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. Do away, O Lord.
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. Do away, O Lord, * mine offences.
Ant. The help.
Psalm 43Judica me, Deus
Give sentence with me, O God, and defend my cause against the ungodly people * Sit. O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
2For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee * and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?
3O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me * and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
4And that I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness * and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
5Why art thou so heavy, O my soul * and why art thou so disquieted within me?
6O put thy trust in God * Stand. for I will yet give him thanks, which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
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. The help * of my countenance, and my God.
Ant. For my soul trusteth.
Psalm 57Miserere mei, Deus, miserere mei
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee * Sit. and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge, until this tyranny be over-past.
2I will call unto the most high God * even unto the God that shall perform the cause which I have in hand.
3He shall send from heaven * and save me from the reproof of him that would eat me up.
4God shall send forth his mercy and truth * my soul is among lions.
5And I lie even among the children of men, that are set on fire * whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
6Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens * and thy glory above all the earth.
7They have laid a net for my feet, and pressed down my soul * they have digged a pit before me, and are fallen into the midst of it themselves.
8My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed * I will sing, and give praise.
9Awake up, my glory; awake, lute and harp * I myself will awake right early.
10I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people * and I will sing unto thee among the nations.
11For the greatness of thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens * and thy truth unto the clouds.
12Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens * Stand. and thy glory above all the earth.
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. For my soul trusteth * in thee.
Ant. Be thou ready.
Isaiah 38Ego dixi: In dimidio dierum meorum
Isaiah 38:10–20
I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: * Sit. I am deprived of the residue of my years.
2I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: * I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
3Mine age is departed, * and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent:
4I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: * from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
5I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: * from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
6Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter; * I did mourn as a dove:
7Mine eyes fail with looking upward: * O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
8What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: * I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
9O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: * so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.
10Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: * for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
11For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: * they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
12The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: * the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
13The Lord was ready to save me: * Stand. therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of 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. Be thou ready * to save us all the days of our life, O Lord.
Ant. All ye angels of his.
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. All ye angels of his, * O praise the Lord of heaven.
Chapter
Isa 2:3
Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Short Responsory
Come and save us, * O Lord God of hosts.
℟.Come and save us, * O Lord God of hosts.
℣.Shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
℟.O Lord God of hosts.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Come and save us, * O Lord God of hosts.
Hymn
Vox clara ecce intonat
A thrilling voice by Jordan rings,Rebuking guilt and darksome things:Vain dreams of sin and visions fly;Christ in his might shines forth on high.
Now let each torpid soul arise,That sunk in guilt and wounded lies;See! the new Star’s refulgent rayShall chase disease and sin away.
The Lamb descends from heaven aboveTo pardon sin with freest love:For such indulgent mercy shewnWith tearful joy our thanks we own.
That when again he shines revealed,And trembling worlds to terror yield,He give not sin its just reward,But in his love protect and guard.
To God the Father, God the Son,And God the Spirit, Three in One,Laud, honour, might, and glory beFrom age to age eternally.Amen.
The Versicle
℣.The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord.
℟.Make his paths straight.
The Gospel Canticle
Ant. Before they came together.
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. Before they came together * Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghost, alleluia.
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.
Stir up thy might, we beseech thee, O Lord, and come; that we, who are ever threatened by the peril of our sins, may be counted worthy to be rescued by thy protection, and saved by thy deliverance. Who with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit livest and reignest 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.
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Gracious * Mother of our Redeemer, for ever abiding Heaven’s gateway, and star of ocean,
O succour the people, Who, though falling, strive to rise again.
Thou Maiden who barest thy holy Creator, to the wonder of all nature;
Ever Virgin, after as before thou receivedst that Ave from the mouth of Gabriel;
have compassion on us sinners.
℣.The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary.
℟.And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Let us pray.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts: that, as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection. 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.