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Friday, December 18, 2026

Morning Prayer

Advent

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Prayer Guidance

OFFICIANT

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

Isaiah 40:5

OFFICIANT

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

Isaiah 40:5

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

Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.

ALL

Our King and Savior draweth nigh: 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

Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.

ALL

Our King and Savior draweth nigh: O come, let us adore him.

Psalms 40, 54

Psalm 40Expectans, expectavi

1

I waited patiently upon the LORD; *

he stooped to me and heard my cry.

2

He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *

he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.

3

He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God; *

many shall see, and stand in awe,

and put their trust in the LORD.

4

Happy are they who trust in the LORD! *

they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.

5

Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God!

how great your wonders and your plans for us! *

there is none who can be compared with you.

6

Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *

but they are more than I can count.

7

In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *

(you have given me ears to hear you);

8

Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *

and so I said, "Behold, I come.

9

In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *

'I love to do your will, O my God;

your law is deep in my heart.'"

10

I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *

behold, I did not restrain my lips;

and that, O LORD, you know.

11

Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *

I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.

12

You are the LORD;

do not withhold your compassion from me; *

let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever,

13

For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me;

my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see; *

they are more in number than the hairs of my head,

and my heart fails me.

14

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; *

O LORD, make haste to help me.

15

Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed

who seek after my life to destroy it; *

let them draw back and be disgraced

who take pleasure in my misfortune.

16

Let those who say "Aha!" and gloat over me be confounded, *

because they are ashamed.

17

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

let those who love your salvation continually say,

Great is the LORD!"

18

Though I am poor and afflicted, *

the Lord will have regard for me.

19

You are my helper and my deliverer; *

do not tarry, O my God.

Psalm 54Deus, in nomine

1

Save me, O God, by your Name; *

in your might, defend my cause.

2

Hear my prayer, O God; *

give ear to the words of my mouth.

3

For the arrogant have risen up against me,

and the ruthless have sought my life, *

those who have no regard for God.

4

Behold, God is my helper; *

it is the Lord who sustains my life.

5

Render evil to those who spy on me; *

in your faithfulness, destroy them.

6

I will offer you a freewill sacrifice *

and praise your Name, O LORD, for it is good.

7

For you have rescued me from every trouble, *

and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.

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

5Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger;

the staff in their hands is My wrath.

6I will send him against a godless nation;

I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage,

to take spoils and seize plunder,

and to trample them down like clay in the streets.

7But this is not his intention;

this is not his plan.

For it is in his heart to destroy

and cut off many nations.

8“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.

9“Is not Calno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

10As my hand seized the idolatrous kingdoms

whose images surpassed those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

11and as I have done to Samaria and its idols,

will I not also do to Jerusalem and her idols?”

12So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes. 13For he says:

‘By the strength of my hand I have done this,

and by my wisdom, for I am clever.

I have removed the boundaries of nations

and plundered their treasures;

like a mighty one I subdued their rulers.

14My hand reached as into a nest

to seize the wealth of the nations.

Like one gathering abandoned eggs,

I gathered all the earth.

No wing fluttered,

no beak opened or chirped.’”

15Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it?

Does a saw boast over him who saws with it?

It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it,

or a staff lifting him who is not wood!

16Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts will send a wasting disease

among Assyria’s stout warriors,

and under his pomp will be kindled

a fire like a burning flame.

17And the Light of Israel will become a fire,

and its Holy One a flame.

In a single day it will burn and devour

Assyria’s thorns and thistles.

18The splendor of its forests and orchards,

both soul and body,

it will completely destroy,

as a sickness consumes a man.

19The remaining trees of its forests will be so few

that a child could count them.

Silence may be kept after each Reading.

The Second Song of Isaiah

A Song of Praise

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; *

call upon him when he draws near.

Let the wicked forsake their ways *

and the evil ones their thoughts;

And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, *

and to our God, for he will richly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, *

nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, *

so are my ways higher than your ways,

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as rain and snow fall from the heavens *

and return not again, but water the earth,

Bringing forth life and giving growth, *

seed for sowing and bread for eating,

So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; *

it will not return to me empty;

But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, *

and prosper in that for which I sent it.

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

17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

20If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

Silence may be kept after each Reading.

A Song to the Lamb

The Song of Zechariah

Splendor and honor and kingly power *

are yours by right, O Lord our God,

For you created everything that is, *

and by your will they were created and have their being;

And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *

for with your blood you have redeemed for God,

From every family, language, people, and nation, *

a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

And so, to him who sits upon the throne, *

and to Christ the Lamb,

Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *

for ever and for evermore.

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

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays

OFFICIANT

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

OFFICIANT

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

OFFICIANT

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

OFFICIANT

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of thy faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before thee for all members of thy holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 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 One 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 day26%644 words
Follows the season or feast12%291 words
Follows the weekday, or rotates17%413 words
Appointed for the day by the lectionary46%1,133 words
Opening sentence
Isaiah 40:5 A sentence for Advent, taken in turn.
Lord, open our lips
With “Alleluia,” as in every season but Lent.
Invitatory antiphon
Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him. The antiphon appointed “in Advent.”
Invitatory psalm
Venite The usual invitatory psalm. The Jubilate may be used instead.
The Psalms
Psalms 40, 54 Appointed for this day in Year One.
The First Lesson
Isaiah 10:5-19 The day’s Old Testament reading, Year One.
Canticle after the first lesson
The Second Song of Isaiah The table’s canticle for Fridays.
The Second Lesson
2 Peter 2:17-22 The day’s Epistle, Year One.
Canticle after the second lesson
A Song to the Lamb The table’s canticle for Fridays.
The Collect of the Day
The Collect for Third Sunday of Advent The collect of the Sunday before, said through the week.
A collect for the day
A Collect for Fridays The app’s collect for Fridays.
A prayer for mission
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body… 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 18 of the 30-day Psalter appoints Psalms 90, 91, 92.

Every part of Morning Prayer, and the choices it allows

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