The livestream may be found here.
EVENING PRAYER Vespers
(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)
Phillip Nicolai, 1608; Johann Heermann, 1647; Paul Gerhardt, 1676; Hymnwriters
Jesus Christ is the light of the world,
the light no darkness can overcome.
Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,
and the day is almost over.
Let your light scatter the darkness,
and illumine your church.
Joyous light of glory:
of the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the sun,
and we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ; may his Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation; and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen
The psalmody begins with this prayer for forgiveness and protection:
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.
Let not my heart incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers.
But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not of my life.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Ps. 141:1-7
Silence for meditation.
Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 96
1 Sing to the
Lord | a new song;*
sing to the Lord,
all | the whole earth.
2 Sing to the
Lord and | bless his name;*
proclaim the good news of his salvation from | day to
day.
3 Declare his
glory a- | mong the nations*
and his wonders a- | mong all peoples.
4 For great
is the Lord and greatly | to be
praised;*
he is more to be feared | than all gods.
5 As for all the
gods of the nations, they | are but idols;*
but it is the Lord
who | made the heavens.
6 Oh, the
majesty and magnificence | of his presence!*
Oh, the power and the splendor of his | sanctuary!
7 Ascribe to
the Lord, you families | of the
peoples;*
ascribe to the Lord
hon- | or and power.
8 Ascribe to
the Lord the honor | due his
name;*
bring offerings and come in- | to his courts.
9 Worship the
Lord in the beau- | ty of
holiness;*
let the whole earth trem- | ble before him.
10 Tell it
out among the nations: "The | Lord
is king!*
He has made the world so firm that it cannot be
moved;
he will judge the peo- | ples with equity."
11 Let the
heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and
all | that is in it;*
let the field be joyful and all that | is therein.
12 Then shall
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
before the Lord | when he comes,*
when he comes to | judge the earth.
13 He will
judge the | world with righteousness*
and the peoples | with his truth.
Lord Jesus, the incarnate Word, when you consented to dwell with us, the heavens were glad and the earth rejoiced. In hope and love we await your return. Help us to proclaim your glory to those who do not know you, until the whole earth sings a new song to you and the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Hymn: Evening and Morning (LBW 465)
1 Evening and morning,
sunset and dawning,
wealth, peace, and gladness,
comfort in sadness:
these are thy works; all the glory be
thine!
Times without number,
awake or in slumber,
thine eye observes us,
from danger preserves us,
causing thy mercy upon us to shine.
2 Father, oh, hear me,
pardon and spare me;
calm all my terrors,
blot out my errors,
that by thine eyes they may no more be
scanned.
Order my goings,
direct all my doings;
as it may please thee,
retain or release me;
all I commit to thy fatherly hand.
3 Ills that still grieve me
soon are to leave me;
though billows tower,
and winds gain power,
after the storm the fair sun shows its
face.
Joys e’er increasing
and peace never ceasing:
these shall I treasure
and share in full measure
when in his mansions God grants me a
place.
4 To God in heaven
all praise be given!
Come, let us offer
and gladly proffer
to the creator the gifts he doth prize.
He well receiveth
a heart that believeth;
hymns that adore him
are precious before him
and to his throne like sweet incense
arise.
Text:
Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676; tr. composite
READINGS
2 Chronicles 20:20-21
Colossians 3:12-17
After each scriptural reading:
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
From Luther's Preface to The Wittenberg Hymnal
Silence for reflection.
Response
In many and various ways
God spoke to his people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm;
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
L Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,
C have mercy and hear us.
C Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen
C I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
L Show us your mercy, O Lord,
C and grant us your salvation.
L Clothe your ministers with righteousness.
C Let your people sing with joy.
L Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
C for only in you can we live in safety.
L Lord, keep this nation under your care,
C and guide us in the way of justice and truth.
L Let your way be known upon earth;
C your saving health among all nations.
L Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten,
C nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
L Create in us clean hearts, O God,
C and sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
L The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
L Let us pray. . . .
C Amen
6. The final prayer is that appropriate to the time of day:
EVENING
L We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have this day so graciously protected us. We beg you to forgive us all our sins and the wrong which we have done. By your great mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of this night. Into your hands we commend our bodies and souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels have charge of us, that the wicked one have no power over us.
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
L The Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
C Amen
