Commontide

For Guidance

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices; that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path we may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Commontide
Collect
Worship & the Office

Look Down, O Lord

Compline

Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne, illumine this night with your celestial brightness, and from the children of light banish the deeds of darkness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Provenance

Ambrosian, early medieval

Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.

An ancient night prayer from the Ambrosian liturgical tradition of Milan, asking God to look down from his heavenly throne, illumine the darkness with celestial brightness, and drive away the works of evil from his people. It entered Anglican Compline through the Anglo-Catholic liturgical revival, first appeared in a prayer book in the 1979 US BCP with a revised ending, and was restored to its older form in the ACNA BCP 2019.