Prime

[℣. 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. Wisdom has built herself a house, she has prepared her wine, she has laid her table, alleluia. [Prov 9:1–2]

Sung to Adest dies from the feast of St. Dominic.

Psalms 53 (54); 22 (23); 118 (119):1–16, 17–32

[Psalm 53 (54)] Save me, O God, by your name, * and judge me in your strength.

O God, hear my prayer: * give ear to the words of my mouth.

For strangers have risen up against me; and the mighty have sought after my soul: * and they have not set God before their eyes.

For behold God is my helper: * and the Lord is the protector of my soul.

Turn back the evils upon my enemies; * and cut them off in your truth.

I will freely sacrifice to you, * and will give praise, O God, to your name: because it is good:

for you have delivered me out of all trouble: * and my eye has looked down upon my enemies.

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 22 (23)] The Lord rules me: and I shall want nothing. * He has set me in a place of pasture.

He has brought me up, on the water of refreshment: * he has converted my soul.

He has led me on the paths of justice, * for his own name’s sake.

For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, * for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, * they have comforted me.

You have prepared a table before me * against those who afflict me.

You have anointed my head with oil; * and my chalice which inebriates me, how goodly is it!

And your mercy will follow me * all the days of my life.

And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord * unto length of days.

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 118 (119):1–16—Aleph] Blessed are the undefiled in the way, * who walk in the law of the Lord.

Blessed are they who search his testimonies: * that seek him with their whole heart.

For they who work iniquity, * have not walked in his ways.

You have commanded * your commandments to be kept most diligently.

O! that my ways may be directed * to keep your justifications.

Then shall I not be confounded, * when I shall look into all your commandments.

I will praise you with uprightness of heart, * when I shall have learned the judgments of your justice.

I will keep your justifications: * O! do not utterly forsake me.

[Beth] By what does a young man correct his way? * By observing your words.

With my whole heart I have sought after you: * let me not stray from your commandments.

Your words I have hidden in my heart, * that I may not sin against you.

Blessed are you, O Lord: * teach me your justifications.

With my lips * I have pronounced all the judgments of your mouth.

I have been delighted in the way of your testimonies, * as in all riches.

I will meditate on your commandments: * and I will consider your ways.

I will think of your justifications: * I will not forget your words.

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 118 (119):17–32—Ghimel] Give bountifully to your servant, enliven me * and I shall keep your words.

Open my eyes: * and I will consider the wondrous things of your law.

I am a sojourner on the earth: * hide not your commandments from me.

My soul has coveted to long for your justifications, * at all times.

You have rebuked the proud: * they are cursed who decline from your commandments.

Remove from me reproach and contempt: * because I have sought after your testimonies.

For princes sat, and spoke against me: * but your servant was employed in your justifications.

For your testimonies are my meditation: * and your justifications my counsel.

[Daleth] My soul has cleaved to the pavement: * quicken me according to your word.

I have declared my ways, and you have heard me: * teach me your justifications.

Make me to understand the way of your justifications: * and I shall be exercised in your wondrous works.

My soul has slumbered through heaviness: * strengthen me in your words.

Remove from me the way of iniquity: * and out of your law have mercy on me.

I have chosen the way of truth: * your judgments I have not forgotten.

I have stuck to your testimonies, O Lord: * put me not to shame.

I have run the way of your commandments, * when you enlarged my heart.

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

Isaiah 33:2

O Lord, have mercy on us: (Indications for the chapter, responsory, and versicle for the hour of Prime do not appear in BNF 1143 and have thus been supplied from another 13th century manuscript (with later additions): Cambrai, Médiathèque d’agglomération, Ms. 38. This reading (Isaiah 33:2) is the reading indicated by the manuscript; a more common reading for Prime, however, would be 1 Timothy 1:17: regi saeculorum immortali et invisibili, soli Deo honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen. That is: “now to the king of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”) for we have waited for you: be our arm in the morning, and our salvation in the time of trouble.

[℟. Thanks be to God.]

Responsory

℟. Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia. [Cf. Matt 16:16; 9:27]

℣. You sit at the right hand of the Father, alleluia, alleluia. [Cf. Rom 8:34; 1 Pet 3:21–22] Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. * Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia.

Versicle

[Psalm 43 (44):26]

℣. Arise, O Lord, and help us, alleluia.

℟. And deliver us for your name’s sake, alleluia.

Prayer

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

Let us pray. God, who has left us in a wonderful sacrament a memorial of your Passion, grant, we ask, that we may venerate the sacred mystery of your Body and Blood, so that we may always feel in ourselves the fruit of your redemption. Who lives and reigns with God the Father in unity with 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.
℣. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
℟. Amen.]