I cannot think why the Queen is keeping me waiting so long! Fortunately, there is an altar in the Inner Hall, and so I will be able to say the Office there whilst I wait.
O God of earth and altar,
bow down and hear our cry,
our earthly rulers falter,
our people drift and die;
the walls of gold entomb us,
the swords of scorn divide,
take not thy thunder from us,
but take away our pride.
From all that terror teaches,
from lies of tongue and pen,
from all the easy speeches
that comfort cruel men,
from sale and profanation
of honour, and the sword,
from sleep and from damnation,
deliver us, good Lord!
Tie in a living tether
the prince and priest and thrall,
bind all our lives together,
smite us and save us all;
in ire and exultation
aflame with faith, and free,
lift up a living nation,
a single sword to thee.
Here we see the throne on which the Queen will be seated during our audience.
Judge eternal, throned in splendour,
Lord of lords and King of kings,
with thy living fire of judgment
purge this land of bitter things;
solace all its wide dominion
with the healing of thy wings.
Still the weary folk are pining
for the hour that brings release,
and the city's crowded clangour
cries aloud for sin to cease;
and the homesteads and the woodlands
plead in silence for their peace.
Crown, O God, thine own endeavour;
cleave our darkness with thy sword;
feed all those who do not know thee
with the richness of thy word;
cleanse the body of this nation
through the glory of the Lord.
Tuesday Afternoon: The Duke of Edinburgh is "feeling better" after being treated for a bladder infection, his youngest son Prince Edward has said.
The Earl of Wessex was speaking after visiting his father, who was admitted to hospital on Sunday.
And the Countess of Wessex said he was "in good spirits, he's on good form".
Thanks be to God!
On this day of jubilation we give thanks to Almighty God for our glorious Sovereign.
THE GENERAL THANKSGIVING
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we thine unworthy servants
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all men.
We bless thee for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for thine inestimable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we beseech thee,
give us that due sense of all thy mercies,
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful;
and that we show forth thy praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to thy service,
and by walking before thee
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.
Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST - PLEASE PRAY FOR PRINCE PHILIP
The Duke of Edinburgh has been taken to hospital with a bladder infection and will miss the rest of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Buckingham Palace said Prince Philip, 90, had been taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London from Windsor Castle as a "precautionary measure".
A spokesman said the Queen would still go to the Jubilee concert at the palace - being attended by 12,000 people.
The prince will remain in hospital under observation for a few days.
The prince had appeared to be in good health when he accompanied the Queen on Sunday on the royal barge the Spirit of Chartwell, which formed part of the rain-drenched Jubilee river pageant.
He and the Queen stood for most of the 80-minute journey, as they were accompanied by 1,000 boats travelling seven miles down the river to Tower Bridge.
Here we see Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh) receiving the keys of Stirling Castle on 6 July 2011.
Let us pray:
Dear God our Father,
we thank you for the blessings of our country and for the freedom which we enjoy.
We pray for our Queen and her family,
and for those who govern in her name.
Give them health and strength, wisdom and courage,
so that they may carry out their many duties in the best interests of all our people.
Let all who have power remember that they are your servants,
and that your Son came to serve rather than to be served.
We ask this in his name, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Let us now listen to the glorious words of the Te Deum. Her Majesty has personally requested that these words be sung to the magnificent setting by Ralph Vaughan Williams as she processes down the aisle of St Paul's Cathedral, London during the Diamond Jubilee Service which will be held there tomorrow.
We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee: the Father everlasting.
To thee all angels cry aloud:
the heavens, and all the powers therein.
To thee cherubin and seraphin: continually do cry, Holy, holy, holy: Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty: of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles: praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets: praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs: praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world: doth acknowledge thee; The Father: of an infinite majesty;
Thine honourable, true: and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost: the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory: O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son: of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man:
thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death:
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God: in the glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come: to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants:
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints: in glory everlasting.
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.
I saw the Lord, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,
and his train filled the temple.
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings;
with twain he covered his face,
and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto another,
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts:
the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried,
and the house was filled with smoke.
O Trinity! O Unity!
Be present as we worship Thee,
And with the songs that angels sing
Unite the hymns of praise we bring. Amen.
Prayer for the Queen
V. O Lord, save Elizabeth, our Queen.
R. And hear us on the day we call upon you.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come before you.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. and with your spirit.
Almighty God, we pray,
that your servant Elizabeth, our Queen,
who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm,
may continue to grow in every virtue,
that, imbued with your heavenly grace,
she may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil
and, being blessed with your favour
may, with her consort and the royal family,
come at last into your presence,
through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life
and who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen
