Feria quarta infra Hebdomadam III post Octavam PentecostesWednesday within the Third Week after the Octave of Pentecost

℣ O Lord, ✠ open my lips.

℟ And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

℣ O God, ✠ come to my assistance.

℟ 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.

Ant. The great Lord God, * come, let us adore.

Ant. The great Lord God, * come, let us adore.

Come, let us exult in the Lord. Let us shout joyfully to God, our Savior. Let us anticipate his presence with confession, and let us sing joyfully to him with psalms.

Ant. The great Lord God, * come, let us adore.

For the Lord is a great God and a great King over all gods. For the Lord will not drive away his people. For in his hand are all the limits of the earth, and he beholds the heights of the mountains.

Ant. come, let us adore.

For the sea is his, and he made it, and his hands established the dry land. (kneel) Come, let us adore and fall prostrate before God, and let us weep before the Lord who made us. For he is the Lord our God, and we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Ant. The great Lord God, * come, let us adore.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts: as in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted me; they tested and saw my works.

Ant. come, let us adore.

For forty years, I was near to that generation, and I said: These have always strayed in heart. But they have not known my ways. To them I swore in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest.

Ant. The great Lord God, * come, let us adore.

℣ 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. come, let us adore.

Ant. The great Lord God, * come, let us adore.

Who madest all and dost control,

Lord, with thy touch divine,

Cast out the slumbers of the soul,

The rest that is not thine.

Look down, Eternal Holiness,

And wash the sins away,

Of those, who, rising to confess,

Outstrip the lingering day.

Our hearts and hands by night, O Lord,

We lift them in Our need;

As holy Psalmists give the word,

And holy Paul the deed.

Each sin to thee of years gone by,

Each hidden stain lies bare;

We shrink not from thine awful eye,

But pray that thou wouldst spare.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son

And Spirit, God of grace,

To whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place,

Amen.

At the Nocturn

Ant. Fairest in form * above the sons of men, grace has been poured upon your lips.

Psalm 44(2a-10b) [1]

44:2a My heart has uttered a good word. * I speak of my works to the king.

44:2b My tongue is like the pen of a scribe * who writes quickly.

44:3 You are a brilliant form before the sons of men. † Grace has been poured freely into your lips. * Because of this, God has blessed you in eternity.

44:4 Fasten your sword to your thigh, * O most powerful one.

44:5a With your splendor and your excellence * extended, proceed prosperously, and reign

44:5b for the sake of truth and meekness and justice, * and so will your right hand lead you wondrously.

44:6 Your arrows are sharp; the people will fall under you, * with the hearts of the enemies of the king.

44:7 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. * The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of true aim.

44:8 You have loved justice and hated iniquity. * Because of this, God, your God, has anointed you, before your co-heirs, with the oil of gladness.

44:9 Myrrh and balsam and cinnamon perfume your garments, from the houses of ivory. * From these, they have delighted you: (10a) the daughters of kings in your honor.

44:10b The queen assisted at your right hand, in clothing of gold, * encircled with diversity.

℣ 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. Fairest in form above the sons of men, grace has been poured upon your lips.

Ant. The peoples will praise you, * O God, for ever.

Psalm 44(11-18b) [2]

44:11 Listen, daughter, and see, and incline your ear. * And forget your people and your father’s house.

44:12 And the king will desire your beauty. * For he is the Lord your God, and they will adore him.

44:13 And the daughters of Tyre * will entreat your countenance with gifts: all the rich men of the people.

44:14 All the glory of the daughter of its king is inside, * in golden fringes, (15a) clothed all around with diversities.

44:15b After her, virgins will be led to the king. * Her neighbors will be brought to you.

44:16 They will be brought with gladness and exultation. * They will be led into the temple of the king.

44:17 For your fathers, sons have been born to you. * You will establish them as leaders over all the earth.

44:18a They will remember your name always, * for generation after generation.

44:18b Because of this, people will confess to you in eternity, * even forever and ever.

℣ 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. The peoples will praise you, O God, for ever.

Ant. God is our helper * in tribulations.

Psalm 45 [3]

45:2 Our God is our refuge and strength, * a helper in the tribulations that have greatly overwhelmed us.

45:3 Because of this, we will not be afraid when the earth will be turbulent * and the mountains will be transferred into the heart of the sea.

45:4 They thundered, and the waters were stirred up among them; * the mountains have been disturbed by his strength.

45:5 The frenzy of the river rejoices the city of God. * The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle.

45:6 God is in its midst; it will not be shaken. * God will assist it in the early morning.

45:7 The peoples have been disturbed, and the kingdoms have been bowed down. * He uttered his voice: the earth has been moved.

45:8 The Lord of hosts is with us. * The God of Jacob is our supporter.

45:9 Draw near and behold the works of the Lord: what portents he has set upon the earth, * carrying away wars even to the end of the earth.

45:10 He will crush the bow and break the weapons, * and he will burn the shield with fire.

45:11 Be empty, and see that I am God. * I will be exalted among the peoples, and I will be exalted upon the earth.

45:12 The Lord of hosts is with us. * The God of Jacob is our supporter.

℣ 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. God is our helper in tribulations.

Ant. Great is the Lord * and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.

Psalm 47 [4]

47:2 The Lord is great and exceedingly praiseworthy, * in the city of our God, on his holy mountain.

47:3 Mount Zion is being founded with the exultation of the whole earth, * on the north side, the city of the great king.

47:4 In her houses, God will be known, * since he will support her.

47:5 For behold, the kings of the earth have been gathered together; * they have convened as one.

47:6 Such did they see, and they were astonished: they were disturbed, they were moved. * Trembling took hold of them.

47:7 In that place, their pains were that of a woman in labor. * With a vehement spirit, you will crush the ships of Tarshish.

47:9 As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God. * God has founded it in eternity.

47:10 We have received your mercy, O God, * in the midst of your temple.

47:11 According to your name, O God, so does your praise reach to the ends of the earth. * Your right hand is full of justice.

47:12 Let mount Zion rejoice, and let the daughters of Judah exult, * because of your judgments, O Lord.

47:13 Encircle Zion and embrace her. * Discourse in her towers.

47:14 Set your hearts on her virtue. * And distribute her houses, so that you may discourse of it in another generation.

47:15 For this is God, our God, in eternity and forever and ever. * He will rule us forever.

℣ 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. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God.

Ant. My mouth will speak * wisdom: and the meditation of my heart, understanding.

Psalm 48(2-13) [5]

48:2 Hear these things, all nations. * Pay attention, all inhabitants of the world:

48:3 whoever is earth-born, you sons of men, * together as one, the rich and the poor.

48:4 My mouth will speak wisdom, * and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence.

48:5 I will incline my ear to a parable. * I will open my case with the psaltery.

48:6 Why should I fear in the evil day? * The iniquity at my heel will surround me.

48:7 Those who trust in their own strength * and who glory in the multitude of their riches,

48:8 no brother redeems, nor will man buy back. * He will not give to God his appeasement,

48:9 nor the price for the redemption of his soul. * And he will labor continuously, and he will still live, until the end.

48:11 He will not see death, when he sees the wise dying: * the foolish and the senseless will perish together.

48:11 And they will leave their riches to strangers. * And their sepulchers will be their houses forever,

48:12 their tabernacles from generation to generation. * They have called their names in their own lands.

48:13 And man, when he was held in honor, did not understand. * He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them.

℣ 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. My mouth will speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart, understanding.

Ant. Do not fear: * his glory will not descend into the tomb with the rich man.

Psalm 48(14-21) [6]

48:14 This way of theirs is a scandal to them. * And afterwards, they will delight in their mouth.

48:15 They have been placed in Hell like sheep. * Death will feed on them.

48:15 And the just will have dominion over them in the morning. * And their help will grow old in Hell for their glory.

48:16 Even so, truly God will redeem my soul from the hand of Hell, * when he will receive me.

48:17 Do not be afraid, when a man will have been made rich, * and when the glory of his house will have been multiplied.

48:18 For when he dies, he will take nothing away, * and his glory will not descend with him.

48:19 For his soul will be blessed in his lifetime, * and he will admit to you when you do good to him.

48:20 He will even enter with the progeny of his fathers, * but, even in eternity, he will not see the light.

48:21 Man, when he was in honor, did not understand. * He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them.

℣ 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. Do not fear: his glory will not descend into the tomb with the rich man.

Ant. God of gods, * the Lord has spoken.

Psalm 49(1-15) [7]

49:1 The God of gods, the Lord has spoken, * and he has called the earth,

49:1 from the rising of the sun even to its setting, * from Zion, the brilliance of his beauty.

49:3 God will arrive manifestly. * Our God also will not keep silence.

49:3 A fire will flare up in his sight, * and a mighty tempest will surround him.

49:4 He will call to heaven from above, * and to the earth, to discern his people.

49:5 Gather his holy ones to him, * you who order his covenant above sacrifices.

49:6 And the heavens will announce his justice. * For God is the judge.

49:7 Listen, my people, and I will speak. Listen, Israel, and I will testify for you. * I am God, your God.

49:8 I will not reprove you for your sacrifices. * Moreover, your holocausts are ever in my sight.

49:9 I will not accept calves from your house, * nor he-goats from your flocks.

49:10 For all the wild beasts of the forest are mine: * the cattle on the hills and the oxen.

49:11 I know all the flying things of the air, * and the beauty of the field is with me.

49:12 If I should be hungry, I would not tell you: * for the whole world is mine, and all its plentitude.

49:13 Shall I gnaw on the flesh of bulls? * Or would I drink the blood of goats?

49:14 Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, * and pay your vows to the Most High.

49:15 And call upon me in the day of tribulation. * I will rescue you, and you will honor 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.

Ant. God of gods, the Lord has spoken.

Ant. Understand, * you who forget God.

Psalm 49(16-23) [8]

49:16 But to the sinner, God has said: * Why do you discourse on my justices, and take up my covenant through your mouth?

49:17 Truly, you have hated discipline, * and you have cast my sermons behind you.

49:18 If you saw a thief, you ran with him, * and you have placed your portion with adulterers.

49:19 Your mouth has abounded with malice, * and your tongue has concocted deceits.

49:20 Sitting, you spoke against your brother, and you set up a scandal against your mother’s son. * These things you have done, and I was silent.

49:21 You thought, unjustly, that I ought to be like you. * But I will reprove you, and I will set myself against your face.

49:22 Understand these things, you who forget God; * lest at any time, he might quickly take you away, and there would be no one to rescue you.

49:23 The sacrifice of praise will honor me. * And in that place is the journey by which I will reveal to him the salvation of God.

℣ 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. Understand, you who forget God.

Ant. You will accept a sacrifice * of justice upon your altar, O Lord.

Psalm 50 [9]

50:3a Be merciful to me, O God, * according to your great mercy.

50:3b And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, * wipe out my iniquity.

50:4 Wash me once again from my iniquity, * and cleanse me from my sin.

50:5 For I know my iniquity, * and my sin is ever before me.

50:6 Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. * And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment.

50:7 For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, * and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me.

50:8 For behold, you have loved truth. * The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me.

50:9 You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. * You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.

50:10 In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. * And the bones that have been humbled will exult.

50:11 Turn your face away from my sins, * and erase all my iniquities.

50:12 Create a clean heart in me, O God. * And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being.

50:13 Do not cast me away from your face; * and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

50:14 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, * and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit.

50:15 I will teach the unjust your ways, * and the impious will be converted to you.

50:16 Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, * and my tongue will extol your justice.

50:17 O Lord, you will open my lips, * and my mouth will announce your praise.

50:18 For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, * but with holocausts, you will not be delighted.

50:19 A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. * A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.

50:20 Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, * so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

50:21 Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. * Then they will lay calves 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.

Ant. You will accept a sacrifice of justice upon your altar, O Lord.

℣ You will give to my hearing joy and gladness.

