The Daily Office
History
From the beginning, the worship of the people of God has been not just a weekly, but a
daily affair. The sanctification of time by acts of prayer and praise at specific times
during the day was a practice of venerable age at the beginning of the Christian era, and
one can find clear indications of it in the Scriptures of the Old as well as of the New
Testament. The writings of the early Fathers of the Church bear abundant witness to the
keeping of hours of prayer, both privately and corporately.
Initially, the Daily Office consisted simply of morning and evening prayers, together
with the reading of Scripture and portions of the Psalter. As the monastic movement began
to gain influence, the Daily Office became more complex, even in parish and cathedral
churches. This is not unnatural, given the fact that major churches were frequently, even
typically, served by monastic or other regular communities whose members were obliged to
say all the offices. (In the classical form, there are seven day offices—Matins,
Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline—and one night office—Vigils.)
Over a period of time, the offices became increasingly complicated. This increased
complexity, combined with the abandonment of the vernacular tongue in public prayer, made
it exceedingly difficult for ordinary men and women to participate in the daily prayer of
the Church.
One of the beneficial effects of the Reformation in England was a deliberate effort to
simplify the Daily Office so that both clergy and laity could participate in its offering.
Morning Prayer was based upon the Medieval office of Matins together with elements from
Prime. Evening Prayer was, in its essence, a combination of Vespers and Compline. But the
Office as a whole was revised around the importance of regular recitation of the Psalter,
reading of the whole of Scripture, and set prayer. This gives the Anglican Office its
distinctive character. In more recent times, Sext (Noonday Prayer) and Compline have been
restored for optional use in various Anglican Prayer Books, such as the American Book of
1979.
By Scriptural example and ancient canonical precept, the clergy are obliged to recite
the Office every day, and it is the clear intent of every Anglican prayer book since 1549
that the Office be a daily Office. Local modifications of this precept (such as the
implied permission in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer to use only one office in the
day) do not overthrow the principle that the recitation should be daily. The establishment
of a regular schedule of publicly offered daily offices is an essential element to the
fullness of parochial life for the laity as well as the clergy.
Purpose
The purpose of the Daily Office is two-fold: First, it serves to sanctify time, or
perhaps more accurately, to remind us in the time it takes for our offering of the office
that all time is sacred, since all time belongs to God. Herein is embodied the same
principle that lies behind the stewardship of our material resources: All that we have
belongs to God, and we render a portion of it to him in sacrificial remembrance of that
fact. The consequence of the faithful rendering of this service is the fulfillment of the
second purpose of the Daily Office, which is the sanctification, both of those who pray
it, and of the Church for which they pray.
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Additional Canticles
These canticles may be used, if desired, in the place of the traditional canticles at Morning Prayer.
Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
Especially suitable for use in the Easter Season
I will sing unto the Lord,
for he hath triumphed gloriously; *
the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song, *
and he is become my salvation:
He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; *
my father's God and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war: *
the Lord is his name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: *
his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them: *
they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: *
thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, *
the earth swallowed them.
Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people
which thou hast redeemed: *
thou hast guided them in thy strength
unto thy holy habitation.
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them *
in the mountain of thine inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which thou hast
made for thee to dwell in; *
in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and ever.
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.
Ecce, Deus
Isaiah 12:2-6
Behold, God is my salvation; *
I will trust, and not be afraid:
For the Lord God is my strength and my song; *
he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water *
out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, *
Praise the Lord, call upon his Name,
Declare his doings among the people, *
make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: *
this is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: *
for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
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.
Quaerite Dominum
Isaiah 55:6-11
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, *
call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, *
and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him; *
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, *
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, *
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, *
and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth,
And maketh it bring forth and bud, *
that it may give seed to the sower,
and bread to the eater:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: *
it shall not return unto me void,
But it shall accomplish that which I please, *
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
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.
Surge, illuminare
Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, *
and the glory O1 the Lord is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, *
and gross darkness the people:
But the Lord shall arise upon thee, *
and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, *
and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Therelore thy gates shall be open continually; *
they shall not be shut day nor night.
