Monday Lauds 2

The use of the penitential Psalm Miserere makes the second scheme of Monday Lauds a penitential prayer.  In the other Psalms too, the penitential element is brought to the foreground.  The basic theme of this prayer is expressed in the last Antiphon: "O praise the Lord, for his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us."

Miserere

Confession of guilt

Miserére mei Deus, * secúndum magnam misericórdiam tuam.
2  Et secúndum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum, * dele iniquitátem meam.
3  Amplius lava me ab iniquitáte mea: * et a peccáto meo munda me.
4  Quóniam iniquitátem meam ego cognósco: * et peccátum meum contra me est semper.
5  Tibi soli peccávi, et malum coram te feci: * ut justificéris in sermónibus tuis, et vincas cum judicáris.
6  Ecce enim in iniquitátibus concéptus sum: * et in peccátis concépit me mater mea.
7  Ecce enim veritátem dilexísti: * incérta et occúlta sapiéntiæ tuæ manifestásti mihi.

Have mercy upon me, O God, * after thy great goodness.
2  According to the multitude of thy mercies * do away mine offences.
3  Wash me throughly from my wickedness, * and cleanse me from my sin.
4  For I acknowledge my faults, * and my sin is ever before me.
5  Against 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.
6  Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, * and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
7  But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, * and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

Plea for inner conversion

8  Aspérges me hyssópo, et mundábor: * lavábis me, et super nivem dealbábor.
9  Audítui meo dabis gáudium et lætítiam: * et exsultábunt ossa humiliáta.
10  Avérte fáciem tuam a peccátis meis: * et omnes iniquitátes meas dele.
11  Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: * et spíritum rectum ínnova in viscéribus meis.
12  Ne projícias me a fácie tua: * et spíritum sanctum tuum ne áuferas a me.
13  Redde mihi lætítiam salutáris tui: * et spíritu principáli confírma me.

8  Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; * thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
9  Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, * that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
10  Turn thy face from my sins, * and put out all my misdeeds.
11  Make me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me.
12  Cast me not away from thy presence, * and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
13  O give me the comfort of thy help again, * and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

Thanksgiving and a promise

14  Docébo iníquos vias tuas: * et ímpii ad te converténtur.
15  Líbera me de sanguínibus, Deus, Deus salútis meæ: * et exsultábit lingua mea justítiam tuam.
16  Dómine, lábia mea apéries: * et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.
17  Quóniam si voluísses sacrifícium dedíssem útique: * holocáustis non delectáberis.
18  Sacrifícium Deo spíritus contribulátus: * cor contrítum, et humiliátum, Deus non despícies.

Finale

19  Benígne fac, Dómine, in bona voluntáte tua Sion: * ut ædificéntur muri Jerúsalem.
20  Tunc acceptábis sacrifícium justítiæ, oblatiónes, et holocáusta: * tunc impónent super altáre tuum vítulos.

19  O be favourable and gracious unto Sion; * build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
20  Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations; * then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

Psalm 5.  Verba mea

Morning prayer in time of crisis

Message : Morning prayer for the religious soul: Overcome evil, lead me by thy hand.

Early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee

Verba mea áuribus pércipe, Dómine, * intéllige clamórem meum.
2  Inténde voci oratiónis meæ: * Rex meus et Deus meus.
3  Quóniam ad te orábo: * Dómine, mane exáudies vocem meam.

Ponder my words, O Lord, * consider my cry.
2  O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, * my King and my God.
3  For unto thee will I make my prayer : * in the morning shalt thou hear my voice, O Lord.

Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness

4  Mane astábo tibi et vidébo: * quóniam non Deus volens iniquitátem tu es.
5  Neque habitábit juxta te malígnus: * neque permanébunt injústi ante óculos tuos.
6  Odísti omnes, qui operántur iniquitátem: * perdes omnes, qui loquúntur mendácium.
7  Virum sánguinum et dolósum abominábitur Dóminus: * ego autem in multitúdine misericórdiæ tuæ.

4  Early in the morning will I stand before thee, and will see : * for thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness.
5  Neither shall any evil dwell with thee : * nor shall the unjust abide before thine eyes.
6  For thou hatest all them that work iniquity : * thou shalt destroy them that speak lies.
7  The Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man : * but as for me, in the multitude of thy mercy.

Plea for grace and direction

8  Introíbo in domum tuam: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum in timóre tuo.
9  Dómine, deduc me in justítia tua: * propter inimícos meos dírige in conspéctu tuo viam meam.

8   I will come into thine house; * and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
9  Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, * because of mine enemies make my way plain before thy face.

Plea for the downfall of all our enemies

10  Quóniam non est in ore eórum véritas: * cor eórum vanum est.
11  Sepúlcrum patens est guttur eórum, linguis suis dolóse agébant, * júdica illos, Deus.
12  Décidant a cogitatiónibus suis, secúndum multitúdinem impietátum eórum expélle eos, * quóniam irritavérunt te, Dómine.

10  For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; * their heart is vain.
11  Their throat is an open sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue : * judge thou them, O God.
12  Let them perish through their own imaginations; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; * for they have rebelled against thee, O Lord.

Blessings upon them that are godly

13  Et læténtur omnes, qui sperant in te, * in ætérnum exsultábunt: et habitábis in eis.
14  Et gloriabúntur in te omnes, qui díligunt nomen tuum: * quóniam tu benedíces justo.
15  Dómine, ut scuto bonæ voluntátis tuæ * coronásti nos.

13  And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice: * they shall for ever be glad, and thou shalt dwell amongst them.
14  And all they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee; * for thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous.
15  Thou hast crowned us, O Lord, * as with a shield of thy good will.

The splendour of God in the tempest

Nature songs are appropriate to Lauds, the morning prayer of all creation.  In this majestic psalm of storm and tempest we may consider the voice of God's thunder an image of the irresistible voice of his interior grace.  God speaks within my soul today, and I must listen reverently and ascribe unto him the honour due unto his Name.

Invitation to praise God

Afférte Dómino, fílii Dei: * afférte Dómino fílios aríetum.
2  Afférte Dómino glóriam et honórem, afférte Dómino glóriam nómini ejus: * adoráte Dóminum in átrio sancto ejus.

Bring unto the Lord, O ye children of God, * bring unto the Lord the offspring of rams.
2  Bring unto the Lord glory and honour, yea, bring unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name; * worship ye the Lord in his holy court.

Storm over the sea

3  Vox Dómini super aquas, Deus majestátis intónuit: * Dóminus super aquas multas.
4  Vox Dómini in virtúte: * vox Dómini in magnificéntia.

3  The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of majesty hath thundered, * the Lord is upon many waters.
4  The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; * the voice of the Lord in magnificence.

Storm over Lebanon

5  Vox Dómini confringéntis cedros: * et confrínget Dóminus cedros Líbani.
6  Et commínuet eas tamquam vítulum Líbani: * et diléctus quemádmodum fílius unicórnium.

5  The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedar-trees; * yea, the Lord shall break the cedars of Lebanon.
6  And shall reduce them to pieces like a calf of Lebanon; * and as the beloved son of the unicorn.

Storm over the desert

7  Vox Dómini intercidéntis flammam ignis: * vox Dómini concutiéntis desértum: et commovébit Dóminus desértum Cades.
8  Vox Dómini præparántis cervos, et revelábit condensa: * et in templo ejus omnes dicent glóriam.

7  The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire; * the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; yea, the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
8  The voice of the Lord prepareth the hinds, and he will strip bare the forests: * and in his temple doth every thing speak of his honour.

The blessings of the Lord on his people

9  Dóminus dilúvium inhabitáre facit: * et sedébit Dóminus Rex in ætérnum.
10  Dóminus virtútem pópulo suo dabit: * Dóminus benedicet pópulo suo in pace.

9  The Lord maketh the water-flood to dwell, * and the Lord shall remain King for ever.
10  The Lord shall give strength unto his people; * the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

For the greater glory of God

In this Messianic canticle, the Prophet shews redeemed mankind thanking God for their liberation from the evil one and for the blessings of the Messianic kingdom, the "wells of salvation".

With joy shall we draw water out of the wells of salvation

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, quóniam irátus es mihi: * convérsus est furor tuus, et consolátus es me.
2  Ecce Deus salvátor meus, * fiduciáliter agam, et non timébo :
3  Quia fortitúdo mea, et laus mea Dóminus, * et factus est mihi in salútem.
4  Haurietis aquas in gáudio de fóntibus Salvatoris: * et dicetis in illa die: Confitémini Dómino, et invocáte nomen ejus :
5  Notas fácite in pópulis adinventiónes ejus: * mementóte quóniam excélsum est nomen ejus.
6  Cantáte Dómino quóniam magnifice fecit: * annuntiáte hoc in univérsa terra.
7  Exsulta, et lauda, habitátio Sion: * quia magnus in médio tui Sanctus Israël.

I will praise thee, O Lord, though thou wast angry with me, * thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me.
2  Behold, God is my salvation; * I will trust, and not be afraid.
3  For my strength and my song is the Lord ; * and he is become my salvation.
4  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of the Saviour : * and in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, and call upon his Name.
5  Declare his doings among the people ; * make mention that his Name is exalted.
6  Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done glorious things; * make ye this known in all the earth.
7  Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Sion, * for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel.

Psalm 116.  Laudate Dominum

Mercy and faithfulness

Mankind's hymn of thanksgiving : Today, too, will God be merciful and faithful unto us.

Praise the Lord

Laudáte Dóminum, omnes Gentes: * laudáte eum, omnes pópuli :
2  Quóniam confirmáta est super nos misericórdia ejus: * et véritas Dómini manet in ætérnum.

O praise the Lord, all ye nations; * praise him, all ye peoples.
2  For his mercy is confirmed upon us; * and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.