Friday Lauds

In the Cross is Resurrection

Friday Lauds successfully combines the theme for the Hour with the theme for the day: morning praise and our Lord's Passion.  Each of the five Psalms reminds us of the Cross, though chiefly of the glorified Cross.  This is the early Christian way of looking at the Cross (and we find it particularly in the Eastern liturgy)―the Cross in the light of the glorious Resurrection.

Holy is the Lord

This is a so-called royal Psalm, in which God is praised as the King of his people.  Our King is Christ crucified.  His throne is the Cross; from thence he rules over all humanity. 
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).  The second strophe tells us of the men of prayer in the past; we Christians have a greater Man of Prayer to intercede for us, our Saviour on the Cross.

Holy is the Lord, King and Judge

Dóminus regnávit, irascántur pópuli: * qui sedet super Chérubim, moveátur terra.
2  Dóminus in Sion magnus: * et excélsus super omnes pópulos.
3  (fit reverentia) Confiteántur nómini tuo magno : quóniam terríbile, et sanctum est : * et honor regis judícium díligit.
4  Tu parásti directiónes: * judícium et justítiam in Jacob tu fecísti.
5  Exaltáte Dóminum Deum nostrum, et adoráte scabéllum pedum ejus: * quóniam sanctum est.

The Lord hath reigned, let the people be angry : * he that sitteth upon the Cherubim, let the earth be moved.
2  The Lord is great in Sion, * and high above all people.
3  (all bow) Let them give thanks unto thy great Name, for it is terrible, and holy : * and the King's honour loveth judgment.
4  Thou hast prepared equity, * thou hast executed judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5  O magnify the Lord our God, and worship his footstool; * for it is holy.

Holy is the Lord, merciful God

6  Móyses et Aaron in sacerdótibus ejus: * et Sámuel inter eos, qui invocant nomen ejus:
7  Invocábant Dóminum, et ipse exaudiébat eos: * in colúmna nubis loquebátur ad eos.
8  Custodiébant testimónia ejus: * et præcéptum quod dedit illis.
9  Dómine, Deus noster, tu exaudiébas eos: * Deus, tu propítius fuísti eis, et ulcíscens in omnes adinventiónes eórum.
10  Exaltáte Dóminum Deum nostrum, et adoráte in monte sancto ejus: * quóniam sanctus Dóminus Deus noster.

6  Moses and Aaron among his priests, * and Samuel among such as call upon his Name:
7  These called upon the Lord, and he heard them: * he spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar
8  They kept his testimonies, * and the law that he gave them.
9  Thou heardest them, O Lord our God; * thou wast to them a merciful God, and taking vengeance against all their inventions.
10  O magnify the Lord our God, and worship in his holy mountain; * for the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 142.  Domine, exaudi

Time of crisis

A vivid song of suffering, expressing all the sentiments that moved the divine Heart in his time of terrible suffering.  And at the same time this Psalm is being prayed by Adam, in the name of unredeemed humanity.

Awareness of guilt

Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam: áuribus pércipe obsecratiónem meam in veritáte tua : * exáudi me in tua justítia.
2  Et non intres in judícium cum servo tuo: * quia non justificábitur in conspéctu tuo omnis vivens.

Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my supplication in thy truth : * hear me in thy righteousness.
2  And enter not into judgment with thy servant; * for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Lament over persecútion

3  Quia persecútus est inimícus ánimam meam: * humiliávit in terra vitam meam.
4  Collocávit me in obscúris sicut mórtuos sæculi : * et anxiátus est super me spíritus meus, in me turbátum est cor meum.

3  For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; * he hath smitten my life down to the ground.
4  He hath laid me in the darkness, as those that have been dead of old : * and my spirit is vexed within me, my heart within me is troubled.

Fervent plea to God

5  Memor fui diérum antiquórum, meditátus sum in ómnibus opéribus tuis: * in factis mánuum tuárum meditábar.
6  Expándi manus meas ad te: * ánima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi.

5  I remembered the days of old, I mused upon all thy works; * yea, I meditated upon the works of thy hands.
6  I have stretched forth my hands unto thee; * my soul is as earth without water unto thee.

Make haste to help me

7  Velóciter exáudi me, Dómine: * defécit spíritus meus.
8  Non avértas fáciem tuam a me: * et símilis ero descendéntibus in lacum.
9  Auditam fac mihi mane misericórdiam tuam: * quia in te sperávi.
10  Notam fac mihi viam, in qua ámbulem: * quia ad te levávi ánimam meam.
11  Eripe me de inimícis meis, Dómine, ad te confúgi: * doce me fácere voluntátem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu.

