Preces and Responses

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General information

The Preces and Responses are a set of versicles and responses used at Morning and Evening Prayer in the Anglican Church. Many composers have set the Preces and Responses to music, specifically for use in services. Some such settings have been contributed to CPDL (see below).

Settings by composers

See Category:Preces and Responses for a list ordered by composer surname.

of the Preces and Responses

of the Lord's Prayer

of the Final Responses

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

Text and translations

English.png English text

From the Book of Common Prayer, 1662

[First, the Preces are said/sung:]

[Priest.] O Lord, open thou our lips.
Answer. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Priest. O God, make speed to save us.
Answer. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Priest. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Priest. Praise ye the Lord.
Answer. The Lord's Name be praised.

[After the Creed is said, the Responses:]

Priest. The Lord be with you.
Answer. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Let us pray. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

[All.] OUR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Priest: O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
Priest. O Lord, save the King.
Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Priest. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful.
Priest. O Lord, save thy people.
Answer. And bless thine inheritance.
Priest. Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Answer. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
Priest. O God, make clean our hearts within us.
Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the day; The second for Peace; The third for Aid against all Perils, as hereafter followeth: which two last Collects shall be daily said at Evening Prayer without alteration.

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer.
O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

The Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils.
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.

[The collects for Morning Prayer are different and are as follows:]

Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the day, which shall be the same that is appointed at the Communion; The second for Peace; The third for Grace to live well. And the two last Collects shall never alter, but daily be said at Morning Prayer throughout all the year, as followeth, all kneeling.

The second Collect, for Peace.
O GOD, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The third Collect, for Grace.
O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[The collects are intoned on one note by the priest. The choir responds "Amen" to each. In the seasons of Advent and Lent, four collects are often used rather than the usual three. Most settings of the preces and responses include three Amens, so if there are four collects, the first Amen is usually sung to the first and second collects.]

Chinese.png Chinese translation

啟:我主!你將開啟我唇。
應:我口將讚美我主。
啟:懇主俯允我等的請求。
應:上主!求你速來助我。
啟:願光榮歸於父、及子、及聖神。
應:起初如何,今日亦然,直到永遠,亞孟。

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