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← Officium Divinum

Compline

Saturday · Night prayer

Night prayer: the soul is commended to God before sleep.

Psalmody

Psalm 87

Ant. May my request come before thee, O Lord.

Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.

Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.

For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell.

I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help, free among the dead.

Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.

They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.

Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.

Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves.

I was delivered up, and came not forth: my eyes languished through poverty.

All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.

Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?

Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?

But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.

Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?

I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.

Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.

They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.

Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.

Psalm 102 (1–12)

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all he hath done for thee.

Who forgiveth all thy iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases.

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion.

Who satisfieth thy desire with good things: thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord doth mercies, and judgment for all that suffer wrong.

He hath made his ways known to Moses: his wills to the children of Israel.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful: longsuffering and plenteous in mercy.

He will not always be angry: nor will he threaten for ever.

He hath not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For according to the height of the heaven above the earth: he hath strengthened his mercy towards them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our iniquities from us.

Psalm 102 (13–22)

As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him: for he knoweth our frame.

He remembereth that we are dust: man’s days are as grass, as the flower of the field so shall he flourish.

For the spirit shall pass in him, and he shall not be: and he shall know his place no more.

But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon them that fear him:

And his justice unto children’s children, to such as keep his covenant,

And are mindful of his commandments to do them.

The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven: and his kingdom shall rule over all.

Bless the Lord, all ye his angels: you that are mighty in strength, and execute his word, hearkening to the voice of his orders.

Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts: you ministers of his that do his will.

Bless the Lord, all his works: in every place of his dominion, O my soul, bless thou the Lord.

Hymn

Before the ending of the day,Creator of the world, we prayThat with thy wonted favor thouWouldst be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our eyes,From nightly fears and fantasies;Tread under foot our ghostly foe,That no pollution we may know.

O Father, that we ask be done,Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son;Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,Doth live and reign eternally.

Amen.

Short reading

(1 Pet 5:8-9)

Brothers: Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist ye, strong in faith.

Responsory

R.br. Into thy hands, O Lord, do I commend my spirit.

R. Into thy hands, O Lord, do I commend my spirit.

V. For thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, God of truth.

R. I commend my spirit.

R. Into thy hands, O Lord, do I commend my spirit.

Roman Breviary, 1962: the ferial and Sunday psalter and the fixed hymns and responsories (Divinum Officium). The propers of the season and of the saints, the readings and the prayers are not yet in the library.