This Canticle has been an alternative to the Te Deum since the first Prayer Book.  In 1979 it was instead recommended to be used as the first Canticle in Evening Prayer on Wednesdays.  In that book it was also shortened, simplified, and partitioned, and this Prayer Book has largely retained those edits.  A notable wording change is in the doxology: “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” is now “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” – providing a more robust, if subtle, trinitarian clarification. 

I N V O C A T I O N

Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

I.  T H E  C O S M I C  O R D E R

Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, * O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, *   all winds and fire and heat,
Winter and summer, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, * drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, * O shining light and enfolding dark.
Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

I I.  T H E  E A R T H  A N D  I T S  C R E A T U R E S

Let the earth glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills, and all that grows upon the earth, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams, * O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild, * and all you flocks and herds.
O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

I I I.  T H E  P E O P L E  O F  G O D

Let the people of God glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

D O X O L O G Y

Let us glorify the Lord: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, * praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Due to its length, this Canticle is given sub-headers within its text.  In the 1979 Prayer Book the idea was that the worshiper could use any of its three parts, with the Invocation and Doxology.  No such indication of this use exists in the present edition, so the sub-headings serve instead as aids for the worshiper to follow the train of thought throughout the Canticle.  The organization is logical and similar to the order of creation in Genesis 1: the angels and the powers of nature are called upon first to “praise him and highly exalt him for ever.”  This is in accord with the biblical doctrine that all creation proclaims the goodness of God in its own particular ways (Ps. 19:1).  The land, sea, and their respective creatures follow, and then the human race: God’s people and clergy, the living and the dead, we “that are holy and humble of heart.”  The doxology is an addition to the original text, updating the pre-Christian text in light of the revelation of the Holy Trinity, similar to how the Gloria Patri is normally said at the end of each Psalm.

Psalm 67 has been an alternative Canticle since 1552, serving alongside the Nunc Dimittis as the second Canticle in Evening Prayer.

The Gloria Patri is omitted from this Canticle, in line with the American Prayer Book tradition, though those who prefer the English-Canadian tradition are certainly free to add it back in.

May God be merciful unto us, and bless us, * and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us.
Let your way be known upon earth, * your saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; * indeed, let all the peoples praise you.
O let the nations rejoice and be glad, * for you shall judge the peoples righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; * let all the peoples praise you.
Then shall the earth bring forth her increase, * and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
God shall bless us, *and all the ends of the world shall fear him.

Psalm 67 has become a popular psalm in modern liturgy.  Part of it is found amidst the Good  Friday anthems, it is one of the additional Psalms for Midday Prayer, and it has been an alternative to the Nunc dimittis in Evening Prayer since 1552.  The emphasis on peoples and nations rejoicing in God and praising him gives it an evangelistic or missional tone; and the language of God being merciful, blessing his people, and showing us his light provides another thematic context akin to the several prayers associated with Evening Prayer and Compline, especially when judgment is brought into the picture.  This Psalm, thus, pairs well with several Evening and Compline collects and prayers, especially the tone and emphasis of the prayers for mission.

This canticle was introduced in the 1979 Prayer Book and recommended to be used as the first Canticle in Morning Prayer on Mondays, and the first Canticle in Evening Prayer on Saturdays, the former being drawn from its use in the Mozaribic rite.

Surely, it is God who saves me; * I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, * and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing * from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, * Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; * see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, * and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, * for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The hymn of praise in Isaiah 12 does not point explicitly to any particular act of redemption or work of God.  Rather, it is more general in its concern.  The first few verses express trust in God’s salvation, defense, and provision.  Even if there is trouble, the believer need not be afraid, and will be seen through every danger to “give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name” on the day of deliverance.  Based on that, the worshiper is exhorted to share the news with others, and “see that they remember.”  We always can (and should) give thanks ring out our joy because God is in the midst of us.

Psalm 98 has been an alternative Canticle since 1552, serving alongside the Magnificat as the first Canticle in Evening Prayer.

O sing unto the Lord a new song, * for he has done marvelous things.
With his own right hand, and with his holy arm, * he has won for himself the victory.
The Lord declared his salvation; * his righteousness he has openly shown in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel,* and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.
Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all you lands; * sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
Praise the Lord with the harp; * sing with the harp a psalm of thanksgiving.
With trumpets also and horns, * O show yourselves joyful before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea make a noise, and all that is in it, * the round world, and those that dwell therein.
Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, * for he has come to judge the earth.
With righteousness shall he judge the world * and the peoples with equity.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; * as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 98, along with Psalms 95 through 100, is a hymn of praise that easily finds a home in the “Call to Worship” liturgical function.  Joyful feast days, especially Christmas Day, showcase this and similar psalms in their Communion services.  In the context of the Daily Office, especially its historical role as an alternative to the Magnificat, Psalm 98 serves as a sort of template for how to praise and worship God in light of his works and revelation.  The first two verses identify singing as an appropriate response to God’s marvelous works, and verse 3 expands this to be a response to God’s declaration also.  This, with the Magnificat and other Gospel Canticles, shows us that it is right to give God thanks and praise even simply after hearing his Word proclaimed  The singing of a “new song”, in particular, suggests the appropriateness of using not just the ancient Psalms but also the Canticles of the New Testament when responding to the Lesson in the Daily Office, and, by extension, the continued creation of sacred music throughout history into our own day.

This canticle, drawn from Revelation 4 and 5, was introduced in the 1979 Prayer Book, recommended to be used as the second Canticle in Morning Prayer on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Gloria Patri is omitted, not because this is a penitential hymn like Canticle 3, but because the whole text is already purely doxological.

Splendor and honor and kingly power * are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, * and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, * for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, * a kingdom of priests to serve our God.
And so, to him who sits upon the throne, * and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, * for ever and for evermore. Amen.

An amalgamation of heavenly worship reported of chapters 4 and 5 of St. John’s Revelation, this Canticle focuses heavily on the accomplishments of Christ’s death and resurrection.  It praises not only God’s work of creation but particularly of his redemption of the peoples of the world by his blood.  By addressing this hymn to God “who sits upon the throne, and to Christ the Lamb”, it is rendered especially appropriate (per the rubric) for Ascensiontide, when the session of Christ at God’s right hand is a particular theological emphasis. The imagery of “every family, language, people, and nation” is well-known, and reminds the worshiper of the global universality of the Church – we praise Christ not only in our own congregation but with untold multitudes in all times and places.  And we are united together under one king, to whom “worship and praise, dominion and splendor” belongs forevermore.

Exodus 15 is one of the classical Prayer Book lessons for Easter Day.  Although its shortened form has been a Canticle for the Daily Office since only 1979, it has served as a Canticle for the Great Vigil of Easter since the early centuries of the Church.  The Song of Moses has also been appointed for several similar roles over time – Sundays in the Ambrosian rite, Lauds in Easter Week in the Mozaribic rite, and in Lauds on Thursdays in the Roman rite.  The 1979 Book, thus, suggested a combination of those ancient uses: the first Canticle in Morning Prayer on Thursdays, as well as on Sundays during Eastertide.

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; * the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge; * the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him, * the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior; * The Lord is his Name.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; * the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; * they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; * your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy. 
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? * who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand; * the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; * you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them * on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, * the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign * for ever and for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

One who is new to the liturgical tradition may not recognize this immediately, but this Canticle screams “Easter” in every way possible.  Exodus 15 was a Lesson for Easter Day in the classical Prayer Books, the Exodus has always been interpreted by the Church as a type of Christ’s deliverance on the Cross, and the crossing of the Red Sea a type of Holy Baptism.  The celebration of God’s people following their deliverance from Egypt becomes our celebration following our deliverance from sin and death.  Christ is a mighty warrior, the Lord is his name; the chariots of Satan and his army has he hurled into the sea!  He will lead the people he redeemed to a place of safety, to his holy dwelling where he has gone to prepare a place for us; he will plant us on his holy mountain, the eternal sanctuary where he shall reign for ever and ever.

This canticle was introduced in the 1979 Prayer Book and recommended to be used as the first Canticle in Morning Prayer on Fridays outside of Lent, and the first Canticle in Evening Prayer on Tuesdays.

