November 22, 2025 :: Evening Prayer

Saturday after the Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity

When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

DEARLY beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of almighty God our heavenly Father, but confess them with a humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God, yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying after me,

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent, According to thy promises declared unto mankind In Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy name. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live, and hath given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins: He pardoneth and absolveth all those who truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel; wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

O Lord, open thou our lips.
And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.

Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord's name be praised.

Psalm 108. Paratum cor meum.

O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready; I will sing and give praise with the noblest part that I have.
Awake, thou lute and harp! I myself will awake right early.
I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
For thy mercy is greater than the heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth.
That thy beloved may be delivered, let thy right hand save them, and hear thou me.
God hath spoken in his holiness: 'I will rejoice therefore, and divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of my head;
Judah is my lawgiver; Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; upon Philistia will I triumph.'
Who will lead me into the strong city? and who will bring me into Edom?
Hast not thou forsaken us, O God? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
O help us against the enemy, for vain is the help of man.
Through God we shall do great acts, and it is he that shall tread down our enemies.
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.

Psalm 109. Deus, laudem.

Hold not thy tongue, O God of my praise, for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened upon me.
And they have spoken against me with false tongues; they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part, but I give myself unto prayer.
Thus have they rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my good will.
Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand.
When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be turned into sin.
Let his days be few, and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
Let his children be vagabonds and beg their bread; let them seek it also out of desolate places.
Let the extortioner consume all that he hath, and let the stranger spoil his labour.
Let there be no man to pity him, nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children.
Let his posterity be destroyed, and in the next generation let his name be clean put out.
Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be done away.
Let them alway be before the Lord, that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth;
And that because his mind was not to do good, but persecuted the poor helpless man, that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart.
His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him; he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him.
He clothed himself with cursing like as with a raiment, and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
Let it be unto him as the cloak that he hath upon him, and as the girdle that he is alway girded withal.
Let it thus happen from the Lord unto mine enemies, and to those that speak evil against my soul.
But deal thou with me, O Lord God, according unto thy name, for sweet is thy mercy.
O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, and my heart is wounded within me.
I go hence like the shadow that departeth, and am driven away as the grasshopper.
My knees are weak through fasting; my flesh is dried up for want of fatness.
I became also a reproach unto them; they that looked upon me shaked their heads.
Help me, O Lord my God; O save me according to thy mercy.
And they shall know, how that this is thy hand, and that thou, Lord, hast done it.
Though they curse, yet bless thou; and let them be confounded that rise up against me, but let thy servant rejoice.
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a cloak.
As for me, I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth, and praise him among the multitude.
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save his soul from unrighteous judges.
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.

Here beginneth the 1st chapter of Susanna.

