Friday Vespers

From the cradle to the grave, lead us not into temptation

The unifying theme of Friday Vespers seems to be the petition from the Pater noster, "Lead us not into temptation".  The Psalms carry us from the cradle to the grave.  Psalm 138 supplies powerful motives against sin and temptation; Psalm 139 depicts the fierce attacks of the devil against the children of the kingdom; Psalm 140 is a prayer for protection  during temptation; and Psalm 141 pictures the devil's final visit to a deathbed.

Let us not forget that we are to pray these Psalms in the name of the Church for the sorely tempted children of the kingdom.

Psalm 138

God, all-knowing, all-present

This exceptionally beautiful Psalm in praise of the divine omniscience and omnipresence raises the practical consideration: you must live conscious of always being watched by the all-seeing eye of God; you can hide nothing from him.  You must avoid sin, you must hate sin "with a deadly hatred"―that is the message of this Psalm.

God, the All-Knowing

Dómine, probásti me, et cognovísti me: * tu cognovísti sessiónem meam, et resurrectiónem meam.
2  Intellexísti cogitatiónes meas de longe: * sémitam meam, et funículum meum investigásti.
3  Et omnes vias meas prævidísti: * quia non est sermo in lingua mea.
4  Ecce, Dómine, tu cognovísti ómnia novíssima, et antíqua: * tu formásti me, et posuísti super me manum tuam.
5  Mirábilis facta est sciéntia tua ex me: * confortáta est, et non pótero ad eam.

O Lord, thou hast searched me out, and known me : * thou hast known my down-sitting, and mine uprising.
2  Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off : * thou hast searched out my path and my line.
3  And thou hast foreseen all my ways : * for there is not a word in my tongue.
4  Behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things, the last and those of old : * thou hast formed me, and hast laid thine hand upon me.
5  Thy knowledge is become wonderful for me; * it hath waxed strong, and I cannot attain unto it.

God, the All-Present

6  Quo ibo a spíritu tuo? * et quo a fácie tua fúgiam?
7  Si ascéndero in cælum, tu illic es: * si descéndero in inférnum, ades.
8  Si súmpsero pennas meas dilúculo, * et habitávero in extremis maris.
9  Etenim illuc manus tua dedúcet me: * et tenébit me déxtera tua.
10  Et dixi: Fórsitan ténebræ conculcábunt me: * et nox illuminátio mea in delíciis meis.
11  Quia ténebræ non obscurabúntur a te, et nox sicut dies illuminábitur: * sicut ténebræ ejus, ita et lumen ejus.
12  Quia tu possedísti renes meos: * suscepísti me de útero matris meæ.

6  Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit? * or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
7  If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; * if I go down to hell, thou art there also.
8  If I take the wings of the morning, * and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
9  Even there also shall thy hand lead me, * and thy right hand shall hold me.
10  If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me; * then shall the night be my light in my pleasures.
11  Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day; * the darkness and light to thee are both alike.
12  For my reins are thine; * thou hast protected me from my mother's womb.

Psalm 138. ii.  Confitebor tibi

God, Searcher of hearts

13  Confitébor tibi quia terribíliter magnificátus es: * mirabília ópera tua, et ánima mea cognóscit nimis.
14  Non est occultátum os meum a te, quod fecísti in occulto: * et substántia mea in inferióribus terræ.
15  Imperféctum meum vidérunt óculi tui, et in libro tuo omnes scribéntur: * dies formabúntur, et nemo in eis.
16  Mihi autem nimis honorificáti sunt amíci tui, Deus: * nimis confortátus est principátus eórum.
17  Dinumerábo eos, et super arénam multiplicabúntur: * exsurréxi, et adhuc sum tecum.

13  I will give glory unto thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: * marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.
14  My bones are not hid from thee, which thou hast made in secret, * and my substance in the nether parts of the earth.
15  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book shall all be written : * days shall be fashioned, and no one in them.
16  Right honourable are thy friends unto me, O God. * their rule and governance is exceeding stedfast.
17  I will number them, and they shall be more in number than the sand: * I rose up, and am present with thee.

Hate evil, love good

18  Si occíderis, Deus, peccatóres: * viri sánguinum, declináte a me.
19  Quia dícitis in cogitatióne: * Accípient in vanitáte civitátes tuas.
20  Nonne qui odérunt te, Dómine, óderam? * et super inimícos tuos tabescébam?
21  Perfécto ódio óderam illos: * et inimíci facti sunt mihi.
22  Proba me, Deus, et scito cor meum: * intérroga me, et cognósce sémitas meas.
23  Et vide, si via iniquitátis in me est: * et deduc me in via ætérna.

18  If thou wilt slay the wicked, O God : * depart from me, ye men of blood.
19  For ye speak in thought : * They shall receive thy cities in vain.
20  Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? * and am not I grieved because of thine enemies?
21  Yea, with a perfect hatred have I hated them right sore; * and they are become enemies unto me.
22  Try me, O God, and know thou my heart; * examine me, and know thou my paths.
23  Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me; * and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139.  Eripe me, Domine

In crisis
Prayer against evil thoughts

This Psalm can be put on the lips of the suffering Saviour.  It should also be prayed against the devil's temptations:  Lead us not into temptation.

First strophe:  Slander

Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.
2  Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.
3  Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; * and preserve me from the wicked man;
2  Who have imagined mischief in their hearts, * and have stirred up strife all the day long.
3  They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; * adder's poison is under their lips.

Second strophe:  Repetition

4  Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.
5  Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:
6  Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.

4  Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the ungodly; * preserve me from wicked men.
5  Who are purposed to overthrow my goings : * the proud have laid a snare for me.
6  And they have spread a net abroad with cords; * yea, and have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.

Third strophe:  Plea for protection

7  Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.
8  Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.
9  Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exáltentur.

7  I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God, * hear the voice of my prayers, O Lord.
8  O Lord, Lord, thou strength of my salvation; * thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9  Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked : * they have plotted against me, forsake me not, lest they should triumph.

Fourth strophe:  Plea for the punishment of the ungodly

10  Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.
11  Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsistent.
12  Vir linguosus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.

10  The head of them that compass me about : * the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11  Hot burning coals shall fall upon them, thou shalt cast them into the fire, * in miseries they never rise up again.
12  A man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth: * evil shall hunt the wicked person unto destruction.

Fifth strophe: God's aid

13  Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.
14  Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.

13  I know that the Lord shall do justice to the poor, * and shall avenge the poor.
14  As for the just, they shall give thanks unto thy Name; * and the righteous shall dwell in thy sight.

Psalm 140.  Domine, clamavi

Prayer in temptation

Once more we raise our voice in special prayer for aid and protection against the deceits and trickeries of the devil, in particular against evil suggestions and impure thoughts.

Overture

Lord, I have cried unto thee, hear thou me : * hearken unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2  Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense; * and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

Plea for preservation from sin

3  Pone, Dómine, custódiam ori meo: * et óstium circumstántiæ lábiis meis.
4  Non declínes cor meum in verba malítiæ: * ad excusandas excusatiónes in peccátis.
5  Cum homínibus operántibus iniquitátem: * et non communicábo cum eléctis eórum.
6  Corrípiet me justus in misericórdia, et increpábit me: * óleum autem peccatóris non impinguet caput meum.

3  Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, * and a door round about my lips.
4  Incline not mine heart to any evil thing; * to make excuses in sin.
5  With the men that work wickedness, * and I will not take counsel with the chosen among them.
6  The righteous shall correct me in mercy, and shall reprove me; * but let not the balm of the sinner anoint my head.

Destruction of enemies

7  Quóniam adhuc et orátio mea in beneplácitis eórum: * absorpti sunt juncti petræ júdices eórum.
8  Audient verba mea quóniam potuérunt: * sicut crassitúdo terræ erúpta est super terram.

7  For my prayer also shall be against what is acceptable to them : * their judges, overthrown in stony places, are swallowed up.
8  They shall hear my words, for they have prevailed : * as when the thickness of the earth is broken up upon the ground.

Final petition

9  Dissipáta sunt ossa nostra secus inférnum: * quia ad te, Dómine, Dómine, óculi mei: in te sperávi, non áuferas ánimam meam.10  Custódi me a láqueo, quem statuérunt mihi: * et a scándalis operántium iniquitátem.
11  Cadent in retiáculo ejus peccatóres: * singuláriter sum ego donec tránseam.

9  Our bones lie scattered before the pit, * but mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God: in thee is my trust; O cast not out my soul.
10  Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me, * and from the traps of the wicked doers.
11  The ungodly shall fall into their own net, * I am alone until I pass through.

Psalm 141.  Voce mea ad Dominum

Pursued even unto death

This Psalm is the prayer of a man who is sorely tried.  The Christian soul can pour into it her desire for deliverance from the dungeon of the body and sin.  The Psalm is also an excellent prayer for the hour of death, and as such it was used by St. Francis of Assisi.

First strophe:  Cry of one suffering

Voce mea ad Dóminum clamávi: * voce mea ad Dóminum deprecátus sum:
2  Effúndo in conspéctu ejus oratiónem meam, * et tribulatiónem meam ante ipsum pronuntio.
3  In deficiéndo ex me spíritum meum: * et tu cognovísti sémitas meas.
4  In via hac, qua ambulábam, * abscondérunt láqueum mihi.
5  Considerábam ad déxteram, et vidébam: * et non erat qui cognósceret me.
6  Périit fuga a me: * et non est qui requírat ánimam meam.

With my voice I cried unto the Lord; * yea, even unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2  I poured out my prayer in his sight, * and before him I declare my trouble.
3  When my spirit failed me, * thou knewest my path.
4  In the way wherein I walked, * have they privily laid a snare for me.
5  I looked also upon my right hand, and beheld, * and there was no man that would know me.
6  Flight hath failed me, * and there is no man that hath regard for my soul.

Second strophe:  Plea of one suffering

7  Clamávi ad te, Dómine, * dixi: Tu es spes mea, pórtio mea in terra vivéntium.
8  Inténde ad deprecatiónem meam: * quia humiliátus sum nimis.
9  Líbera me a persequéntibus me: * quia confortáti sunt super me.
10  Educ de custódia ánimam meam ad confiténdum nómini tuo: * me exspéctant justi, donec retríbuas mihi.

7  I cried unto thee, O Lord, * and said, Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
8  Consider my supplication; * for I am brought very low.
9  O deliver me from my persecutors; * for they have waxed strong against me.
10  Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name; * the righteous wait for me, until thou reward me.