Evening Prayers

Two Evening Prayers from the Antiphonary of Bangor

In the evening

Let our evening prayers ascend to your ears, O divine Majesty, and let your blessing descend over us, O Lord, as we put our hope in you; for you live and reign with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

At the beginning of the night

O God, you shine your light on the deep darkness of night. Shine your light on our deep darkness, and guard our hearts in the way of your commandments, O Lord; for you live and reign with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Source: Antiphonary of Bangor, ninth century

Source of this version: Translated and reworked from the Latin text for A Collection of Prayers.

© 2016 Paul C. Stratman

Translation of Prayers “Vespertina oratio nostra ascendat ad aures / Let our evening prayers ascend to your ears” and “Deus qui inextricabiles tenebras / O God, you shine your light on the deep darkness” by Paul C. Stratman are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for any commercial usage.

31. Ad vespertinam.

Vespertina oratio nostra ascendat ad aures divinae majestatis tuae, et descendat benedic tio tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te, Qui regnas &c

32. Ad initium noctis.

Deus qui inextricabiles tenebras illuminas noctium, densitatem caliginis illustrans, corda nostra in opere mandatorum tuorum te oramus, Domine custodias, Qui regnas &c

The Antiphonary of Bangor and The Divine Offices of Bangor is now available in paperback through Amazon.com. It is also available for Amazon Kindle. This is a new translation of the entire Antiphonary into comtemporary liturgical English.

Evening Prayers

Two Evening Prayers from the Antiphonary of Bangor

FOR PEACE

Antiphon:

We have sinned,
and have acted wickedly. (2 Chronicles 6:37 ESV)

Collect:

You have redeemed us, O Lord, God of truth, by your holy blood. Now help us in all things, Jesus Christ, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Antiphon

Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:165 ESV)

Collect

Let your peace, O Lord, heavenly King, always remain in our hearts, that we need not fear the terror of the night, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Antiphonary of Bangor, ninth century

Source of this version: Translated and reworked from the Latin text for A Collection of Prayers.

Translation of Prayers “Redemisti nos, Domine Deus / You have redeemed us, O Lord,” and “Pax tua, Domine, rex caelestis / Let your peace, O Lord, heavenly King” by Paul C. Stratman are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for any commercial usage.

“You have redeemed us…” is a reference to Psalm 31:5

“Now help us…” may be a reference to Psalm 70:1

“that we need not fear the terror of the night” is a reference to Psalm 91:5

Originals in Latin:

34. Ad pacem Celebrandam

Ant. Injuste egimus, iniquitatem fecimus.

Collectio. Redemisti nos, Domine Deus veritatis, in tuo sancto sanguine, nunc adjuva nos in omnibus, Jesu Christe, Qui regnas, &c

Ant. Pax multa diligentibus legem tuam; et non est illis scandalum.

Collectio. Pax tua, Domine, rex caelestis, permaneat semper in visceribus nostris, ut non timeamus a timore nocturne, Qui regnas &c

For Blessing

Bless all who worship you,
from the rising of the sun until its setting.
Give us your goodness,
inspire us with your love,
guide us by your Spirit,
protect us by your power,
receive us in your mercy,
now and always.
Amen.

Souce: An Ancient Collect.

Watch, Lord, with Us

Watch, Lord, with us,
lest we fall into temptation and despair
in the darkness of this world.
Watch, Lord, with us,
lest we fall into any kind of danger
in the darkness of this night.
Let your Word be the lamp to our feet
and the light for our path,
our guide through the darkness
and our hope in the midst of despair.
Keep the lamp of your Word
shining brightly in our hearts
in the dark night of the world.
You, Jesus, are the light no darkness can overcome,
and you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Paul C. Stratman, 2016

“Watch, Lord, with us” is a reference to Matthew 26:41

“Let your Word be the lamp to our feet” is a reference to Psalm 119:105

“You, Jesus, are the light no darkness can overcome” is a reference to John 1:5

This prayer is inspired in part by the poetic prayers of Georg Christian Dieffenbach (1822-1901) and some elements of prayers from the Antiphonary of Bangor (9th Century).

Latin version:

Vigilate, Domine, nobiscum,
ne incidamus in desperationem
in tentationem et tenebrarum mundi.
Vigilate, Domine, nobiscum,
ne incidamus in aliquam periculo noctis
huius caliginem destruendam.
Verbum tuum lux pedibus nostris
verbum tuum et lumen semitis nostris,
lux in medio tenebras,
spes in medio desperatio.
Effulgens custodi verbum tuum in cordibus nostris
lucerna mundi tenebris noctis excitabatur.
Tu, Jesu sis lux tenebrae non conprehendit,
etcum Patre et Spiritu Sancto vivis et regnas Deus,
per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

As Watchmen Wait for the Morning

As watchmen wait for the morning,
so do our souls long for you, O Christ.
Come with the dawning of the day,
and make yourself known to us in the breaking of bread;
for you are our God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Rite

Source of this version: https://attentiontothemoment.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/the-mozarabic-sacramentary/

Also found here: http://1stholistic.com/Spl_prayers/prayer_mozarabic-morning-prayer.htm

“As watchmen wait for the morning,” is a reference to Psalm 130:6

“make yourself known to us in the breaking of bread” is a reference to Luke 24:35

Guide Us through the Changing Seasons

O God,
guide us through the changing seasons,
and preserve us through the successions of day and night.
By your mercy we have passed this day in safety,
so we may pass this night in purity of mind and body,
pleasing to you;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Gothic.

Source of this version: Modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Ed. Charles Leffingwell, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 24 #2

In Pity and Mercy, Forgive

O God,
eternal Light,
Splendor of the stars,
Clearness of the night,
boundless Enlightener of the darkness,
grant us to pass this night in security and peace,
and if we have this day collected any stain of sin,
in pity and mercy, forgive.
Hear our prayers and grant our request;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Rite

Our Minds Are Awake to You

The day is past, O Lord,
and we offer you our evening prayer.
Whatever in us is darkened by the night of sin
illumine with the brightness of your light,
and while our eyes are closed in sleep,
our minds may be awake to you,
so that, at the close of night,
we may welcome with your praises
the return of day.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Rite

Evening Thanksgiving

Accept our evening thanksgiving,
Fountain of every blessing,
for you have led us in safety through the length of the day.
You daily bless us with so many temporal mercies,
and have given us the hope of resurrection to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Souce: An Ancient Collect.

Sleeping Prayer

I am placing my soul and my body CelticCapital15
in your sanctuary this night, O God,
in your sanctuary, O Jesus Christ,
in your sanctuary, O Spirit of perfect truth,
the Three who would defend my cause,
nor turn their backs on me.

Father, who is kind and just,
Son, who overcame death,
Holy Spirit of power,
keep me this night from harm,
the Three who would justify me,
keep me this night and always.

Source: Unknown, Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations…, Vol. I, p. 73. English translation modified.

Graphic is from Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations…, Vol. I, p.72