7  Hear me, O Lord, and that soon; * for my spirit waxeth faint.
8  Hide not thy face from me, * lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
9  O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; * for in thee is my trust.
10  Shew thou me the way that I should walk in; * for unto thee have I lift up my soul.
11  Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies, for unto thee have I fled : * teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God.

Finale

12  Spíritus tuus bonus dedúcet me in terram rectam: * propter nomen tuum, Dómine, vivificábis me, in æquitáte tua.
13  Edúces de tribulatióne ánimam meam: * et in misericórdia tua dispérdes inimícos meos.
14  Et perdes omnes, qui tríbulant ánimam meam, * quóniam ego servus tuus sum.

12  Thy loving Spirit shall lead me forth into the land of righteousness : * for thy Name's sake, O Lord, thou shalt quicken me in thy justice.
13  Thou shalt bring my soul out of trouble : * and in thy mercy thou shalt slay mine enemies.
14  And thou shalt destroy all them that vex my soul; * for I am thy servant.

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other

This Psalm, a hymn of thanksgiving after the deliverance from exile, is at the same time a glorious hymn of redemption.  Through Christ's death on the Cross the debt of sin has been wiped away (1st strophe), and the fruit of that death will now be given to him who asks (2nd strophe).  Again God walks here below with man.  Peace and justice, banished from the earth since the first sin, embrace beneath the Cross.  This Psalm unites in an excellent manner the thought of praise proper to Lauds with the thought of the day, the Crucifixion.

1.  End of slavery

Benedixísti, Dómine, terram tuam: * avertísti captivitátem Jacob.
2  Remisísti iniquitátem plebis tuæ: * operuísti ómnia peccáta eórum.
3  Mitigásti omnem iram tuam: * avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ.

O Lord, thou hast blessed thy land; * thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
2  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, * thou hast covered all their sins.
3  Thou hast softened all thy displeasure, * thou hast turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.

New, unexpected sufferings

4  Convérte nos, Deus, salutáris noster: * et avérte iram tuam a nobis.
5  Numquid in ætérnum irascéris nobis? * aut exténdes iram tuam a generatióne in generatiónem?
6  Deus, tu convérsus vivificábis nos: * et plebs tua lætábitur in te.
7  Osténde nobis, Dómine, misericórdiam tuam: * et salutáre tuum da nobis.

4  Turn thou us, O God our Saviour, * and let thine anger cease from us.
5  Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? * and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
6  Thou shalt turn again, O God, and quicken us, * and thy people shall rejoice in thee.
7  Shew us, O Lord, thy mercy, * and grant us thy salvation.

2.  Help to come

8  Audiam quid loquátur in me Dóminus Deus: * quóniam loquétur pacem in plebem suam.
9  Et super sanctos suos: * et in eos, qui convertúntur ad cor.
10  Verúmtamen prope timéntes eum salutáre ipsíus: * ut inhábitet glória in terra nostra.

8  I will hearken what the Lord God will say unto me; * for he shall speak peace unto his people.
9  And unto his saints, * and unto them that are turned again unto their heart.
10  Surely his salvation is nigh unto them that fear him; * that glory may dwell in our land.

Kingdom of peace

11  Misericórdia, et véritas obviavérunt sibi: * justítia, et pax osculátæ sunt.
12  Véritas de terra orta est: * et justítia de cælo prospéxit.
13  Etenim Dóminus dabit benignitátem: * et terra nostra dabit fructum suum.
14  Justítia ante eum ambulábit: * et ponet in via gressus suos.

11  Mercy and truth are met together: * justice and peace have kissed.
12  Truth is sprung out of the earth, * and justice hath looked down from heaven.
13  Yea, the Lord shall shew loving-kindness; * and our land shall yield her fruit.
14  Justice shall walk before him, * and shall direct his steps in the way.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me

A prophecy of the redemption through Christ and the conversion of the Gentiles.  In spirit, we see the heathen assembled in prayer beneath the Cross―once again, an excellent association of the themes of Lauds and of Friday.  We can place the words of the inspired Canticle on the lips of the Crucified.

Greatness of God's favour

Vere tu es Deus abscónditus, * Deus Israël, Salvator.
2  Confusi sunt, et erubuérunt omnes: * simul abiérunt in confusiónem fabricatores errórum.
3  Israel salvátus est in Dómino salúte ætérna: * non confundémini, et non erubescetis usque in sæculum sæculi.

Verily thou art a hidden God, * O God of Israel, the Saviour.
2  They are all confounded and put to shame, * yea, the forgers of error are put to confusion.
3  Israel is saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: * ye shall not be put to shame, nor shall ye be confounded, world without end.

