Would you like to know more about what Evensong is all about? Check out our introduction in this post!
Would you like to just rest and listen to the music, without reading the whole service? Here’s a playlist for that!
A Virtual Evensong for Thursday in the First Week of Lent
Introit
Memento homo
William Byrd (1543-1623)
Remember, O Man, that thou art dust, and to dust shalt return.
OPENING SENTENCE
I will bless the Lord, who giveth me counsel; my heart teacheth me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall. Psalm 16:7,8
THE INVITATORY
This portion of the service is also known as the Preces. This choral setting by William Byrd (1543-1623) uses the text of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Officiant: O Lord, open thou our lips.
People: And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Officiant: O God, make speed to save us.
People: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and People: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen. Praise ye the Lord.
te lucis ante terminum
Setting by William Mundy (1529–1591)
O Lord, the maker of all thing,
We pray thee now in this evening
Us to defend through thy mercy
From all deceit of our enemy.
Let neither us deluded be,
Good Lord, with dream or fantasy;
Our hearts waking in thee thou keep
That we in sin fall not on sleep.
O Father, through thy blessed Son,
Grant us this our petition,
To whom, with the Holy Ghost always,
In heaven and earth be laud and praise.
THE PSALTER
Psalm 138 Confitebor tibi
Anglican chant setting by Robert Cooke
1 I WILL give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth: for thou hast magnified thy Name and thy word above all things.
3 When I called upon thee, thou heardest me: and enduedst my soul with much strength.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord: for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: that great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me: thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 The Lord shall make good his loving-kindness toward me: yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.
Gloria be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
THE FIRST LESSON
Esther (Apocrypha) 14:1–6,12–14
Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord. She took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body; every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair. She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said: “O my Lord, you only are our king; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, for my danger is in my hand. Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our ancestors from among all their forebears, for an everlasting inheritance, and that you did for them all that you promised. And now we have sinned before you, and you have handed us over to our enemies.
“Remember, O Lord; make yourself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. But save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord.”
MAGNIFICAT
From Short Service
Orlando Gibbons (1505-1585)
My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *
throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
THE SECOND LESSON
Matthew 7:7-12
Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”
NUNC DIMITTIS
From Short Service
Orlando Gibbons
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, *
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, *
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
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 PRAYERS
The following choral settings are from William Byrd’s Preces and Responses. The text is from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Officiant: The Lord be with you.
People: And with thy spirit.
Officiant: Let us pray.
Officiant and People:
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
THE SUFFRAGES
Officiant: O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
People: And grant us thy salvation.
Officiant: O Lord, save the Queen. In the USA, this line is omitted, and later is inserted, “Lord, keep this nation under your care.”
People: And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Officiant: Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
People: And make thy chosen people joyful.
Officiant: O Lord, save thy people.
People: And bless thine inheritance.
Officiant: Give peace in our time, O Lord.
People: Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
Officiant: O God, make clean our hearts within us.
People: And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
THE COLLECTS
Three collects are used in Evensong. The first is always the Collect for the Day. In this recording, a collect for a time of penitence is used.
Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ. 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 our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of all enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior.
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 Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
MOTET
O Lord, I Lift My Heart to Thee
Orlando Gibbons (1505-1585)
O Lord, I lift my heart to Thee,
my soul in Thee doth ever trust:
O let me not confounded be,
but make me righteous with the just.
a prayer of st. chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee; and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Amen.
closing hymn
Drop, Drop, Slow Tears
Text by Phineas Fletcher (1582-1650)
Tune: Song 46 by Orlando Gibbons
Drop, drop, slow tears,
And bathe those beauteous feet
Which brought from Heaven
The news and Prince of Peace:
Cease not, wet eyes,
His mercy to entreat;
To cry for vengeance
Sin doth never cease.
In your deep floods
Drown all my faults and fears;
Nor let His eye
See sin, but through my tears.
Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Cover art: Esther and Mordecai by Aelbert van der Schoor (1643)
