Compline Service

An Order for Night Prayer (Compline)

Preparation

The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

All  Amen.

Our help is in the name of the Lord

All  who made heaven and earth.

A period of silence for reflection on the past day may follow.

The following or other suitable words of penitence may be used

All  Most merciful God,

we confess to you,

before the whole company of heaven and one another,

that we have sinned in thought, word and deed

and in what we have failed to do.

Forgive us our sins,

heal us by your Spirit

and raise us to new life in Christ. Amen.

O God, make speed to save us.

All  O Lord, make haste to help us.

All  Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now

and shall be for ever. Amen.

Alleluia.

  The following or another suitable hymn may be sung

Before the ending of the day,

Creator of the world, we pray

That you, with steadfast love, would keep

Your watch around us while we sleep.

From evil dreams defend our sight,

From fears and terrors of the night;

Tread underfoot our deadly foe

That we no sinful thought may know.

O Father, that we ask be done

Through Jesus Christ, your only Son;

And Holy Spirit, by whose breath

Our souls are raised to life from death.

The Word of God

Psalmody

Psalm 91

1    Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High  

and abides under the shadow of the Almighty,

2    Shall say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my stronghold,  

my God, in whom I put my trust.’

3    For he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler  

and from the deadly pestilence.

4    He shall cover you with his wings

    and you shall be safe under his feathers;  

his faithfulness shall be your shield and buckler.

5    You shall not be afraid of any terror by night,  

nor of the arrow that flies by day;

6    Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,  

nor of the sickness that destroys at noonday.

7    Though a thousand fall at your side

    and ten thousand at your right hand,  

yet it shall not come near you.

8    Your eyes have only to behold  

to see the reward of the wicked.

9    Because you have made the Lord your refuge  

and the Most High your stronghold,

10  There shall no evil happen to you,  

neither shall any plague come near your tent.

11  For he shall give his angels charge over you,  

to keep you in all your ways.

12  They shall bear you in their hands,  

lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13  You shall tread upon the lion and adder;  

the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14  Because they have set their love upon me,

     therefore will I deliver them;  

I will lift them up, because they know my name.

15  They will call upon me and I will answer them;  

I am with them in trouble,

     I will deliver them and bring them to honour.

16  With long life will I satisfy them  

and show them my salvation.

At the end of the psalmody, the following is said or sung

All  Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now

and shall be for ever. Amen.

Scripture Reading

You, O Lord, are in the midst of us and we are called by your name; leave us not, O Lord our God.

Jeremiah 14.9

The following responsory may be said

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

All  Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

For you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.

All  I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit.

All  Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Keep me as the apple of your eye.

All  Hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Gospel Canticle

The Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon) is said

All  Save us, O Lord, while waking,

and guard us while sleeping,

that awake we may watch with Christ

and asleep may rest in peace.

1    Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:  

your word has been fulfilled.

2    My own eyes have seen the salvation  

which you have prepared in the sight of every people;

3    A light to reveal you to the nations  

and the glory of your people Israel.

Luke 2.29-32

All  Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now

and shall be for ever. Amen.  

All  Save us, O Lord, while waking,

and guard us while sleeping,

that awake we may watch with Christ

and asleep may rest in peace.

Prayers

Intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered here.

The Collect

Silence may be kept.

Visit this place, O Lord, we pray,

and drive far from it the snares of the enemy;

may your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace,

and may your blessing be always upon us;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (here) may be said.

The Conclusion

In peace we will lie down and sleep;

All  for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.

Abide with us, Lord Jesus,

All  for the night is at hand and the day is now past.

As the night watch looks for the morning,

All  so do we look for you, O Christ.

[Come with the dawning of the day

All  and make yourself known in the breaking of the bread.]

The Lord bless us and watch over us;

the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us;

the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace.

All  Amen.