℟ And the humbled bones will rejoice.

The Our Father is said silently as far as And lead us not into temptation:

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 also forgive those who trespass against us:

℣ And lead us not into temptation:

℟ But deliver us from evil.

Absolution. May the almighty and merciful Lord absolve us from the bonds of our sins.

℟ Amen.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benediction. May he bless us who lives and reigns without end.

℟ Amen.

Lesson 1

From the First Book of Kings

1 Reg 13:1-4

1 When he began to reign, Saul was the son of one year, and he reigned over Israel for two years.

2 And Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and at mount Bethel. Then one thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But the remainder of the people, he sent back, each one to his own tent.

3 And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines, which was in Gibeah. And when the Philistines had heard about it, Saul sounded the trumpet over all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews listen.”

4 And all of Israel heard this report, that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines. And Israel raised himself up against the Philistines. Then the people cried out to Saul at Gilgal.

℣ But you, O Lord, have mercy on us.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℟ I have sinned beyond the number of the sands of the sea, and my sins have been multiplied; and I am not worthy to look up to the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquity, for I have provoked your anger,

* And have done evil before you.

℣ For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my transgression is ever before me; because against you only have I sinned.

℟ And have done evil before you.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benediction. May the divine assistance remain always with us.

℟ Amen.

Lesson 2

1 Reg 13:5-8

5 And the Philistines gathered to do battle against Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and the remainder of the common people, who were very many, like the sand that is on the shore of the sea. And ascending, they encamped at Michmash, toward the east of Bethaven.

6 And when the men of Israel had seen themselves to be in a narrowed position, they hid themselves in caves, and in out of the way places, and in rocks, and in hollows, and in pits (for the people were distressed).

7 Then some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan, into the land of Gad and Gilead. And while Saul was still at Gilgal, the entire people who followed him were terrified.

8 But he waited for seven days, in accord with what was agreed with Samuel. But Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, for the people were scattering away from him.

℣ But you, O Lord, have mercy on us.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℟ You have heard, O Lord, the prayer of your servant, that I should build a temple for your name:

* Bless and sanctify this house for evermore, O God of Israel.

℣ O Lord, who keep your covenant with your servants who walk before you with their whole heart.

℟ Bless and sanctify this house for evermore, O God of Israel.

℣ Grant a blessing, O Lord.

Benediction. May the King of Angels lead us to the company of the citizens on high.

℟ Amen.

Lesson 3

1 Reg 13:9-14

9 Therefore, Saul said, “Bring me the holocaust and the peace offerings.” And he offered the holocaust.

10 And when he had completed the offering of the holocaust, behold, Samuel arrived. And Saul went out to meet him, so that he might greet him.

11 And Samuel said to him, “What have you done?” Saul responded: “Since I saw that the people were scattering away from me, and you had not arrived after the agreed upon days, and yet the Philistines had gathered together at Michmash,

12 I said: ‘Now the Philistines will descend to me at Gilgal. And I have not appeased the face of the Lord.’ Compelled by necessity, I offered the holocaust.

13 And Samuel said to Saul: “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandments of the Lord your God, which he instructed to you. And if you had not acted in this way, the Lord would, here and now, have prepared your kingdom over Israel forever.

14 But by no means shall your kingdom rise up any more. The Lord has sought for himself a man according to his own heart. And him the Lord has instructed to be the leader over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord has instructed.”

℣ But you, O Lord, have mercy on us.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℟ Hear, O Lord, the hymn and prayer which your servant prays before you this day, that your eyes may be open, and your ears attentive,

* Over this house day and night.

℣ Look down, O Lord, from your sanctuary, and from the high dwelling place of the heavens.

℟ Over this house day and night.

℣ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.

℟ Over this house day and night.

The rest is omitted unless Lauds is said separately.

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come before you.

Let us pray.

O God, protector of those who hope in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: multiply your mercy upon us, that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through temporal good things as not to lose the eternal.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son: who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

℟ Amen.

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come before you.

℣ Let us bless the Lord.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℣ May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

℟ Amen.