Wednesday Vespers

The first part of Vespers is in the Ordinary

COMMENTARY

Ant.    Beáti omnes, * † qui timent Dóminum.††

Ant.    Blessed are all they * † that fear the Lord. ††

Psalmus 127.  Beati omnes

Beáti omnes, † qui timent Dóminum, †† * qui ámbulant in viis ejus.
2  Labóres mánuum tuárum quia manducábis: * beátus es, et bene tibi erit.
3  Uxor tua sicut vitis abúndans: * in latéribus domus tuæ.
4  Fílii tui sicut novéllæ olivárum: * in circúitu mensæ tuæ.
5  Ecce sic benedicétur homo, * qui timet Dóminum.
6  Benedícat tibi Dóminus ex Sion: *  et vídeas bona Jerúsalem ómnibus diébus vitæ tuæ.
7  Et vídeas fílios filiórum tuórum: * pacem super Israël.

Blessed are all they † that fear the Lord, * †† and walk in his ways.
2  For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands: * blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
3  Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine * upon the walls of thine house;
4  Thy children like the olive-branches * round about thy table.
5  Lo, thus shall the man be blessed * that feareth the Lord.
6  The Lord bless thee out of Sion, * that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all the days of thy life.
7  Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children, * and peace upon Israel.

Ant.    Beáti omnes, qui timent Dóminum.

Ant.    Blessed are all they that fear the Lord.

Ant.    Confundántur omnes, * qui odérunt Sion.

Ant.    Let them be confounded, * as many as have evil will at Sion.

Psalmus 128.  Sæpe expugnaverunt me

Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.

Psalm 128.  Sæpe expugnaverunt me

Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, * let Israel now say;
2  Yea, many a time have they fought against me from my youth up; * but they have not prevailed against me.
3  The ungodly have wrought upon my back, * they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  The righteous Lord hath hewn the necks of the ungodly * let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as hate Sion.
6  Let them be even as the grass upon the housetops, * which withereth afore it be grown up;
7  Whereof the mower filleth not his hand, * neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom.
8  And  they who go by say not: The blessing of the Lord be upon you; * we have blessed you in the Name of the Lord.

Ant.    Confundántur omnes, qui odérunt Sion.

Ant.    Let them be confounded, as many as hate Sion.

Ant.    De profúndis * † clamávi ad te, Dómine. ††

Ant.    Out of the depths * † I have cried unto thee, O Lord. ††

Psalmus 129.  De profundis

De profúndis † clamávi ad te, Dómine: †† * Dómine, exáudi vocem meam :
2  Fiant aures tuæ intendéntes: * in vocem deprecatiónis meæ.
3  Si iniquitátes observáveris, Dómine: * Dómine, quis sustinébit?
4  Quia apud te propitiátio est: * et propter legem tuam sustínui te, Dómine.
5  Sustínuit ánima mea in verbo ejus: * sperávit ánima mea in Dómino.
6  A custódia matutína usque ad noctem: * speret Israël in Dómino.
7  Quia apud Dóminum misericórdia: * et copiósa apud eum redémptio.
8  Et ipse rédimet Israël: * ex ómnibus iniquitátibus ejus.

Psalm 129.  De profundis

Out of the depths † I have cried unto thee, O Lord; * †† Lord, hear my voice.
2  O let thine ears be attentive * to the voice of my supplication.
3  If thou, O Lord, shalt observe our iniquities, * Lord, who may endure it?
4  For with thee there is merciful forgiveness : * and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord.
5  My soul hath relied on his word * my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
6  From the morning watch even until night : * let Israel hope in the Lord.
7  Because with the Lord there is mercy, * and with him plentiful redemption.
8  And he shall redeem Israel * from all his iniquities.

Ant.    De profúndis clamávi ad te, Dómine.

Ant.    Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord.

Ant.    Dómine, * † non est exaltátum cor meum. ††

Psalmus 130.  Domine, non est exaltatum

Dómine, † non est exaltátum cor meum: †† * neque eláti sunt óculi mei.
2  Neque ambulávi in magnis: * neque in mirabílibus super me.
3  Si non humíliter sentiébam: * sed exaltávi ánimam meam.
4  Sicut ablactátus est super matre sua: * ita retribútio in ánima mea.
5  Speret Israël in Dómino: * ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.

Psalm 130.  Domine, non est exaltatum

O Lord, † mine heart is not exalted; * †† nor are mine eyes raised up high.
2  Neither have I walked in great matters * nor in wondrous things above me.
3  If I was not humbly minded, * but exalted my soul.
4  Like as a child that is weaned is towards his mother: * even so is the reward in my soul.
4  Let Israel hope in the Lord * from this time forth for evermore.

Ant.    Elégit Dóminus * Sion in habitatiónem sibi.

Ant.    The Lord hath chosen * Sion to be an habitation for himself.

Psalmus 131.  Memento, Domine

Meménto, Dómine, David, * et omnis mansuetúdinis ejus :
2  Sicut jurávit Dómino, * votum vovit Deo Jacob :
3  Si introíero in tabernáculum domus meæ, * si ascéndero in lectum strati mei :
4  Si dédero somnum óculis meis, * et pálpebris meis dormitatiónem :
5  Et réquiem tempóribus meis : donec invéniam locum Dómino, * tabernáculum Deo Jacob.
6  Ecce audívimus eam in Ephrata: * invénimus eam in campis silvæ.
7  Introíbimus in tabernáculum ejus: * adorábimus in loco, ubi stetérunt pedes ejus.
8  Surge, Dómine, in réquiem tuam, * tu et arca sanctificatiónis tuæ.
9  Sacerdótes tui induántur justítiam: * et sancti tui exsúltent.
10  Propter David, servum tuum: * non avértas fáciem Christi tui.
11  Jurávit Dóminus David veritátem, et non frustrábitur eam: * de fructu ventris tui ponam super sedem tuam.
12  Si custodíerint fílii tui testaméntum meum: * et testimónia mea hæc, quæ docébo eos.
13  Et fílii eórum usque in sæculum: * sedébunt super sedem tuam.
14  Quóniam elégit Dóminus Sion: * elégit eam in habitatiónem sibi.
15  Hæc réquies mea in sæculum sæculi: * hic habitábo, quóniam elégi eam.
16  Víduam ejus benedícens benedícam: * páuperes ejus saturábo pánibus.
17  Sacerdótes ejus índuam salutári: * et sancti ejus exsultatióne exsultábunt.
18  Illuc prodúcam cornu David: * parávi lucérnam Christo meo.
19  Inimícos ejus índuam confusióne: * super ipsum autem efflorébit sanctificátio mea.

Psalm 131.  Memento, Domine

O Lord, remember David, * and all his meekness:
2  How he sware unto the Lord, * and vowed a vow unto the God of Jacob:
3  I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, * nor go up into the bed wherein I lie;
4  I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, * nor mine eyelids to slumber;
5  Neither the temples of my head to take any rest : * until I find out a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
6  Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah, * and found it in the fields of the wood.
7  We will go into his tabernacle, * and worship in the place where his feet stood.
8  Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place; * thou, and the ark which thou hast sanctified.
9  Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; * and let thy saints rejoice.
10  For the sake of thy servant David, * turn not away the face of thine anointed.
11  The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and he shall not make it void : * of the fruit of thy womb shall I set upon thy throne.
12  If thy children will keep my covenant, * and my testimonies that I shall teach them.
13  Their children also for evermore : * shall sit upon thy throne.
14  For the Lord hath chosen Sion * he hath chosen it to be an habitation for himself.
15  This shall be my rest for ever and ever: * here will I dwell, for I have chosen it.
16  Blessing I will bless her widow : * and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17  I will clothe her priests with salvation, * and her saints shall rejoice with exceeding great joy.
18  There will I bring forth make a horn unto David : * I have prepared a lantern for mine anointed.
19  His enemies will I clothe with confusion; * but upon him shall my sanctification flourish.

Ant.   Elégit Dóminus Sion in habitatiónem sibi.

Ant.    The Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself.

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

On Wednesdays after the Octave of the Epiphany, on the two Pre-Lenten Wednesdays, 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.

Cæli Deus sanctíssime,
Qui lúcidas mundi plagas
Candóre pingis ígneo,
Augens decóro lúmine.

Quarto die qui flámmeam
Dum solis accéndis rotam,
Lunæ minístras órdinem,
Vagósque cursus síderum :

Ut nóctibus, vel lúmini
Diremptiónis términum,
Primórdiis et ménsium
Signum dares notíssimum ;

Expélle noctem córdium :
Abstérge sordes méntium :
Resólve culpæ vínculum :
Evérte moles críminum.

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

O God, whose hand hath spread the sky
And all its shining hosts on high,
And, painting it with fiery light,
Made it so beauteous and so bright.

Thou, when the Fourth Day was begun,
Didst frame the circle of the sun,
And set the moon for order'd change,
And planets for their wider range.

To night and day, by certain line,
Their varying bounds thou didst assign:
And gav'st a signal, known and meet,
For months begun and months complete.

Enlighten thou the hearts of men,
Polluted souls make pure again:
Unloose the bands of guilt within,
Remove the burden of our 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.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH