Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)

Midday Prayer

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Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 658
Proper of Seasons: 544
Psalter: Saturday, Week I, 773

Midday Prayer for Saturday before Epiphany, using Current Psalmody

God, come to my assistance.

— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,

as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture,
in the Body and the Blood
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven

spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of Light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph;

cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
"Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!"

𝄞"Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" by Rebecca Hincke • Available for Purchase • Title: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence; Text: Liturgy of Saint James (fifth century); Tr. Gerald Moultrie (1864); Music: Picardy (French carol as in The English Hymnal, 1906); Artist: Rebecca Hincke; (c) 2016 Surgeworks, Inc. • Albums that contain this Hymn: Hymns and Chants of Divine Office, Vol. 4

PSALMODY

Ant. Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

Psalm 119:33-40

V (He)

Teach me the demands of your precepts

and I will keep them to the end.
Train me to observe your law,
to keep it with my heart.

Guide me in the path of your commands;

for there is my delight.
Bend my heart to your will
and not to love of gain.

Keep my eyes from what is false:

by your word, give me life.
Keep the promise you have made
to the servant who fears you.

Keep me from the scorn I dread,

for your decrees are good.
See, I long for your precepts:
then in your justice, give me life.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

In your justice give us life, Father. Do not allow greed to possess us but incline our hearts to your commands. Give us understanding to know your law and direct us according to your will.

Psalm 34

God the savior of the just
You have tasted the sweetness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:3).

I

I will bless the Lord at all times,

his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me.

Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.

Look towards him and be radiant;

let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called; the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Revere the Lord, you his saints.

They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

II

Come, children, and hear me

that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is he who longs for life
and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?

Then keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn aside from evil and do good;
seek and strive after peace.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked

to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.

They call and the Lord hears

and rescues them in their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

Many are the trials of the just man

but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones,
not one of his bones shall be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked;

those who hate the good are doomed.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Graciously hear us, Lord, for we seek only you. You are near to those whose heart is right. Open yourself to accept our sorrowful spirit; calm our bodies and minds with the peace which surpasses understanding.

Ant. Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

READING Isaiah 12:5-6

Sing praise to the Lord for his glorious achievement;

let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)

A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

All the ends of the earth, alleluia.

— Have seen the saving power of God, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,

who were pleased to shine forth with new light
through the coming of your Only Begotten Son,
grant, we pray,
that, just as he was pleased to share our bodily form
through the childbearing of the Virgin Mary,
so we, too, may one day merit
to become companions in his kingdom of grace.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.

— And give him thanks.

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Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Catholic Church (Breviary)By Divine Office (DivineOffice.org)