Tuesday Vespers

The first part of Vespers is in the Ordinary

COMMENTARY

Psalmus 122.  Ad te levavi

Ad te levávi óculos meos, * qui hábitas in cælis.
2  Ecce sicut óculi servórum, * in mánibus dominórum suórum.
3  Sicut óculi ancíllæ in mánibus dóminæ suæ: * ita óculi nostri ad Dóminum, Deum nostrum, donec misereátur nostri.
4  Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri: * quia multum repléti sumus despectióne:
5  Quia multum repléta est ánima nostra: * oppróbrium abundántibus, et despéctio supérbis.

Unto thee have I lift up mine eyes, * O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2  Behold, even as the eyes of servants * look unto the hand of their masters,
3  And as the eyes of a maiden are on the hands of her mistress, * even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.
4  Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; * for we are utterly despised.
5  Our soul is greatly filled; * we are a reproof to the wealthy, and contempt to the proud.

Psalmus 123.  Nisi quia Dominus

Nisi quia Dóminus erat in nobis, dicat nunc Israël: * nisi quia Dóminus erat in nobis,
2  Cum exsúrgerent hómines in nos, * forte vivos deglutíssent nos:
3  Cum irascerétur furor eórum in nos, * fórsitan aqua absorbuísset nos.
4  Torréntem pertransívit ánima nostra: * fórsitan pertransísset ánima nostra aquam intolerábilem.
5  Benedíctus Dóminus * qui non dedit nos, in captiónem déntibus eórum.
6  Anima nostra sicut passer erépta est * de láqueo venántium.
7  Láqueus contrítus est, * et nos liberáti sumus.
8  Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini, * qui fecit cælum et terram.

Psalm 123.  Nisi quia Dominus

If the Lord himself had not been on our side, let Israel now say; * if the Lord himself had not been on our side,
2  When men rose up against us; * perchance they had swallowed us up alive.
3  When they were so wrathfully displeased at us, * perchance their waters had drowned us.
4  Our soul hath passed through the torrent : * perchance our soul had passed through a water insupportable.
5  Blessed be the Lord, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6  Our soul is escaped even as a bird * out of the snare of the fowler.
7  The snare is broken, * and we are delivered.
8  Our help is in the Name of the Lord, * who hath made heaven and earth.

Psalmus 124.  Qui confidunt

Qui confídunt in Dómino, sicut mons Sion: * non commovébitur in ætérnum, qui hábitat in Jerúsalem.
2  Montes in circúitu ejus: * et Dóminus in circúitu pópuli sui, ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.
3  Quia non relínquet Dóminus virgam peccatórum super sortem justórum: * ut non exténdant justi ad iniquitátem manus suas.
4  Bénefac, Dómine, bonis, * et rectis corde.
5  Declinántes autem in obligatiónes addúcet Dóminus cum operántibus iniquitátem: * pax super Israël.

Psalm 124.  Qui confidunt

They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount Sion, * he shall stand fast for ever, that dwelleth in Jerusalem.
2  Mountains stand round about; * even so standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
3  For the Lord shall not leave the sceptre of the ungodly to abide upon the lot of the righteous; * that the righteous may not stretch forth their hand unto wickedness.
4  Do well, O Lord, unto those that are good * and true of heart.
5  But such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the evil doers; * peace upon Israel.

Psalmus 125.  In convertendo

In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.
5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.

Psalm 125.  In convertendo

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, * then we became like men comforted.
2  Then was our mouth filled with gladness, * and our tongue with joy.
3  Then shall they say among the heathen, * The Lord hath done great things for them.
4  Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us; * whereof we rejoice.
5  Turn again our captivity, O Lord, * as the rivers in the south.
6  They that sow in tears * shall reap in joy.
7  Going they went and wept, * casting their seed.
8  But coming they shall come again with joyfulness, * carrying their sheaves.

Psalmus 126.  Nisi Dominus

Nisi Dóminus ædificáverit domum, * in vanum laboravérunt qui ædíficant eam.
2  Nisi Dóminus custodíerit civitátem, * frustra vígilat qui custódit eam.
3  Vanum est vobis ante lucem súrgere: * súrgite postquam sedéritis, qui manducátis panem dolóris.
4  Cum déderit diléctis suis somnum: * ecce heréditas Dómini fílii : merces, fructus ventris.
5  Sicut sagíttæ in manu poténtis: * ita fílii excussórum.
6  Beátus vir qui implévit desidérium suum ex ipsis: * non confundétur cum loquétur inimícis suis in porta.

Psalm 126.  Nisi Dominus

Except the Lord build the house, * they labour in vain that build it.
2  Except the Lord keep the city, * the watchman waketh but in vain.
3  It is vain for you to rise up before the light : * rise ye after ye have sitten, ye that eat the bread of sorrow.
4  When he giveth his beloved sleep : * behold, children are the heritage of the Lord: the reward, and the fruit of the womb.
5  Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty, * even so are the children of the them that have been shaken.
6  Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them; * he shall not be confounded when he shall speak with his enemies in the gate.

On Feastdays, unless otherwise specified in the Ordo, the Chapter and Brief Respond are taken from the Common of the Saints.

On Tuesdays after the Octave of the Epiphany, on the three Pre-Lenten Tuesdays, and on those after Pentecost, except those that fall in a privileged Octave, is said:

Benedíctus Deus, et Pater Dómini nostri Jesu Christi, Pater misericordiárum, et Deus totíus consolatiónis, qui consolátur nos in omni tribulatióne nostra.
R.  Deo grátias.

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulations.
R.  Thanks be to God.

Tellúris alme Cónditor,
Mundi solum qui séparans,
Pulsis aquæ moléstiis,
Terram dedísti immóbilem.

Ut germen aptum próferens,
Fulvis decóra flóribus,
Fœcúnda fructu sísteret,
Pastúmque grátum rédderet.

Méntis perústæ vúlnera
Munda viróre grátiæ :
Ut facta fletu díluat,
Motúsque pravos átterat.

Jussis tuis obtémperet :
Nullis malis appróximet :
Bonis repléri gáudeat,
Et mortis ictum nésciat.

* Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Patríque compar Unice,
Cum Spíritu Paráclito
Regnans per omne sæculum.  Amen.

Earth's mighty Maker, whose command
Rais'd from the sea, the solid land;
And drove each bill'wy heap away,
And bade the earth stand firm for aye.

That so the soil might herbage yield,
And blossoms fair to deck the field,
And golden fruit and harvest bear,
And pleasant food for man prepare.

Our spirit's rankling wounds efface
With dewy freshness of thy grace:
That grief may cleanse each deed of ill,
And o'er each lust may triumph still.

Let ev'ry soul thy law obey
And keep from ev'ry evil way:
Rejoice each promis'd good to win,
And flee from ev'ry mortal sin.

Ordinary Doxology:
Almighty Father, hear our cry
Through Jesus Christ our Lord most high,
Who with the Holy Ghost and thee
Doth live and reign eternally.  Amen.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH