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 (Printer Friendly | Baby Boomer | iPhone version) based on Eastern Standard Time, U.S. however, you can now localize The Divine Hours...

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
Bless the LORD, O my soul,* and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. Bless the LORD, O my soul,* and forget not all his benefits.

Psalm 103:1-2

The Request for Presence
The LORD will hear the desire of the humble;* you will strengthen their heart and your ears shall hear.

Psalm 10:18

The Greeting
O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everlasting Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Phos Hilaron

The Hymn Be for Us a Moon of Joy

May you be for us a moon of joy and happiness. Let the young become strong and the grown man maintain his strength, the pregnant woman be delivered and the woman who has given birth suckle her child. Let the stranger come to the end of his journey and those who remain at home dwell safely in their houses. Let the flocks that go to feed in the pastures return happily. May you be a moon of harvest and of calves. May you be a moon of restoration and of good health.

Ethiopian Prayer

The Refrain for the Vespers Lessons
The LORD has heard my supplication;* the LORD accepts my prayer.

Psalm 6:9

The Vespers Psalm If the LORD Had Not Been on Our Side

If the LORD had not been on our side,* let Israel now say; If the LORD had not been on our side,* when enemies rose up against us; Then would they have swallowed us up alive* in their fierce anger toward us; Then would the waters have overwhelmed us* and the torrent gone over us; Then would the raging waters* have gone right over us. Blessed be the LORD!* he has not given us over to be prey for their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler;* the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the Name of the LORD,* the maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 124

The Refrain
The LORD has heard my supplication;* the LORD accepts my prayer.

The Small Verse
The Lord is my shepherd and nothing is wanting to me.* In green pastures He has settled me.

A SHORT BREVIARY

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
O God, you have taught me to keep all your commandments by loving you and my neighbor: Grant me the grace of your Holy Spirit, that I may be devoted to you with my whole heart, and united to others with pure affection; 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
Almighty God, who has promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in your Son’s Name: I beseech you mercifully to incline your ear to me who have made my prayers and supplications to you; and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to your will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of my necessity, and to the setting forth of your glory; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.† May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in eternal peace. Amen.

Be sure to check out Phyllis Responds, answers to questions about The Divine Hours.

Buy The Divine Hours from Amazon.com The Divine Hours © Copyright 2003-2004 Phyllis Tickle www.phyllistickle.com

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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The Divine Hours

The Vespers Office

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

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 (Printer Friendly \| Baby Boomer \| iPhone version) based on Eastern Standard Time, U.S. however, you can now localize The Divine Hours... 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 Bless the LORD, O my soul,* and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. Bless the LORD, O my soul,* and forget not all his benefits.
Psalm 103:1-2
The Request for Presence The LORD will hear the desire of the humble;* you will strengthen their heart and your ears shall hear.
Psalm 10:18
The Greeting O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everlasting Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Phos Hilaron
The Hymn	Be for Us a Moon of Joy
May you be for us a moon of joy and happiness. Let the young become strong and the grown man maintain his strength, the pregnant woman be delivered and the woman who has given birth suckle her child. Let the stranger come to the end of his journey and those who remain at home dwell safely in their houses. Let the flocks that go to feed in the pastures return happily. May you be a moon of harvest and of calves. May you be a moon of restoration and of good health.
Ethiopian Prayer
The Refrain for the Vespers Lessons The LORD has heard my supplication;* the LORD accepts my prayer.
Psalm 6:9
The Vespers Psalm	If the LORD Had Not Been on Our Side
If the LORD had not been on our side,* let Israel now say; If the LORD had not been on our side,* when enemies rose up against us; Then would they have swallowed us up alive* in their fierce anger toward us; Then would the waters have overwhelmed us* and the torrent gone over us; Then would the raging waters* have gone right over us. Blessed be the LORD!* he has not given us over to be prey for their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler;* the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the Name of the LORD,* the maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 124
The Refrain The LORD has heard my supplication;* the LORD accepts my prayer.

The Small Verse The Lord is my shepherd and nothing is wanting to me.* In green pastures He has settled me.
A SHORT BREVIARY
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 O God, you have taught me to keep all your commandments by loving you and my neighbor: Grant me the grace of your Holy Spirit, that I may be devoted to you with my whole heart, and united to others with pure affection; 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 Almighty God, who has promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in your Son’s Name: I beseech you mercifully to incline your ear to me who have made my prayers and supplications to you; and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to your will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of my necessity, and to the setting forth of your glory; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.† May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in eternal peace. Amen.




Be sure to check out Phyllis Responds, answers to questions about The Divine Hours.
Buy The Divine Hours from Amazon.com	The Divine Hours © Copyright 2003-2004 Phyllis Tickle www.phyllistickle.com The Divine Hours are reprinted here with permission of Doubleday and Phyllis Tickle. Not for distribution without permission from the author.