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Thursday · The first hour

The first hour: the day and its work are placed in God’s hands before it begins.

Psalmody

Psalm 22

Ant. The Lord hath set me in a place of pasture.

The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. He hath set me in a place of pasture.

He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: he hath converted my soul.

He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name’s sake.

For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me.

Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Psalm 71 (2–8)

Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king’s son thy justice:

To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.

Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.

He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.

And he shall continue with the sun, and before the moon, throughout all generations.

He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.

In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away.

And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

Psalm 71 (9–19)

Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.

The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:

And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.

For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.

He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.

He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.

And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.

And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.

Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun.

And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things.

And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.

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.