Morning Prayer (Lauds)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
A suitable hymn may be inserted here.
Psalm 5
A morning prayer for help |
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As I make my prayer to you, Lord, listen to my voice in the morning.
Let my words come to your ears, O Lord:
hear my sighs.
Listen to the voice of my crying,
my King and my God.
As I make my prayer to you,
Lord, listen to my voice in the morning;
in the morning I will stand before you and await you.
You are not a God who loves evil.
The wicked cannot stay near you,
the unjust cannot remain in your presence.
You hate all who do evil –
you destroy all who speak falsehood –
the Lord abominates the bloody and deceitful man.
But in the abundance of your mercy you will admit me to your house:
I will worship you in your holy temple, with fear and reverence.
Lord, guide me in your justice, protect me from my enemies:
let me see the path I must follow.
For there is no truth in their mouth – their heart is a bottomless pit –
their throat is a wide open grave – their tongue seduces.
Punish them, Lord,
and let their own plans destroy them.
On account of their crimes, thrust them from your presence;
for they are rebels against you.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, triumph for ever.
You will shelter them and they will glory in you.
For you bless the just, O Lord,
and your good will surrounds them like a shield.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
As I make my prayer to you, Lord, listen to my voice in the morning.
| To God alone be honour and glory |
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We praise your glorious name, O God, our God.
Blessed are you, Lord, God of our father Israel,
through all the ages.
All power and greatness are yours, O God;
glory, splendour, and majesty.
All things are yours, in the heavens and on the earth;
you rule over them, Lord, you are high above them all.
All riches and glory come from you,
you rule over all things.
In your hand lie strength and power,
your hand raises all things and sets them firm.
So now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
We praise your glorious name, O God, our God.
Psalm 28 (29)
Praise the word of the Lord |
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Worship the Lord in his holy courts.
Give to the Lord, all his children,
his glory and power,
give to the Lord the glory of his name.
Worship the Lord in holy splendour.
The voice of the Lord is heard over the waters:
the God of majesty thunders,
God above all the waters.
The voice of the Lord in his power,
the voice of the Lord in his greatness.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
the Lord breaks down the cedars of Lebanon.
The Lord makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a wild ox.
The voice of the Lord cuts flames in two;
the voice of the Lord beats on the desert,
the Lord stuns the desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord puts the deer to flight,
it empties the thickets;
in his sanctuary, all praise his glory.
The Lord dwells above the raging flood,
he is enthroned as king for ever.
The Lord will give strength to his people,
the Lord will bless his people with peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Worship the Lord in his holy courts.
| Short reading | Jeremiah 11:19-20 © |
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I was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughter-house, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten!’ But you, Lord of Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence, who probe the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.
He himself will free me from the hunter’s snare.
– He himself will free me from the hunter’s snare.
And from evil slander.
– He himself will free me from the hunter’s snare.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– He himself will free me from the hunter’s snare.
| The Messiah and his forerunner |
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‘Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life,’ says the Lord.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation
in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones,
his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies
and all who hate us,
to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant
and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us,
that we could serve him without fear
– freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him,
for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High:
for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation,
so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God,
one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness,
who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
‘Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life,’ says the Lord.
| Prayers and Intercessions | |
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Blessed be Jesus our saviour, who by his death has opened for us the path to salvation. Let us pray:
– Lord, guide your people on the straight path.
Merciful God, in baptism you gave us new life:
day by day may we become more like you.
– Lord, guide your people on the straight path.
Give us the gift today of giving joy to the poor by our gifts:
in helping them, may we find you.
– Lord, guide your people on the straight path.
May we do what is good, right and true in your sight:
may we seek you always with all our heart.
– Lord, guide your people on the straight path.
Whatever disunity we have brought to your family, forgive it, kind Lord:
make us one heart and one spirit together.
– Lord, guide your people on the straight path.
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
O God, your inexhaustible grace enriches us with every blessing.
Give us the gift of abandoning our old life and becoming new,
to be ready for the glory of your heavenly kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
A M E N
The psalms and canticles here are our own translation. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The downloadable versions of Universalis do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.
