In imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with his servant, Francis, we pray 

                                                  for the grace to serve God, free from fear, to transform the Church and to conform it to that Body, Christ's own, to which it belongs.

 

Psalm 1

1.     God, I have declared my life to You, and You have placed my tears where You can see them; all my enemies were plotting against me - they consorted together to make their plans.

2.     They put evil against me in Your place, and returned me hatred for my love.

3.     For reasons that they should have loved me, they have dragged me down, but I kept on praying.

4.     O my Holy Father, King of Heaven and Earth, do not let Your help be far from me, for trouble is very near to me, and there is no one to help me.

5.     May my enemies turn back from me, and on the day I call on you, may I always have known that You are my God.

6.     My friends and my neighbours came against me and stood there.

7.     And my acquaintances came from afar and joined them there.

8.     You have distanced me from my friends, and they have set me up as an abomination to them.

9.     I have been betrayed, and made unable to go out.

10.  Holy Father, do not let Your help be far from me.

11.  My God, look down upon me and help me.

12.  Turn to me and help me, Lord God of my salvation.

13.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever and ever. Amen.

 

Antiphon:

14.  Holy Virgin Mary, there is none like you among women.

15.  You are the daughter and the handmaid of the Most High King-Our Heavenly Father.

16.  You are the Most Holy Mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

17.  You are the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

18.  Pray for us with St Michael the Archangel, and all the Virtues of Heaven, and all the Saints, to your most Holy and Beloved Son, Our Lord and Master.

 

Psalm 2

1.     Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried before You by day and by night.

2.     Let my prayer come into Your presence.

3.     Incline Your ear to my entreaty look to my soul and set her free.

4.     Snatch me away from my foes.

5.     For you are the One who took me out of the womb- you have been my hope from my mother's breast.

6.     Upon You I was cast from the very womb of my mother.

7.     From my mother's womb You have been my God, do not leave me alone.

8.     You know how I am reproached, how confused I am, and how much I revere You.

9.     Those who oppress me are before Your eyes.

10.  My heart has grown accustomed to unhappiness and reproaches.

11.  And I endured it when one person who should have sympathised with me, did not, and when I could not find anybody to console me.

12.  God, wicked men have risen against me, and the whole gathering of them sought to have my soul, and they did not keep You before their eyes.

13.  I have been taken for one of those who go down into the lake.

14.  I have been loosed among the dead like a man without help.

15.  You are my most Holy Father, my King and my God incline to my aid, Lord God of my salvation.

 

Psalm 3

1.     Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

2.     Because my soul trusts in you.

3.     I shall trust in the shadow of your wings until iniquity passes me by.

4.     I shall cry out to my Father, the Lord most high who has been ever gracious to me.

5.     He has sent from heaven and set me free.

6.     He has put to shame those who have crushed me.

7.     The Lord has sent down his mercy and his truth, and he has snatched me away from my powerful foes; and from those who hate me, who have banded together against me.

8.     They have prepared a snare for my feet, and have oppressed my soul.

9.     They have dug a pit for me and have fallen in it themselves!

10.  My heart is ready. O Lord, my heart is ready.

11.  I will sing and proclaim a psalm.

12.  Rise up, O my Glory!

13.  Rise up. Cithara and harp - I will awake the Dawn!

14.  I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord, and I will sing a psalm among the nations, for your mercy reaches to the Heavens and your truth to the skies.

15.  O God. You are exalted above the Heavens, and your Glory is above the earth.

 

Psalm 4

1.     Have mercy on me, God, for men have trampled me underfoot.

2.     All day long they have fought me and oppressed me.

3.     My enemies have trampled on me all day long-there were many of them warring against me!

4.     My enemies were all planning evil things against me, and they said terrible things about me.

5.     Those who were in charge of my soul came together to make their plans.

6.     They went out to discuss them together.

7.     All those who saw me derided me with their jeering lips and tossing heads.

8.     For I am a worm, and not a man at all.-the reproach of men and outcast of the people.

9.     Above all my enemies, I have become a reproach to my neighbours, and an object of fear to my friends.

10.  Holy Father, do not let Your help be far from me.

11.  Turn Your eyes to me and help me.

12.  Bend down and help me, Lord God of my salvation.

 

Psalm 5

1.     With all my voice I have cried to the Lord with all my voice I have entreated Him; I pour out my prayers in His sight and I give voice to my troubles before Him..

2.     When my spirit faints within me, You have known my path.

3.     On the way that I was walking, proud men had hidden a snare for me.

4.     I looked on my right and I saw-there was no one who knew me.

5.     I could not flee, and there was nobody to look after my soul.

6.     It is for You I have endured reproach, and shame has covered my face.

7.     I have become an outsider to my brothers, and a stranger to my mother's sons.

8.     O my Father, zeal for Your House has eaten into me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

9.     And they have come against me rejoicing, plying their whips over my innocent head.

10.  Those who hate me for no reason are more than the hairs of my head; my enemies who persecuted me without cause have been comforted and I unloosed those whom I did not plunder.

11.  Evil witnesses who did not know me got up and questioned me.

12.  They repaid me evil for good, and dragged me down for following the right path.

13.  You are my most Holy Father-my King and my God.

14.  Turn to me and to my aid, Lord God of my salvation.

 

Psalm 6

1.    All you who pass by the way, look and see if there is any sorrow like to my sorrow; for many dogs have surrounded me and I am besieged by the schemes of the wicked.

2.    They have examined and scrutinised me, and they have divided my garments between them, and they have gambled for my tunic.

3.    They have pierced my hands and my feet they were able to count all my bones.

4.    They have opened their mouth at me like some lion that snatches its prey.

5.    I am poured out like water- all my bones are out of joint, my heart is melted within me like wax, my strength is dried up like a potsherd, my tongue sticks to my jaws.

6.    They have given me gall for my food, and in my thirst they made me drink vinegar.

7.    They have led me down into the dust of death, and they have added more suffering to the pain of my wounds.

8.    But I have slept, and I have arisen, and my Most Holy Father has taken me up to glory.

9.    Holy Father, You have held me by the hand, you have willed to lead me out, and You have assumed me into glory.

10. For what have I in Heaven, and what have I on earth apart from You?

11. Look and see that I am God, says the Lord- I shall be exalted among the nations and exalted on earth.

12. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who redeems the souls of His servants with His own Most Holy Blood, and never abandons those who place their trust in Him.

13. And we know that He is coming, He is coming to bring us true justice.

 

Psalm 7

1.     All peoples, clap your hands- shout to God with a voice of gladness-

2.     For God is greatly to be praised- the Great and Awesome King over all the earth.

3.     He is the Most Holy, Heavenly Father- the King of all ages; and He has sent His Beloved Son from on high, and He has accomplished Salvation upon the earth.

4.     Let the Heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, let the sea swell with its fullness, let the fields and all that is in them rejoice!

5.     Sing a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

6.     The Lord is great, and worthy of praise- He is Awesome above all gods.

7.     Give the Lord, you fathers of the nations, give the Lord glory and honour- give the Lord the glory of His Name!

8.     Brace your bodies for the weight of His Holy Cross, and follow His Most Holy commandments to the end.

9.     Let all the earth tremble before His face, and proclaim to the nations that the Lord has reigned from the Tree.

 

Psalm 8

1.     God, attend to my aid, Lord, come quickly to my assistance.

2.     Let those who seek my life be confounded until they show respect.

3.     Let those who wish me evil turn back from me with blushing faces.

4.     Let those who cry to me “Bravo!” turn back from me with blushing faces.

5.     Let all who seek You rejoice in You and be glad, and let those who delight themselves in Your Salvation; repeat again and again-May the Lord be magnified.

6.     But as for me, poor and destitute, may God help me.

7.     Lord, You are my Helper and my Deliverer-do not delay.

 

Psalm 9

1.     Sing to the Lord a new song for He has done wonderful deeds.

2.     With His right Hand, and His Holy Arm he has offered His Beloved Son in sacrifice.

3.     The Lord has made known His salvation he has revealed His justice to the nations.

4.     On that day the Lord ordained His mercy and at night His canticle.

5.     This is the day the Lord has made, let us use it to be glad and rejoice.

6.     Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.

7.     The Lord is God, and He has shone upon us.

8.     Let the Heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, and let the sea swell with all its fullness, and let the fields and all that they contain rejoice.

9.     Offer to the Lord, you fathers of the nations - offer Him glory and honour- offer Him the glory of His Name.

10.  Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing a psalm to the Lord.

11.  Sing a psalm to God Who ascends to the highest Heaven in the regions of the east.

12.  Listen! He will let His glorious Voice resound!

13.  Give glory to God Who presides over Israel, extol Him and His greatness to the clouds.

14.  God is wonderful in His Saints - He, the God of Israel, will give prowess and strength to His people.

 

Psalm 10

1.     Rejoice in the Lord all the earth, sing a psalm to His Name. Give Him glory and praise.

2.     Say to God: How awesome are Your works, O Lord- in the midst of such wonderful greatness your enemies are only telling lies.

3.     Let all the earth adore You and sing a psalm to Your Name.

4.     Come, all you who fear God- listen, and I will tell you what He has done for my soul.

5.     I cried to Him with my mouth- with His praise ready on my tongue; and He heard my voice from His Holy Temple, and my cry came into His presence.

