Prayers Before the Office
Before beginning the Office, it is praiseworthy to say the following Prayers.
Open my mouth, O Lord, to bless thy holy Name: cleanse my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections, that I may fittingly recite this Office with attention and devotion, and so may be meet to be heard before the presence of thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
℟.Amen.
O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith thou thyself didst offer thy praises to God while upon the earth, I now recite this Office to thee.
The Our Father and Hail Mary are said secretly.
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. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Opening Versicles
℣.O God, ✠ make speed to save me.
℟.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
The Psalms
Psalm 67Deus misereatur nostri
God be merciful unto us, and bless us * Sit. and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us:
2That thy way may be known upon earth * thy saving health among all nations.
3Let the people praise thee, O God * yea, let all the people praise thee.
4O let the nations rejoice and be glad * for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
5Let the people praise thee, O God * let all the people praise thee.
6Then shall the earth bring forth her increase * and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
7God shall bless us * Stand. and all the ends of the world shall fear him.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Against thee only.
Psalm 51Miserere mei, Deus
Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness * Sit. according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.
2Wash me throughly from my wickedness * and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I acknowledge my faults * and my sin is ever before me.
4Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight * that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.
5Behold, I was shapen in wickedness * and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
6But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts * and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
7Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean * thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness * that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9Turn thy face from my sins * and put out all my misdeeds.
10Make me a clean heart, O God * and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence * and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
12O give me the comfort of thy help again * and stablish me with thy free Spirit.
13Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked * and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health * and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.
15Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord * and my mouth shall shew thy praise.
16For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee * but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
17The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit * a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
18O be favourable and gracious unto Sion * build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations * Stand. then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Against thee only * have I sinned, O Lord: have mercy upon me.
Ant. Let my prayer.
Psalm 88Domine, Deus salutis meæ
O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee * Sit. O let my prayer enter into thy presence, incline thine ear unto my calling.
2For my soul is full of trouble * and my life draweth nigh unto hell.
3I am counted as one of them that go down into the pit * and I have been even as a man that hath no strength.
4Free among the dead, like unto them that are wounded, and lie in the grave * who are out of remembrance, and are cut away from thy hand.
5Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit * in a place of darkness, and in the deep.
6Thine indignation lieth hard upon me * and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms.
7Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me * and made me to be abhorred of them.
8I am so fast in prison * that I cannot get forth.
9My sight faileth for very trouble * Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched forth my hands unto thee.
10Dost thou shew wonders among the dead * or shall the dead rise up again, and praise thee?
11Shall thy loving-kindness be shewed in the grave * or thy faithfulness in destruction?
12Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark * and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten?
13Unto thee have I cried, O Lord * and early shall my prayer come before thee.
14Lord, why abhorrest thou my soul * and hidest thou thy face from me?
15I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die * even from my youth up thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind.
16Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me * and the fear of thee hath undone me.
17They came round about me daily like water * and compassed me together on every side.
18My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me * Stand. and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Let my prayer * O Lord, enter into thy presence.
Ant. O Lord.
Psalm 90Domine, refugium factus es
Lord, thou hast been our refuge * Sit. from one generation to another.
2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made * thou art God from everlasting, and world without end.
3Thou turnest man to destruction * again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday * seeing that is past as a watch in the night.
5As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep * and fade away suddenly like the grass.
6In the morning it is green, and groweth up * but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
7For we consume away in thy displeasure * and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation.
8Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee * and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9For when thou art angry all our days are gone * we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told.
10The days of our age are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years * yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.
11But who regardeth the power of thy wrath * for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure.
12So teach us to number our days * that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last * and be gracious unto thy servants.
14O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon * so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us * and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.
16Shew thy servants thy work * and their children thy glory.
17And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us * Stand. prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handywork.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. O Lord * thou hast been our refuge.
Ant. I will sing.
These words are not repeated in the Canticle.
Exodus 15Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1–19
I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: * Sit. the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
2The Lord is my strength and song, * and he is become my salvation:
3He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; * my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
4The Lord is a man of war: * the Lord is his name.
5Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: * his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
6The depths have covered them: * they sank into the bottom as a stone.
7Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: * thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
8And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: * thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
9And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, * the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
10The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; * my lust shall be satisfied upon them;
11I will draw my sword, * my hand shall destroy them.
12Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: * they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
13Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? * who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
14Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, * the earth swallowed them.
15Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: * thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
16The people shall hear, and be afraid: * sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
17Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; * the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
18Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; * till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
19Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, * in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in; in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
20The Lord shall reign * for ever and ever.
21For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, * and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them.
22But the children of Israel went on dry land * Stand. in the midst of the sea.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. I will sing * unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously.
Ant. O praise God.
Psalm 148Laudate Dominum de cælis
O praise the Lord of heaven * Sit. praise him in the height.
2Praise him, all ye angels of his * praise him, all his host.
3Praise him, sun and moon * praise him, all ye stars and light.
4Praise him, all ye heavens * and ye waters that are above the heavens.
5Let them praise the Name of the Lord * for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.
6He hath made them fast for ever and ever * he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.
7Praise the Lord upon earth * ye dragons, and all deeps;
8Fire and hail, snow and vapours * wind and storm, fulfilling his word;
9Mountains and all hills * fruitful trees and all cedars;
10Beasts and all cattle * worms and feathered fowls;
11Kings of the earth and all people * princes and all judges of the world;
12Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the Lord * for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.
13He shall exalt the horn of his people; all his saints shall praise him * even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.
Psalm 149Cantate Domino canticum novum
O sing unto the Lord a new song * let the congregation of saints praise him.
2Let Israel rejoice in him that made him * and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3Let them praise his Name in the dance * let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4For the Lord hath pleasure in his people * and helpeth the meek-hearted.
5Let the saints be joyful with glory * let them rejoice in their beds.
6Let the praises of God be in their mouth * and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7To be avenged of the heathen * and to rebuke the people;
8To bind their kings in chains * and their nobles with links of iron.
9That they may be avenged of them, as it is written * Such honour have all his saints.
Psalm 150Laudate Dominum in sanctis
O praise God in his holiness * praise him in the firmament of his power.
2Praise him in his noble acts * praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3Praise him in the sound of the trumpet * praise him upon the lute and harp.
4Praise him in the cymbals and dances * praise him upon the strings and pipe.
5Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals * praise him upon the loud cymbals.
6Let every thing that hath breath * Stand. praise the Lord.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. O praise God * in his holiness.
Chapter
Rom. 13:12–13
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Short Responsory
Heal my soul, * for I have sinned against thee.
℟.Heal my soul, * for I have sinned against thee.
℣.I said, Lord be merciful unto me.
℟.For I have sinned against thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Heal my soul, * for I have sinned against thee.
Hymn
Lux ecce surgit aurea
Behold the golden dawn arise;The paling night forsakes the skies:Those shades that hid the world from view,And us to dangerous error drew.
May this new day be calmly passed,May we keep pure while it shall last:Nor let our lips from truth depart,Nor dark designs engage the heart.
So may the day speed on; the tongueNo falsehood know, the hands no wrong:Our eyes from wanton gaze refrain,No guilt our guarded bodies stain.
For God, all-seeing, from on highSurveys us with a watchful eye:Each day our every act he knows,From early dawn to evening’s close.
All laud to God the Father be,All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;All glory, as is ever meet,To God the holy Paraclete.Amen.
The Versicle
℣.O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon.
℟.So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
The Gospel Canticle
Ant. Let us serve.
BenedictusBenedictus Dominus, Deus Israël
Luke 1:68–79
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
2And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the house of his servant David;
3As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, * which have been since the world began:
4That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us;
5To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to remember his holy covenant;
6To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, * that he would give us;
7That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies * might serve him without fear,
8In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of our life.
9And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
10To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the remission of their sins,
11Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
12To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Let us serve * the Lord in holiness, and he will deliver us from the hand of our enemies.
The Prayers
℣.Kyrie, eleison.
℟.Christe, eleison.
All:Kyrie, eleison.
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. Amen.
℣.O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟.And let my cry come unto thee.
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Lord, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us; and make us continually to be given to all good works. Through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.
℟.Amen.
Suffrage of All Saints
Ant. May the blessed Mother of God, * the Virgin Mary, and all the Saints, intercede for us to the Lord.
℣.The Lord hath made his Saints wonderful.
℟.And hath heard them when they called upon him.
Let us pray.
Defend us, we beseech thee, O Lord, from all perils of mind and body: and at the intercession of the blessed and glorious Mary, the ever Virgin Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, of our blessed Father Benedict and all Saints, graciously bestow upon us both peace and safety: that all adversity and error being done away, thy Church may serve thee in untroubled freedom. Through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.
℟.Amen.
℣.O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟.And let my cry come unto thee.
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
℣.Let us bless the Lord.
℟.Thanks be to God.
℣.May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
℟.Amen.
Our Father is said secretly.
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. Amen.
℣.The Lord give us his peace.
℟.And life everlasting. Amen.
Salve Regina
Mary we hail thee * Mother and Queen compassionate;
Mary our comfort, life, and hope, we hail thee.
To thee we exiles, children of Eve, lift our crying.
To thee we are sighing, as mournful and weeping, we pass through this vale of sorrow.
Turn thou, therefore, O our intercessor, those thine eyes of pity and loving-kindness upon us sinners.
Hereafter, when our earthly exile shall be ended, shew us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb.
O gentle, O tender, O gracious Virgin Mary.
℣.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
℟.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, who by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary to become a habitation meet for thy Son: grant that as we rejoice in her commemoration, we may be delivered by her loving intercession from our present evils and from eternal death. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟.Amen.
℣.May the divine help remain with us always.
℟.And with our absent brethren. Amen.
Prayers After the Office
To the holy and undivided Trinity, to the humanity of our crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, to the fruitful Virginity of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, and to the whole company of the Saints, be everlasting praise, honour, power, and glory from every creature, and unto us the remission of all our sins for ever, world without end.
℟.Amen.
℣.Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Father eternal.
℟.And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.
Then is said secretly Our Father and Hail Mary.
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. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.