This year for our Midweek Lenten services, we are following the order of Compline (comp-LINE). Compline is the latest of the daily offices, intended to be used immediately before bedtime. It was originally constructed by St. Basil, who lived from 330 to 379, but was brought to regular use by St. Benedict of Nursia, who founded twelve communities for monks in Italy in the 6th century. Benedict is probably most well-known for writing the “Rule of St. Benedict,” a set of rules governing the life of monks that is still used today among the Order of Saint Benedict, commonly known as Benedictine monks.
The order of Compline begins with the brief bedtime prayer “The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last,” a subtle reminder of the parallel between a quiet night of sleep and a peaceful death. We continue by responsively chanting Psalm 92:1-2, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to Your name, O Most High; to herald Your love in the morning, Your truth at the close of the day,” emphasizing the conclusion of the day in God’s loving presence.
Confession and forgiveness are central features of Compline. While the forms of confession included in the Lutheran Service Book are intended for use by lay leaders and don’t assume the presence of an ordained pastor, we are substituting a setting of confession and absolution written for our Lenten sermon series based on Romans 7 and on our texts from Exodus. These are followed by the psalmody, which also uses verses from selected psalms that go with the theme of the day in our Lenten series.
After the office hymn, traditionally a hymn appropriate for the evening or the season of the church year, one or more readings from Scripture are read. This is followed by the responsory, the words of Psalm 31:5: “Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.” These words remind us of those who spoke them on the occasions of their death, including Jesus on the cross in Luke 23:46 and Stephen, the first martyr, in Acts 7:59. This is followed by another hymn and a brief homily where we remember God’s work in Exodus to free His children from slavery and how we, too, are freed from sin and judgment by the work of Jesus in His passion.
The opening sentences of our prayers are from Psalm 102:1, “Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry,” and Psalms 17:8 and 15, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings. In righteousness I shall see You; when I awake, Your presence will give me joy.” These verses have been chanted in Compline since medieval times. Our Lutheran Service Book then includes several traditional evening prayers that can also serve as great options for our own personal bedtime prayers, followed by the Lord’s Prayer.
While the Nunc Dimittis is traditionally the canticle associated with Compline, we are using the song “I Will Sing unto the Lord” from the new LCMS children’s hymnal One and All Rejoice. This is based on the Song of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15 and put to the tune of an Israeli folk song. This text was identified by the church in medieval times as a canticle (Latin for “little song”), a scriptural text found outside the psalms which were sung in a liturgical setting often during one of the daily offices. We finally finish with the Benediction, (Latin for “bless”) a trinitarian blessing that proclaims the Lord’s presence on His people.