True God

4  Quia hæc dicit Dóminus creans cælos, * ipse Deus formans terram, et fáciens eam, ipse plastes ejus.
5  Non in vanum creávit eam, ut habitarétur, formávit eam: * Ego Dóminus, et non est álius.
6  Non in abscóndito locútus sum: * in loco terræ tenebroso :
7  Non dixi sémini Jacob frustra : quærite me: * ego Dóminus loquens justítiam, annuntians recta.

4  For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, * God himself that did form the earth and make it, even he that is the creator thereof;
5  Not for naught did he create it, but that it might be inhabited did he give it form : * I am the Lord, and there is none other.
6  Not in secret have I spoken, * not in a dark place of the earth.
7  Nor said I to the seed of Jacob: Ye do but seek me in vain : * I am the Lord that speak righteousness, that declare the things that are right.

False gods

8  Congregámini, et veníte, et accédite simul * qui salváti estis ex Géntibus :
9  Nesciérunt qui levant lignum sculpturæ suæ, * et rogant deum non salvántem.
10  Annuntiáte, et veníte, et consiliámini simul : * Quis audítum fecit hoc ab inítio, ex tunc prædixit illud?
11  Numquid non ego Dóminus, et non est ultra Deus absque me? *  Deus justus, et salvans non est præter me.
12  Convertímini ad me, et salvi eritis, omnes fines terræ: * quia ego Deus, et non est álius.

8  Assemble yourselves and come, and draw near together, * ye that are saved of the Gentiles.
9  No knowledge have they that set up the wood of their graven image, * and pray unto a god that cannot save.
10  Declare ye it, and come, and consult ye together : * Who hath declared this from ancient times?  And who hath foretold it from the beginning?
11  Am not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; * I am a just God and a Saviour, and there is none else besides me:
12  Be ye converted unto me, and ye shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth; * for I am God, and there is none other.

Conversion of nations

13  In memetípso jurávi, egrediétur de ore meo justítiæ verbum, * et non revertétur.
14  Quia mihi curvábitur omne genu, * et jurábit omnis lingua.
15  Ergo in Dómino, dicet, meæ sunt justítiæ et impérium: * ad eum vénient, et confundéntur omnes qui repugnant ei.
16  In Dómino justificábitur, et laudábitur * omne semen Israël.

13  By myself have I sworn; the word of justice is gone out of my mouth, * and shall not return.
14  For unto me every knee shall bow, * and every tongue shall swear.
15  Therefore shall he say : In the Lord is my righteousness and empire : * they shall come unto him, and all they that resist him shall be confounded.
16  In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and praised.

Winter is past

Once again a hymn of thanksgiving at deliverance from the Babylonian captivity is used in reference to the Redemption.  After the winter of sin, through Christ's death on the Cross, the springtime of Redemption has come.  Now is the heavenly Jerusalem, holy Church, secure from the enemy and blessed with peace and prosperity.

Jerusalem delivered

Lauda, Jerúsalem, Dóminum: * lauda Deum tuum, Sion.
2  Quóniam confortávit seras portárum tuárum: * benedíxit fíliis tuis in te.
3  Qui pósuit fines tuos pacem: * et ádipe fruménti sátiat te.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; *  praise thy God, O Sion.
2  For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates, * and hath blessed thy children within thee.
3  Who hath placed peace in thy borders, * and filleth thee with the fat of the crops.

Winter

4  Qui emíttit elóquium suum terræ: * velóciter currit sermo ejus.
5  Qui dat nivem sicut lanam: * nébulam sicut cínerem spargit.
6  Mittit crystállum suum sicut buccéllas: * ante fáciem frígoris ejus quis sustinébit?

4  Who sendeth forth his commandment upon earth, * and his word runneth swiftly.
5  Who giveth snow like wool, * and scattereth the mist like ashes.
6  He sendeth his ice like morsels: * who is able to abide before the face of his frost?

Springtime

7  Emíttet verbum suum, et liquefáciet ea: * flabit spíritus ejus, et fluent aquæ.
8  Qui annúntiat verbum suum Jacob: * justítias, et judícia sua Israel.
9  Non fecit táliter omni natióni: * et judícia sua non manifestávit eis.

7  He shall send out his word, and shall melt them: * his spirit shall breathe forth, and the waters shall flow.
8  Who declareth his word unto Jacob, * his statutes and judgments unto Israel.
9  He hath not dealt so with every nation; * neither hath he given them knowledge of his judgments.