Start
℣. O Lord,
+
open thou my lips.
℟. And my mouth shall declare thy praise.
℣. O God, ✠ come to my assistance;
℟. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Alleluia.
Invitatory
{Antiphon from the Psalter for the day of the week}
Ant. Come * Let us glorify the Lord.
Ant. Come * Let us glorify the Lord.
Let us joyfully sing to God our saviour. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
Ant. Come * Let us glorify the Lord.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. For the Lord will not cast off his people: for in his hand are all the ends of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are his.
Ant. Let us glorify the Lord.
For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
(genuflect)
Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us: For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Ant. Come * Let us glorify the Lord.
Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts: As in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me, they proved me, and saw my works.
Ant. Let us glorify the Lord.
Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in heart. And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.
Ant. Come * Let us glorify the Lord.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. Let us glorify the Lord.
Ant. Come * Let us glorify the Lord.
Hymn
{from the Psalter for the season of the Church year}
Our limbs refreshed with slumber now,
And sloth cast off, in prayer we bow;
And while we sing thy praises dear,
O Father, be thou present here.
To thee our earliest morning song,
To thee our hearts full powers belong;
And thou, O Holy One, prevent
Each following action and intent.
As shades at morning flee away,
And night before the star of day;
So each transgression of the night
Be purged by thee, celestial Light!
Cut off, we pray thee, each offense,
And every lust of thought and sense:
That by their lips who thee adore
Thou mayst be praised forevermore.
Grant this, O Father ever One
With Christ, thy sole-begotten Son,
And Holy Ghost, whom all adore,
Reigning and blest forevermore.
Amen.
Psalms with lections
{Antiphons from the Psalter for the season of the Church year}
At the Nocturn
Ant. The Lord hath looked down from heaven * upon the children of men.
Psalm 13
The fool hath said in his heart: * there is no God.13:1
They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways: * there is none that doth good, no not one.13:1
The Lord hath looked down from heaven upon the children of men, * to see if there be any that understand and seek God.13:2
They are all gone aside, they are become unprofitable together: * there is none that doth good: no not one.13:3
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they acted deceitfully: * the poison of asps is under their lips.13:3
Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; * their feet are swift to shed blood.13:3
Destruction and unhappiness in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known: * there is no fear of God before their eyes.13:3
Shall not all they know that work iniquity, * who devour my people as they eat bread?13:4
They have not called upon the Lord: * there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear.13:5
For the Lord is in the just generation: you have confounded the counsel of the poor man; * but the Lord is his hope.13:6
Who shall give out of Sion the salvation of Israel? * when the Lord shall have turned away the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.13:7
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. The Lord hath looked down from heaven upon the children of men.
Ant.
He who worketh justice * may rest on thy holy mountain, O Lord.
Psalm 14
Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? * or who shall rest in thy holy hill?14:1
He that walketh without blemish, * and worketh justice:14:2
He that speaketh truth in his heart, * who hath not used deceit in his tongue:14:3
Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: * nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.14:3
In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing: * but he glorifieth them that fear the Lord:14:4
He that sweareth to his neighbour, and deceiveth not; * He that hath not put out his money to usury, nor taken bribes against the innocent:14:4
He that doth these things, * shall not be moved for ever.14:5
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. He who worketh justice may rest on thy holy mountain, O Lord.
Ant.
O Lord, incline * thy ear to me, and hear my voice, my Lord.
