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.
Before the Office are 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.
The Our Father and Hail Mary (and at Prime I believe) having been said secretly, the Hour is begun at once with the Psalms, without the opening Versicles or the Hymn.
Psalm 119 xviiMirabilia testimonia tua
Thy testimonies are wonderful * therefore doth my soul keep them.
130When thy word goeth forth * it giveth light and understanding unto the simple.
131I opened my mouth, and drew in my breath * for my delight was in thy commandments.
132O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me * as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name.
133Order my steps in thy word * and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.
134O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men * and so shall I keep thy commandments.
135Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant * and teach me thy statutes.
136Mine eyes gush out with water * because men keep not thy law.
Psalm 119 xviiiJustus es, Domine
Righteous art thou, O Lord * and true is thy judgement.
138The testimonies that thou hast commanded * are exceeding righteous and true.
139My zeal hath even consumed me * because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
140Thy word is tried to the uttermost * and thy servant loveth it.
141I am small, and of no reputation * yet do I not forget thy commandments.
142Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness * and thy law is the truth.
143Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me * yet is my delight in thy commandments.
144The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting * O grant me understanding, and I shall live.
Psalm 119 xixClamavi in toto corde
I call with my whole heart * hear me, O Lord, I will keep thy statutes.
146Yea, even unto thee do I call * help me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
147Early in the morning do I cry unto thee * for in thy word is my trust.
148Mine eyes prevent the night-watches * that I might be occupied in thy words.
149Hear my voice, O Lord, according unto thy loving-kindness * quicken me, according as thou art wont.
150They draw nigh that of malice persecute me * and are far from thy law.
151Be thou nigh at hand, O Lord * for all thy commandments are true.
152As concerning thy testimonies, I have known long since * that thou hast grounded them for ever.
Psalm 119 xxVide humilitatem meam
O consider mine adversity, and deliver me * for I do not forget thy law.
154Avenge thou my cause, and deliver me * quicken me, according to thy word.
155Health is far from the ungodly * for they regard not thy statutes.
156Great is thy mercy, O Lord * quicken me, as thou art wont.
157Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me * yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies.
158It grieveth me when I see the transgressors * because they keep not thy law.
159Consider, O Lord, how I love thy commandments * O quicken me, according to thy loving-kindness.
160Thy word is true from everlasting * all the judgements of thy righteousness endure for evermore.
Psalm 119 xxiPrincipes persecuti sunt me
Princes have persecuted me without a cause * but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162I am as glad of thy word * as one that findeth great spoils.
163As for lies, I hate and abhor them * but thy law do I love.
164Seven times a day do I praise thee * because of thy righteous judgements.
165Great is the peace that they have who love thy law * and they are not offended at it.
166Lord, I have looked for thy saving health * and done after thy commandments.
167My soul hath kept thy testimonies * and loved them exceedingly.
168I have kept thy commandments and testimonies * for all my ways are before thee.
Psalm 119 xxiiAppropinquet deprecatio mea
Let my complaint come before thee, O Lord * give me understanding, according to thy word.
170Let my supplication come before thee * deliver me, according to thy word.
171My lips shall speak of thy praise * when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172Yea, my tongue shall sing of thy word * for all thy commandments are righteous.
173Let thine hand help me * for I have chosen thy commandments.
174I have longed for thy saving health, O Lord * and in thy law is my delight.
175O let my soul live, and it shall praise thee * and thy judgements shall help me.
176I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost * O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.
When the Antiphon Christ, for our sake is begun, all kneel; and when it is ended the Our Father is said entirely in secret. Then in a somewhat higher voice is said Psalm 51.
Ant. Christ, ✠ for our sake, became obedient unto death.
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.
Psalm 51Miserere mei, Deus
Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness * 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 * then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.
The Psalm being ended, there is said, without Let us pray, in a low voice, the Collect of the day, its conclusion Who with thee ... liveth being said in silence. Thus are ended all the Hours during this Triduum, through None of Holy Saturday.
Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross: Who with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end. 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.