Thy blessing on thine own inheritance. For ever raise their hearts, and rule their ways: R. Let us praise and extol him for ever. CANTICLE of ZACHARY, Luke i. 68. BENEDICTUS Dominus Deus Israel : *quia visitavit, et fecit redemptionem plebis suæ. Et erexit cornu salutis nobis, *in domo David pueri sui. Sicut locutus est per os sanctorum, *qui a sæculo sunt prophetarum ejus : Salutem ex inimicis nostris: *et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos. Ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris: *et memorari testamenti sui sancti. BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel, *because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us, *in the house of David his servant. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, *who are from the beginning: Salvation from our enemies, *and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform mercy to our fathers; *and to remember his holy covenant. The oath which he swore to Abraham our father, *that he would grant to us. That being delivered from the hand Jusjurandum, quod juravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum, *daturum se nobis. Ut sine timore, de manu of our enemies, *we may inimicorum nostrorum liberati*serviamus illi : In sanctitate et justitia coram ipso, *omnibus diebus nostris. Et tu puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis : præibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias ejus. Ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi ejus : *in remissionem peccatorem eorum. Per viscera misericordiæ Dei nostri : *in quibus visitavit nos Oriens ex alto: Illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent: *ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis. serve him without fear: In holiness and justice be fore him, *all our days. And thou, child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: *for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways: To give knowledge of salvation to his people, *unto the remission of their sins: Through the bowels of the mercy of our God: *in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: *to direct our feet in the way of peace. et mundabor: *lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor. Auditui meo dabis gaudium et lætitiam : *et exultabunt ossa humiliata. Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: *et omnes iniquitates meas dele. Cor mundum crea in me Deus: *et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. Ne projicias me a facie tua: *et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. Redde mihi lætitiam salutaris tuis: *et spiritu principali confirma me. Docebo iniquos vias tuas: *et impii ad te con meæ : *et exultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam. Domine labia mea aperies: *et os meum annunciabit laudem tuam. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem utique: *holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: *cor contritum et humiliatum Deus non despicies. Benigne fac Domine in bona voluntate tua Sion: *ut ædificentur muri Jerusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacri ficium justitiæ, oblationes et holocausta : *tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos. Gloria Patri, &c. For the English Version of the Psalm Miserere, see p. 402. Oratio. DEUS, qui culpa offenderis, pœnitentia placaris : preces populi tui supplicantis propitius respice: et flagella tuæ iracundiæ quæ pro peccatis nostris meremur averte. Per. LITTLE OFFICE OF THE B. VIRGIN, Hail Mary. INCLINE unto my aid, O God. R. Lord, make haste to help me. PSALM CIX.-Dixit Dominus. (See p. 429.) Arth. While the king was on his couch, my spikenard yielded a sweet odour. Anth. His left hand. PSALM CXII.-Laudate pueri Dominum. (See p. 432.) Anth. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. Anth. I am black. PSALM CXXI.-Lætatus sum. I REJOICED at those things which were said to me, we shall go into the house of the Lord. Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem Jerusalem, which is built as a city, whose inhabitants are united together. For thither did the tribes ascend, the tribes of our Lord, the testimony of Israel; to praise the name of our Lord. Because seats sat there in judgment, seats upon the house of David. Ask the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem, and abundance to them that love thee. Let peace be made in thy strength, and abundance in thy towers. For my of thee. brethren and my neighbours, I spoke peace For the house of the Lord our God: I have sought good things for thee. Glory be to the Father, &c. Anth. I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jetusalem: therefore the king has loved me, and brought me into his chamber. Anth. Winter is now past. PSALM CXXIX.-Nisi Dominus. Ir our Lord builds not the house, they have aboured in vain that build it. If our Lord keeps not the city, he watches in vain that keeps it. It is in vain for you to rise before light rise after ve have sat, you that eat the bread of sorrow. When he shall give sleep to his beloved, behold children are an inheritance from our Lord; and the fruit of the womb is a reward. As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so are the children of them that are rejected. Blessed is the man that has filled his desire of them; he shall not be confounded, when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate. Glory be to the Father, &c. Anth. Winter is row past, the rain is gone and de parted: Arise my love and come. Anth. Thou art made fair. PSALM CXLVII.-Lauda Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, praise our Lord: praise thy God, O Sion. Because he has strengthened the locks of thy gates, he has blessed thy children in thee. Who has set thy borders in peace and fills thee with the fat of corn. Who sends forth his speech to the earth; his word runs swiftly. Who gives snow as wool; scatters mist as ashes. He casts his crystal as morsels: before the face of his cold who shall abide ? He shall send forth his word, and shall melt them: his spirit shall breathe and the waters shall flow. Who declares his word to Jacob, his justice and judgments to Israel. He has not done so to any nation: and his judg ments he has not made manifest to them. Glory be to the Father, &c. Arth. Thou art made fair and sweet in thy delicate neas, O holy Mother of God |