Welcome to Westminster Abbey. Daily prayer has been offered in this place for over a thousand years, and your participation in today's service is warmly welcomed. At choral Evensong most of the service is sung by the choir on our behalf. We participate through our presence and our listening, that the words and the music might become a prayer within us and lift us to contemplate God's beauty and glory.

The service always includes one or more psalms. These ancient prayers, taken from the Old Testament, reflect the full range of human emotions and experiences; from the depths of anger, resentment, and abandonment to the heights of ecstatic joy and praise. They were used by Jesus, and have always been at the heart of the Church's daily prayer.

The canticles Magnificat (Luke 1: 46–55) and Nunc dimittis (Luke 2: 29–32) reflect two responses to the Incarnation (God becoming fully human in Jesus Christ). Both speak of the fulfilment of God's promises, not just to 'Abraham and his seed', but also 'to be a light to lighten the Gentiles' (all nations). With their themes of fulfilment and completion, these texts have been given central place for many centuries in the Church's prayers for the evening and at the end of the day.

Please join in saying the words printed in bold type.

The church is served by a hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting marked T.

Photography, filming, and sound recording are not allowed in the Abbey during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is sung by the Lay Vicars.

Following the service a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields and the work of the Abbey. The Connection works with people who are rough sleeping to move away from, and stay off, the streets of London.

Order of Service

The choir sings the Introit

Oculi omnium in te sperant, Domine,
   et tu das escam illorum in tempore opportuno.

Gloria tibi, Domine. Amen.

The eyes of all look to you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season.

Glory to you, O Lord. Amen.

Words: Psalm 145: 15
Music: Nico Muhly (b 1981)

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

All remain standing as the officiant introduces the Confession

Beloved, we are come together in the presence of Almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and show forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all people such things as their well-being doth require. Wherefore let us kneel and keep silence, and remember God's presence with us now.

All kneel or sit to say together

O God, our Father,
we have sinned against thee
in thought, word, and deed;
we have not loved thee with all our heart;
we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves.
Have mercy upon us, we beseech thee;
cleanse us from our sins;
and help us to overcome our faults;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The officiant gives the Absolution

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All say together the Lord's Prayer

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,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

All stand. The officiant and choir sing the Responses

Music: Philip Moore (b 1943)

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 34

I will alway give thanks unto the Lord : his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O praise the Lord with me : and let us magnify his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me : yea, he delivered me out of all my fear.
They had an eye unto him, and were lightened : and their faces were not ashamed.
Lo, the poor crieth, and the Lord heareth him : yea, and saveth him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him : and delivereth them.
O taste and see, how gracious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints : for they that fear him lack nothing.
The lions do lack, and suffer hunger : but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good.
Come, ye children, and hearken unto me : I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is he that lusteth to live : and would fain see good days?
Keep thy tongue from evil : and thy lips, that they speak no guile.
Eschew evil, and do good : seek peace, and ensue it.
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous : and his ears are open unto their prayers.
The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil : to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them : and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart : and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
Great are the troubles of the righteous : but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
He keepeth all his bones : so that not one of them is broken.
But misfortune shall slay the ungodly : and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants : and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.

All stand

Chant: plainsong

All sit for the first Lesson, Job 12: 1–16

Job answered:
'No doubt you are the people,
   and wisdom will die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
   I am not inferior to you.
   Who does not know such things as these?
I am a laughing-stock to my friends;
   I, who called upon God and he answered me,
   a just and blameless man, I am a laughing-stock.
Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,
   but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.
The tents of robbers are at peace,
   and those who provoke God are secure,
   who bring their god in their hands.

'But ask the animals, and they will teach you;
   the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
   and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
   that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing
   and the breath of every human being.
Does not the ear test words
   as the palate tastes food?
Is wisdom with the aged,
   and understanding in length of days?

'With God are wisdom and strength;
   he has counsel and understanding.
If he tears down, no one can rebuild;
   if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.
If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
   if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
With him are strength and wisdom;
   the deceived and the deceiver are his.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

First Service, Philip Moore

All sit for the second Lesson, Matthew 15: 1–9

Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 'Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.' He answered them, 'And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, "Honour your father and your mother," and, "Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die." But you say that whoever tells father or mother, "Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God", then that person need not honour the father. So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
"This people honours me with their lips,
   but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
   teaching human precepts as doctrines."'

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

First Service, Philip Moore

All face east to say together the Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth:
and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy catholic Church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Let us pray.

All kneel or sit. The officiant and choir sing the Lesser Litany; the Lord's Prayer and the Responses

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The officiant sings the Collects; of the day, for peace, and for aid against all perils

Keep, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy: and, because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Music: Philip Moore

The officiant says the Prayers; for the Royal Family, and for the Members of the Order of the Bath

Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness, we humbly beseech thee to bless our most gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles, Queen Camilla, William Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and all the Royal Family: endue them with thy Holy Spirit; enrich them with thy heavenly grace; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God save our Gracious Sovereign, and all the Members of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath living and departed. Amen.

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

In pace in idipsum dormiam et requiescam.
Si dedero somnum oculis meis, et palpebris meis dormitacionem;
dormiam et requiescam.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
In pace in idipsum dormiam et requiescam.

In peace I will sleep and take my rest. If I will allow my eyelids to sleep, and my eyelids to slumber; I will sleep and take my rest. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. In peace I will sleep and take my rest.

Words: Responsory at Compline, Psalms 4: 8a; 132: 4
Music: Grayston Ives (b 1948)

All kneel or remain seated for the Intercessions, at the end of which all say

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.

All stand as the choir and clergy depart

Those who wish to may sit for the remainder of the organ voluntary

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