Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

Introduction

O God, come to my aid.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

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. Alleluia.

Hymn

Eternal Monarch, King most high,

Whose Blood hath brought redemption nigh,

By whom the death of Death was wrought,

And conquering Grace’s battle fought.

Ascending to the throne of might,

And seated at the Father’s right,

All power in heaven is Jesu’s own,

That here his manhood had not known.

That so, in nature’s triple frame,

Each heavenly and each earthly name,

And things in hell’s abyss abhorred

May bend the knee and own him Lord.

Yea, Angels tremble when they see

How changed is our humanity;

That flesh hath purged what flesh had stained

And God, the Flesh of God, hath reigned.

Be thou our joy and strong defence,

Who art our future recompense;

So shall the light that springs from thee

Be ours through all eternity.

Psalm 50 (51) God, have mercy on me

Against you alone I have sinned: take pity on me.

Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy;

in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt.

Wash me ever more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know how guilty I am:

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone have I sinned,

and I have done evil in your sight.

Know this, so that you may give just sentence

and an unbiased judgement.

See, I was conceived in guilt,

in sin my mother conceived me;

but you love truth in the heart,

and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom.

You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean;

you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness;

the bones you have crushed will rejoice.

Turn your face away from my sins

and wipe out all my transgressions;

create a pure heart in me, God,

put a steadfast spirit into me.

Do not send me away from your presence,

or withdraw your holy spirit from me;

give me again the joy of your salvation,

and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit.

I will teach the unjust your ways,

and the impious will return to you.

Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour,

and my voice will glory in your justice.

Open my lips, Lord,

and my mouth will proclaim your praise;

for you do not delight in sacrifices:

if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you.

The true sacrifice is a broken spirit:

a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.

Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Zion,

so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt,

Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings;

then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar.

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.

Against you alone I have sinned: take pity on me.

Canticle	Jeremiah 14

Lamentation of the people in the time of famine and war

O Lord, we acknowledge our wickedness; we acknowledge that we have sinned.

Let my eyes shed tears, night and day, let them never cease,

for the daughter of my people is afflicted with a great affliction,

with the worst of all wounds.

If I go out into the fields – behold, those slain by the sword;

if I go into the city – behold, those wasted by famine.

Prophet and priest go through the land, they know nothing.

Surely you have not rejected Judah, thrust him from you?

Surely Zion has not become hateful to your heart?

Why have you struck us down beyond all hope of healing?

We have looked for peace, but no good came;

we have looked for the time of healing, but trouble came instead.

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the evil done by our fathers:

we acknowledge that we have sinned.

Do not make us a reproach, for your name’s sake,

and do not make us a disgrace before the throne of your glory.

Remember the covenant you made with us: do not bring it to an end.

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.

O Lord, we acknowledge our wickedness; we acknowledge that we have sinned.

Psalm 99 (100) Enter the Temple with joy

The Lord is God: we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Rejoice in the Lord, all the earth,

and serve him with joy.

Exult as you enter his presence.

Know that the Lord is God.

He made us and we are his

– his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out his praises as you enter his gates,

fill his courtyards with songs.

Proclaim him and bless his name;

for the Lord is our delight.

His mercy lasts for ever,

his faithfulness through all the ages.

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 God: we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Short reading	Acts 5:30-32 ©

It was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.

Short Responsory

The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

– The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

He who hung on the tree for our sake, alleluia, alleluia.

– The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– The Lord has risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

Canticle	Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. He is at the right hand of God, eternally living and interceding for us. Alleluia.

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.

Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. He is at the right hand of God, eternally living and interceding for us. Alleluia.

Prayers and Intercessions

To the Lord be glory and honour for ever. May he fill us with hope and with the power of the Holy Spirit: