"THE ORDER OF EVENING SERVICE, OR VESPERS"

Text from: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book

St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1912), pp. 19-23

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ORDER OF EVENING SERVICE,

OR VESPERS

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A Hymn of Invocation of the Holy Ghost, or another Hymn may be sung.

Then shall be sung or said responsively the Versicle with the Gloria Patri as here followeth, all standing to the end of the Psalm.

Versicle.   O Lord, open Thou my lips.

Answer.   And my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.

Versicle.   Make haste, O God, to deliver me.

Answer.   Make haste to help me, O Lord.

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 : world without end. Amen.

Hallelujah!

During the Passion Season the Hallelujah shall be omitted.

The Psalm.

Then shall be sung or said one or more Psalms.    At the end of the Psalm the Gloria Patri shall be sung.   An Antiphon may be used with each Psalm.

The Lesson.

The Scripture Lessons shall then be read, and after each Lesson may be sung or said:

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.

Answer.   Thanks be to Thee, O Lord.

After the Lessons a Responsory may be sung.


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Then may follow a SERMON, after which the Offerings may be gathered.

Then shall be sung

The Hymn.

Then, all standing, may be sung or said this Versicle.

But on Festival days, a special Versicle may be used.

Versicle.  Let my prayers be set forth before Thee as incense:

Answer.  And the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

The Canticle.

Then shall be sung the

Magnificat.  St. Luke i.

My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He hath regarded : the low estate of His handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty hath done to me great things : and holy is His name.
And His mercy is on them that fear Him : from generation to generation. 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 seats : and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich He hath sent empty away.

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He hath holpen His servants Israel, in remembrance of His mercy : as He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed, forever.
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 : world without end.  Amen.

Or the

Nunc Dimittis.  St. Luke ii.

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;
A light to lighten the Gentiles : and the glory of Thy people Israel.
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 : world without end.  Amen.

An Antiphon may be sung with the Canticle.

The Prayer.

Then shall be said the Prayers here following, or the Suffrages, the Litany, or other prayers.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Then all shall say:

Our Father, who art in heaven ; Hallowed be Thy Name ; Thy kingdom come ; Thy will be done

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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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Salutation.  The Lord be with you.

Answer.  And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Then shall be said the Collect for the day : the Collect for the Sunday is said throughout the week following until Friday, but on Saturday the Collect for the following Sunday is said. Then may be said any other Collects and after that this Collect for Peace. A Versicle may be used with the Collect.

Versicle.  The Lord will give strength unto His people.

Answer.  The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Collect for Peace.

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 our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness ; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

Then may be sung or said the

Benedicamus.


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Bless we the Lord.

Answer.  Thanks be to God.

The service may end with the Benedicamus ; or a Closing Hymn may be sung, after which may be said

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.

Amen.

At the close of the Service silent prayer should be offered.


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Rev. Robert E. Smith, Concordia Theological Seminary

E-mail: robert.smith@ctsfw.edu

Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA

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