Evening Prayer
Evening Prayers
Short evening prayer rule — prayers of thanksgiving for the day past, read before sleep.
Evening Prayer Rule
Evening prayers are read before sleep, preferably standing.
Note: In the Serbian Orthodox Church, the evening prayer rule is traditionally read in Church Slavonic. The English translation below follows the standard Orthodox rendering used in English-speaking parishes.
1. Thanksgiving for the Day Past
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King… (Trisagion…)
Lord, have mercy (12 times).
Glory… now and ever…
Come, let us worship God our King. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and God. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
2. Psalm 90 (91)
He that dwelleth in the help of the Most High shall abide in the shelter of the God of heaven. He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my helper and my refuge, my God, in Him will I trust.
For He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter and from every troubling word. With His shoulders shall He overshadow thee, and under His wings shalt thou have hope; His truth shall compass thee with a shield.
Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, nor of the trouble that walketh in darkness, nor of the mishap and demon of noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but nigh thee shall it not come.
For He hath given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands shall they bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Because he hath set his hope on Me, I will deliver him; I will shelter him, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will hearken unto him; I am with him in tribulation; I will rescue him and glorify him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.
3. Prayer Before Sleep
O Lord my God, if I have sinned this day — in word, or deed, or thought — forgive me all, for Thou art Good and the Lover of mankind. Grant my body peaceful rest and keep my soul from dark and sinful dreams. At midnight raise me up to glorify Thee, for Thou art blessed and glorified for ever — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
4. Short Prayer of Thanksgiving
Glory to Thee, O Lord, who hast deemed me worthy of this night. Glory to Thee that Thou hast not taken me in my sins, but hast given me time for repentance. Keep me also this night from every evil, in peaceful sleep, to the health of soul and body. Amen.
Conclusion
Lord, have mercy (three times).
Bless, O Holy God — Father and Son and Holy Spirit — now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and most pure and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word — the very Theotokos: thee do we magnify.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Bless.