They shall call thee, The city of the Lord, *
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, *
wasting nor destruction within thy borders;
But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, *
and thy gates Praise.
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; *
neither for brightness shall the moon
give light unto thee:
But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, *
and thy God thy glory.
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.
Kyrie Pantokrator
Prayer of Manasseh, 1-2, 4, 6-7, 11-15
Especially suitable in Lent, and on other penitential occasions
O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, *
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed;
Who hast made heaven and earth, *
with all the ornament thereof;
Whom all men fear, *
and tremble before thy power;
But thy merciful promise *
is unmeasurable and unsearchable;
For thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion,
long-suffering, very merciful, *
and repentest of the evils of men.
Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness
hast promised repentence and forgiveness *
to them that have sinned against thee.
And of thine infinite mercies
hast appointed repentence unto sinners, *
that they may be saved.
Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, *
beseeching thee of grace.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *
and I acknowledge mine iniquities:
Wherefore I humbly beseech thee, forgive me,
O Lord, forgive me *
and destroy me not with mine iniquities.
Be not angry with me forever, by reserving evil for me; *
neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth.
For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; *
and in me thou wilt show all thy goodness:
For thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, *
according to thy great mercy.
Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: *
for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee,
And thine is the glory *
for ever and ever. Amen.
Dignus es
Revelation 4:11,· 5:9-10a, 13b
Thou art worthy, O Lord, *
to receive glory and honor and power:
For thou hast created all things, *
and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Thou art worthy, O Lamb that wast slain, *
and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood
Out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; *
and hast made us unto our God kings and priests.
Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power *
be unto him that sitteth upon the throne
And unto the Lamb *
for ever and ever.
Magna et mirabilia
Revelation 15:3-4
Great and marvellous are thy works, *
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are thy ways, *
Thou King of saints.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name? *
For thou only art holy:
For all nations shall come and worship before thee; *
for thy judgments are made manifest.
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.
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Traditional language versions of Canticles 8-11, 14, 18, & 19, US 1979 BCP, p.85-94 |
One or more of the following Psalms is sung or said.
Psalm 119: xiv. Lucerna pedibus meis
Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, *
and a light unto my paths.
I have sworn, and am steadfastly purposed, *
to keep thy righteous judgments.
I am troubled above measure: *
quicken me, O Lord, according to thy word.
Let the free-will offerings of my mouth please thee, O Lord; *
and teach me thy judgments.
My soul is alway in my hand; *
yet do I not forget thy law.
The ungodly have laid a snare for me; *
but yet I swerved not from thy commandments.
Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever; *
and why? they are the very joy of my heart.
I have applied my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway, *
even unto the end.
Psalm 121 Levavi oculos
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; *
from whence cometh my help?
My help cometh even from the Lord, *
who hath made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; *
and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
Behold, be that keepeth Israel *
shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord himself is thy keeper; *
the Lord is thy defense upon thy right hand;
So that the sun shall not burn thee by day, *
neither the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; *
yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, *
from this time forth for evermore.
Psalm 126 In convertendo
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, *
then were we like unto them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with joy.
Then said they among the heathen,*
the Lord hath done great things for them.
Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already; *
whereof we rejoice.
Turn our captivity, O Lord, *
as the rivers in the south.
They that sow in tears *
shall reap in joy.
He that now goeth on his way weeping,
and beareth forth good seed, *
shall doubtless come again with joy,
and bring his sheaves with him.
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
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.
One of the following, or some other suitable passage of Scripture, is read
If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:17-18
From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts. Malachi 1:11
People Thanks be to God.
The Officiant begins the Prayers
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.
Officiant O Lord, hear our prayer;
People And let our cry come unto thee.
Officiant Let us pray.
The Officiant then says one of the following, or, if desired, the Collect of the Day.
