Diei VII infra Octavam Nativitatis

Ant. Whom did you see, * O shepherds? Speak, tell us, who has appeared on earth? We saw the newborn, and the choirs of Angels praising the Lord together, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 149

149:1 Sing to the Lord a new song: * his praise in the assembly of the saints.
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him who made him: * and let the children of Sion exult in their king.
149:3 Let them praise his name in the choir: * let them sing psalms to him with timbrel and harp:
149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people: * and will exalt the meek unto salvation.
149:5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: * they shall be joyful in their beds.
149:6 The high praises of God in their throats: * and two-edged swords in their hands.
149:7 To execute vengeance upon the nations: * chastisements upon the peoples.
149:8 To bind their kings in chains: * and their nobles in fetters of iron.
149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: * this glory is for all his saints.

℣ 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. Whom did you see, O shepherds? Speak, tell us, who has appeared on earth? We saw the newborn, and the choirs of Angels praising the Lord together, alleluia, alleluia.

Ant. The mother in childbirth bore * the King, whose name is eternal, and has the joys of motherhood together with the honor of virginity: none before her was seen to be her equal, nor shall she have one to follow, alleluia.

Psalm 91

91:2 It is good to confess to the Lord: * and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
91:3 To announce your mercy in the morning: * and your truth throughout the night.
91:4 Upon the ten strings, upon the psaltery: * with a canticle, upon stringed instruments.
91:5 For you, O Lord, have delighted me with your doings: * and I will exult in the works of your hands.
91:6 How great are your works, O Lord! * your thoughts have been made exceedingly deep.
91:7 A foolish man will not know these things: * and a senseless one will not understand them.
91:8 When sinners will have risen up like grass, * and when all those who work iniquity will have appeared:
91:9 That they shall pass away, age after age: * but you, O Lord, are the Most High for all eternity.
91:10 For behold your enemies, O Lord, for behold your enemies will perish: * and all those who work iniquity will be dispersed.
91:11 And my horn will be exalted like that of the single-horned beast: * and my old age in fruitful mercy.
91:12 And my eye has looked down upon my enemies: * and my ear will hear of the malignant rising up against me.
91:13 The just one will flourish like the palm tree: * he will be multiplied like the cedar of Lebanon.
91:14 Those planted in the house of the Lord * will flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
91:15 They will still be multiplied in a fruitful old age: * and they will endure well, so that they may announce:
91:16 That the Lord our God is righteous: * and that there is no iniquity in him.

℣ 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 mother in childbirth bore the King, whose name is eternal, and has the joys of motherhood together with the honor of virginity: none before her was seen to be her equal, nor shall she have one to follow, alleluia.

Ant. The Angel said to the shepherds: * I announce to you a great joy: for today there is born to you a Savior of the world, alleluia.

Psalm 63

63:2 Hear, O God, my prayer of supplication: * rescue my soul from the fear of the enemy.
63:3 You have protected me from the assembly of the malignant: * from a multitude of workers of iniquity.
63:4 For they have sharpened their tongues like a sword: * they have formed their bow into a bitter thing, so that they may shoot arrows from hiding at the immaculate.
63:6 They will suddenly shoot arrows at him, and they will not be afraid: * they are resolute in their wicked talk.
63:6 They have spoken so as to hide snares: * they said: Who will see them?
63:7 They have been searching carefully for iniquities: * their exhaustive search has failed.
63:7 Man will approach with a deep heart: * and God will be exalted.
63:8 The arrows of the little ones have become their wounds: * and their tongues have been weakened against them.
63:9 All those who saw them have been troubled: * and every man was afraid.
63:10 And they announced the works of God, * and they understood his acts.
63:11 The just will rejoice in the Lord, and they will hope in him, * and all the upright of heart will be praised.

℣ 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 Angel said to the shepherds: I announce to you a great joy: for today there is born to you a Savior of the world, alleluia.

Ant. With the Angel there was * a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will, alleluia.

Canticle of Sirach

Sir 36:1-16

36:1 Have mercy on us, O God of all, and look with favor on us, * and show us the light of your compassion.
36:2 And send your fear upon the nations, * who have not sought you,
36:3 that they may acknowledge that there is no God except you, * and may declare your great deeds.
36:4 Lift up your hand over foreign nations, * that they may see your power.
36:5 For just as, in their sight, you have been sanctified in us, * so also, in our sight, you will be magnified in them,
36:6 that they may know you, as we also have known you, * for there is no God apart from you, O Lord.
36:7 Renew your signs, and work new wonders. * Glorify your hand and your right arm.
36:8 Stir up your fury, and pour out your wrath. * Take away our adversary, and afflict our enemy.
36:9 Hasten the time, and remember the end, * that they may declare your wonders.
36:10 Let those who escape be devoured by the wrath of fire; * and let those who harass your people find perdition.
36:11 Crush the head of the leaders of the enemies, * who say: There is no other beside us.
36:12 Gather together all the tribes of Jacob, that they may acknowledge that there is no God except you, * and may declare your great deeds;
36:13 and you will make them your inheritance, * as from the beginning.
36:14 Take pity on your people, over whom your name has been invoked, * and on Israel, whom you have treated as your firstborn.
36:15 Take pity on Jerusalem, the city of your sanctification, * the city of your rest.
36:16 Fill Zion with your ineffable words, * and fill your people with your glory.

℣ 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. With the Angel there was a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will, alleluia.

Ant. A little Child * is born to us today: and he shall be called the mighty God, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 150

150:1 Praise the Lord in his holy places: * praise him in the firmament of his power.
150:2 Praise him for his mighty deeds: * praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
150:3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: * praise him with psaltery and harp.
150:4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: * praise him with strings and pipe.
150:5 Praise him with well-sounding cymbals: † praise him with cymbals of jubilation: * (6) let every spirit praise the Lord.

℣ 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. A little Child is born to us today: and he shall be called the mighty God, alleluia, alleluia.