Wednesday Evening Prayer – 3rd January 2024 Readings: Psalm 10; Isaiah 32.9-33.4; John 3.22-36.

Led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical Assistant at St John the Baptist Anglican Church Bulimba, QLD, Australia.

The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website.

https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com

Welcome to Evening prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia’.

We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ:

GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy, you who truly and earnestly repent of your sins and intend to lead a new life, following God and walking in his Holy ways, draw near with faith, confident in God’s forgiveness to all who confess their sins. We confess our sins in penitence and faith;

Heavenly father I have sinned in thought word and deed please hear my confession:

I confess to greed of life, paving the way for my own profits and the profits of my neighbours instead of those of the Father.

Father, forgive me.

I confess to blasphemy of word, instead of honouring the Fathers holy name in all my speech.

Father, forgive me.

I confess to commanding my way in the world, by using the Fathers’ power to gain my wants and desires; instead of conforming to my purpose through the fathers will.

Father, forgive me.

Merciful Father: I turn to you in faith, pardon me and set me free from all my sins, through Jesus Christ. Amen

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever.

Let us Pray.

1

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed;

and all people shall see it together. 

Isaiah 40.5

Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 

as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. 

2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of Praise

God be gracious to us and bless us: 

and make your face to shine upon us, 

That your way may be known upon earth: 

your salvation among all nations. 

Let the peoples praise you, O God: 

let all the peoples praise you. 

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy: 

for you judge the peoples with equity 

and govern the nations upon earth. 

Let the peoples praise you, O God: 

let all the peoples praise you. 

Then the earth will bring forth its increase: 

and God, our own God, will bless us. 

You, O God, will bless us: 

and all the ends of the earth will fear you. 

Psalm 67

3 The Opening Prayer

The day is now past, and the night is at hand. 

Let us pray with one heart and mind. 

Silence may be kept.

Father of lights, receive the prayer and praise we offer you as our evening sacrifice; make us a light for all the world, 

delivered by your goodness from all the works of darkness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. 

Amen.

4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.

Psalm 10

1 Why do you stand far off, O Lord:

why do you hide your face in time of need?

2 The ungodly in their pride persecute the poor:

let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

3 For the ungodly boast of their heart’s desire:

they grasp at profit, they spurn and blaspheme the Lord.

4 They say in their arrogance ‘God will not avenge:’

‘There is no God’ is all their thought.

5 They are settled in all their ways:

your statutes, O Lord, are far above them,

and they do not see.

6 They snort defiance at their enemies,

they say in their heart ‘I shall never be shaken:

I shall walk secure from anyone’s curse.’

7 Their mouths are full of oppression and deceit:

mischief and wickedness lie under their tongue.

8 They skulk about in the villages:

and secretly murder the innocent.

9 Their eyes watch out for the helpless:

they lurk concealed like a lion in a thicket.

10 They lie in wait to seize upon the poor:

they lay hold on the poor

and drag them off in their nets.

11 The upright are crushed and humbled before them:

and the helpless fall into their power.

12 They say in their heart ‘God has forgotten:

he has covered his face and sees nothing.’

13 Arise, O Lord God, lift up your hand:

forget not the poor for ever.

14 Why should the wicked spurn God:

why should they say in their heart ‘He will not avenge’?

15 Surely you see the trouble and the sorrow:

you look on, and will take it into your own hands.

16 The helpless commit themselves to you:

for you are the helper of the fatherless.

17 Break the power of the ungodly:

search out their wickedness till it is found no more.

18 The Lord is king for ever and ever:

the heathen have perished from his land.

19 You have heard the longing of the meek, O Lord:

you turned your ear to their hearts’ desire,

20 To help the poor and fatherless to their right:

that they may no more be terrified from their land.

5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow

God of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.

1st Reading

Isaiah 32.9-33.4

9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;

     you complacent daughters, listen to my speech. 

10 In little more than a year

     you will shudder, you complacent ones;

for the vintage will fail,

     the fruit harvest will not come. 

11 Tremble, you women who are at ease,

     shudder, you complacent ones;

strip, and make yourselves bare,

     and put sackcloth on your loins. 

12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,

     for the fruitful vine, 

13 for the soil of my people

     growing up in thorns and briers;

yes, for all the joyous houses

     in the jubilant city. 

14 For the palace will be forsaken,

     the populous city deserted;

the hill and the watch-tower

     will become dens for ever,

the joy of wild asses,

     a pasture for flocks; 

15 until a spirit from on high is poured out on us,

     and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

     and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. 

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

     and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. 

17 The effect of righteousness will be peace,

     and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever. 

18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,

     in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places