There dwelt a man in Babylon, called Joacim:
And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord.
Her parents also were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.
Now Joacim was a great rich man, and had a fair garden joining unto his house: and to him resorted the Jews; because he was more honourable than all others.
The same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges, such as the Lord spake of, that wickedness came from Babylon from ancient judges, who seemed to govern the people.
These kept much at Joacim's house: and all that had any suits in law came unto them.
Now when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband's garden to walk.
And the two elders saw her going in every day, and walking; so that their lust was inflamed toward her.
And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.
And albeit they both were wounded with her love, yet durst not one shew another his grief.
For they were ashamed to declare their lust, that they desired to have to do with her.
Yet they watched diligently from day to day to see her.
And the one said to the other, Let us now go home: for it is dinner time.
So when they were gone out, they parted the one from the other, and turning back again they came to the same place; and after that they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: then appointed they a time both together, when they might find her alone.
And it fell out, as they watched a fit time, she went in as before with two maids only, and she was desirous to wash herself in the garden: for it was hot.
And there was no body there save the two elders, that had hid themselves, and watched her.
Then she said to her maids, Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash me.
And they did as she bade them, and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at privy doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them: but they saw not the elders, because they were hid.
Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders rose up, and ran unto her, saying,
Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with thee; therefore consent unto us, and lie with us.
If thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee: and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from thee.
Then Susanna sighed, and said, I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not, I cannot escape your hands.
It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.
With that Susanna cried with a loud voice: and the two elders cried out against her.
Then ran the one, and opened the garden door.
So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at a privy door, to see what was done unto her.
But when the elders had declared their matter, the servants were greatly ashamed: for there was never such a report made of Susanna.
And it came to pass the next day, when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim, the two elders came also full of mischievous imagination against Susanna to put her to death;
And said before the people, Send for Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, Joacim's wife. And so they sent.
So she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred.
Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beauteous to behold.
And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face, (for she was covered) that they might be filled with her beauty.
Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept.
Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.
And she weeping looked up toward heaven: for her heart trusted in the Lord.
And the elders said, As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away.
Then a young man, who there was hid, came unto her, and lay with her.
Then we that stood in a corner of the garden, seeing this wickedness, ran unto them.
And when we saw them together, the man we could not hold: for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out.
But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: these things do we testify.
Then the assembly believed them, as those that were the elders and judges of the people: so they condemned her to death.
Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be:
Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and, behold, I must die; whereas I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.
And the Lord heard her voice.
Therefore when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young youth, whose name was Daniel:
Who cried with a loud voice, I am clear from the blood of this woman.
Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, What mean these words that thou hast spoken?
So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?
Return again to the place of judgment: for they have borne false witness against her.
Wherefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said unto him, Come, sit down among us, and shew it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of an elder.
Then said Daniel unto them, Put these two aside one far from another, and I will examine them.
So when they were put asunder one from another, he called one of them, and said unto him, O thou that art waxen old in wickedness, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light;
For thou hast pronounced false judgment, and hast condemned the innocent, and hast let the guilty go free; albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and righteous shalt thou not slay.
Now then, if thou hast seen her, tell me, Under what tree sawest thou them companying together? Who answered, Under a mastick tree.
And Daniel said, Very well; thou hast lied against thine own head; for even now the angel of God hath received the sentence of God to cut thee in two.
So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said unto him, O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thine heart.
Thus have ye dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear companied with you: but the daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.
Now therefore tell me, Under what tree didst thou take them companying together? Who answered, Under an holm tree.
Then said Daniel unto him, Well; thou hast also lied against thine own head: for the angel of God waiteth with the sword to cut thee in two, that he may destroy you.
With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.
And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:
And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.
Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.
From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.

Here endeth the first lesson.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for 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.

Here beginneth the 1st chapter of Titus.

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Here endeth the second lesson.

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.
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.

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

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. Amen.

O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.

O Lord, save them that rule.
And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.

Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
And make thy chosen people joyful.

O Lord, save thy people.
And bless thine inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.

O God, make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people, that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

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.

Almighty God, whose kingdom is everlasting and power infinite: Have mercy upon this whole land, and so rule the hearts of all in authority, that they, knowing whose ministers they are, may above all things seek thy honour and glory; and that we and all the people, duly considering whose authority they bear, may faithfully and obediently honour them, according to thy blessed word and ordinance, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels: Send down upon our bishops and pastors, and all congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our advocate and mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Most gracious God, we humbly beseech thee, as for this nation in general, so especially for the legislature at this time assembled, that thou wouldest be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations, to the advancement of thy glory; the good of thy church; and the safety, honour, and welfare of this people, that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations. These and all other necessaries, for them, for us, and thy whole church, we humbly beg in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life, but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee, and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy name, thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them, granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. 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.

About the International Edition

This service follows The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition, available from IVP Academic. Used with permission.

Not for Use in the United Kingdom

For copyright reasons, use of this site within the United Kingdom is strictly prohibited. Moreover, the permission for churches and similar ministries described in the IVP copyright notice below should not be presumed to be applicable in the United Kingdom (where rights to distribute the book are controlled by Crown copyright). Please direct any inquiries to InterVarsity Press.

IVP Copyright Notice

From The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition (IVP Academic, 2021). All rights to new material and updated language reserved. Churches and similar ministries are welcome to reproduce sections for use in bulletins or other resources for use in worship services provided they included a credit line. Please contact InterVarsity Press to request permission for all other uses, including all commercial uses: permissions@ivpress.com.