Morning Prayer (Matins) | Evening Prayer (Vespers) | Prayer at the Close of Day (Compline)

1 Peter 1:10–20 (Listen)

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Called to Be Holy

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

John 13:36–38 (Listen)

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 22 (Listen)

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

22:1   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2   O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.
3   Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4   In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
5   To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6   But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7   All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8   “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
9   Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
10   On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11   Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.
12   Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13   they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.
14   I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
  my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
15   my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
16   For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
  they have pierced my hands and feet—
17   I can count all my bones—
  they stare and gloat over me;
18   they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.
19   But you, O LORD, do not be far off!
    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20   Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog!
21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!
  You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
22   I will tell of your name to my brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23   You who fear the LORD, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24   For he has not despised or abhorred
    the affliction of the afflicted,
  and he has not hidden his face from him,
    but has heard, when he cried to him.
25   From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26   The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
    May your hearts live forever!
27   All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the LORD,
  and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before you.
28   For kingship belongs to the LORD,
    and he rules over the nations.
29   All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30   Posterity shall serve him;
    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31   they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
    that he has done it.

Psalm 148 (Listen)

Praise the Name of the Lord

148:1   Praise the LORD!
  Praise the LORD from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights!
2   Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his hosts!
3   Praise him, sun and moon,
    praise him, all you shining stars!
4   Praise him, you highest heavens,
    and you waters above the heavens!
5   Let them praise the name of the LORD!
    For he commanded and they were created.
6   And he established them forever and ever;
    he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7   Praise the LORD from the earth,
    you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8   fire and hail, snow and mist,
    stormy wind fulfilling his word!
9   Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars!
10   Beasts and all livestock,
    creeping things and flying birds!
11   Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
12   Young men and maidens together,
    old men and children!
13   Let them praise the name of the LORD,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14   He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his saints,
    for the people of Israel who are near to him.
  Praise the LORD!

Evening Psalms

Psalm 105 (Listen)

Tell of All His Wondrous Works

105:1   Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
2   Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
3   Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
4   Seek the LORD and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!
5   Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
6   O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
7   He is the LORD our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.
8   He remembers his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9   the covenant that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
10   which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11   saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
    as your portion for an inheritance.”
12   When they were few in number,
    of little account, and sojourners in it,
13   wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
14   he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he rebuked kings on their account,
15   saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my prophets no harm!”
16   When he summoned a famine on the land
    and broke all supply of bread,
17   he had sent a man ahead of them,
    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18   His feet were hurt with fetters;
    his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19   until what he had said came to pass,
    the word of the LORD tested him.
20   The king sent and released him;
    the ruler of the peoples set him free;
21   he made him lord of his house
    and ruler of all his possessions,
22   to bind his princes at his pleasure
    and to teach his elders wisdom.
23   Then Israel came to Egypt;
    Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24   And the LORD made his people very fruitful
    and made them stronger than their foes.
25   He turned their hearts to hate his people,
    to deal craftily with his servants.
26   He sent Moses, his servant,
    and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27   They performed his signs among them
    and miracles in the land of Ham.
28   He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
    they did not rebel against his words.
29   He turned their waters into blood
    and caused their fish to die.
30   Their land swarmed with frogs,
    even in the chambers of their kings.
31   He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
    and gnats throughout their country.
32   He gave them hail for rain,
    and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
33   He struck down their vines and fig trees,
    and shattered the trees of their country.
34   He spoke, and the locusts came,
    young locusts without number,
35   which devoured all the vegetation in their land
    and ate up the fruit of their ground.
36   He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
    the firstfruits of all their strength.
37   Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,
    and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
38   Egypt was glad when they departed,
    for dread of them had fallen upon it.
39   He spread a cloud for a covering,
    and fire to give light by night.
40   They asked, and he brought quail,
    and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
41   He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
    it flowed through the desert like a river.
42   For he remembered his holy promise,
    and Abraham, his servant.
43   So he brought his people out with joy,
    his chosen ones with singing.
44   And he gave them the lands of the nations,
    and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
45   that they might keep his statutes
    and observe his laws.
  Praise the LORD!

Psalm 130 (Listen)

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

130:1   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2     O Lord, hear my voice!
  Let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could stand?
4   But with you there is forgiveness,
    that you may be feared.
5   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
6   my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.
7   O Israel, hope in the LORD!
    For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
8   And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.