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

Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus et regnum in manu eius et potestas et imperium.

Deus, judicium tuum regi da: et justitiam tuam filio regis.
Reges Tharsis et insulae munera offerent,
reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent.
Et adorabunt eum omnes reges terrae: omnes gentes servient ei.

See, the Lord and Master has come: his rule, his power, and authority in his hand.

Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son.
May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.
May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.

Words: after Malachi 3: 1a; 1 Chronicles 29: 12b; Psalm 72: 1, 10–11
Music: plainsong

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 Tallis (c 1505–85)

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 36

My heart sheweth me the wickedness of the ungodly : that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
For he flattereth himself in his own sight : until his abominable sin be found out.
The words of his mouth are unrighteous, and full of deceit : he hath left off to behave himself wisely, and to do good.
He imagineth mischief upon his bed, and hath set himself in no good way : neither doth he abhor any thing that is evil.
Thy mercy, O Lord, reacheth unto the heavens : and thy faithfulness unto the clouds.
Thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains : thy judgements are like the great deep.
Thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast; How excellent is thy mercy, O God : and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house : and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures, as out of the river.
For with thee is the well of life : and in thy light shall we see light.
O continue forth thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee : and thy righteousness unto them that are true of heart.
O let not the foot of pride come against me : and let not the hand of the ungodly cast me down.
There are they fallen, all that work wickedness : they are cast down, and shall not be able to stand.

All stand

Chant: plainsong

All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 61

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
   because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
   to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour,
   and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
   to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
   the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
   They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
   They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
   they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
   foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines;
but you shall be called priests of the Lord,
   you shall be named ministers of our God;
you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,
   and in their riches you shall glory.
Because their shame was double,
   and dishonour was proclaimed as their lot,
therefore they shall possess a double portion;
   everlasting joy shall be theirs.

For I the Lord love justice,
   I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
   and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations,
   and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
   that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
   my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
   he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
   and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
   and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
   to spring up before all the nations.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Evening Canticles in A, Philip Moore (b 1943)

All sit for the second Lesson, Titus 2: 11–14; 3: 4–7

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Evening Canticles in A, 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

O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; 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 Tallis

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Lo! that is a marvellous change in the life of men. Since the mild creator of all mankind from the virgin received flesh undefiled. Never had she known the love of man. Nor came the Saviour by any seed of seed on earth, that was greater marvel than men may know in its mystery. How the splendour of heaven, high Lord of the skies gave help to man through his mother's womb.

from the 'Exeter Book' c 10th century, translated by Charles Kennedy (1882–1969)
Music: Philip Moore

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

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
   o'er the world's tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
   for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing
   if our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us,
   all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
   thou didst feel its keenest woe;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
   through the desert thou didst go.

Spirit of our God, descending,
   fill our hearts with heavenly joy;
love with every passion blending,
   pleasure that can never cloy;
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
   nothing can our peace destroy.

Words: 'Hymn, Written for the Children of the London Orphan Asylum' James Edmeston (1791–1867)
Tune: 'Mannheim' 393 NEH, from Friedrich Filitz's 'Choralbuch' 1847

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

Music after the service

Psalm Prelude Set 1 no 2 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death', Herbert Howells

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.