Evening Prayer - September 11, 2026

Today's Readings

Psalm 31:1-24

Job 19:1-7,14-27

Acts 13:13-25

John 9:18-41

Ordinary Time
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

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

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

The Invitatory and Psalter
Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen Alleluia

Venite

ⓘ 'Venite' is Latin for 'O Come,' the opening word of Psalm 95: Venite exultemus Domino ('O Come, let us sing to the LORD').

Psalm 95:1 to 7
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!

The Antiphon:

ⓘ A short, reflective sentence recited alongside a psalm to deepen our understanding of the readings.

The earth is the Lord's for he made it: Come let us adore him.

The Lessons

Psalm 31

⁽¹⁾ In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.⁽²⁾ Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me.⁽³⁾ For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me.⁽⁴⁾ Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength.

⁽⁵⁾ Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.⁽⁶⁾ I have hated those who regard useless idols; But I trust in the LORD.⁽⁷⁾ I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,⁽⁸⁾ And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.

⁽⁹⁾ Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body!⁽¹⁰⁾ For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.⁽¹¹⁾ I am a reproach among all my enemies, But especially among my neighbors, And am repulsive to my acquaintances; Those who see me outside flee from me.⁽¹²⁾ I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.

⁽¹³⁾ For I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away my life.⁽¹⁴⁾ But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.'⁽¹⁵⁾ My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.⁽¹⁶⁾ Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave.⁽¹⁸⁾ Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.⁽¹⁹⁾ Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!⁽²⁰⁾ You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues.

⁽²¹⁾ Blessed be the LORD, For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!⁽²²⁾ For I said in my haste, 'I am cut off from before Your eyes'; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You.⁽²³⁾ Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person.⁽²⁴⁾ Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

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

Job Chapter 19

⁽¹⁾ Then Job answered and said:⁽²⁾ How long will you torment my soul, And break me in pieces with words?⁽³⁾ These ten times you have reproached me; You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.⁽⁴⁾ And if indeed I have erred, My error remains with me.

⁽⁵⁾ If indeed you exalt yourselves against me, And plead my disgrace against me,⁽⁶⁾ Know then that God has wronged me, And has surrounded me with His net.⁽⁷⁾ If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice.⁽¹⁴⁾ My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me.⁽¹⁵⁾ Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, Count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.⁽¹⁶⁾ I call my servant, but he gives no answer; I beg him with my mouth.⁽¹⁷⁾ My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am repulsive to the children of my own body.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me.⁽¹⁹⁾ All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me.⁽²⁰⁾ My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.⁽²¹⁾ Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me!

⁽²²⁾ Why do you persecute me as God does, And are not satisfied with my flesh?⁽²³⁾ Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!⁽²⁴⁾ That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!⁽²⁵⁾ For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

⁽²⁶⁾ And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,⁽²⁷⁾ Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Acts Chapter 13

⁽¹³⁾ Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.⁽¹⁴⁾ But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.⁽¹⁵⁾ And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, 'Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.'⁽¹⁶⁾ Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, 'Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:

⁽¹⁷⁾ The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it.⁽¹⁸⁾ Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness.⁽¹⁹⁾ And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment.⁽²⁰⁾ After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

⁽²¹⁾ And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.⁽²²⁾ And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'⁽²³⁾ From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior -- Jesus --⁽²⁴⁾ after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

⁽²⁵⁾ And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 9

⁽¹⁸⁾ But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.⁽¹⁹⁾ And they asked them, saying, 'Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?'⁽²⁰⁾ His parents answered them and said, 'We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;⁽²¹⁾ but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.'

⁽²²⁾ His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.⁽²³⁾ Therefore his parents said, 'He is of age; ask him.'⁽²⁴⁾ So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, 'Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.'⁽²⁵⁾ He answered and said, 'Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.'

⁽²⁶⁾ Then they said to him again, 'What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?'⁽²⁷⁾ He answered them, 'I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?'⁽²⁸⁾ Then they reviled him and said, 'You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.⁽²⁹⁾ We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.'

⁽³⁰⁾ The man answered and said to them, 'Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!⁽³¹⁾ Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.⁽³²⁾ Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.⁽³³⁾ If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.'

⁽³⁴⁾ They answered and said to him, 'You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?' And they cast him out.⁽³⁵⁾ Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, 'Do you believe in the Son of God?'⁽³⁶⁾ He answered and said, 'Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?'⁽³⁷⁾ And Jesus said to him, 'You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.'

⁽³⁸⁾ Then he said, 'Lord, I believe!' And he worshiped Him.⁽³⁹⁾ And Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.'⁽⁴⁰⁾ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, 'Are we blind also?'⁽⁴¹⁾ Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The Second Song of Isaiah Isaiah 55:6 to 11

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 forever. Amen.

The Apostles' Creed
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 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.

The Prayers

The Lord's Prayer

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,
forever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages

ⓘ A simple prayer to God for help, mercy, or intercession, rooted in the Latin word for support.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.

Seasonal Collect: Proper 17 The Sunday closest to August 31
Lord 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 bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: 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.

A Prayer for Mission: 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.

Personal Prayers and Reflection

This is a time to pause, consider and listen. Pray for yourself and others.

Closing Prayers

Thanksgiving
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 ourselves 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.

Conclude with the following
Let Us Bless the Lord, Thanks be to God

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13