An Order for Night Prayer known as Compline
Preparation
The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Brethren, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
whom resist, steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5.8,9
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
All Thanks be to God.
Our help is in the name of the Lord
All who hath made heaven and earth.
All We confess to God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed, through our own grievous fault. Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us all our sins and deliver us from all evil, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,
and bring us to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, make speed to save us.
All O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
All as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
All The Lord’s name be praised.
Hymn
1 Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world we pray,
That with thy wonted favour thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.
2 From all ill dreams defend our eyes,
From nightly fears and fantasies;
Tread underfoot our ghostly foe,
That no pollution we may know.
3 O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son;
Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.
Psalmody Psalm 8 v 3-9 This or some other psalm
3When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honour.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals,
8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.
9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.
Scripture Reading 1 John 3 v 16-24 This or some other suitable
16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.
21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
All Thanks be to God.
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
All Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
All I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
All Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Keep me as the apple of an eye.
All Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
Gospel Canticle
All Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
1Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace : according to thy word.
2For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation;
3Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people;
4To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :
and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2.29-32
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.
All Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Prayers
Lord, have mercy upon us.
All Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
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. Amen.
Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers:
All to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost:
All let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven:
All to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
The almighty and most merciful Lord guard us and give us his blessing.
All Amen.
Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us;
All that thy people may rejoice in thee?
O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us;
All and grant us thy salvation.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin;
All O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
All and let our cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this place, and drive from it all the snares of the enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace; and may thy blessing be upon us evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may repose upon thy eternal changelessness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Conclusion
We will lay us down in peace and take our rest.
All For it is thou, Lord, only that makest us dwell in safety.
Abide with us, O Lord,
All for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.
As the watchmen look for the morning,
All so do we look for thee, O Christ.
The Lord be with you
All and with thy spirit.
Let us bless the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,
bless us and preserve us.
All Amen.
Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000 Night Prayer introductory note © The Archbishops' Council 2005 Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)