Psalm 16
Hear, O Lord, my justice: * attend to my supplication.16:1
Give ear unto my prayer, * which proceedeth not from deceitful lips.16:1
Let my judgment come forth from thy countenance: * let thy eyes behold the things that are equitable.16:2
Thou hast proved my heart, and visited it by night, * thou hast tried me by fire: and iniquity hath not been found in me.16:3
That my mouth may not speak the works of men: * for the sake of the words of thy lips, I have kept hard ways.16:4
Perfect thou my goings in thy paths: * that my footsteps be not moved.16:5
I have cried to thee, for thou, O God, hast heard me: * O incline thy ear unto me, and hear my words.16:6
Shew forth thy wonderful mercies; * thou who savest them that trust in thee.16:7
From them that resist thy right hand keep me, * as the apple of thy eye.16:8
Protect me under the shadow of thy wings: * from the face of the wicked who have afflicted me.16:8
My enemies have surrounded my soul: They have shut up their fat: * their mouth hath spoken proudly.16:9
They have cast me forth, and now they have surrounded me: * they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth.16:11
They have taken me, as a lion prepared for the prey; * and as a young lion dwelling in secret places.16:12
Arise, O Lord, disappoint him and supplant him; * deliver my soul from the wicked one; thy sword from the enemies of thy hand.16:13
O Lord, divide them from the few of the earth in their life: * their belly is filled from thy hidden stores.16:14
They are full of children: * and they have left to their little ones the rest of their substance.16:14
But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: * I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.16:15
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. O Lord, incline thy ear to me, and hear my voice, my Lord.
Ant.
I will love thee, * O Lord, who art my strength.
Psalm 17 (2-16b)
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: * The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer.17:2
My God is my helper, * and in him will I put my trust.17:3
My protector, and the horn of my salvation, * and my support.17:3
Praising, I will call upon the Lord: * and I shall be saved from my enemies.17:4
The sorrows of death surrounded me: * and the torrents of iniquity troubled me.17:5
The sorrows of hell encompassed me: * and the snares of death prevented me.17:6
In my affliction I called upon the Lord, * and I cried to my God:17:7
And he heard my voice from his holy temple: * and my cry before him came into his ears.17:7
The earth shook and trembled: * the foundations of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because he was angry with them.17:8
There went up a smoke in his wrath: and a fire flamed from his face: * coals were kindled by it.17:9
He bowed the heavens, and came down, * and darkness was under his feet.17:10
And he ascended upon the cherubim, and he flew; * he flew upon the wings of the winds.17:11
And he made darkness his covert, his pavilion round about him: * dark waters in the clouds of the air.17:12
At the brightness that was before him the clouds passed, * hail and coals of fire.17:13
And the Lord thundered from heaven, and the Highest gave his voice: * hail and coals of fire.17:14
And he sent forth his arrows, and he scattered them: * he multiplied lightnings, and troubled them.17:15
Then the fountains of waters appeared, * and the foundations of the world were discovered:17:16
At thy rebuke, O Lord, * at the blast of the spirit of thy wrath.17:16
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. I will love thee, O Lord, who art my strength.
Ant.
The Lord will reward me * according to my justice.
Psalm 17 (17-35)
He sent from on high, and took me: * and received me out of many waters.17:17
He delivered me from my strongest enemies, and from them that hated me: * for they were too strong for me.17:18
They prevented me in the day of my affliction: * and the Lord became my protector.17:19
And he brought me forth into a large place: * he saved me, because he was well pleased with me.17:20
And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; * and will repay me according to the cleanness of my hands:17:21
Because I have kept the ways of the Lord; * and have not done wickedly against my God.17:22
For all his judgments are in my sight: * and his justices I have not put away from me.17:23
And I shall be spotless with him: * and shall keep myself from my iniquity.17:24
And the Lord will reward me according to my justice: * and according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.17:25
With the holy thou wilt be holy; * and with the innocent man thou wilt be innocent:17:26
And with the elect thou wilt be elect: * and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted.17:27
For thou wilt save the humble people; * but wilt bring down the eyes of the proud.17:28
For thou lightest my lamp, O Lord: * O my God, enlighten my darkness.17:29
For by thee I shall be delivered from temptation; * and through my God I shall go over a wall.17:30
As for my God, his way is undefiled: the words of the Lord are fire-tried: * he is the protector of all that trust in him.17:31
For who is God but the Lord? * or who is God but our God?17:32
God, who hath girt me with strength; * and made my way blameless.17:33
Who hath made my feet like the feet of harts: * and who setteth me upon high places.17:34
Who teacheth my hands to war: * and thou hast made my arms like a brazen bow.17:35
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. The Lord will reward me according to my justice.
Ant.
The Lord liveth, * and blessed be my God, my salvation.
Psalm 17 (36a-51)
Thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: * and thy right hand hath held me up:17:36
And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: * and thy discipline, the same shall teach me.17:36
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; * and my feet are not weakened.17:37
I will pursue after my enemies, and overtake them: * and I will not turn again till they are consumed.17:38
I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand: * they shall fall under my feet.17:39
And thou hast girded me with strength unto battle; * and hast subdued under me them that rose up against me.17:40
And thou hast made my enemies turn their back upon me, * and hast destroyed them that hated me.17:41
They cried, but there was none to save them, to the Lord: * but he heard them not.17:42
And I shall beat them as small as the dust before the wind; * I shall bring them to nought, like the dirt in the streets.17:43
Thou wilt deliver me from the contradictions of the people; * thou wilt make me head of the Gentiles.17:44
A people which I knew not, hath served me: * at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me.17:45
The children that are strangers have lied to me, * strange children have faded away, and have halted from their paths.17:46
The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, * and let the God of my salvation be exalted.17:47
O God, who avengest me, and subduest the people under me, * my deliverer from my enraged enemies.17:48
And thou wilt lift me up above them that rise up against me: * from the unjust man thou wilt deliver me.17:49
Therefore will I give glory to thee, O Lord, among the nations, * and I will sing a psalm to thy name.17:50
Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David, his anointed: * and to his seed for ever.17:51
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, my salvation.
Ant.
May the Lord hear * thee in the day of tribulation.
‡
Psalm 19
May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation: *19:2
‡
may the name of the God of Jacob protect thee.
May he send thee help from the sanctuary: * and defend thee out of Sion.19:3
May he be mindful of all thy sacrifices: * and may thy whole burnt offering be made fat.19:4
May he give thee according to thy own heart; * and confirm all thy counsels.19:5
We will rejoice in thy salvation; * and in the name of our God we shall be exalted.19:6
The Lord fulfil all thy petitions: * now have I known that the Lord hath saved his anointed.19:7
He will hear him from his holy heaven: * the salvation of his right hand is in powers.19:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: * but we will call upon the name of the Lord, our God.19:8
They are bound, and have fallen: * but we are risen, and are set upright.19:9
O Lord, save the king: * and hear us in the day that we shall call upon thee.19:10
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation.
Ant.
The king rejoices * in Thy strength, O Lord.
‡
Psalm 20
The king rejoices in thy strength, O Lord; *20:2
‡
and in thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly.
Thou hast given him his heart’s desire: * and hast not withholden from him the will of his lips.20:3
For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: * thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.20:4
He asked life of thee: * and thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever.20:5
His glory is great in thy salvation: * glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him.20:6
For thou shalt give him to be a blessing for ever and ever: * thou shalt make him joyful in gladness with thy countenance.20:7
For the king hopeth in the Lord: * and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.20:8
Let thy hand be found by all thy enemies: * let thy right hand find out all them that hate thee.20:9
Thou shalt make them as an oven of fire, * in the time of thy anger: the Lord shall trouble them in his wrath, and fire shall devour them.20:10
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth: * and their seed from among the children of men.20:11
For they have intended evils against thee: * they have devised counsels which they have not been able to establish.20:12
For thou shalt make them turn their back: * in thy remnants thou shalt prepare their face.20:13
Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thy own strength: * we will sing and praise thy power.20:14
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. The king rejoices in Thy strength, O Lord.
Ant.
I will extol thee, * O Lord, for thou hast upheld me.
