Compline

Short reading (1 Pet 5:8–9)

Brothers: be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, strong in faith.

℣. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us. ℟. Thanks be to God.

℣. Our help is in the name of the Lord,
℟. Who made heaven and earth.

Our Father, etc.
I confess, etc.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of our sins. Amen.

℣. Turn us then, O God, our savior:
℟. And let your anger cease from us.

℣. O God, come to my assistance;
℟. 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. Alleluia.]

Antiphon. Savior, have mercy on those singing the salubrious mystery of holy Zion, and to those standing by; give favor to your devoted ones and grant that it may profit the souls of all people. (Another 13th century manuscript (Cambrai, Médiathèque d’agglomération, Ms. 38) instead indicates the first antiphon of the fourth nocturn: memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum misericors et miserator Dominus, escam se dedit timentibus se, alleluia, “he has made a memorial of his wonderful works, the gracious and merciful Lord; he himself has given food to those who fear him, alleluia.”)

Psalms 4, 30 (31), 90 (91), & 133 (134)

[Psalm 4] When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: * when I was in distress, you have enlarged me.

Have mercy on me: * and hear my prayer.

O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? * why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?

Know also that the Lord has made his holy one wonderful: * the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.

Be angry, and sin not: * the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: * many say, who shows us good things?

The light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us: * you have given gladness in my heart.

By the fruit of their corn, their wine and oil, * they are multiplied.

In peace in the selfsame * I will sleep, and I will rest:

for you, O Lord, singularly * have settled me in hope.

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.

[Psalm 30:2–6 (31:1–5)] In you, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be confounded: * deliver me in your justice.

Bow down your ear to me: * make haste to deliver me.

Be unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, * to save me.

For you are my strength and my refuge; * and for your name’s sake you will lead me, and nourish me.

You will bring me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me: * for you are my protector.

Into your hands I commend my spirit: * you have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.

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.

[Psalm 90 (91)] He who dwells in the aid of the most High, * shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.

He shall say to the Lord: you are my protector, and my refuge: * my God, in him will I trust.

For he has delivered me from the snare of the hunters: * and from the sharp word.

He will overshadow you with his shoulders: * and under his wings you shall trust.

His truth shall compass you with a shield: * you shall not be afraid of the terror of the night.

Of the arrow that flies in the day, of the business that walks about in the dark: * of invasion, or of the noonday devil.

A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand: * but it shall not come near you.

But you shall consider with your eyes: * and shall see the reward of the wicked.

Because you, O Lord, are my hope: * you have made the most High your refuge.

There shall no evil come to you: * nor shall the scourge come near your dwelling.

For he has given his angels charge over you; * to keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up: * lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall walk upon the asp and the basilisk: * and you shall trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: * I will protect him because he has known my name.

He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: * I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.

I will fill him with length of days; * and I will show him my salvation.

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.

[Psalm 133 (134)] Behold now, bless the Lord, * all you servants of the Lord:

Who stand in the house of the Lord, * in the courts of the house of our God.

In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, * and bless the Lord.

May the Lord out of Zion bless you, * he who made heaven and earth.

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. * ℟. Ant.

Chapter Responsory Verse

[Jeremiah 14:9]

[But you, O Lord, are among us, and your name is called upon by us: forsake us not, O Lord our God.
℟. Thanks be to God.

℟. Into your hands, O Lord, * do I commend my spirit.
℟. Into your hands, O Lord, * do I commend my spirit.
℣. For you have redeemed us, O Lord, God of truth.
℟. I commend my spirit.
Glory be, etc.
℟. Into your hands, O Lord, * do I commend my spirit.]

Hymn

Before the ending of the day, (Cambrai, Médiathèque d’agglomération, Ms. 38, indicates Verbum Supernum for the hymn for compline.)
Creator of the world, we pray
That with your wonted favor thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.

• From all ill dreams defend our eyes,
  From nightly fears and fantasies;
  Tread under foot our ghostly foe,
  That no pollution we may know.
• All honor, laud, and glory be,
  O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee;
  Whom with the Father we adore,
  And Holy Spirit, for evermore.
  Amen.
• Versicle

[Psalm 16 (17):8]

℣. Keep us, Lord, as the apple of thine eye. ℟. Protect us under the shadow of your wings.

Nunc dimittis

Luke 2:29–32

Antiphon for the Nunc dimittis. O wonderful mystery, one consumes the Lord. The highest meal of eternal salvation has been obtained. Through it the poor man becomes rich in all good things. Holy Jesus, sweet Jesus Christ, strong and good shepherd, you who know all things and prevail, who thus nourishes mortals here, make us live with you. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Cambrai, Médiathèque d’agglomération, Ms. 38, instead indicates the second antiphon of the fourth nocturn below: memoria mea in generatione saeculorum: qui edunt me adhuc esurient, et qui bibunt me adhuc sitient, alleluia; “he has made a memorial of his wonderful works, the gracious and merciful Lord. He himself has given food to those who fear him, alleluia.”)

Now you shall dismiss your servant, O Lord, * according to your word in peace;

because my eyes have seen * your salvation,

which you have prepared * before the face of all peoples:

a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, * and the glory of your people Israel.

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. * ℟. Ant.

Prayer

[℣. O Lord, hear my prayer. ℟. And let my cry come unto you.]

Let us pray. God, who refreshes us in this mortal life with celestial bread, grant, we ask that we may always praise the vision of him in eternal glory. Who lives and reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

[℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto you.
℣. Let us bless the Lord.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Benediction. May the almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us.
℟. Amen.

Final Antiphon of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping In this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

℣. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O almighty, everlasting God, who by the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, did prepare the body and soul of Mary, glorious Virgin and Mother, to become a worthy dwelling for your Son; grant that we who rejoice in her commemoration may, by her gracious intercession, be delivered from present evils and from everlasting death. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

℣. May the divine assistance remain with us always.
℟. Amen.]