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 Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Following the service, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between USPG and the work of the Abbey. USPG is an Anglican mission agency that partners with churches worldwide in God's mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential, and champion justice.

Order of Service

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: Thomas Morley (c 1557–1602)

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 32

Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven : and whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin : and in whose spirit there is no guile.
For while I held my tongue : my bones consumed away through my daily complaining.
For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night : and my moisture is like the drought in summer.
I will acknowledge my sin unto thee : and mine unrighteousness have I not hid.
I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord : and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.
For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found : but in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him.
Thou art a place to hide me in, thou shalt preserve me from trouble : thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
I will inform thee, and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go : and I will guide thee with mine eye.
Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding : whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, lest they fall upon thee.
Great plagues remain for the ungodly : but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, mercy embraceth him on every side.
Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord : and be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.

All stand

Chant: Walter Parratt (1841–1924)

All sit for the first Lesson, Hosea 11: 1–11

When Israel was a child, I loved him,
   and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
   the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
   and offering incense to idols.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
   I took them up in my arms;
   but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
   with bands of love.
I was to them like those
   who lift infants to their cheeks.
   I bent down to them and fed them.

They shall return to the land of Egypt,
   and Assyria shall be their king,
   because they have refused to return to me.
The sword rages in their cities,
   it consumes their oracle-priests,
   and devours because of their schemes.
My people are bent on turning away from me.
   To the Most High they call,
   but he does not raise them up at all.

How can I give you up, Ephraim?
   How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
   How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
   my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger;
   I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
   the Holy One in your midst,
   and I will not come in wrath.

They shall go after the Lord,
   who roars like a lion;
when he roars,
   his children shall come trembling from the west.
They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
   and like doves from the land of Assyria;
   and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Evening Canticles in E, Herbert Murrill (b 1909–52)

All sit for the second Lesson, Matthew 28: 1–7

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, "He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him." This is my message for you.'

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Evening Canticles in E, Herbert Murrill

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, for peace, and for aid against all perils

O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; 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: Thomas Morley

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem, 'Chichester Psalms' Leonard Bernstein (1918–90)

First movement

Urah, hanevel, v'chinor!
   A-irah shahar!

Hariu l'Adonai kol haarets.
   Iv'du et Adonai b'simha.
   Bo-u l'fanav bir'nanah.

D'u ki Adonai hu Elohim.
   Hu asanu, v'lo anahnu.
   Amo v'tson mar'ito.

Bo-u sh'arav b'todah,
   Hatseirotav bit'hilah,
   Hodu lo, bar'chu sh'mo.

Ki tov Adonai,
   l'olam has'do,
   V'ad dor vador emunato.

Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 108: 2; 100

Second movement

Adonai ro-i, lo ehsar.
   Bin'ot deshe yarbitseini,
Al mei m'nuhot y'nahaleini,
   Naf'shi y'shovev,
Yan'heini b'ma'aglei tsedek,
   L'ma'an sh'mo.

Gam ki eilech b'gei tsalmavet,
   Lo ira ra,
Ki Atah imadi.
   Shiv't'cha umishan'techa
   Hemah y'nahamuni.

Ta'aroch l'fanai shulchan
   Neged tsor'rai
Dishanta vashemen roshi
   Cosi r'vayah.
Ach tov vahesed
   Yird'funi kol y'mei hayai,
V'shav'ti b'veit Adonai
   L'orech yamim.

Lamah rag'shu goyim
   Ul'umim yeh'gu rik?
Yit'yats'vu malchei erets,
   V'roznim nos'du yahad
   Al Adonai v'al m'shiho.
N'natkah et mos'roteimo,
   V'nashlichah mimenu avoteimo.

Yoshev bashamayim
   Yis'hak, Adonai yil'ag lamo!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed, saying, 'Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.'

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.

Psalms 23; 2: 1–4

Third movement

Adonai, Adonai, lo gavah libi,
   V'lo ramu einai,
V'lo hilachti
   Big'dolot uv'niflaot meni.
Im lo shiviti v'domam'ti.
   Naf'shi k'gamul alei imo,
   Kagamul alai naf'shi.

Yahel Yis'rael el Adonai
   Me'atah v'ad olam.

Hineh mah tov, umah naim,
   Shevet ahim gam yahad.

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvellous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time on and for evermore.

How very good and pleasant it is hen kindred live together in unity!

Psalms 131; 133: 1

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

Now is eternal life,
   if risen with Christ we stand,
in him to life reborn,
   and holden in his hand;
no more we fear death's ancient dread,
in Christ arisen from the dead.

For God, the living God,
   stooped down to man's estate;
by death destroying death,
   Christ opened wide life's gate:
he lives, who died; he reigns on high;
who lives in him shall never die.

Unfathomed love divine,
   reign thou within my heart;
from thee nor depth nor height,
   nor life nor death can part;
our life is hid with God in thee,
now and through all eternity.

Words: George Briggs (1875–1959)
Tune: 'Christchurch' 114 NEH, Charles Steggall (1826–1905)

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

Music after the service

Luttes (Trois Danses), Jehan Alain (1911–40)

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

CHORISTERSHIPS AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Enquiries are welcomed at any time. 

If you have a daughter aged 10 or 11 who would like to sing with the St Margaret's Choristers, please contact the Director of Music at St Margaret's, Greg Morris (email). Further details can be found here.

If you have a son who enjoys singing and you would like further details of the world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique choir school, please click here.

Dr Emma Margrett, Head, Westminster Abbey Choir School, Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3NY, 020 7222 6151 email

Mr Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, The Chapter Office, 20 Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PA, 020 7654 4854 email

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