Office of Compline

    Minister. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
    Answer. Amen.
    Minister. Turn thou us, O God our Saviour;
    Answer. And let Thine anger cease from us.
    Minister. O God, make speed to save us.
    Answer. O Lord, make haste to help us.

¶ Here, all standing up, the Minister shall say:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
    Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
    Minister. Praise ye the Lord.
    Answer. The Lord’s Name be praised.

¶ Then shall be sung or said the Antiphon, and after that one or more of the Psalms following.

    Antiphon. Save us, O Lord.
 

PSALM 4. Cum invocarem.

IN THEE, O Lord, have I put my trust : let me never be put to confusion; deliver me in thy righteousness.
    2 Bow down thine ear to me : make haste to deliver me.
    3 And be thou my strong rock, and house of defence : that thou mayest save me.
    4 For thou art my strong rock, and my castle : be thou also my guide, and lead me for thy Name’s sake.
    5 Draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me : for thou art my strength.
    6 Into thy hands I commend my spirit : for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
    Glory be.

PSALM 91. Qui habitat.

WHOSO dwelleth under the defence of the Most High : shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
    2 I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold : my God, in him will I trust.
    3 For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter : and from the noisome pestilence.
    4 He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers : his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
    5 Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night : nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
    6 For the pestilence that walketh in darkness : nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.
    7 A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand : but it shall not come nigh thee.
    8 Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold : and see the reward of the ungodly.
    9 For thou, Lord, art my hope : thou hast set thine house of defence very high.
    10 There shall no evil happen unto thee : neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
    11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee : to keep thee in all thy ways.
    12 They shall bear thee in their hands : that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
    13 Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder : the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.
    14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him : I will set him up, because he hath known my Name.
    15 He shall call upon me, and I will hear him : yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.
    16 With long life will I satisfy him : and show him my salvation.
    Glory be.

 
PSALM 134. Ecce nunc.

BEHOLD now, praise the Lord : all ye servants of the Lord;
    2 Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord : even in the courts of the house of our God.
    3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary : and praise the Lord.
    4 The Lord that made heaven and earth : give thee blessing out of Sion.
    Glory be.

    Antiphon. Save us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
 

HYMN

Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That with Thy wonted favor, Thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night;
Withhold from us our ghostly foe,
That spot of sin we may not know.

O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;
Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

¶ Then may follow a Lesson of Holy Scripture.

¶ Then shall the Minister say the Compline Verse:

    Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by Thy Name; leave us not. Jer. xiv. 9.

    Minister. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.
    Answer. For Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, Thou God of truth.
    Minister. Keep me as the apple of an eye;
    Answer. Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.

    Antiphon. Lord, grant us Thy light.

Nunc dimittis. St. Luke ii. 29.

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 be.

    Antiphon. Lord, grant us Thy light, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, we may come to the true Light, which is Christ.

¶ Then shall be said 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.

¶ Then shall be said, all kneeling:

Lord, have mercy upon us.
    Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

    Minister. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our fathers :
    Answer. And worthy to be praised, and glorified for ever.
    Minister. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost;
    Answer. Let us praise and exalt Him forever.
    Minister. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven;
    Answer. And praised for evermore.
    Minister. The almighty and merciful God bless us and keep us.
    Answer. Amen.

    Minister and People. We confess to Thee, O God the Father Almighty, that we have sinned against Thee in thought, word, and deed, by our own fault, our own grievous fault. We repent ourselves of these our transgressions, and we beseech Thee to grant us forgiveness for the past, and grace to amend our lives in time to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Alternative form of confession.

    We confess to God the Father Almighty, to His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and to God the Holy Ghost, that we have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, by our fault, our own fault, our own grievous fault. Wherefore we pray Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to have mercy upon us, to forgive us all that is past, and to grant us grace to amend our lives in time to come. Amen.

    Minister. The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you re­mission of your sins, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of His Holy Spirit. Amen.
 

    Minister. Vouchsafe, O Lord,
    Answer. To keep us this night without sin.
    Minister. O Lord, have mercy upon us,
    Answer. Have mercy upon us.
    Minister. O Lord, let Thy mercy be upon us:
    Answer. As our trust is in Thee.
    Minister. Turn us again, Thou God of hosts:
    Answer. Show the light of Thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
    Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer;
    Answer. And let our cry come unto Thee.
    Minister. The Lord be with you;
    Answer. And with thy spirit.
    Minister. Let us pray.

¶ Then shall be said the Collects following.

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 Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

GIVE us light in the night season, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and grant that our rest may be without sin, and our waking to Thy service; that we may come in peace and safety to the waking of the great day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶   Here the Minister may add, at his discretion, any prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, concluding the Office as followeth:

    Minister. Bless we the Lord.
    Answer. Thanks be to God.
    Minister. The Almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a good end.
    Answer. Amen.

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.