Evening Prayer on Friday — Friday, 30 October 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.

2 Samuel 11.1-17

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, ‘This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ So David sent messengers to fetch her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, ‘I am pregnant.’

So David sent word to Joab, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite.’ And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house, and wash your feet.’ Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, ‘Uriah did not go down to his house’, David said to Uriah, ‘You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?’ Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.’ Then David said to Uriah, ‘Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.’ So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.’ As Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors. The men of the city came out and fought with Joab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite was killed as well.

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.

Matthew 14.1-12

At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; and he said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been telling him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’ Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.’ The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.

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

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, 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.