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   Old and New Testament Canticles
    at Morning and Evening Prayer
       
       
    Morning Prayer  
       
    A Song of the Wilderness (Advent)  
     
1
  The wilderness and the dry land shall rejoice,  •
    the desert shall blossom and burst into song.
     
2
  They shall see the glory of the Lord,  •
    the majesty of our God.
     
3
  Strengthen the weary hands,  •
    and make firm the feeble knees.
     
4
  Say to the anxious, 'Be strong, fear not,
         your God is coming with judgement,  •
    coming with judgement to save you.'
     
5
  Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened,  •
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
     
6
  Then shall the lame leap like a hart,  •
    and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.
     
7
  For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,  •
    and streams in the desert;
     
8
  The ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing,  •
    with everlasting joy upon their heads.
     
9
  Joy and gladness shall be theirs,  •
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.    
   
Isaiah 35.1,2b-4a,4c-6,10
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of the Messiah (Christmas)  
     
1
  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;  •
    those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
         upon them the light has dawned.
     
2
  You have increased their joy and given them great gladness;  •
    they rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest.
     
3
  For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them;  •
    the collar that lay heavy on their shoulders.
     
4
  For to us a child is born and to us a son is given,  •
    and the government will be upon his shoulder.
     
5
  And his name will be called: Wonderful Counsellor;
         the Mighty God;  •
    the Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace.
     
6
  Of the increase of his government and of peace  •
    there will be no end,
     
7
  Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom,  •
    to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness.
     
8
  From this time forth and for evermore;  •
    the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.     
   
Isaiah 9.2,3b,4a,6,7
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of the New Jerusalem (Epiphany)  
     
1
  Arise, shine out, for your light has come,  •
    the glory of the Lord is rising upon you.
     
2
  Though night still covers the earth,  •
    and darkness the peoples;
     
3
  Above you the Holy One arises,  •
    and above you God's glory appears.
     
4
  The nations will come to your light,  •
    and kings to your dawning brightness.
     
5
  Your gates will lie open continually,  •
    shut neither by day nor by night.
     
6
  The sound of violence shall be heard no longer in your land,  •
    or ruin and devastation within your borders.
     
7
  You will call your walls, Salvation,  •
    and your gates, Praise.
     
8
  No more will the sun give you daylight,  •
    nor moonlight shine upon you;
     
9
  But the Lord will be your everlasting light,  •
    your God will be your splendour.
     
10
  For you shall be called the city of God,  •
    the dwelling of the Holy One of Israel.         
   
Isaiah 60.1-3,11a,18,19,14b
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of Humility (Lent)  
     
1
  Come, let us return to the Lord  •
    who has torn us and will heal us.
     
2
  God has stricken us  •
    and will bind up our wounds.
     
3
  After two days, he will revive us,  •
    and on the third day will raise us up,
         that we may live in his presence.
     
4
  Let us strive to know the Lord;  •
    his appearing is as sure as the sunrise.
     
5
  He will come to us like the showers,  •
    like the spring rains that water the earth.
     
6
  'O Ephraim, how shall I deal with you?  •
    How shall I deal with you, O Judah?
     
7
  'Your love for me is like the morning mist,  •
    like the dew that goes early away.
     
8
  'Therefore, I have hewn them by the prophets,  •
    and my judgement goes forth as the light.
     
9
  'For loyalty is my desire and not sacrifice,  •
    and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.'          
   
Hosea 6.1-6
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    The Song of Moses and Miriam (Easter)  
     
1
  I will sing to the Lord, who has triumphed gloriously,  •
    the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
     
2
  The Lord is my strength and my song  •
    and has become my salvation.
     
3
  This is my God whom I will praise,  •
    the God of my forebears whom I will exalt.
     
4
  The Lord is a warrior,  •
    the Lord is his name.
     
5
  Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power:  •
    your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
     
6
  At the blast of your nostrils, the sea covered them;  •
    they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
     
7
  In your unfailing love, O Lord,  •
    you lead the people whom you have redeemed.
     
8
  And by your invincible strength  •
    you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
     
9
  You will bring them in and plant them, O Lord,  •
    in the sanctuary which your hands have established.             
   
Exodus 15.1b-3,6,10,13,17
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of Ezekiel (Pentecost)  
     
1
  I will take you from the nations,  •
    and gather you from all the countries.
     
2
  I will sprinkle clean water upon you,  •
    and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses.
     
3
  A new heart I will give you,  •
    and put a new spirit within you,
     
4
  And I will remove from your body the heart of stone  •
    and give you a heart of flesh.
     
5
  You shall be my people,  •
    and I will be your God.    
   
Ezekiel 36.24-26,28b
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of David (Ordinary Time)  
     
1
  Blessed are you, God of Israel, for ever and ever,  •
    for yours is the greatness, the power,
         the glory, the splendour and the majesty.
     
2
  Everything in heaven and on earth is yours;  •
    yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
         and you are exalted as head over all.
     
3
  Riches and honour come from you  •
    and you rule over all.
     
4
  In your hand are power and might;  •
    yours it is to give power and strength to all.
     
5
  And now we give you thanks, our God,  •
    and praise your glorious name.
     
6
  For all things come from you,  •
    and of your own have we given you.            
   
1 Chronicles 29.10b-13,14b
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    Evening Prayer  
       
    A Song of the Spirit (Advent)  
     
1
  'Behold, I am coming soon', says the Lord,
         'and bringing my reward with me,  •
    to give to everyone according to their deeds.
     
2
  'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last,  •
    the beginning and the end.'
     
3
  Blessed are those who do God's commandments,
         that they may have the right to the tree of life,  •
    and may enter into the city through the gates.
     
4
  'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you,  •
    with this testimony for all the churches.
     
5
  'I am the root and the offspring of David,  •
    I am the bright morning star.'
     
6
  'Come!' say the Spirit and the Bride;  •
    'Come!' let each hearer reply!
     
7
  Come forward, you who are thirsty,  •
    let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.
   
Revelation 22.12-14,16,17
    Surely I am coming soon!  •
    Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
       
    A Song of Redemption (Christmas)  
     
1
  The Father has delivered us from the dominion of darkness,  •
    and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son;
     
2
  In whom we have redemption,  •
    the forgiveness of our sins.
     
3
  He is the image of the invisible God,  •
    the firstborn of all creation.
     
4
  For in him all things were created,  •
    in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.
     
5
  All things were created through him and for him,  •
    he is before all things and in him all things hold together.
     
6
  He is the head of the body, the Church,  •
    he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
     
7
  In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell;  •
    and through him God was pleased to reconcile all things.
   
Colossians 1.13-18a,19,20a
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of Praise (Epiphany)  
     
    This canticle is also known as Glory and Honour
     
1
  You are worthy, our Lord and God,  •
    to receive glory and honour and power.
     
2
  For you have created all things,  •
    and by your will they have their being.
     
3
  You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain,  •
    and by your blood you ransomed for God
         saints from every tribe and language and nation.
     
4
  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
         serving our God,  •
    and they will reign with you on earth.           
   
Revelation 4.11; 5.9b,10
    To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb  •
    be blessing and honour, glory and might,
         for ever and ever.  Amen.         
       
    A Song of Christ the Servant (Lent)  
     
1
  Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,  •
    that you should follow in his steps.
     
2
  He committed no sin, no guile was found on his lips,  •
    when he was reviled, he did not revile in turn.
     
3
  When he suffered, he did not threaten,  •
    but he trusted himself to God who judges justly.
     
4
  Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,  •
    that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
     
5
  By his wounds, you have been healed,
         for you were straying like sheep,  •
    but have now returned
         to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.      
   
1 Peter 2.21b-25
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of Faith (Easter)  
     
1
  Blessed be the God and Father  •
    of our Lord Jesus Christ!
     
2
  By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope  •
    through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
     
3
  Into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading,  •
    kept in heaven for you,
     
4
  Who are being protected by the power of God
         through faith for a salvation,  •
    ready to be revealed in the last time.
     
5
  You were ransomed from the futile ways of your ancestors  •
    not with perishable things like silver or gold
     
6
  But with the precious blood of Christ  •
    like that of a lamb without spot or stain.
     
7
  Through him we have confidence in God,
         who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,  •
    so that your faith and hope are set on God.               
   
1 Peter 1.3-5,18,19,21
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of God's Children (Pentecost)  
     
1
  The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus  •
    has set us free from the law of sin and death.
     
2
  All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God;  •
    for we have received the Spirit that enables us to cry, 'Abba, Father'.
     
3
  The Spirit himself bears witness that we are children of God  •
    and if God's children, then heirs of God;
     
4
  If heirs of God, then fellow-heirs with Christ;  •
    since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
     
5
  These sufferings that we now endure  •
    are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
     
6
  For the creation waits with eager longing  •
    for the revealing of the children of God.      
   
Romans 8.2,14,15b-19
    Glory to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
    as it was in the beginning is now
    and shall be for ever.  Amen.
       
    A Song of the Lamb (Ordinary Time)  
     
1
  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,  •
    whose judgements are true and just.
     
2
  Praise our God, all you his servants,  •
    all who fear him, both small and great.
     
3
  The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns:  •
    let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.
     
4
  For the marriage of the Lamb has come  •
    and his bride has made herself ready.
     
5
  Blessed are those who are invited  •
    to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.
   
Revelation 19.1b,5b,6b,7,9b
    To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb  •
    be blessing and honour and glory and might,
         for ever and ever.  Amen.
     
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