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Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

INTRODUCTION

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

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. Alleluia.

Hymn

Who are these like stars appearing,

these, before God’s throne who stand?

Each a golden crown is wearing;

who are all this glorious band?

Alleluia! Hark, they sing,

praising loud their heavenly King.

Who are these of dazzling brightness,

clothed in God’s own righteousness?

These, whose robes of purest whiteness,

shall their lustre still possess,

still untouched by time’s rude hand?

Whence came all this glorious band?

These are they who have contended

for their Saviour’s honour long,

wrestling on till life was ended,

following not the sinful throng;

these who well the fight sustained,

triumph through the Lamb have gained.

These are they whose hearts were riven,

sore with woe and anguish tried,

who in prayer full oft have striven

with the God they glorified;

now, their painful conflict o’er,

God has bid them weep no more.

These, the Almighty contemplating,

did as priests before him stand,

soul and body always waiting

day and night at his command:

now in God’s most holy place

blest they stand before his face.

Psalm 50 (51)
God, have mercy on me

O God, you will not spurn a humbled, contrite heart.

Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;

in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.

Wash me ever more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know how guilty I am:

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned,

and I have done evil in your sight.

Know this, so that you may give just sentence

and an unbiased judgement.

See, I was conceived in guilt,

in sin my mother conceived me;

but you love truth in the heart,

and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;

you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;

the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins

and wipe out all my transgressions;

create a pure heart in me, God,

put a steadfast spirit into me.

Do not send me away from your presence,

or withdraw your holy spirit from me;

give me again the joy of your salvation,

and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.

I will teach the unjust your ways,

and the impious will return to you.

Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,

and my voice will glory in your justice.

Open my lips, Lord,

and my mouth will proclaim your praise;

for you do not delight in sacrifices:

if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.

The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:

a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.

Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,

so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,

Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;

then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.

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.

O God, you will not spurn a humbled, contrite heart.

How to listen

Canticle	Habakkuk 3

The Lord will appear in judgement

In spite of your anger, Lord, have compassion.

Lord, I heard what you gave me to hear,

and I was struck with awe of your work.

In the midst of the years, bring it to life;

in the midst of the years you will make it known.

When you are angry, you will remember your mercy.

God will come from Theman,

the holy one from the mountain of Pharan.

His glory has covered the heavens

and the earth is full of his praise.

His brightness shall be like light itself,

rays shining from his hands –

there is his strength hidden.

You went forth for the salvation of the people,

for salvation with your anointed one.

You made a way through the sea for your horses,

in the silt of many waters.

I have heard you, Lord,

and my stomach churns within me;

at the sound of your voice my lips tremble.

My bones rot away, my steps stumble.

I will rest and be quiet on the day of tribulation

and let it overtake those who have invaded us.

For the fig will not flower,

the vines will not fruit,

the work of the olive will be lost.

The fields will yield no food,

the flocks will be cut off from the sheepfold,

there will be no cattle in the stalls.

But I will rejoice in the Lord, take joy in God my saviour.

The Lord God is my strength.

He will make me as sure-footed as the deer.

He will lead me up to the heights.

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.

In spite of your anger, Lord, have compassion.

Psalm 147 (147B)
God, the foundation of Jerusalem

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem.†

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem

— Zion, praise your God.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,

he has blessed your children.

He keeps your borders in peace,

he fills you with the richest wheat.

He sends out his command over the earth,

and swiftly runs his word.

He sends down snow that is like wool,

frost that is like ashes.

He sends hailstones like crumbs

— who can withstand his cold?

He will send out his word, and all will be melted;

his spirit will breathe, and the waters will flow.

He proclaims his word to Jacob,

his laws and judgements to Israel.

He has not done this for other nations:

he has not shown them his judgements.

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.

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Scripture Reading	Wisdom 7:13-14

What I learned without self-interest, I pass on without reserve; I do not intend to hide her riches. For she is an inexhaustible treasure to men, and those who acquire her win God’s friendship, commended as they are to him by the benefits of her teaching.

Short Responsory

The people tell about the wisdom of the saints.

– The people tell about the wisdom of the saints.

The Church sings their praises.

– The people tell about the wisdom of the saints.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– The people tell about the wisdom of the saints.

Canticle	Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue will shine like stars for all eternity.

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.

The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue will shine like stars for all eternity.

Prayers and intercessions

Christ, the good shepherd, laid down his life for his sheep. Let us praise him with grateful hearts, as we pray: