Morning Prayer (Lauds)
If you have already recited the Invitatory Psalm today, you should use the alternative opening.
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
| Invitatory Psalm | Psalm 23 (24) |
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Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.
– Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.*
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all who live in it.
He himself founded it upon the seas
and set it firm over the waters.
– Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.*
Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who will stand in his holy place?
The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,
who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.
He will receive the blessing of the Lord
and be justified by God his saviour.
This is the way of those who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
– Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.*
Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of might and power.
The Lord, strong in battle.
– Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.*
Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of hosts
– he is the king of glory.
– Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.*
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.
– Come, let us worship Jesus Christ, the King of kings.*
* If you are reciting this on your own, you can choose to say the antiphon once only at the start of the psalm and not repeat it.
A suitable hymn may be inserted here.
Psalm 62 (63)
Thirsting for God |
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Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Alleluia.
O God, you are my God, I watch for you from the dawn.
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you.
I came to your sanctuary,
as one in a parched and waterless land,
so that I could see your might and your glory.
My lips will praise you, for your mercy is better than life itself.
Thus I will bless you throughout my life,
and raise my hands in prayer to your name;
my soul will be filled as if by rich food,
and my mouth will sing your praises and rejoice.
I will remember you as I lie in bed,
I will think of you in the morning,
for you have been my helper,
and I will take joy in the protection of your wings.
My soul clings to you; your right hand raises me up.
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.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Alleluia.
| All creatures, bless the Lord |
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Let us sing a hymn to our God. Alleluia.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens;
all his angels, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens;
all his powers, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon;
all stars of the sky, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew;
all you winds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat;
cold and warmth, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, dew and frost;
ice and cold, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, ice and snow;
day and night, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness;
lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, all the earth,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;
all growing things, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;
springs and fountains, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, whales and fish;
birds of the air, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame;
sons of men, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O Israel,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, his priests;
all his servants, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the just;
all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him for ever.
Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
praise and exalt them for ever.
Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven,
praise and glorify him for ever.
Let us sing a hymn to our God. Alleluia.
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice |
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Praise the Lord for all his greatness. Alleluia.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
and the sons of Zion delight in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
sing to him with timbrel and lyre,
for the Lord’s favour is upon his people,
and he will honour the humble with victory.
Let the faithful celebrate his glory,
rejoice even in their beds,
the praise of God in their throats;
and swords ready in their hands,
to exact vengeance upon the nations,
impose punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings in fetters
and their nobles in manacles of iron,
to carry out the sentence that has been passed:
this is the glory prepared for all his faithful.
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.
Praise the Lord for all his greatness. Alleluia.
| Short reading | Ephesians 4:15-16 © |
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If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.
Let your saints, O Lord, tell the glory of your kingdom.
– Let your saints, O Lord, tell the glory of your kingdom.
Let them speak of your power.
– Let your saints, O Lord, tell the glory of your kingdom.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Let your saints, O Lord, tell the glory of your kingdom.
| The Messiah and his forerunner |
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He is the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth, and he has made us a line of kings for his God and Father
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.
He is the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth, and he has made us a line of kings for his God and Father
| Prayers and Intercessions | |
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Let us give thanks to our Saviour who came down into this world as God in our midst. Let us cry out to him:
– Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy!
Christ our Lord, you are the light dawning from on high, the first-fruits of the resurrection that is to come:
may we not remain in shadow but follow you and walk in the light of true life.
– Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy!
Make us perceive your goodness in every created thing,
so that we see your glory wherever we look.
– Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy!
Lord, do not let evil defeat us today,
but may we, armed with goodness, defeat evil ourselves.
– Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy!
You were baptized in Jordan and anointed with the Holy Spirit:
make us give thanks to that same Spirit today.
– Christ, king of glory, be our light and our joy!
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.
A concluding prayer may follow here.
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.
A M E N
