Morning Prayer with Hymns and Reflection for The Feast of the Epiphany
Hymn
1 As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to thee.
2 As with joyful steps they sped,
Saviour, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
thee whom heaven and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy-seat.
3 As they offered gifts most rare
at thy cradle rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin's alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee our heavenly King.
4 Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way,
and, when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.
5 In the heavenly country bright
need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
there for ever may we sing
alleluias to our King.
Words: William Chatterton Dix (1837–1898)
Readings:
Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Psalm 72
1 Give the king your judgements, O God,
and your righteousness to the son of a king.
2 Then shall he judge your people righteously
and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains bring forth peace,
and the little hills righteousness for the people.
4 May he defend the poor among the people,
deliver the children of the needy and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live as long as the sun and moon endure,
from one generation to another.
6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass,
like the showers that water the earth.
7 In his time shall righteousness flourish,
and abundance of peace
till the moon shall be no more.
8 May his dominion extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May his foes kneel before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute;
the kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts.
11 All kings shall fall down before him;
all nations shall do him service.
12 For he shall deliver the poor that cry out,
the needy and those who have no helper.
13 He shall have pity on the weak and poor;
he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence,
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
15 Long may he live;
unto him may be given gold from Sheba;
may prayer be made for him continually
and may they bless him all the day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain on the earth,
standing thick upon the hilltops;
may its fruit flourish like Lebanon
and its grain grow like the grass of the field.
17 May his name remain for ever
and be established as long as the sun endures;
may all nations be blest in him
and call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonderful things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever.
May all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Benedictus
Now bless the God of Israel who comes in love and power,
who raises from the royal house deliv’rance in this hour.
Through holy prophets God has sworn to free us from alarm,
to save us from the heavy hand of all who wish us harm.
Remembering the covenant, God rescues us from fear,
that we might serve in holiness and peace from year to year.
And you, my child, shall go before, to preach, to prophesy,
that all may know the tender love, the grace of God most high.
In tender mercy, God will send the dayspring from on high,
our rising sun, the light of life for those who sit and sigh.
God comes to guide our way to peace, that death shall reign no more.
Sing praises to the Holy One, O worship and adore.
To God the Father, fount of grace, through his beloved Son,
with God their Spirit, bond of love, be glory ever One.
Words: Ruth Duck
Collect for the Epiphany
Creator of the heavens,
who led the Magi by a star
to worship the Christ–child:
guide and sustain us,
that we may find our journey’s end
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hymn
1 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
2 Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining;
low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
angels adore him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.
3 Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,
odours of Edom, and offerings divine,
gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?
4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favour secure:
richer by far is the heart's adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
5 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Words: Reginald Heber (1783–1826)
Copyright: Common Worship © The Archbishops' Council © The Archbishops' Council 2000;
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Hymns are reproduced under CCLI: 938092 and CCLI Streaming Licence 1001311