Blessed Savior, who at this hour didst hang upon the cross, stretching out thy loving arms: grant that all the nations of the earth may look unto thee and be saved; for thy tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
Almighty Savior, who at noonday didst call thy servant Saint Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles: We pray thee to illumine the world with the radiance of thy glory, that all nations may come and worship thee; for thou livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto thine Apostles, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: Regard not our sins, but the faith of thy Church; and grant to us the peace and unity of that heavenly City, where with the Father and the Holy Ghost thou livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
Gracious heavenly Father, we beseech thee to send thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, to direct and rule us in accordance with thy will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and to lead us into thy truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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or, except in Lent, all may say,
Alleluia
One or more of the following Psalms are sung or said.
Psalm 4 Cum invocarem
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness:*
thou hast set me at liberty
when I was in trouble;
have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.
O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honor,*
and have such
pleasure in vanity, and seek after falsehood?
Know this also, that the Lord has chosen unto himself the man that is godly;*
when I call upon the Lord he will hear me.
Stand in awe, and sin not;*
commune with your own heart, and in your chamber,
and be still.
Offer the sacrifice of righteousness,*
and put your trust in the Lord.
There be many that say,*
Who will show us any good?
Lord, lift thou up*
the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart;*
yea, more than when their corn and wine
and oil increase.
I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest;*
for it is thou, Lord, only,
that makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 31 In te, Domine, speravi
In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion; *
deliver me in thy righteousness.
Bow down thine ear to me;*
make haste to deliver me.
And be thou my strong rock, and house of defense,*
that thou mayest save me.
For thou art my strong rock, and my castle:*
be thou also my guide, and lead me
for thy Name's sake.
Draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me;*
for thou art my
strength.
Into thy hands I commend my spirit;*
for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou
God of truth.
Psalm 91 Qui habitat
Whoso dwelleth under the defense of the Most High,*
shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty.
I will say unto the Lord,
Thou art my hope, and my stronghold; *
my God, in him
will I trust.
For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter,*
and from the noisome
pestilence.
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.
Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, *
nor for the arrow that
flieth by day;
For the pestilence that walketh in darkness,*
nor for the sickness that
destroyeth in the noon-day.
A thousand shall fall beside thee,
and ten-thousand at thy right hand;*
but it
shall not come nigh thee.
Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold,*
and see the reward of the ungodly.
For thou, Lord, art my hope;*
thou hast set thine house of defense very high.
There shall no evil happen unto thee,*
neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee,*
to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee in their hands, *
that thou hurt not thy foot against a
stone.
Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder:*
the young lion and the dragon
shalt
thou tread under thy feet.
Because he hath set his love upon me,
therefore will I deliver him;*
I will set
him up, because he hath known my Name.
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 honor.
With long life will I satisfy him,*
and show him my salvation.
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
Behold now, praise the Lord,*
all ye servants of the Lord;
Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord,*
even in the courts of the
house of our God.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,*
and praise the Lord.
The Lord that made heaven and earth*
give thee blessing out of Zion.
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
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.
The following, or some other suitable passage of scripture, is read
Thou, Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy Name; leave us not, O
Lord, our God. Jeremiah 14:9
People Thanks be to God.
The following, or another hymn suitable for the evening may be sung.
Te lucis ante terminum
To thee before the close of day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That, with thy wonted favor, thou
Would'st 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. Amen.
Latin, c. 7th cent.
Then follows
V. Into thy hands I commend my spirit.
R. For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
V. Keep me as an apple of an eye;
R. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
V. Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Christ have mercy upon us.
V. Lord, have mercy upon us.
Officiant and People
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.
Officiant O Lord, hear my prayer;
People And let my cry come unto thee.
Officiant Let us pray.
The Officiant then says the following, or some other suitable collect.
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation: Drive far from it all snares of the
enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace, and let thy blessing be
ever upon us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Silence may be kept. Intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered.
The service concludes with the following Antiphon and Nunc dimittis, which is sung
or said by all.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping;*
that awake we may watch with
Christ,
and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
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 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.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; *
that awake we may watch with
Christ,
and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
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O God, make speed to save us.