Evening Prayer on Friday — Friday, 11 September 2026

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 Entreaty

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and in your faithfulness give ear to my supplications; answer me in your righteousness.

2 Enter not into judgement with your servant, for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3 My spirit faints within me; my heart within me is desolate.

4 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul gasps for you like a thirsty land.

5 O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; hide not your face from me lest I be like those who go down to the Pit.

6 Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning, for in you I put my trust; show me the way I should walk in, for I lift up my soul to you.

7 Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.

8 Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

Psalm 143.1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10, 11

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 22

Be not far from me, O Lord.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, and are so far from my salvation, from the words of my distress?

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; and by night also, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are the Holy One, enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

4 Our forebears trusted in you; they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 They cried out to you and were delivered; they put their trust in you and were not confounded.

6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, scorned by all and despised by the people.

7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,

8 ‘He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him deliver him, if he delights in him.’

9 But it is you that took me out of the womb and laid me safe upon my mother’s breast.

10 On you was I cast ever since I was born; you are my God even from my mother’s womb.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near at hand and there is none to help.

12 Mighty oxen come around me; fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.

13 They gape upon me with their mouths, as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; my heart has become like wax melting in the depths of my body.

15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaves to my gums; you have laid me in the dust of death.

16 For the hounds are all about me; the pack of evildoers close in on me; they pierce my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones; they stand staring and looking upon me.

18 They divide my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing.

19 Be not far from me, O Lord; you are my strength; hasten to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my poor life from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth, from the horns of wild oxen. You have answered me!

22 I will tell of your name to my people; in the midst of the congregation will I praise you.

23 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; O seed of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, O seed of Israel.

24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the suffering of the poor; neither has he hidden his face from them; but when they cried to him he heard them.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; I will perform my vows in the presence of those that fear you.

26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord shall praise him; their hearts shall live for ever.

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s and he rules over the nations.

29 How can those who sleep in the earth bow down in worship, or those who go down to the dust kneel before him?

30 He has saved my life for himself; my descendants shall serve him; this shall be told of the Lord for generations to come.

31 They shall come and make known his salvation, to a people yet unborn, declaring that he, the Lord, has done it.

Be not far from me, O Lord.

Restless with grief and fear, the abandoned turn to you: in every hour of trial, good Lord, deliver us, O God most holy, God most strong, whose wisdom is the cross of 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.

1 Kings 19.4-18

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’

He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’

Canticle

A Song of the Justified, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 61 (page 619), may be said

Our hope is not in vain, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Alleluia.

1 God reckons as righteous those who believe, who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;

2 For Christ was handed over to death for our sins, and raised to life for our justification.

3 Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 Through Christ we have gained access to the grace in which we stand, and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.

5 We even exult in our sufferings, for suffering produces endurance,

6 And endurance brings hope, and our hope is not in vain,

7 Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts, through the Holy Spirit, given to us.

8 God proves his love for us: while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

9 Since we have been justified by his death, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath.

10 Therefore, we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we have now received our reconciliation.

Romans 4.24, 25; 5.1-5, 8, 9, 11

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.

Our hope is not in vain, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

1 Thessalonians 3

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for. In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labour had been in vain.

But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us—just as we long to see you. For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

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

Forsake me not, O Lord; be not far from me, O my God. Forsake me not, O Lord; be not far from me, O my God. Make haste to help me, O Lord of my salvation. Be not far from me, O my God. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Forsake me not, O Lord; be not far from me, O my God.

from Psalm 38

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or Saviour of the World (page 644) may be said

You have scattered the proud in their conceit, and lifted up the lowly.

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 scattered the proud in their conceit, and lifted up the lowly.

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

The King, members of parliament and the armed forces Peace and justice in the world Those who work for reconciliation All whose lives are devastated by war and civil strife Prisoners, refugees and homeless people

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, whose only Son has opened for us a new and living way into your presence: give us pure hearts and steadfast wills to worship you in spirit and in truth; 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.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix. Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.