(S)
2 Samuel 14.21-33
Now in all Israel there was no one to be praised so much for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. When he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.
So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem without coming into the king’s presence. Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king; but Joab would not come to him. He sent a second time, but Joab would not come. Then he said to his servants, ‘Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.’ So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. Then Joab rose and went to Absalom at his house, and said to him, ‘Why have your servants set my field on fire?’ Absalom answered Joab, ‘Look, I sent word to you: Come here, that I may send you to the king with the question, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now let me go into the king’s presence; if there is guilt in me, let him kill me!’ Then Joab went to the king and told him; and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.
Acts 21.15-26
When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us warmly. The next day Paul went with us to visit James; and all the elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law. They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. Join these men, go through the rite of purification with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself observe and guard the law. But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent a letter with our judgement that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.’ Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.
Silence
Response (Psalm 86.12)
I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
I will glorify your name for evermore.
With all my heart.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
SONG OF ZECHARIAH
Song of Zechariah Antiphon: You will guide us with your counsel, O God: * and, after, receive us with glory. God promised of old * * to save us.
1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,*
for he has come to his people and set them free.
2 He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,*
born of the house of his servant David.
3 Through his holy prophets he promised of old*
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us.
4 He promised to show mercy to our forebears,*
and to remember his holy covenant.
5 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6 free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
7 You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8 to give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9 In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10 to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Song of Zechariah Antiphon: You will guide us with your counsel, O God: * and, after, receive us with glory. God promised of old * * to 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 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
Open your merciful ears, O Lord,to the prayers of your humble servants:
and, that you would graciously grant what we ask,
make us desire what is pleasing in your sight;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen
God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Amen
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil;
and bring us to life eternal.
Amen.
