Sunday Evening Devotion

Psalm 145:1-12

I will magnify thee, O God, my King *

 and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.

  Every day will I give thanks unto thee *

 and praise thy Name for ever and ever.

  Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised *

 there is no end of his greatness.

  One generation shall praise thy works unto another *

 and declare thy power.

  As for me, I will be talking of thy worship *

 thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;

  So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts *

 and I will also tell of thy greatness.

  The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed *

 and men shall sing of thy righteousness.

  The Lord is gracious, and merciful *

 long-suffering, and of great goodness.

  The Lord is loving unto every man *

 and his mercy is over all his works.

  All thy works praise thee, O Lord *

 and thy saints give thanks unto thee.

  They shew the glory of thy kingdom *

 and talk of thy power;

  That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom *

 might be known unto men.

(Translation: Coverdale)

A Reading

(Acts 12:1-17)

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

(Translation: Authorized Version)

A period of silence may follow.

Canticle

Te Deum laudamus 

We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.

To thee all Angels cry aloud,

the Heavens and all the Powers therein.

To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:

    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

    Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.

The noble army of martyrs praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee,

    the Father, of an infinite majesty,

    thine adorable, true, and only Son,

    also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,

thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,

thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.

    We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,

    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

    Make them to be numbered with thy saints,

    in glory everlasting.

Prayers for Ourselves and Neighbors

Everlasting God, I pray for my own needs and those of others:

Silence or add individual intentions here

I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned by my own fault in thought, word, and deed, in things done and left undone; especially these sins which I have committed today:

Silence or add individual intentions here

For these and all other sins which I cannot now remember, I am truly sorry. I pray God to have mercy upon me. I firmly intend amendment of life, and I humbly beg forgiveness of God and his Church.

+May the Almighty God grant me forgiveness of all my sins, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Holy Trinity, One God, Thou art the bearer of good things, grant unto me a grateful heart that I may go forth with thanksgiving for all thy blessings:

Silence or add individual intentions here

And now, I gather my all prayers in the words Thy Son hath taught 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.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

    for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

Lord God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ triumphed over the powers of death and prepared for us our place in the new Jerusalem: Grant that we, who have this day given thanks for his resurrection, may praise thee in that City of  which he is the light; and where he liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

+The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless me and keep me. Amen.