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; * call upon him when he draws near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways * and the evil ones their thoughts;
And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, * and to our God, for he will richly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, * nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, * so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as rain and snow fall from the heavens * and return not again, but water the earth,
Bringing forth life and giving growth, * seed for sowing and bread for eating,
So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; * it will not return to me empty;
But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, * and prosper in that for which I sent it.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Taken from Isaiah 55, this canticle starts off with a penitential tone: “Seek the Lord while he wills to be found… Let the wicked forsake their ways… let them turn to the Lord.”  But this penitential aspect doesn’t overpower the Canticle; the bulk of Quaerite Dominum focuses on God’s redemptive work, especially with images of creation.  God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, the water cycle is a picture of God’s providence, the harvest cycle is a picture of God’s providence, the cycle of God’s Word is a picture of God’s providence.  Furthermore, the accomplishment of God’s purpose and the prospering of his Word at the end of the Canticle together suggest eschatological themes, pictures of the End of the Age, making Quaerite Dominum appropriate not only for Lent but also Advent.

The Prayer of Manasseh is from the Ecclesiastical books (or Apocrypha).  It serves as an appendix to 2 Chronicles, elaborating on the reference to King Manasseh’s prayer of repentance in chapter 33, and has been used in Byzantine and Mozaribic liturgies during Lent.  It was shortened for use as a Canticle in the 1979 Book, recommended as the first Canticle in Morning Prayer for Sundays and Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent, and the first Canticle in Evening Prayer on Mondays in Lent.

This Canticle omits the Gloria Patri, as it did in 1979.  There was a practice in Western liturgy, before the Reformation, of omitting the Gloria Patri during Holy Week or at other penitential times.  Because Kyrie Patokrator is a penitential Canticle, it is appropriate not to append it with the Gloria Patri.

O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven,* God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,  and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth, * with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence; * they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; * it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion, *     long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand; * you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord, you have promised forgiveness to sinners, * that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, * and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, * and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you: * Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin, * nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, * and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me, in accordance with your great mercy, * and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, * and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

As with Canticle 2 , this Canticle is shortened from its original chapter form.  Also some of the hyperbolic language of the Prayer of Manasseh is toned down so as not to confuse the worshiper unfamiliar with the context of the original text.  Kyrie Pantokrator in particular, among all the Canticles in this Prayer Book, is a marvelous offering of penitential worship.  In this age where so many run fast and loose with sin, the strong language of condemnation and here do us a world of spiritual good.  We deserve punishment, but God is a merciful God who promises forgiveness.  We must bent the knee of our hearts, making our appeal, knowing our wickedness only too well.  Although we don’t deserve it, God is the God of those who repent, and thus the penitent is set upon a trajectory of eternal gratitude, to praise God without ceasing for ever.

This canticle was introduced in the Canadian Prayer Books as an Additional Canticle, and adopted in the 1979 Prayer Book to be used as the first Canticle in Morning Prayer on Sundays in Advent and Wednesdays outside of Lent, and the first Canticle on Thursdays in Evening Prayer.  It was also appointed for Lauds on the feast of the Epiphany in the Mozaribic rite.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, * and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the land; * deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.
But over you the Lord will rise, * and his glory will appear upon you.
Nations will stream to your light, * and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
Your gates will always be open; * by day or night they will never be shut.
They will call you, The City of the Lord, * the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Violence will no more be heard in your land,* ruin or destruction within your borders.
You will call your walls, Salvation,* and all your portals, Praise.
The sun will no more be your light by day; * by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.
The Lord will be your everlasting light, * and your God will be your glory.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,world without end. Amen.

Isaiah 60 is one of the iconic lectionary appointments for the feast of the Epiphany.  This Canticle, being a distillation of that chapter, provides an excellent meditation on the great themes of Epiphanytide: the dawning of the light of Christ over a dark world, nations and kings streaming to the Lord, the openness of the City of God to all the world, peace between Gentile and Jew and neighbor, and all because of the perpetual light of God made visible in the face of Jesus Christ.

This Canticle was introduced in the Roman Breviary in 1970, and adopted by the 1979 Prayer Book to be used as the second Canticle in Morning Prayer on Tuesdays, Thursdays in Advent and Lent, and Saturdays.

O ruler of the universe, Lord God, great deeds are they that you have done, *
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth,*
O King of all the ages.
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord, and sing the praises of your Name? *
for you only are the Holy One.
All nations will draw near and fall down before you, *
because your just and holy works have been revealed.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Taken from Revelation 15, this brief canticle praises God as the great King of all creation.  Its emphasis on God’s rule, and the falling down of the nations before him after his “just and holy works have been revealed” makes it especially suitable for use both in Advent (where its eschatological tone can stand out) and Easter (with its glorious emphasis on the divine victory).