A daily office is a set form of prayer, often using words that have come down to us in tradition. It helps give shape to our prayers, and people who use it often report that it helps them to stick to a prayer discipline, even when they don’t feel like it.
Many forms of daily office are available, but some of them are quite complicated to learn to use. The following is a very simple format that I devised a few years ago and have often given to people since then. I’m quite sure that I’ve stolen most of the elements of these offices from various places, including (but not limited to) The Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada, and Gavin Reid and Sheila Brown’s very fine little book Confirmed for Life.
Help yourself to whatever you find helpful here.
A Simple Daily Office
Please adapt this for your own use.
- Either use a lectionary or Bible reading plan, or make your own plan for reading the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Psalms.
- These Offices can be prayed either alone or with others. Pronouns may be changed appropriately to reflect the situation.
Daily Morning Prayer
Begin in relaxed silence for a minute.
Praise and Adoration
Lord, open our lips,
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
O God, make speed to save us,
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
The following psalm may be prayed, or you may wish to use another favourite psalm, hymn, or song of praise to God.
Come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great king above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth,
and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his for he made it,
and his hands have moulded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our maker.
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Oh, that today we would hearken to his voice!
(Psalm 95:1-7)
Read a psalm or psalms as prayers to God.
Bible reading and Reflection
Begin by praying the following prayer:
Open my eyes, O God, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Psalm 119:18).
Read one or two passages of Scripture. If you are not using a Bible reading system with comments and notes, ask yourself the following questions about the passage:
- What does this passage tell me about God?
- What does this passage tell me about myself and the world in which I live?
- Is there something I need to learn?
- Is there something I need to do?
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
Offer your prayers to God informally. Your prayers may include:
- Thanksgiving for particular blessings.
- Confession of your sins and asking for God’s forgiveness.
- Prayers for God’s world, your community, God’s Church, members of your family, people who have particular needs.
Conclude with the following prayers:
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, or be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, 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. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Go before us, gracious God, as we go into this day, and so fill us with your Holy Spirit that we may live as faithful followers of Jesus, to the honour and glory of your name. Amen.
Daily Evening Prayer
Begin in relaxed silence for a minute.
Praise and adoration
You may find it helpful to light a candle. Then say or sing the following, or some other hymn or psalm of praise to God:
O gracious Light, Lord Jesus Christ,
in you the Father’s glory shone.
immortal, holy, blessed is he,
and blest are you, his holy Son.
Now sunset comes, but light shines forth,
the lamps are lit to pierce the night.
Praise Father, Son, and Spirit: God
Who dwells in the eternal light.
Worthy are you of endless praise,
O Son of God, Life-giving Lord;
wherefore you are through all the earth
and in the highest heaven adored.
Read a psalm or psalms as prayers to God.
Bible reading and Reflection
Begin by praying the following prayer:
Open my eyes, O God, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Psalm 119:18).
Read one or two passages of Scripture. If you are not using a Bible reading system with comments and notes, ask yourself the following questions about the passage:
- What does this passage tell me about God?
- What does this passage tell me about myself and the world in which I live?
- Is there something I need to learn?
- Is there something I need to do?
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
Offer your prayers to God informally. Your prayers may include:
- Thanksgiving for particular blessings.
- Confession of your sins and asking for God’s forgiveness.
- Prayers for God’s world, your community, God’s Church, members of your family, people who have particular needs.
Conclude with the following prayers:
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this (coming) night; for the love of your only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, 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. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us this night and forever. Amen.