Words for Night Prayer
9th April 2020
The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Most merciful God, we confess to you,
before the whole company of heaven and one another,
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed
and in what we have failed to do.
Forgive us our sins, heal us by your Spirit
and raise us to new life in Christ. Amen.
Review of the Day
During a time of quiet, we look back over our day and ask ourselves:
- When, today, was I most aware of God’s presence?
- When, today, did I reflect God’s love to others?
- When, today, did I fail to respond to God’s love in me?
And so we pray
For the love shared we are grateful.
For provision and nurture, we are grateful.
For kindness given we are grateful.
For the sorrow we’ve caused we ask for forgiveness.
For injustices ignored we ask for forgiveness.
For our self-centredness and narrowness we ask for forgiveness.
Hymn
Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That you, with steadfast love, would keep
Your watch around us while we sleep.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night;
Tread underfoot our deadly foe
That we no sinful thought may know.
O Father, that we ask be done
Through Jesus Christ, your only Son;
And Holy Spirit, by whose breath
Our souls are raised to life from death.
Bible Reading Luke 22.39-62
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.
I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
The Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon)
Save us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep may rest in peace.
1 Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled.
2 My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people;
3 A light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.
Luke 2.29-32
Save us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep may rest in peace.
A time of silence for your own prayers
Be present, Spirit of God, and renew us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may rest upon your eternal changelessness; in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, our Guardian and our Guide. Amen.
In peace we will lie down and sleep;
for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.
Abide with us, Lord Jesus,
for the night is at hand and the day is now past.
As the night watch looks for the morning,
so do we look for you, O Christ.
The Lord bless us and watch over us; the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us; the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace. Amen