‡
Psalm 29
I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: *29:2
‡
and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I have cried to thee, * and thou hast healed me.29:3
Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: * thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit.29:4
Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: * and give praise to the memory of his holiness.29:5
For wrath is in his indignation; * and life in his good will.29:6
In the evening weeping shall have place, * and in the morning gladness.29:6
And in my abundance I said: * I shall never be moved.29:7
O Lord, in thy favour, * thou gavest strength to my beauty.29:8
Thou turnedst away thy face from me, * and I became troubled.29:8
To thee, O Lord, will I cry: * and I will make supplication to my God.29:9
What profit is there in my blood, * whilst I go down to corruption?29:10
Shall dust confess to thee, * or declare thy truth?29:10
The Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: * the Lord became my helper.29:11
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: * thou hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with gladness:29:12
To the end that my glory may sing to thee, and I may not regret: * O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee for ever.29:13
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me.
℣.
Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints.
℟. And give praise to the memory of his holiness.
Our Father
is said silently until
And lead us not into temptation:
.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
℣. And lead us not into temptation:
℟. But deliver us from evil.
Absolution.
O Lord Jesus Christ, graciously hear the prayers of Thy servants, and have mercy upon us, Who livest and reignest with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, ever world without end.
℟. Amen.
℣.
Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction.
May the Eternal Father bless us with an eternal blessing.
℟. Amen.
Reading 1
Lesson from the second book of Machabees
2 Mac 6:18-22
18
Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh.
19
But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment.
20
And considering in what manner he was come to it, patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life.
21
But they that stood by, being moved with wicked pity, for the old friendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might make as if he had eaten, as the king had commanded of the flesh of the sacrifice:
22
That by so doing he might be delivered from death: and for the sake of their old friendship with the man they did him this courtesy.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Judas said unto Simon his brother: Choose thee out men, and go, and deliver thy brethren that are in Galilee and I, and Jonathan thy brother, will go into the country of Galaad.
* As the Will is in heaven, so let it be.
℣. Arm yourselves, ye valiant men, and be in readiness for it is better for us to die in battle, than to behold the calamities of our people, and our sanctuary.
℟. As the Will is in heaven, so let it be.
℣.
Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction.
May the Son, the Sole-begotten, mercifully bless and keep us.
℟. Amen.
Reading 2
2 Mac 6:23-28
23
But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and his ancient years, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and conversation from a child: and he answered without delay, according to the ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather be sent into the other world.
24
For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:
25
And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, end hereby I should bring a stain and a curse upon my old age.
26
For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead.
27
Wherefore by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew myself worthy of my old age:
28
And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith carried to execution.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. They decked the fore-front of the Temple with crowns of gold, and dedicated the Altar unto the Lord.
* And there was very great gladness among the people.
℣. They praised the Lord with Psalms and thanksgiving.
℟. And there was very great gladness among the people.
℣.
Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction.
May the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten all our hearts and minds.
℟. Amen.
Reading 3
2 Mac 7:1-5
1
It came to pass also, that seven brethren, together with their mother, were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine's flesh against the law, for which end they were tormented with whips and scourges.
2
But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou ask, or learn of us? we are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of God, received from our fathers.
3
Then the king being angry commanded fryingpans, and brazen caldrons to be made hot: which forthwith being heated,
4
He commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had spoken first: and the skin of his head being drawn off, to chop off also the extremities of his hands and feet, the rest of his brethren, and his mother, looking on.
5
And when he was now maimed in all parts, he commanded him, being yet alive, to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the fryingpan: and while he was suffering therein long torments, the rest, together with the mother, exhorted one another to die manfully.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. They praised the Lord with psalms and thanksgiving
* Who had done so great things in Israel, and given them the victory the Lord Almighty.
℣. They decked the fore-front of the Temple with crowns of gold, and dedicated the Altar unto the Lord.
℟. Who had done so great things for Israel, and given them the victory the Lord Almighty.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. Who had done so great things for Israel, and given them the victory the Lord Almighty.
Skip the rest, unless praying
Lauds
separately.
Prayer
{from the Proper of the season}
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
O
God, our Refuge and Strength, Who art the author of all godliness, be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church, and grant that those things which we ask faithfully, we may obtain effectually.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.
Conclusion
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
℣. Let us bless the Lord.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℣. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
℟. Amen.
