THE DIVINE HOURS

A form of prayer at specified times to be used by individuals or groups. The Divine Hours includes morning, midday, vespers (evening) and compline (before retiring) offices, having roots in the biblical tradition. By default the Divine Hours below is displayed based on Eastern Standard Time, U.S. You can use these links to view in another U.S. timezone: CST | MST | PST

Other time zones will be added as requested.

You may find it helpful to read the introduction by the author, Phyllis Tickle.

The Vespers Office

To Be Observed on the Hour or Half Hour Between 5 and 8 p.m

The Call to Prayer

Praise the LORD, all you nations;* laud him, all you peoples. For his loving-kindness toward us is great,* and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever.

Psalm 117:1-2

The Request for Presence

Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your Name;* deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your Name's sake.

Psalm 79:9

The Greeting

You are to be praised, O God, in Zion . . . To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come,* because of their transgressions.

Psalm 65:1-2

The Hymn

The Canticle of Simeon

Lord, you now have set your servant free To go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, Whom you have prepared for all the world to see: ALight to enlighten the nations, And the glory of your people Israel. 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.

The Refrain for the Vespers Lessons

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,* and your faithfulness to the clouds.

Psalm 36:5

The Vespers Psalm

The LORD Shall Preserve You

I lift up my eyes to the hills;* from where is my help to come? My help comes from the LORD,* the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved* and he who watches over you will not fall asleep. Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel* shall neither slumber nor sleep; The LORD himself watches over you;* the LORD is your shade at your right hand, So that the sun shall not strike you by day,* nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;* it is he who shall keep you safe. The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in,* from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 121

The Refrain

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,* and your faithfulness to the clouds.

The Small Verse

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; on the inhabitants of a country in shadow dark as death light has blazed forth.

Isaiah 9:1

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your Name. May your kingdom come, and 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Prayer Appointed for the Week

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.†

The Concluding Prayer of the Church

Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant me so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that I may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies' sake. Amen.† May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in eternal peace. Amen.

The Divine Hours are reprinted here with permission of Doubleday and Phyllis Tickle. Not for distribution without permission from the author.
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