A SERVICE OF EVENING PRAYER
January 13, 2021
Opening
Almighty God grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.
Amen.
By day, O God,
you grant your steadfast love,
and at night your song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
Hymn All Praise to Thee My God, This Night
ELW 565
All praise to thee, my God, this night
for all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings,
beneath thine own almighty wings.
Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
the ill that I this day have done;
that with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
Teach me to live, that I may dread
the grave as little as my bed.
Teach me to die, that so I may
rise glorious at the awesome day.
Oh, may my soul in thee repose,
and may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
sleep that shall me more vig'rous make
to serve my God when I awake!
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God above, ye heav'nly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Confession and Forgiveness
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Holy and gracious God,
I confess that I have sinned against you this day.
Some of my sin I know – the thoughts and words and deeds
of which I am ashamed – but some is known only to you.
In the name of Jesus Christ I ask forgiveness.
Deliver and restore me, that I may rest in peace.
By the mercy of God we are united with Jesus Christ,
in whom we are forgiven. We rest now in the peace of Christ
and rise in the morning to serve.
Psalms and Reading
Psalm 29
1Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;
worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over mighty waters.
4The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,
and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!
Psalm 100
1Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
2Worship the LORD with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
3Know that the LORD is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be. Amen.
Isaiah 43:1-7
1But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4Because you are precious in my sight,
and honored, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you;
6I will say to the north, "Give them up,"
and to the south, "Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from the end of the earth —
7everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Reflection
It is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
Dialogue
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
Gospel Canticle
Refrain
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for you, Lord, have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me bless’d:
you, the Almighty have done great things for me
and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you,
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the aid of your servant Israel,
to remember the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Refrain
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Prayers
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
listen to my cry.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
In righteousness I shall see you;
when I awake, your presence will give me joy.
Be present, merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of life may
find our rest in you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Gathered together across the miles, we as a community of faith offer our prayers this evening
for the peace of the whole world…
for this holy assembly and all the faithful everywhere who worship and pray
for God’s good creation …
for those who are suffering or grieving…
for those in need of deliverance from hardship and oppression
Eternal God, the hours both of day and night are yours, and to you the darkness is no threat. Be present, we pray, with those who labor in these hours of night, especially those who watch and work on behalf of others. Grant them diligence in their watching, faithfulness in their service, courage in danger, and competence in emergencies. Help them to meet the needs of others with confidence and compassion; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Gospel Canticle
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared
in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping;
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.
Lord’s Prayer
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Benediction
May the God of justice be your path,
the Lord of mercy be your guide,
and the Spirit of love be your light.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
be upon you now and forever.
Amen.
Postlude
Liturgical Text and Music, from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006 and 2020 Augsburg Fortress, Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761. All rights reserved.
All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night, Text: Thomas Ken, 1637-1711, alt. Music: Thomas Tallis, 1505-1585. Public domain.