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 and singing the hymn 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.

Order of Service

The choir sings the Introit

Os justi meditabitur sapientiam,
   et lingua ejus loquetur judicium.
Lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius.

Noli aemulari in malignantibus; neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem.

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice. The law of their God is in their hearts.

Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers.

Words: Psalm 37: 30–31a, 1
Music: anonymous, c 1500

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 sit or 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 71

In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion : but rid me, and deliver me, in thy righteousness; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou my strong hold, whereunto I may alway resort : thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence, and my castle.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly : out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For thou, O Lord God, art the thing that I long for : thou art my hope, even from my youth.
Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born : thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb; my praise shall be always of thee.
I am become as it were a monster unto many : but my sure trust is in thee.
O let my mouth be filled with thy praise : that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.
Cast me not away in the time of age : forsake me not when my strength faileth me.
For mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying : God hath forsaken him; persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
Go not far from me, O God : my God, haste thee to help me.
Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul : let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.
As for me, I will patiently abide alway : and will praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation : for I know no end thereof.
I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God : and will make mention of thy righteousness only.
Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now : therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.
Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed : until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.
Thy righteousness, O God, is very high : and great things are they that thou hast done; O God, who is like unto thee?
O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me! And yet didst thou turn and refresh me : yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.
Thou hast brought me to great honour : and comforted me on every side.
Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness, O God, playing upon an instrument of musick : unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
My lips will be fain when I sing unto thee : and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long : for they are confounded and brought unto shame that seek to do me evil.

All stand

Chant: plainsong

All sit for the first Lesson, Deuteronomy 29: 2–15

Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear. I have led you for forty years in the wilderness. The clothes on your back have not worn out, and the sandals on your feet have not worn out; you have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink—so that you may know that I am the Lord your God. When you came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out against us for battle, but we defeated them. We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Therefore diligently observe the words of this covenant, in order that you may succeed in everything that you do.

You stand assembled today, all of you, before the Lord your God—the leaders of your tribes, your elders, and your officials, all the men of Israel, your children, your women, and the aliens who are in your camp, both those who cut your wood and those who draw your water— to enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, sworn by an oath, which the Lord your God is making with you today; in order that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I am making this covenant, sworn by an oath, not only with you who stand here with us today before the Lord our God, but also with those who are not here with us today.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

The First Service, Philip Moore

All sit for the second Lesson, 2 Timothy 3: 10–end

You have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and my suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

The 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.

The officiant and choir sing the Lesser Litany; the Lord's Prayer and the Responses

Let us pray.

All kneel or sit

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

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Ecce sacerdos magnus qui in diebus suis placuit Deo et inventus justus.

Behold a great priest who in his time pleased God, and has been found to be just.

Words: Antiphon, Common of Confessor Bishops, Roman Rite
Music: Tomás Luis de Victoria (c 1548–1611)

All kneel or remain seated for the Intercessions

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 to sing the Hymn

Thou whose almighty word
chaos and darkness heard,
   and took their flight;
hear us, we humbly pray,
and where the gospel-day
sheds not its glorious ray
   let there be light.

Thou who didst come to bring
on thy redeeming wing
   healing and sight,
health to the sick in mind,
sight to the inly blind,
O now to all mankind
   let there be light.

Spirit of truth and love,
life-giving, holy Dove,
   speed forth thy flight;
move o'er the waters' face,
bearing the lamp of grace,
and in earth's darkest place
   let there be light.

Blessèd and holy Three
glorious Trinity,
   Wisdom, Love, Might,
boundless as ocean's tide
rolling in fullest pride,
through the world far and wide
   let there be light.

Words: John Marriott (1780–1825)
Tune: 'Moscow' 466 NEH, after Felice Giardini (1716–96) in Martin Madan's 'Collection of Psalm Tunes' 1769

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

Music after the service

Ballo del granduca, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621)

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

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Hymn covered by Christian Copyright Licensing (International) Ltd are reproduced under CCL no 1040271 and MRL no 1040288. Common Worship (Church House Publishing, 2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council. Scripture Readings are from the New Revised Standard Version.