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50  A Song of the Blessed
 
     
    Refrain:
All
  Rejoice and be glad
    for you are the light of the world,
    and great is your reward in heaven.
     
1
  Blessed are the poor in spirit, •
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
     
2
  Blessed are those who mourn, •
    for they shall be comforted.
     
3
  Blessed are the meek, •
    for they shall inherit the earth.
     
4
  Blessed are those who hunger
    and thirst after righteousness, •
          for they shall be satisfied.
     
5
  Blessed are the merciful, •
    for they shall obtain mercy.
     
6
  Blessed are the pure in heart, •
    for they shall see God.
     
7
  Blessed are the peacemakers, •
    for they shall be called children of God.
     
8
  Blessed are those who suffer persecution
    for righteousness' sake, •
          for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
   
Matthew 5.3-10
    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.
     
   
   
51  Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
 
     
1
  My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,    
          my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;  •
    he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
     
2
  From this day all generations will call me blessed;  •
    the Almighty has done great things for me
          and holy is his name.
     
3
  He has mercy on those who fear him,  •
    from generation to generation.
     
4
  He has shown strength with his arm  •
    and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
     
5
  Casting down the mighty from their thrones  •
    and lifting up the lowly.
     
6
  He has filled the hungry with good things  •
    and sent the rich away empty.
     
7
  He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,  •
    to remember his promise of mercy,
     
8
  The promise made to our ancestors,  •
    to Abraham and his children for ever.                                     
   
Luke 1.46-55
    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.
     
   
   
52  Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)
 
     
1
  Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,  •
    who has come to his people and set them free.
     
2
  He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,  •
    born of the house of his servant David.
     
3
  Through his holy prophets God promised of old  •
    to save us from our enemies,
          from the hands of all that hate us.
     
4
  To show mercy to our ancestors,  •
    and to remember his holy covenant.
     
5
  This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:  •
    to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
     
6
  Free to worship him without fear,  •
    holy and righteous in his sight
          all the days of our life.
     
7
  And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,  •
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
     
8
  To give his people knowledge of salvation  •
    by the forgiveness of all their sins.
     
9
  In the tender compassion of our God  •
    the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
     
10
  To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,  •
    and to guide our feet into the way of peace.  
   
Luke 1.68-79
    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.
     
   
   
53  Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon)
 
     
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
    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.
   
 
 
54  A Song of the Justified
 
     
    Refrain:          
All
  Our hope is not in vain,
    because God's love has been poured into our hearts.
     
1
  God reckons as righteous those who believe,  •
    who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;
     
2
  For Christ was handed over to death for our sins,  •
    and raised to life for our justification.
     
3
  Since we are justified by faith,  •
    we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
     
4
  Through Christ we have gained access
          to the grace in which we stand,  •
    and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.
     
5
  We even exult in our sufferings,  •
    for suffering produces endurance,
     
6
  And endurance brings hope,  •
    and our hope is not in vain,
     
7
  Because God's love has been poured into our hearts,  •
    through the Holy Spirit, given to us.
     
8
  God proves his love for us:  •
    while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
     
9
  Since we have been justified by his death,  •
    how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath.
     
10
  Therefore, we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  •
    in whom we have now received our reconciliation.
   
Romans 4.24,25; 5.1-5,8,9,11
    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.
     
   
   
55  A Song of God's Children
 
     
    Refrain:
All
  The Spirit of the Father,
    who raised Christ Jesus from the dead,
    gives life to the people of God.  Alleluia!
     
1
  The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus  •
    has set us free from the law of sin and death.
     
2
  All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God;  •
    for we have received the Spirit that enables us to cry, 'Abba, Father'.
     
3
  The Spirit himself bears witness that we are children of God  •
    and if God's children, then heirs of God;
     
4
  If heirs of God, then fellow-heirs with Christ;  •
    since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
     
5
  These sufferings that we now endure  •
    are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
     
6
  For the creation waits with eager longing  •                                   
    for the revealing of the children of God.
   
Romans 8.2,14,15b-19
    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.
     
   
   
56  A Song of Divine Love
 
     
    Refrain:
All
  Love bears all things
    and will never come to an end.
     
1
  Love is patient and kind, •
    love is not jealous or boastful,
          it is not arrogant or rude.
     
2
  Love does not insist on its own way, •
    It is not angry or resentful.
     
3
  It does not rejoice in wrongdoing •
    but rejoices in the truth.
     
4
  Love bears all things and believes all things; •
    love hopes all things and endures all things.
     
5
  Love will never come to an end, •
    but prophecy will vanish,
          tongues cease and knowledge pass away.
     
6
  Now we know only in part •
    and we prophesy only in part,
     
7
  But when the perfect comes, •
    the partial shall pass away.
     
8
  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, •
    I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
     
9
  But when I became mature, •
    I put an end to childish ways.
     
10
  For now we see only puzzling reflections in a mirror, •
    but then we will see face to face.
     
11
  Now I know only in part; •
    then I shall know fully,
          even as I have been fully known.
     
12
  There are three things that last for ever,
          faith, hope and love, •
    but the greatest of these is love.
   
1 Corinthians 13.4-13
    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.
     
   
   
57  A Song of God's Grace
 
     
    Refrain:
All
  The glorious grace of God
    is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
     
1
  Blessed are you,                                   
          the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  •
    for you have blest us in Christ Jesus
          with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
     
2
  You chose us to be yours in Christ
          before the foundation of the world,  •
    that we should be holy and blameless before you.
     
3
  In love you destined us for adoption as your children,
          through Jesus Christ,  •
    according to the purpose of your will,
     
4
  To the praise of your glorious grace,  •
    which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
     
5
  In you, we have redemption
          through the blood of Christ,  •
    the forgiveness of our sins,
     
6
  According to the riches of your grace,  •
    which you have lavished upon us.
     
7
  You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight,  •
    the mystery of your will,
     
8
  According to your purpose                       
          which you set forth in Christ,  •
    as a plan for the fullness of time,
     
9
  To unite all things in Christ,  •
    things in heaven and things on earth.
   
Ephesians 1.3-10
    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.
     
   
   
58a  The Song of Christ's Glory (first version)
 
     
    Refrain:
All
  At the name of Jesus
    every knee shall bow.
     
1
  Christ Jesus was in the form of God,  •
    but he did not cling to equality with God.
     
2
  He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,  •
    and was born in our human likeness.
     
3
  Being found in human form he humbled himself,  •
    and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
     
4
  Therefore God has highly exalted him,  •
    and bestowed on him the name above every name.
     
5
  That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow,  •
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth;
     
6
  And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,  •
    to the glory of God the Father.                                                 
   
Philippians 2.5-11
    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.
     
   
   
58b  The Song of Christ's Glory (second version)
 
     
    Refrain:
All
  At the name of Jesus,
    every knee should bow.
     
1
  You, O Christ, were in the form of God:  •
    but did not cling to equality with God.
     
2
  You emptied yourself taking the form of a servant:  •
    and were born in the likeness of men.
     
3
  Being found in human form you humbled yourself:  •
    and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
     
4
  Therefore God has highly exalted you:  •
    and given you the name above every name,
     
5
  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow:  •
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth;
     
6
  and every tongue confess that you are Lord:  •
    to the glory of God the Father.                         
   
Philippians 2.5-11
    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.
     
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004
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