Please join in saying the words printed in bold type.

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The service is sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The choir sings the Introit

O almighty God, mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Words: after the Collect for the Second Sunday after Epiphany, The Book of Common Prayer 1549
Music: George Barcrofte (fl 1600)

All remain standing as the officiant introduces a general 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 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

O Lord, open thou our lips
and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.

Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord's name be praised.

Composer: Philip Radcliffe (1905–86)

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 69

Save me, O God : for the waters are come in, even unto my soul.
I stick fast in the deep mire, where no ground is : I am come into deep waters, so that the floods run over me.
I am weary of crying; my throat is dry : my sight faileth me for waiting so long upon my God.
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head : they that are mine enemies, and would destroy me guiltless, are mighty.
I paid them the things that I never took : God, thou knowest my simpleness, and my faults are not hid from thee.
Let not them that trust in thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my cause : let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O Lord God of Israel.
And why? for thy sake have I suffered reproof : shame hath covered my face.
I am become a stranger unto my brethren : even an alien unto my mother's children.
For the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me : and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me.
I wept, and chastened myself with fasting : and that was turned to my reproof.
I put on sackcloth also : and they jested upon me.
They that sit in the gate speak against me : and the drunkards make songs upon me.
But, Lord, I make my prayer unto thee : in an acceptable time.
Hear me, O God, in the multitude of thy mercy : even in the truth of thy salvation.
Take me out of the mire, that I sink not : O let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Let not the water-?ood drown me, neither let the deep swallow me up : and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is comfortable : turn thee unto me according to the multitude of thy mercies.
And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble : O haste thee, and hear me.
Draw nigh unto my soul, and save it : O deliver me, because of mine enemies.
Thou hast known my reproof, my shame, and my dishonour : mine adversaries are all in thy sight.
Thy rebuke hath broken my heart; I am full of heaviness : I looked for some to have pity on me, but there was no man, neither found I any to comfort me.
They gave me gall to eat : and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.
Let their table be made a snare to take themselves withal : and let the things that should have been for their wealth be unto them an occasion of falling.
Let their eyes be blinded, that they see not : and ever bow thou down their backs.
Pour out thine indignation upon them : and let thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them.
Let their habitation be void : and no man to dwell in their tents.
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten : and they talk how they may vex them whom thou hast wounded.
Let them fall from one wickedness to another : and not come into thy righteousness.
Let them be wiped out of the book of the living : and not be written among the righteous.
As for me, when I am poor and in heaviness : thy help, O God, shall lift me up.
I will praise the name of God with a song : and magnify it with thanksgiving.
This also shall please the Lord : better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
The humble shall consider this, and be glad : seek ye after God, and your soul shall live.
For the Lord heareth the poor : and despiseth not his prisoners.
Let heaven and earth praise him : the sea, and all that moveth therein.
For God will save Sion, and build the cities of Judah : that men may dwell there, and have it in possession.
The posterity also of his servants shall inherit it : and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

All stand

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.

Chants: Jonathan Battishill (1738–1801) and John Goss (1800–80)

All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 51: 17—52: 2

Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up, O Jerusalem,
you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath,
who have drunk to the dregs the bowl of staggering.
There is no one to guide her among all the children she has borne;
there is no one to take her by the hand among all the children she has brought up.
These two things have befallen you—who will grieve with you?—
devastation and destruction, famine and sword—who will comfort you?
Your children have fainted, they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net;
they are full of the wrath of the Lord, the rebuke of your God.

Therefore hear this, you who are wounded, who are drunk, but not with wine:
Thus says your Sovereign, the Lord, your God who pleads the cause of his people:
See, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;
you shall drink no more from the bowl of my wrath.
And I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, 'Bow down, that we may walk on you';
and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to walk on.

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for the uncircumcised and the unclean shall enter you no more.
Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captive Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter Zion!

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his hand-maiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, 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.

Jesus College Service, William Mathias (1934–92)

All sit for the second Lesson, Ephesians 5: 1–20

Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

'Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.'

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace : according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people;
to be a light to lighten the Gentiles : and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

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.

Jesus College Service, William Mathias

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 Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

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

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us. 

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.

O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.

O Lord, save The Queen.
And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.

Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
And make thy chosen people joyful.

O Lord, save thy people.
And bless thine inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.

O God, make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

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

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. 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.

Philip Radcliffe

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 Lady Queen Elizabeth, Charles Prince 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 Brotherhood of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath living and departed. Amen.

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Regis regum rectissimi
Prope est dies Domini
Dies irae et vindictae,
Tenebrarum et nebulae,
Regis regum rectissimi.

Diesque mirabilium
Tonitruorum fortium,
Dies quoque angustiae,
Maeroris ac tristitiae.
Regis regum rectissimi.

In quo cessabit mulierum
Amor et desiderium
Nominumque contentio
Mundi hujus et cupido.
Regis regum rectissimi.

King of kings and of lords most high,
Comes his day of judgement nigh:
Day of wrath and vengeance stark,
Day of shadows and cloudy dark,
King of kings and of lords most high.

Thunder shall rend that day apart,
Wonder amaze each fearful heart,
Anguish and pain and deep distress
Shall mark that day of bitterness.
King of kings and of lords most high.

That day the pangs of lust will cease,
Man's questing heart shall be at peace:
Then shall the great no more contend
And worldly fame be at an end.
King of kings and of lords most high.

Words: attributed to St Columba (521–97)
Music: A Hymn of St Columba Benjamin Britten (1913–76)

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

Music after the service

Moto ostinato (Sunday Music), Petr Eben (1929–2007)

Those who wish to may sit for the remainder of the organ voluntary. As you leave the church, please be sensitive to those who might wish to maintain social-distancing.

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