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Thursday, September 17, 2026

Morning Prayer

The Season after Pentecost

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Prayer Guidance

OFFICIANT

The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.

John 4:23

OFFICIANT

The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:23

Confession of Sin

OFFICIANT

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

OFFICIANT

Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.

Silence may be kept.

Officiant and People together, all kneeling

ALL

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

ALL

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. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus 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.

Remain kneeling for the concluding prayer.

OFFICIANT

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

OFFICIANT

The Almighty and merciful Lord grant us absolution and remission of all our sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Invitatory and Psalter

All stand

OFFICIANT

Lord, open our lips.

PEOPLE

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

ALL

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

ALL

Alleluia.

OFFICIANT

O Lord, open thou our lips.

PEOPLE

And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.

ALL

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

ALL

Alleluia

Venite

ALL

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: Come let us adore him.

ALL

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: O come, let us adore him.

Come, let us sing to the Lord; *

let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *

and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *

and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *

and the heights of the hills are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it, *

and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *

and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *

Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

O come, let us sing unto the Lord; *

let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *

and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *

and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are all the corners of the earth, *

and the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it, *

and his hands prepared the dry land.

O come, let us worship and fall down, *

and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is the Lord our God, *

and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *

let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth, *

and with righteousness to judge the world and the peoples with his truth.

ALL

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: Come let us adore him.

ALL

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: O come, let us adore him.

Psalms [70], 71

Psalm 71In te, Domine, speravi

1

In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; *

let me never be ashamed.

2

In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; *

incline your ear to me and save me.

3

Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; *

you are my crag and my stronghold.

4

Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, *

from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.

5

For you are my hope, O LORD God, *

my confidence since I was young.

6

I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;

from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *

my praise shall be always of you.

7

I have become a portent to many; *

but you are my refuge and my strength.

8

Let my mouth be full of your praise *

and your glory all the day long.

9

Do not cast me off in my old age; *

forsake me not when my strength fails.

10

For my enemies are talking against me, *

and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.

11

They say, "God has forsaken him;

go after him and seize him; *

because there is none who will save."

12

O God, be not far from me; *

come quickly to help me, O my God.

13

Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and be disgraced; *

let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach.

14

But I shall always wait in patience, *

and shall praise you more and more.

15

My mouth shall recount your mighty acts

and saving deeds all day long; *

though I cannot know the number of them.

16

I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; *

I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.

17

O God, you have taught me since I was young, *

and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.

18

And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, *

till I make known your strength to this generation

and your power to all who are to come.

19

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; *

you have done great things;

who is like you, O God?

20

You have showed me great troubles and adversities, *

but you will restore my life

and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.

21

You strengthen me more and more; *

you enfold and comfort me,

22

Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God; *

I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.

23

My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, *

and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.

24

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, *

for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought to do me harm.

[Psalm 70]Deus, in adjutorium

1

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; *

O LORD, make haste to help me.

2

Let those who seek my life be ashamed

and altogether dismayed; *

let those who take pleasure in my misfortune

draw back and be disgraced.

3

Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over me turn back, *

because they are ashamed.

4

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; *

let those who love your salvation say for ever,

"Great is the LORD!"

5

But as for me, I am poor and needy; *

come to me speedily, O God.

6

You are my helper and my deliverer; *

O LORD, do not tarry.

ALL

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Lessons

The First Lesson

1“Surely there is a mine for silver

and a place where gold is refined.

2Iron is taken from the earth,

and copper is smelted from ore.

3Man puts an end to the darkness;

he probes the farthest recesses

for ore in deepest darkness.

4Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft

in places forgotten by the foot of man.

Far from men he dangles and sways.

5Food may come from the earth,

but from below it is transformed as by fire.

6Its rocks are the source of sapphires,

containing flecks of gold.

7No bird of prey knows that path;

no falcon’s eye has seen it.

8Proud beasts have never trodden it;

no lion has ever prowled over it.

9The miner strikes the flint;

he overturns mountains at their base.

10He hews out channels in the rocks,

and his eyes spot every treasure.

11He stops up the sources of the streams

to bring what is hidden to light.

12But where can wisdom be found,

and where does understanding dwell?

13No man can know its value,

nor is it found in the land of the living.

14The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’

while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’

15It cannot be bought with gold,

nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

in precious onyx or sapphire.

17Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it,

nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.

18Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention;

the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

19Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it,

nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20From where, then, does wisdom come,

and where does understanding dwell?

21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing

and concealed from the birds of the air.

22Abaddon and Death say,

‘We have heard a rumor about it.’

23But God understands its way,

and He knows its place.

24For He looks to the ends of the earth

and sees everything under the heavens.

25When God fixed the weight of the wind

and measured out the waters,

26when He set a limit for the rain

and a path for the thunderbolt,

27then He looked at wisdom and appraised it;

He established it and searched it out.

28And He said to man, ‘Behold,

the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Silence may be kept after each Reading.

The Song of Moses

A Song of Praise

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *

the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *

the Lord has become my Savior.

This is my God and I will praise him, *

the God of my people and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a mighty warrior; *

Yahweh is his Name.

The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; *

the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.

The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *

they sank into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *

your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.

Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *

who is like you, glorious in holiness,

awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?

You stretched forth your right hand; *

the earth swallowed them up.

With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *

with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.

You will bring them in and plant them *

on the mount of your possession,

The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *

the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.

The Lord shall reign *

for ever and for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou for the Name of thy Majesty; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou in the temple of thy holiness; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and dwellest between the Cherubim; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *

praised and exalted above all for ever.

The Second Lesson

27Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify Your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.

30In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours. 31Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.

34The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

35Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.”

After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.

Silence may be kept after each Reading.

Glory to God

The Song of Zechariah

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father:

receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *

for he hath visited and redeemed his people;

And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us *

in the house of his servant David,

As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, *

which have been since the world began:

That we should be saved from our enemies, *

and from the hand of all that hate us;

To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, *

and to remember his holy covenant;

To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, *

that he would give us,

That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies *

might serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him, *

all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, *

for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people *

for the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God, *

whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, *

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Apostles’ Creed

Officiant and People together, all standing

ALL

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth;

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

ALL

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 Prayers

The People stand or kneel

OFFICIANT

The Lord be with you.

PEOPLE

And also with you.

OFFICIANT

Let us pray.

OFFICIANT

The Lord be with you.

PEOPLE

And with thy spirit.

OFFICIANT

Let us pray.

ALL

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your Name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen.

ALL

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, and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

OFFICIANT

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

PEOPLE

And grant us your salvation.

OFFICIANT

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

PEOPLE

Let your people sing with joy.

OFFICIANT

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

PEOPLE

For only in you can we live in safety.

OFFICIANT

Lord, keep this nation under your care;

PEOPLE

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

OFFICIANT

Let your way be known upon earth;

PEOPLE

Your saving health among all nations.

OFFICIANT

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

PEOPLE

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

OFFICIANT

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

PEOPLE

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

OFFICIANT

O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;

PEOPLE

And grant us thy salvation.

OFFICIANT

Endue thy ministers with righteousness;

PEOPLE

And make thy chosen people joyful.

OFFICIANT

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

PEOPLE

For only in thee can we live in safety.

OFFICIANT

Lord, keep this nation under thy care;

PEOPLE

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

OFFICIANT

Let thy way be known upon earth;

PEOPLE

Thy saving health among all nations.

OFFICIANT

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

PEOPLE

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

OFFICIANT

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

PEOPLE

And sustain us with thy Holy Spirit.

The Collect of the Day

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Guidance

OFFICIANT

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

OFFICIANT

O heavenly Father, in whom we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray thee so to guide and govern us by thy Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget thee, but may remember that we are ever walking in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

OFFICIANT

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

OFFICIANT

O God, who hast made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and didst send thy blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after thee and find thee; bring the nations into thy fold; pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of thy kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here may be sung a hymn or anthem.

Authorized intercessions and thanksgivings may follow.

The General Thanksgiving

ALL

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable 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 pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

ALL

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 our selves 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 honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

Dismissal

OFFICIANT

Let us bless the Lord.

PEOPLE

Thanks be to God.

OFFICIANT

Let us bless the Lord.

PEOPLE

Thanks be to God.

OFFICIANT

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

OFFICIANT

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.

Text from the Book of Common Prayer (1979), The Episcopal Church.

The Psalter from the Book of Common Prayer (1979), The Episcopal Church.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain.

Why this Morning Prayer has these texts

The order is the same every day. Year Two of the lectionary appoints the psalms and lessons; the season, the weekday, and the app’s defaults choose the rest.

This explains the Contemporary (Rite II) office. Traditional (Rite I) has the same psalms and lessons, with traditional-language canticles from those Rite I allows (pp. 47 and 65).

Today’s parts in order, each sized by its word count.
Words in the office by how often they change
The same every day23%644 words
Follows the season or feast11%298 words
Follows the weekday, or rotates19%513 words
Appointed for the day by the lectionary47%1,291 words
Opening sentence
John 4:23 On an ordinary day, one of the sentences for any time, taken in turn.
Lord, open our lips
With “Alleluia,” as in every season but Lent.
Invitatory antiphon
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: Come let us adore him. One of the three antiphons for ordinary Sundays and weekdays, taken in turn.
Invitatory psalm
Venite The usual invitatory psalm. The Jubilate may be used instead.
The Psalms
Psalms [70], 71 Appointed for this day in Year Two.
The First Lesson
Job 28:1-28 The day’s Old Testament reading, Year Two.
Canticle after the first lesson
The Song of Moses The table’s canticle for Thursdays.
The Second Lesson
John 12:27-36 The Gospel is read in the morning in Year Two.
Canticle after the second lesson
Glory to God The table’s canticle for Thursdays.
The Collect of the Day
The Collect for Proper 19 The collect of the Sunday before, said through the week.
A collect for the day
A Collect for Guidance The app’s collect for Thursdays.
A prayer for mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the… One of the three, taken in turn.
Dismissal
Without Alleluias, which are added only in Easter Season.

Praying the Psalter by the month instead? Day 17 of the 30-day Psalter appoints Psalms 86, 87, 88.

Every part of Morning Prayer, and the choices it allows

Every office, on your phone

Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline are in the app too.

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