6.     Bless our God, all you nations, and let the voice of His praise be heard.

7.     For every tribe on earth shall be blessed in Him, and all nations shall glorify Him.

8.     Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel who alone works wonders, and blessed shall be His magnificent Name forever, and the whole earth shall be filled with His Glory.

 

Psalm 11

1.     May the Lord listen to you on the day of tribulation.

2.     May the Name of the God of Jacob protect you.

3.     May He send you help from His sanctuary and protect you out of Sion.

4.     May He be mindful of all your sacrifices, and the fat of all your burnt offerings.

5.     May He give You the desires of your heart, and may He endorse your counsels.

6.     We shall rejoice in Your salvation, and we shall be magnified in the Name of the Lord our God.

7.     May the Lord honour all your petitions.

8.     I know that the Lord has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, and that He will judge the peoples with justice, for the Lord is the Refuge of the poor- their Helper in times of trouble.

9.     And let all who know Your Name hope in You.

10.  Blessed be the Lord my God- my support and my refuge in times of trouble.

11.  O my Helper, to You I will sing a psalm because You are the One I lean on my God and my Mercy.

 

Psalm 12

1.     I have hoped in You, O Lord, so I shall never be confounded.

2.     In Your justice deliver me and rescue me.

3.     Turn Your ear to me and save me, for You are patience, O Lord.

4.     Lord, You have been my hope from my youth - I have relied on You since I was born, from my mother's womb You have been my protector, always the Song that I sing.

5.     May my mouth be filled with Your praises so that I may sing Your Glory and Your Greatness all day long.

6.     Listen to me, Lord, in Your kindness and mercy- do not turn Your face away from Your Son.

7.     As for me, I am in trouble, come quickly and hear me.

8.     Blessed be the Lord my God- my refuge and my support in time of trouble.

9.     O my Help, I will sing a psalm to You for You uphold me, my God and my mercy.

 

Psalm 13

1.     Up to when will You forget me?

2.     Up to when will You turn Your face away from me.

3.     How long will I be forming plans in my soul, and sorrow in my heart all day?

4.     How long will my enemy exalt over me?

5.     Look down and hear my voice, O Lord my God.

6.     Give light to my eyes so I shall never sleep in death, so my enemy may never say: I have beaten him.

7.     Those who oppress me will exult when they have moved me.

8.     I have hoped in Your mercy.

9.     My heart shall exult in Your salvation.

10.  I shall sing to You, O Lord- Giver of all good things.

 

Psalm 14

1.     I confess the Lord, the most Holy Father, King of Heaven and earth, for He has given me consolation.

2.     My God and my Saviour, I will be faithful and I will not fear.

3.     The Lord is my strength and my praise, and He has become my Saviour.

4.     Your right hand, Lord, has become magnificently strong.

5.     Your right hand, Lord, has struck the enemy, and with Your many victories You have forced my enemies down.

6.     Let the poor see it and be glad.

7.     If you seek the Lord your soul will live.

8.     Let the Heavens and the earth praise with the sea and all the creatures within it.

9.     For the Lord will accomplish the salvation of Sion and the building up of the cities of Judah.

10.  And they will dwell in that place, and come to inherit her.

11.  And the descendents of His servants shall possess her, and those who delight in His Name shall dwell in her.

 

Psalm 15

1.     Exalt the Lord our Helper.

2.     Sing praise with a joyful voice to the Lord our God, Living and True.

3.     For the Lord is exalted, Great and Awesome King over all the earth.

4.     The Most Holy Heavenly Father Who was King before the ages, has sent His Beloved Son from above.

5.     He was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

6.     He Himself has proclaimed to me: You are my Father.

7.     And I will establish Him as My Firstborn Son to receive glory above the kings of the earth.

8.     During that day the Lord commanded His Mercy, and at night He ordered His canticle.

9.     This is the day that the Lord has made - let us use it to rejoice and be glad.

10.  For the most Holy and Beloved Son has been bestowed on us, and born for us on the way and laid in a manger for there was no room in the inn.

11.  Glory in the highest to the Lord our God, and on earth peace to all good men.

12.  Let the Heavens and the earth rejoice and let the sea with all its fullness rise and fall.

13.  Let the fields rejoice, and all that they contain.

14.  Sing to Him a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth,  for the Lord is so worthy of praise.

15.  Bring to the Lord, you patriarchs, bring to Him glory and honour,  bring to Him the glory of His Name.

16.  Brace your bodies to the weight of His Holy Cross, and follow His holy commandments to the end.