Monday Compline

Penance and innocency

Compline, as the night prayer of sinful man, has repentance for its prevailing note.  Sleep is the brother of death; hence the hour calls up thoughts of death.  Picture yourself on your deathbed, before the judgment seat of God.  In your garment, washed clean in the blood of the Lamb (Ps. 6) or preserved in all its whiteness (Ps. 7), walk before the Lord.  Penitence and innocency are the two leading thoughts of this Hour; they are two eminent Christian virtues.  Every night we ought to ponder them, before we take our rest.

Repentance and forgiveness

This song of fervent penance inspires the thought: Was today a day of sin?

Lamentation of the suffering, repentant sinner

Dómine, ne in furóre tuo árguas me, * neque in ira tua corrípias me.
2  Miserére mei, Dómine, quóniam infírmus sum : * sana me, Dómine, quóniam conturbáta sunt ossa mea.
3  Et ánima mea turbáta est valde : * sed tu, Dómine, úsquequo?

O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation, * neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
2  Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; * O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.
3  My soul also is sore troubled: * but, thou, O Lord, how long?

 Argument of the prayer

4  Convértere, Dómine, et éripe ánimam meam : * salvum me fac propter misericórdiam tuam.
5  Quóniam non est in morte qui memor sit tui : * in inférno autem quis confitébitur tibi?
6  Laborávi in gémitu meo, lavábo per síngulas noctes lectum meum : * lácrimis meis stratum meum rigábo.
7  Turbátus est a furóre óculus meus : *  inveterávi inter omnes inimícos meos.

4  Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul; * O save me, for thy mercy's sake.
5  For in death no man remembereth thee; * and who will give thee thanks in the pit?
6  I have laboured in my groanings, every night wash I my bed, * and water my couch with my tears.
7  Mine eye is grieved with tribulation, * I have grown old amongst all mine enemies.

8  Discédite a me, omnes, qui operámini iniquitátem : *  quóniam exaudívit Dóminus vocem fletus mei.
9  Exaudívit Dóminus deprecatiónem meam, *  Dóminus oratiónem meam suscépit.
10  Erubéscant, et conturbéntur veheménter omnes inimíci mei : * convertántur et erubéscant valde velóciter.

8  Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; * for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9  The Lord hath heard my petition; * the Lord hath received my prayer.
10  All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed; * they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.

Psalm 7

Was today a day of innocency?

The Psalm portrays the judgment seat of God.  The just man makes his plea, protests his innocency, appeals to God's judgment.  Judgment is pronounced upon the innocent and the evildoers, and the judgment is a warning against them that would do evil ( a beautiful picture of God's long-suffering and justice): and punishment is meted out.

Psalm 7. i.  Domine, Deus meus

Plea

Dómine, Deus meus, in te sperávi : * salvum me fac ex ómnibus persequéntibus me, et líbera me.
2  Nequándo rápiat ut leo ánimam meam, * dum non est qui rédimat, neque qui salvum faciat.

O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust: * save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me;
2  Lest he devour my soul like a lion, * while there is none to redeem me, nor to save.

Protestation of innocency

3  Dómine, Deus meus, si feci istud. * si est iníquitas in mánibus meis :
4  Si réddidi retribuéntibus mihi mala, * décidam mérito ab inimícis meis inánis.
5  Persequátur inimícus ánimam meam, et comprehéndat, et concúlcet in terra vitam meam, * et glóriam meam in púlverem dedúcat.

3  O Lord my God, if I have done any such thing; * or if there be any wickedness in my hands;
4  If I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me; * let me deservedly fall empty before mine enemies.
5  Then let mine enemy persecute my soul, yea, let him take it, and tread my life down upon the earth, * and lay mine honour in the dust.

Appeal to God's judgment

6  Exsúrge, Dómine, in ira tua : * et exaltáre in fínibus inimicórum meórum.
7  Et exsúrge, Dómine Deus meus, in præcépto quod mandásti : * et synagóga populórum circúmdabit te.
8  Et propter hanc in altum regrédere : * Dóminus júdicat pópulos.
9  Júdica me, Dómine, secúndum justítiam meam, * et secúndum innocéntiam meam super me.
10  Consumétur nequítia peccatórum, et díriges justum, *  scrutans corda et renes Deus.

6  Arise, O Lord, in thy wrath, * and be thou exalted in the land of mine enemies.
7  And rise up, O Lord my God, in the judgment that thou hast commanded; * and so shall the congregation of the people come about thee.
8  For their sakes therefore lift up thyself again on high, * the Lord judgeth the people.
9  Give sentence with me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, * and according to the innocency that is in me.
10  The wickedness of the ungodly shall be brought to nought, and thou shalt guide the just, * for God is the searcher of the hearts and reins.

Psalm 7. ii.  Justum adjutorium

Sentence

11 Justum adjutórium meum a Dómino, * qui salvos facit rectos corde.
12  Deus judex justus, fortis, et pátiens : * numquid iráscitur per síngulos dies?
13  Nisi convérsi fuéritis, gládium suum vibrábit : * arcum suum teténdit, et parávit illum.

11  My help is just that cometh of the Lord, * who saveth them that are true of heart.
12  God is a righteous Judge, strong, and patient; * and shall he be provoked every day?
13  If a man will not turn, he will whet his sword; * he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

Punishment

14  Et in eo parávit vasa mortis : * sagíttas suas ardéntibus effécit.
15  Ecce partúriit injustítiam : * concépit dolórem, et péperit iniquitátem.
16  Lacum apéruit, et effódit eum : * et íncidet in fóveam quam fecit.
17  Convertétur dolor ejus in caput ejus : * et in vérticem ipsíus iníquitas ejus descéndet.

14  He hath prepared for him the instruments of death; * he hath ordained his arrows against them that burn.
15  Behold, he travaileth with injustice; * he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth ungodliness.
16  He hath graven and digged up a pit, * and is fallen himself into the hole that he hath made.
17  For his sorrow shall come upon his own head, * and his wickedness shall fall on his own pate.

Finale

18  Confitébor Dómino secúndum justítiam ejus : * et psallam nómini Dómini altíssimi.

18  I will give thanks unto the Lord, according to his righteousness; * and I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.