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 Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Following the service, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between WaterAid and the work of the Abbey. WaterAid works to reach everyone with clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene.

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: Matthew Martin (b 1976)

All sit. The choir sings Venite exultemus Domino

All remain seated. The choir sings Psalm 76

In Jewry is God known : his name is great in Israel.
At Salem is his tabernacle : and his dwelling in Sion.
There brake he the arrows of the bow : the shield, the sword, and the battle.
Thou art of more honour and might : than the hills of the robbers.
The proud are robbed, they have slept their sleep : and all the men whose hands were mighty have found nothing.
At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob : both the chariot and horse are fallen.
Thou, even thou art to be feared : and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry?
Thou didst cause thy judgement to be heard from heaven : the earth trembled, and was still,
when God arose to judgement : and to help all the meek upon earth.
The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise : and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain.
Promise unto the Lord your God, and keep it, all ye that are round about him : bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
He shall refrain the spirit of princes : and is wonderful among the kings of the earth.

All stand

Chant: Sydney Nicholson (1875–1947), Organist and Master of the Choristers 1918–27

All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 43: 1–7

Thus says the Lord,
   he who created you, O Jacob,
   he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
   and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
   and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
   Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my sight,
   and honoured, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
   nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you;
   I will bring your offspring from the east,
   and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, 'Give them up',
   and to the south, 'Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
   and my daughters from the end of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
   whom I created for my glory,
   whom I formed and made.'

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.
O ye Waters that be above the Firmament, bless ye the Lord
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.
O ye Stars of Heaven, bless ye the Lord.
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.
O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord.
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.
O ye Frost and Cold, bless ye the Lord.
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.
O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord.
O ye Lightnings, and Clouds, bless ye the Lord :
   praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let the Earth bless the Lord.
O ye Mountains, and Hills, bless ye the Lord.
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.
O ye Seas, and Floods, bless ye the Lord.
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.
O all ye Beasts, and Cattle, bless ye the Lord.
O ye Children of Men, bless ye the Lord :
   praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let Israel bless the Lord.
O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
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.
O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord.
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.

Morning Service in F, George Dyson (1883–1964)

All sit for the second Lesson, Ephesians 2: 8–1

By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called 'the uncircumcision' by those who are called 'the circumcision'—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
   he has visited his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour
   in the house of David his servant,
as he promised by the lips of holy men, those who were his prophets from of old,
   a Saviour who would free us from our foes, from the hands of all who hate us.
So his love for our fathers is fulfilled,
   and his holy covenant remembered,
he swore to Abraham our father
   to grant us that, free from fear and saved from the hands of our foes,
we might serve him in holiness and justice
   all the days of our life in his presence.
As for you, little child, you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High;
   you shall go ahead of the Lord to prepare the ways before him,
to make known to his people their salvation
   through the forgiveness of all their sins,
the loving kindness of the heart of our God
   who visits us like the dawn from on high.
He will give light to those in darkness, those who dwell in the shadow of death,
   and guide us into the way of peace.

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

Music: James MacMillan (b 1959)

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, of Lent, for Peace, for Grace

Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 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: Matthew Martin

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

Benedictus Op 59 no 9, Max Reger (1873–1916)

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

Choristerships at Westminster Abbey

The Choir of Westminster Abbey

If you have a son who enjoys singing, you can find out more information about our world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique Choir School. Alternatively, please contact Dr Emma Margrett, Headteacher, Westminster Abbey Choir School, and Mr Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, by emailing [email protected].

St Margaret's Choristers

If you have a daughter aged 10 or 11 who would like to sing with the St Margaret's Choristers, please contact Mr Greg Morris, Director of Music, St Margaret's Church, [email protected]. Find out more about Music at St Margaret's Church.