Evening Prayer on Thursday — Thursday, 17 September 2026 — Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen, Visionary, 1179 [Lesser Festival]

Preparation

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

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory for ever. As darkness falls you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Blessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Chosen One

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

3 The spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

4 He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear,

5 But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.

7 The calf, the lion and the fatling together, with a little child to lead them.

8 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11.1,2,3b-4a,6,9

Glory 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

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and for ever. Amen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 39

Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days.

1 I said, ‘I will keep watch over my ways, so that I offend not with my tongue.

2 ‘I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are in my sight.’

3 So I held my tongue and said nothing; I kept silent but to no avail.

4 My distress increased, my heart grew hot within me; while I mused, the fire was kindled and I spoke out with my tongue:

5 ‘Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days, that I may know how short my time is.

6 ‘You have made my days but a handsbreadth, and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight; truly, even those who stand upright are but a breath.

7 ‘We walk about like a shadow and in vain we are in turmoil; we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.

8 ‘And now, what is my hope? Truly my hope is even in you.

9 ‘Deliver me from all my transgressions and do not make me the taunt of the fool.’

10 I fell silent and did not open my mouth, for surely it was your doing.

11 Take away your plague from me; I am consumed by the blows of your hand.

12 With rebukes for sin you punish us; like a moth you consume our beauty; truly, everyone is but a breath.

13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears.

14 For I am but a stranger with you, a wayfarer, as all my forebears were.

15 Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again, before I go my way and am no more.

Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days.

O Christ, Son of the living God, help us when we are too cast down to pray, and grant that we may trust you all our days, for you are with us in our living and our dying, Jesus, Lord and God.

Psalm 40

Great are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He brought me out of the roaring pit, out of the mire and clay; he set my feet upon a rock and made my footing sure.

3 He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many shall see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not turn to the proud that follow a lie.

5 Great are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God. How great your designs for us! There is none that can be compared with you.

6 If I were to proclaim them and tell of them they would be more than I am able to express.

7 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire but my ears you have opened;

8 Burnt offering and sacrifice for sin you have not required; then said I: ‘Lo, I come.

9 ‘In the scroll of the book it is written of me that I should do your will, O my God; I delight to do it: your law is within my heart.’

10 I have declared your righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I did not restrain my lips, and that, O Lord, you know.

11 Your righteousness I have not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your loving-kindness and truth from the great congregation.

12 Do not withhold your compassion from me, O Lord; let your love and your faithfulness always preserve me,

13 For innumerable troubles have come about me; my sins have overtaken me so that I cannot look up; they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me.

14 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me.

15 Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed who seek after my life to destroy it; let them be driven back and put to shame who wish me evil.

16 Let those who heap insults upon me be desolate because of their shame.

17 Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad; let those who love your salvation say always, ‘The Lord is great.’

18 Though I am poor and needy, the Lord cares for me.

19 You are my helper and my deliverer; O my God, make no delay.

Great are the wonders you have done, O Lord my God.

Free us from our sins, O God, and may our sacrifices be of praise to the glory of your Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

Glory 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.

Baruch 3.14-end

Learn where there is wisdom, where there is strength, where there is understanding, so that you may at the same time discern where there is length of days, and life, where there is light for the eyes, and peace. Who has found her place? And who has entered her storehouses? Where are the rulers of the nations, and those who lorded it over the animals on earth; those who made sport of the birds of the air, and who hoarded up silver and gold in which people trust, and there is no end to their getting; those who schemed to get silver, and were anxious, but there is no trace of their works? They have vanished and gone down to Hades, and others have arisen in their place. Later generations have seen the light of day, and have lived upon the earth; but they have not learned the way to knowledge, nor understood her paths, nor laid hold of her. Their descendants have strayed far from her way. She has not been heard of in Canaan, or seen in Teman; the descendants of Hagar, who seek for understanding on the earth, the merchants of Merran and Teman, the story-tellers and the seekers for understanding, have not learned the way to wisdom, or given thought to her paths. O Israel, how great is the house of God, how vast the territory that he possesses! It is great and has no bounds; it is high and immeasurable. The giants were born there, who were famous of old, great in stature, expert in war. God did not choose them, or give them the way to knowledge; so they perished because they had no wisdom, they perished through their folly. Who has gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds? Who has gone over the sea, and found her, and will buy her for pure gold? No one knows the way to her, or is concerned about the path to her. But the one who knows all things knows her, he found her by his understanding. The one who prepared the earth for all time filled it with four-footed creatures; the one who sends forth the light, and it goes; he called it, and it obeyed him, trembling; the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, ‘Here we are!’ They shone with gladness for him who made them. This is our God; no other can be compared to him. He found the whole way to knowledge, and gave her to his servant Jacob and to Israel, whom he loved. Afterwards she appeared on earth and lived with humankind.

Canticle

Great and Wonderful, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 63 (page 621), may be said

All nations shall come and worship you, O Christ, and share in the feast of your kingdom. Alleluia.

1 Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty.

2 Just and true are your ways, O ruler of the nations.

3 Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord? for you alone are holy.

4 All nations shall come and worship in your presence: for your just dealings have been revealed.

Revelation 15.3, 4

To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

All nations shall come and worship you, O Christ, and share in the feast of your kingdom. 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 1.1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

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

Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned. I have called you by name; you are mine. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

from Isaiah 43

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or A Song of Christ’s Appearing (page 621) may be said

You have left all things and followed me: you will be rewarded a hundred times over and gain eternal life. Alleluia.

1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2 From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.

3 He has mercy on those who fear him, from generation to generation.

4 He has shown strength with his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5 Casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.

6 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

7 He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, to remember his promise of mercy,

8 The promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

Glory 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.

You have left all things and followed me: you will be rewarded a hundred times over and gain eternal life. Alleluia.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered for peace for individuals and their needs

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

Local government, community leaders All who provide local services Those who work with young or elderly people Schools, colleges and universities Emergency and rescue organizations

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

Most glorious and holy God, whose servant Hildegard, strong in the faith, was caught up in the vision of your heavenly courts: by the breath of your Spirit open our eyes to glimpse your glory and our lips to sing your praises with all the angels; 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. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our 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

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.

The Conclusion

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.

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

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005 Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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