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 Matins 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.

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 of Westminster Abbey.

Following the service a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between The Queen's Commonwealth Trust International and the work of the Abbey. The Queen's Commonwealth Trust supports Young Leaders in the Commonwealth who are transforming their communities.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The officiant says a Sentence of Scripture

The officiant and choir sing the Responses

Music: plainsong

All sit. The choir sings 'Venite exultemus Domino'

All remain seated. The choir sings Psalms 3 and 4

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me : many are they that rise against me.
Many one there be that say of my soul : There is no help for him in his God.
But thou, O Lord, art my defender : thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.
I did call upon the Lord with my voice : and he heard me out of his holy hill.
I laid me down and slept, and rose up again : for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people : that have set themselves against me round about.
Up, Lord, and help me, O my God : for thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord : and thy blessing is upon thy people.

All stand

Chants: plainsong

All sit for the first Lesson, Exodus 24: 3–8

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, 'All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.' And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. He sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed oxen as offerings of well-being to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he dashed against the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.' Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people, and said, 'See the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings 'Benedicite omnia opera'

O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye sun, and moon, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye showers, and dew, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye dews, and frosts, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye nights, and days, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye lightnings, and clouds, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let the earth bless the Lord : yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye mountains, and hills, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye wells, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye seas, and floods, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
All ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye beasts, and cattle, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let Israel bless the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Music: plainsong

All sit for the second Lesson, Hebrews 12: 18–end

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.' Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, 'I tremble with fear.') But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.' This phrase 'Yet once more' indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings 'Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel'

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
   for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us
   in the house of his servant David;
as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began;
   that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us;
to perform the mercy promised to our forefathers,
   and to remember his holy covenant;
to perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham,
   that he would give us; that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear; in holiness and righteousness
   before him all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the highest;
   for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
to give knowledge of salvation unto his people
   for the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God,
   whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death,
   and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Short Service, William Byrd (c 1540–1623)

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, of Lent, for Peace, for Grace:

We beseech thee, almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people; that by thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent; create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: plainsong

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 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

Music after the service

Miserere, William Byrd

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