Saturday Vespers

The first part of Vespers is in the Ordinary

The following Antiphon is said in its entirety only on the Sabbath in White (the Saturday before Low Sunday), which Sunday is kept as a Double.  The subsequent Sundays after Easter are of Semidouble rank, and only the first part of the Antiphon is said before the Psalms.

COMMENTARY

Psalmus 143. i.  Benedictus Dominus

Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus meus, qui docet manus meas ad prælium, * et dígitos meos ad bellum.
2  Misericórdia mea, et refúgium meum: * suscéptor meus, et liberátor meus :
3  Protéctor meus, et in ipso sperávi: * qui subdit pópulum meum sub me.
4  Dómine, quid est homo quia innotuísti ei? * aut fílius hóminis, quia réputas eum?
5  Homo vanitáti símilis factus est: * dies ejus sicut umbra prætéreunt.
6  Dómine, inclína cælos tuos, et descénde: * tange montes, et fumigábunt.
7  Fúlgura coruscatiónem, et dissipábis eos: * emítte sagíttas tuas, et conturbábis eos.
8  Emítte manum tuam de alto, éripe me, et líbera me de aquis multis: * de manu filiórum alienórum.
9  Quorum os locútum est vanitátem: * et déxtera eórum, déxtera iniquitátis.

Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, * and my fingers to war.
2  My mercy and my refuge, * my support and my deliverer :
3  My defender in whom I trust; * who subdueth my people that is under me.
4  Lord, what is man, that thou are made known unto him? * or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
5  Man is like unto vanity; * his days pass away like a shadow.
6  Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down; * touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
7  Cast forth thy lightning, and thou shalt scatter them; * shoot out thine arrows, and thou shalt afflict them.
8  Send down thine hand from above, deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, * from the hand of strange children.
9  Whose mouth talketh of vanity, * and their right hand is the right hand of wickedness.

Psalmus 143. ii.  Deus, canticum novum

10  Deus, cánticum novum cantábo tibi: * in psaltério, decachórdo psallam tibi.
11  Qui das salútem régibus: * qui redemísti David, servum tuum, de gládio malígno : éripe me.
12  Et érue me de manu filiórum alienórum, quorum os locútum est vanitátem: * et déxtera eórum, déxtera iniquitátis :
13  Quorum fílii, sicut novéllæ plantatiónes * in juventúte sua.
14  Fíliæ eórum compósitæ: * circumornátæ ut similitúdo templi.
15  Promptuária eórum plena: * eructántia ex hoc in illud.
16  Oves eórum fœtósæ, abundántes in egréssibus suis: * boves eórum crassæ.
17  Non est ruína macériæ, neque tránsitus: * neque clamor in platéis eórum.
18  Beátum dixérunt pópulum, cui hæc sunt: * beátus pópulus, cujus Dóminus Deus ejus.

Psalm 143. ii.  Deus, canticum novum

10  I will sing a new song unto thee, O God; * and sing praises unto thee upon the ten-stringed lute.
11  Who hast given salvation unto kings, * and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword, O save thou me.
12  And deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth talketh of vanity, * and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.
13  Whose sons are as new plants * in their youth.
14  Their daughters decked out : * adorned round about like as a temple.
15  Their garners full * bringing forth plenteously.
16  Their sheep fruitful in young, abounding in their goings forth : * their oxen fat.
17  There is no breach of the walls, nor are they breached : *  nor is there crying out in their streets.
18  Blessed are the people called that have these things : * yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.

Psalmus 144. i.  Exaltabo te

Exaltábo te, Deus meus, rex: * et benedícam nómini tuo in sæculum, et in sæculum sæculi.
2  Per síngulos dies benedícam tibi: * et laudábo nomen tuum in sæculum, et in sæculum sæculi.
3  Magnus Dóminus, et laudábilis nimis: * et magnitúdinis ejus non est finis.
4  Generátio et generátio laudábit ópera tua: * et poténtiam tuam pronuntiábunt.
5  Magnificéntiam glóriæ sanctitátis tuæ loquéntur: * et mirabília tua narrábunt.
6  Et virtútem terribílium tuórum dicent: * et magnitúdinem tuam narrábunt.
7  Memóriam abundántiæ suavitátis tuæ eructábunt: * et justítia tua exsultábunt.

Psalm 144. i.  Exaltabo te

I will extol thee, O God, my King; * and I will bless thy Name for ever, yea, for ever and ever.
2  Every day will I bless thee; * and praise thy Name for ever, yea, for ever and ever.
3  Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised; * and of his greatness there is no end.
4  Generation unto generation shall praise thy works, * and declare thy power.
5  They shall be speak of the magnificence of thy glory, * and declare thy wondrous works.
6  And they shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; * and shall tell of thy greatness.
7  They shall shew forth the memorial of thine abundant kindness; * and shall sing of thy righteousness.

Psalmus 144. ii.  Miserator, et misericors

8  Miserátor, et miséricors Dóminus: * pátiens, et multum miséricors.
9  Suávis Dóminus univérsis: * et miseratiónes ejus super ómnia ópera ejus.
10  Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, ómnia ópera tua: * et sancti tui benedícant tibi.
11  Glóriam regni tui dicent: * et poténtiam tuam loquéntur :
12  Ut notam fáciant fíliis hóminum poténtiam tuam: * et glóriam magnificéntiæ regni tui.
13  Regnum tuum regnum ómnium sæculórum: * et dominátio tua in omni generatióne et generatiónem.

Psalm 144. ii.  Miserator, et misericors

8  The Lord is gracious and merciful; * long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy.
9  The Lord is loving unto every man; * and his tender mercies are over all his works.
10  Let all thy works praise thee, O Lord; * and thy saints bless thee.
11  They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, * and shall tell of thy power;
12  That thy power might be known unto men, * yea, the glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom, * .
13  Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, * and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

Psalmus 144. iii.  Fidelis Dominus

14  Fidélis Dóminus in ómnibus verbis suis: * et sanctus in ómnibus opéribus suis.
15  Allevat Dóminus omnes qui córruunt: * et érigit omnes elísos.
16  Oculi ómnium in te sperant, Dómine: * et tu das escam illórum in témpore opportúno.
17  Aperis tu manum tuam: * et imples omne ánimal benedictióne.
18  Justus Dóminus in ómnibus viis suis: * et sanctus in ómnibus opéribus suis.
19  Prope est Dóminus ómnibus invocántibus eum: * ómnibus invocántibus eum in veritáte.
20  Voluntátem timéntium se fáciet: * et deprecatiónem eórum exáudiet: et salvos fáciet eos.
21  Custódit Dóminus omnes diligéntes se: * et omnes peccatóres dispérdet.
22  Laudatiónem Dómini loquétur os meum: * et benedícat omnis caro nómini sancto ejus in sæculum, et in sæculum sæculi.

Psalm 144. iii.  Fidelis Dominus

14  The Lord is faithful in all his words, * and holy in all his works.
15  The Lord upholdeth all such as fall, * and lifteth up all those that are cast down.
16  The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord; * and thou givest them meat in due season.
17  Thou openest thine hand, * and fillest with blessing all living creatures.
18  The Lord is righteous in all his ways, * and holy in all his works.
19  The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him; * yea, all such as call upon him in truth.
20  He will do the will of them that fear him; * he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
21  The Lord preserveth all them that love him; * but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
22  My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; * and let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever, yea, for ever and ever.

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