Matins

Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, † nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season.

And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.

Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?

The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ.

Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us.

He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.

Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage.

But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment.

The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth.

Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling.

Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.

When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.

Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? many are they who rise up against me.

Many say to my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God.

But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.

I have cried to the Lord with my voice: and he hath heard me from his holy hill.

I have slept and taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.

I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.

For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.

Salvation is of the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.

O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth!

For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger.

For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded.

What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, † thou hast crowned him with glory and honour: and hast set him over the works of thy hands.

Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields.

The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.

O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!

I will give praise to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will relate all thy wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing to thy name, O thou most high.

When my enemy shall be turned back: they shall be weakened and perish before thy face.

For thou hast maintained my judgment and my cause: thou hast sat on the throne, who judgest justice.

Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles, and the wicked one hath perished: thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.

The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end: and their cities thou hast destroyed.

Their memory hath perished with a noise. But the Lord remaineth for ever.

He hath prepared his throne in judgment: And he shall judge the world in equity, he shall judge the people in justice.

And the Lord is become a refuge for the poor: a helper in due time in tribulation.

And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord.

Sing ye to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion: declare his ways among the Gentiles.

For requiring their blood he hath remembered them: he hath not forgotten the cry of the poor.

Have mercy on me, O Lord: see my humiliation which I suffer from my enemies.

Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

I will rejoice in thy salvation: the Gentiles have stuck fast in the destruction which they have prepared.

Their foot hath been taken in the very snare which they hid.

The Lord shall be known when he executeth judgments: the sinner hath been caught in the works of his own hands.

The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God.

For the poor man shall not be forgotten to the end: the patience of the poor shall not perish for ever.

Arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened: let the Gentiles be judged in thy sight.

Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them: that the Gentiles may know themselves to be but men.

Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble?

Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise.

For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed.

The sinner hath provoked the Lord, according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him.

God is not before his eyes: his ways are filthy at all times.

Thy judgments are removed from his sight: he shall rule over all his enemies.

For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.

His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow.

He sitteth in ambush with the rich, in private places, that he may kill the innocent.

His eyes are upon the poor man: he lieth in wait, in secret, like a lion in his den.

He lieth in ambush, that he may catch the poor man: so catch the poor, whilst he draweth him to him.

In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.

For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face, not to see to the end.

Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor.

Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it.

Thou seest it, for thou considerest labour and sorrow: that thou mayst deliver them into thy hands.

To thee is the poor man left: thou wilt be a helper to the orphan.

Break thou the arm of the sinner and of the malignant: his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found.

The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land.

The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.

To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.

In the Lord I put my trust: † how then do you say to my soul: Get thee away from hence to the mountain, like a sparrow?

For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow: † they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, to shoot in the dark the upright of heart.

For they have destroyed the things which thou hast made: but what has the just man done?

The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven.

His eyes look on the poor man: his eyelids examine the sons of men.

The Lord trieth the just and the wicked: but he that loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul.

He shall rain snares upon sinners: fire and brimstone, and storms of winds, shall be the portion of their cup.

For the Lord is just, and hath loved justice: his countenance hath beheld righteousness.