Morning Prayer (Mattins) in Contemporary Language

Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

after Lancelot Andrewes (1626)

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Praise

1O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; ♦
my soul is athirst for you.

2My flesh also faints for you, ♦
as in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

3So would I gaze upon you in your holy place, ♦
that I might behold your power and your glory.

4Your loving-kindness is better than life itself ♦
and so my lips shall praise you.

5I will bless you as long as I live ♦
and lift up my hands in your name.

6My soul shall be satisfied, as with marrow and fatness, ♦
and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,

7When I remember you upon my bed ♦
and meditate on you in the watches of the night.

8For you have been my helper ♦
and under the shadow of your wings will I rejoice.

9My soul clings to you; ♦
your right hand shall hold me fast.

Psalm 63.1-9

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

This opening prayer may be said

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 68

Refrain: Sing to God, sing praises to his name.

1 Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered; ♦
let those that hate him flee before him.

2 As the smoke vanishes, so may they vanish away; ♦
as wax melts at the fire,
so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; ♦
let them make merry with gladness.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
exalt him who rides on the clouds. ♦
The Lord is his name; rejoice before him.

5 Father of the fatherless, defender of widows, ♦
God in his holy habitation!

6 God gives the solitary a home
and brings forth prisoners to songs of welcome, ♦
but the rebellious inhabit a burning desert. R

7 O God, when you went forth before your people, ♦
when you marched through the wilderness,

8 The earth shook and the heavens dropped down rain,
at the presence of God, the Lord of Sinai, ♦
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 You sent down a gracious rain, O God; ♦
you refreshed your inheritance when it was weary.

10 Your people came to dwell there; ♦
in your goodness, O God, you provide for the poor. R

11 The Lord gave the word;
great was the company of women who bore the tidings: ♦
‘Kings and their armies they flee, they flee!’
and women at home are dividing the spoil.

12 Though you stayed among the sheepfolds, ♦
see now a dove’s wings covered with silver
and its feathers with green gold.

13 When the Almighty scattered the kings, ♦
it was like snowflakes falling on Zalmon. R

14 You mighty mountain, great mountain of Bashan! ♦
You towering mountain, great mountain of Bashan!

15 Why look with envy, you towering mountains,
at the mount which God has desired for his dwelling, ♦
the place where the Lord will dwell for ever?

16 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
even thousands upon thousands; ♦
the Lord is among them, the Lord of Sinai in holy power.

17 You have gone up on high and led captivity captive; ♦
you have received tribute,
even from those who rebelled,
that you may reign as Lord and God. R

18 Blessed be the Lord who bears our burdens day by day, ♦
for God is our salvation.

19 God is for us the God of our salvation; ♦
God is the Lord who can deliver from death.

20 God will smite the head of his enemies, ♦
the hairy scalp of those who walk in wickedness.

21 The Lord has said, ‘From the heights of Bashan, ♦
from the depths of the sea will I bring them back,

22 ‘Till you dip your foot in blood ♦
and the tongue of your dogs has a taste of your enemies.’ R

23 We see your solemn processions, O God, ♦
your processions into the sanctuary, my God and my King.

24 The singers go before, the musicians follow after, ♦
in the midst of maidens playing on timbrels.

25 In your companies, bless your God; ♦
bless the Lord, you that are of the fount of Israel.

26 At the head there is Benjamin, least of the tribes,
the princes of Judah in joyful company, ♦
the princes of Zebulun and Naphtali. R

27 Send forth your strength, O God; ♦
establish, O God, what you have wrought in us.

28 For your temple’s sake in Jerusalem ♦
kings shall bring their gifts to you.

29 Drive back with your word the wild beast of the reeds, ♦
the herd of the bull-like, the brutish hordes.

30 Trample down those who lust after silver; ♦
scatter the peoples that delight in war.

31 Vessels of bronze shall be brought from Egypt; ♦
Ethiopia will stretch out her hands to God. R

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; ♦
make music in praise of the Lord;

33 He rides on the ancient heaven of heavens ♦
and sends forth his voice, a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe power to God, whose splendour is over Israel, ♦
whose power is above the clouds.

35 How terrible is God in his holy sanctuary, ♦
the God of Israel, who gives power and strength to his people!
Blessed be God.

Refrain: Sing to God, sing praises to his name.

Blessed are you, gracious God;
you make your home among the weak,
you deliver us from death,
you bring us joy beyond our imagining
to the praise of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Ecclesiastes 6

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honour, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill. A man may beget a hundred children, and live for many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he. Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?

All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger. The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?

Canticle

A Song of Jerusalem our Mother, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 48 (page 600), may be said

Refrain:

AllThus says our God, I will comfort you,
you shall see and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.

1‘Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, ♦
all you who love her,’ says the Lord.

2 ‘Rejoice with her in joy, ♦
all you who mourn over her,

3‘That you may drink deeply with delight ♦
from her consoling breast.’

4For thus says our God, ♦
‘You shall be nursed and carried on her arm.

5‘As a mother comforts her children, ♦
so I will comfort you;

6‘You shall see and your heart shall rejoice; ♦
you shall flourish like the grass of the fields.’

Isaiah 66.10, 11a, 12a, 12c, 13a, 14a, b

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

AllThus says our God, I will comfort you,
you shall see and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

John 18.28-end

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’ They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not permitted to put anyone to death.’ (This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, ‘I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ They shouted in reply, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a bandit.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Your salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
AllThat glory may dwell in our land.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.

from Psalm 85

Gospel Canticle

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or the Te Deum Laudamus (A Song of the Church) (page 636) may be said

Refrain:

AllShine on us, O God, who dwell in darkness,
and guide us into the way of peace.

1Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.

2He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.

3Through his holy prophets God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,

4To show mercy to our ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.

5This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

6Free to worship him without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

7And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8To give his people knowledge of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9In the tender compassion of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

10To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1.68-79

AllGlory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.

Refrain:

AllShine on us, O God, who dwell in darkness,
and guide us into the way of peace.

Prayers

Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

¶ Our homes, families, friends and all whom we love
¶ Those whose time is spent caring for others
¶ Those who are close to death
¶ Those who have lost hope
¶ The worship of the Church

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Almighty God,
who alone can bring order
to the unruly wills and passions of sinful humanity:
give your people grace
so to love what you command
and to desire what you promise,
that, among the many changes of this world,
our hearts may surely there be fixed
where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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.

The Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.