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Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If you have already recited the Invitatory Psalm today, you should use the alternative opening.

Lord, open our lips.

And we shall praise your name.

Invitatory Psalm	Psalm 23 (24)

Christ the Lord was tempted and suffered for us. Come, let us adore him.

Or: O that today you would listen to his voice: harden not your hearts.

(repeat antiphon*)

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

the world and all who live in it.

He himself founded it upon the seas

and set it firm over the waters.

(repeat antiphon*)

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who will stand in his holy place?

The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,

who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.

He will receive the blessing of the Lord

and be justified by God his saviour.

This is the way of those who seek him,

seek the face of the God of Jacob.

(repeat antiphon*)

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of might and power.

The Lord, strong in battle.

(repeat antiphon*)

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of hosts

– he is the king of glory.

(repeat antiphon*)

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.

(repeat antiphon*)

* If you are reciting this on your own, you can choose to say the antiphon once only at the start of the psalm and not repeat it.

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 86 (87)
Jerusalem, mother of all nations

Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.

Its foundations are set on the sacred mountains –

the Lord loves the gates of Zion

more than all the tents of Jacob.

Glorious things are said of you, city of God!

I shall count Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.

The Philistines, Tyrians, Ethiopians –

all have their birthplace here.

Of Zion it will be said “Here is the birthplace of all people:

the Most High himself has set it firm.”

The Lord shall write in the book of the nations:

“Here is their birthplace.”

They will sing as in joyful processions:

“All my being springs from you.”

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.

Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.

How to listen

Canticle	Isaiah 40

The good shepherd is God, the Most High

The Lord is coming in power: the prize of his victory is with him.

Behold, the Lord God comes in strength, and his right arm triumphs.

Behold, his reward is with him, his prize is before him.

Like a shepherd he feeds his flock,

he gathers the lambs in his arms and lifts them to his breast;

he carries the pregnant ewes.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand

and arranged the heavens with his palms?

Who has measured the dust of the earth,

weighed out the mountains,

weighed the hills on the balance?

Who directed the spirit of the Lord?

Who gave him advice in his task?

With whom did he consult? Who taught him?

Who led him in the paths of justice,

gave him knowledge,

showed him the way of understanding?

Behold, the Gentiles are like a drop in a bucket,

a piece of fluff on the scales.

All the islands are a handful of dust.

What burnt-offering could be worthy of the Lord?

The forests of Lebanon could not feed that fire;

all the animals of Lebanon would not be enough for that sacrifice.

All the nations count for nothing before him:

for him, they are nothingness and emptiness.

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.

The Lord is coming in power: the prize of his victory is with him.

Psalm 98 (99)
The Lord our God is holy

Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before his holy mountain.

The Lord reigns! let the peoples tremble.

He is enthroned on the cherubim: let the earth shake.

The Lord is great in Zion,

he is high above all the peoples.

Let them proclaim his name – great and terrible it is,

let them proclaim his holy name,

the powerful king, who loves justice.

The laws you establish are just:

you have given Jacob uprightness and right judgement.

Praise the Lord, our God,

worship at his footstool,

for he is holy.

Moses and Aaron were among his prophets,

Samuel one of those who called on him.

They called on the Lord and he listened,

and from the pillar of cloud he spoke to them.

They kept his decrees

and the commands he gave them.

Lord our God, you listened to them;

O God, you were gracious to them,

but you punished their wrongdoing.

Praise the Lord, our God,

worship on his holy mountain,

for the Lord our God is holy.

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.

Exalt the Lord our God; bow down before his holy mountain.

Scripture Reading
(1 Kings 8:51-53)

Lord, we are your people and your heritage. Be always watchful for the entreaty of your servant and of your people Israel, and listen to us whenever we call to you. For it was you who set us apart from all the peoples of the earth to be your own heritage.

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

If it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then you know that the kingdom of God has already come upon you, said 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.

If it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then you know that the kingdom of God has already come upon you, said the Lord.

Prayers and intercessions

We give praise to Christ our Lord, the radiant light of the world. He guides our steps in a path of light and we no longer live in darkness. Let us turn to him in confident prayer: