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.
Hymn
Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with thee to mourn our sins,
And close by thee to stay.
As thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
In thee to conquer sin.
As thirst and hunger thou didst bear,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and daily live
By thy most holy word.
And through these days of penitence,
And through thy Passiontide,
Yea, evermore, in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.
Psalm 5
A morning prayer for help
It is you whom I invoke, O Lord. In the morning you hear me.
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.
It is you whom I invoke, O Lord. In the morning you hear me.
Canticle
1 Chronicles 29
To God alone be honour and glory
Lord our God, we praise the splendour of your name.
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.
Lord our God, we praise the splendour of your name.
Psalm 28 (29)
Praise the word of the Lord
Adore the Lord in his holy court.
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.
Adore the Lord in his holy court.
Short Reading
Jeremiah 11:19-20
©
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.
Short Responsory
It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
– It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
And from the evil word.
– It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– It is he who will free me from the snare of the hunters.
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the darkness: he 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 darkness: he will have the light of life, says the Lord.
Prayers and intercessions
Blessed be Jesus, our Saviour. Through his death he has opened up for us the way of salvation. Let us pray:
– Direct your people, Lord, in the path of true life.
Merciful God, in baptism you gave us a life that is new;
may we ever grow in your likeness.
– Direct your people, Lord, in the path of true life.
Let us bring joy this day to those who are in need;
and draw us nearer to you through the help we give them.
– Direct your people, Lord, in the path of true life.
Help us to do what is right and good;
let us seek you always with all our heart.
– Direct your people, Lord, in the path of true life.
Forgive us for the times we have hurt other people, and failed to preserve the unity of your family;
Lord, have mercy on us.
– Direct your people, Lord, in the path of true life.
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.
Lord God, your abounding grace
has enriched us with every blessing.
Transform us from our sinful condition to newness of life,
and prepare us for the glory of your kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
