S. Leonis Papæ et Confessoris

Ant. Behold the great priest, * who in his days pleased God and was found righteous.

Psalm 138(1-13)

138:1 O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me: * (2) you have known my sitting down and my rising up again.
138:3 You have understood my thoughts from afar: * my path and my fate, you have investigated.
138:4 And you have foreseen all my ways: * for there is no word in my tongue.
138:5 Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old: * you have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me.
138:6 Your knowledge has become a wonder to me: * it has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it.
138:7 Where will I go from your Spirit? * and where will I flee from your face?
138:8 If I ascend into heaven, you are there: * if I descend into Hell, you are near.
138:9 If I assume my feathers in early morning, * and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea:
138:10 Even there, your hand will lead me forth: * and your right hand will hold me.
138:11 And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me: * and the night will be my illumination, to my delight.
138:12 But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, † and night will illuminate like the day: * for just as its darkness is, so also is its light.
138:13 For you have possessed my temperament: * you have supported me from the womb of my mother.

℣ 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. Behold the great priest, who in his days pleased God and was found righteous.

Ant. There was none found like him * who kept the law of the Most High.

Psalm 138(14-24)

138:14 I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly: ‡ your works are miraculous, * and my soul knows this exceedingly well.
138:15 My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you: * and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth.
138:16 Your eyes saw my imperfection, † and all this shall be written in your book: * days will be formed, and no one shall be in them.
138:17 But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored: * their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened.
138:18 I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand: * I rose up, and I am still with you.
138:19 O God, if only you would cut down sinners: * you men of blood, depart from me.
138:20 For you say in thought: * They will accept your cities in vain.
138:21 Have I not hated those who hated you, O Lord? * and wasted away because of your enemies?
138:22 I have hated them with a perfect hatred: * and they have become enemies to me.
138:23 Examine me, O God, and know my heart: * question me, and know my paths.
138:24 And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity: * and lead me in the way of eternity.

℣ 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. There was none found like him who kept the law of the Most High.

Ant. Therefore with an oath * the Lord made him increase among his people.

Psalm 139

139:2 Rescue me, O Lord, from the evil man: * rescue me from the iniquitous man.
139:3 Those who have devised iniquities in their hearts: * all day long they constructed conflicts.
139:4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: * the venom of asps is under their lips.
139:5 Preserve me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner: * and rescue me from men of iniquity.
139:5 Those who have decided to supplant my steps: * the arrogant have hidden a snare for me:
139:6 And they have stretched out cords for a snare: * they have placed a stumbling block for me near the road.
139:7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: * O Lord, heed the voice of my supplication.
139:8 Lord, O Lord, the strength of my salvation: * you have overshadowed my head in the day of war.
139:9 O Lord, do not hand me over to the sinner by my desire: * they have plotted against me; do not abandon me, lest they should triumph.
139:10 The head of those who encompass me: * the labor of their lips will overwhelm them.
139:11 Burning coals will fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: * into miseries that they will not be able to withstand.
139:12 A talkative man will not be guided aright upon the earth: * evils will drag the unjust man unto utter ruin.
139:13 I know that the Lord will accomplish justice for the needy: * and vindication for the poor.
139:14 So then, truly, the just will confess your name: * and the upright will dwell with your countenance.

℣ 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. Therefore with an oath the Lord made him increase among his people.

Ant. Priests of God, * bless the Lord: servants of the Lord, sing a hymn to God. Alleluia.

Psalm 140

140:1 O Lord, I have cried out to you, hear me: * attend to my voice, when I cry out to you.
140:2 Let my prayer be guided like incense in your sight: * the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
140:3 O Lord, station a guard over my mouth: * and a door enclosing my lips.
140:4 Do not turn aside my heart to words of malice, * to making excuses for sins.
140:4 With men who work iniquity: * and I will not communicate, even with the best of them.
140:5 The just one will correct me with mercy, and he will rebuke me: * but do not allow the oil of the sinner to fatten my head.
140:6 For my prayer will still be toward their good will: * their judges have been engulfed, joined to the rocks.
140:7 They will hear my words, which have prevailed: * as when the lava of the earth has erupted above ground.
140:8 Our bones have been scattered beside Hell: * for Lord, O Lord, my eyes look to you; in you I have hoped; do not take away my soul.
140:9 Protect me from the snare that they have set up for me: * and from the scandals of those who work iniquity.
140:10 The sinners shall fall into his net: * I am alone until I pass away.

℣ 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. Priests of God, bless the Lord: servants of the Lord, sing a hymn to God. Alleluia.

Ant. Good * and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.

Psalm 141

141:2 With my voice I cried to the Lord: * with my voice I besought the Lord:
141:3 I pour out my prayer before him, * and declare my tribulation in his sight.
141:4 When my spirit failed within me, * even then you knew my paths.
141:4 In this way, where I was walking, * they hid a snare for me.
141:5 I looked to the right, and beheld: * and there was none who would know me.
141:5 Flight perished from me, * and there is none who seeks after my soul.
141:6 I cried to you, O Lord, * I said: You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.
141:7 Attend to my supplication: * for I am brought very low.
141:7 Deliver me from those who persecute me: * for they are too strong for me.
141:8 Bring my soul out of prison to praise your name: * the just await me, until you reward 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. Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.