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 xiDefecit in salutare tuum
My soul hath longed for thy salvation * and I have a good hope because of thy word.
82Mine eyes long sore for thy word * saying, O when wilt thou comfort me?
83For I am become like a bottle in the smoke * yet do I not forget thy statutes.
84How many are the days of thy servant * when wilt thou be avenged of them that persecute me?
85The proud have digged pits for me * which are not after thy law.
86All thy commandments are true * they persecute me falsely; O be thou my help.
87They had almost made an end of me upon earth * but I forsook not thy commandments.
88O quicken me after thy loving-kindness * and so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.
Psalm 119 xiiIn æternum, Domine
O Lord, thy word * endureth for ever in heaven.
90Thy truth also remaineth from one generation to another * thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and it abideth.
91They continue this day according to thine ordinance * for all things serve thee.
92If my delight had not been in thy law * I should have perished in my trouble.
93I will never forget thy commandments * for with them thou hast quickened me.
94I am thine, O save me * for I have sought thy commandments.
95The ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me * but I will consider thy testimonies.
96I see that all things come to an end * but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Psalm 119 xiiiQuomodo dilexi legem tuam
Lord, what love have I unto thy law * all the day long is my study in it.
98Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies * for they are ever with me.
99I have more understanding than my teachers * for thy testimonies are my study.
100I am wiser than the aged * because I keep thy commandments.
101I have refrained my feet from every evil way * that I may keep thy word.
102I have not shrunk from thy judgements * for thou teachest me.
103O how sweet are thy words unto my throat * yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth.
104Through thy commandments I get understanding * therefore I hate all evil ways.
Psalm 119 xivLucerna pedibus meis verbum
Thy word is a lantern unto my feet * and a light unto my paths.
106I have sworn, and am stedfastly purposed * to keep thy righteous judgements.
107I am troubled above measure * quicken me, O Lord, according to thy word.
108Let the free-will offerings of my mouth please thee, O Lord * and teach me thy judgements.
109My soul is alway in my hand * yet do I not forget thy law.
110The ungodly have laid a snare for me * but yet I swerved not from thy commandments.
111Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever * and why? they are the very joy of my heart.
112I have applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes alway * even unto the end.
Psalm 119 xvIniquos odio habui
I hate them that imagine evil things * but thy law do I love.
114Thou art my defence and shield * and my trust is in thy word.
115Away from me, ye wicked * I will keep the commandments of my God.
116O stablish me according to thy word, that I may live * and let me not be disappointed of my hope.
117Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe * yea, my delight shall be ever in thy statutes.
118Thou hast trodden down all them that depart from thy statutes * for they imagine but deceit.
119Thou puttest away all the ungodly of the earth like dross * therefore I love thy testimonies.
120My flesh trembleth for fear of thee * and I am afraid of thy judgements.
Psalm 119 xviFeci judicium et justitiam
I deal with the thing that is lawful and right * O give me not over unto mine oppressors.
122Make thou thy servant to delight in that which is good * that the proud do me no wrong.
123Mine eyes are wasted away with looking for thy health * and for the word of thy righteousness.
124O deal with thy servant according unto thy loving mercy * and teach me thy statutes.
125I am thy servant, O grant me understanding * that I may know thy testimonies.
126It is time for thee, Lord, to lay to thine hand * for they have destroyed thy law.
127For I love thy commandments * above gold and precious stone.
128Therefore hold I straight all thy commandments * and all false ways I utterly abhor.
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, even the death of the cross.
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.