In the early Christian Night Watches, the meditations and readings that had lasted from midnight gave place, at the break of the dawn of the expected feast-day, to songs of praise and gladness, which continued till sunrise; and it is these Morning Praises that gave rise to the present Hour of Lauds. The chief thought of Lauds, then is that of praise and thanksgiving offered to God at the opening of a new day.
Psalm 92.
The glory and stability of the kingdom: that is, of the Church of Christ
The Lord hath reigned, and hath put on glorious apparel;
* the Lord hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength.
2 For he hath stablished the round world, * that it cannot be moved.
3 Thy throne is prepared from of old : * thou art from everlasting.
4 The floods have lift up, O Lord, * yea, the floods have lift up
their voice.
5 The floods have lift up their waves, * with the noise of many
waters.
6 The waves of the sea are mighty, * glorious is the Lord, who
dwelleth on high.
7 Thy testimonies are become exceeding credible: * holiness becometh
thine house, O Lord, unto length of days.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 99.
All are invited to rejoice in God, the Creator of all
O be joyful in
the Lord, all ye lands: * serve the Lord with gladness.
2 Come before his presence * with exceeding great joy.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God; * it is he that hath made us, and
not we ourselves.
4 We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture : * O go your
way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be ye
thankful unto him.
5 Give praises unto his Name: for the Lord is gracious, his
mercy is everlasting; * and his truth endureth from generation to
generation.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 62.
The prophet aspireth after God
O God, thou art my God; * to thee do I watch at break of
day.
2 My soul hath thirsted for thee, * my flesh also in many different
ways.
3 In a barren and dry land where no water is: * so in the
sanctuary have I come before thee, that I might behold thy power and thy
glory.
4 For thy mercy is better than the life itself : * my lips shall
praise thee.
5 Thus will I bless thee as long as I live : * and I will lift up my
hands in thy Name.
6 My soul shall be filled as with marrow and fatness, * and my mouth
shall praise thee with joyful lips.
7 If I have remembered thee in my bed, I will think upon thee in the
morning : * because thou hast been my helper.
8 And under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice, my soul
hath hung upon thee; * thy right hand hath upholden me.
9 But they have sought my soul in vain, they shall go down into the
nether parts of the earth : * they shall be delivered into the hands of the
sword, they shall be a portion for foxes.
10 But the king shall rejoice in God; all they also that swear by
him shall be commended; * for the mouth of them that speak wicked things
shall be stopped.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
CANTICLE OF THE THREE YOUTHS
Dan. 3, 56,57-88
O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : * praise
him, and magnify him for ever.
2 O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : * O ye
Heavens, bless ye the Lord.
3 O ye Waters that be above the Firmament, bless ye the Lord: *
O all ye Powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
4 O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Stars of Heaven,
bless ye the Lord.
5 O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord: * O ye winds of God,
bless ye the Lord.
6 O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Winter and
Summer, bless ye the Lord.
7 O ye Dews and Frosts, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Frost and
Cold, bless ye the Lord.
8 O ye Ice and Snow, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Nights and Days,
bless ye the Lord.
9 O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Lightnings
and Clouds, bless ye the Lord.
10 O let the Earth bless the Lord; * yea, let it praise him,
and magnify him for ever.
11 O ye Mountains and Hills, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye
Green Things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord.
12 O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Seas and Floods, bless
ye the Lord.
13 O ye Whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the
Lord: * O all ye Fowls of the Air, bless ye the Lord.
14 O all ye Beasts and Cattle, bless ye the Lord: * O ye
Children of Men, bless ye the Lord.
15 O let Israël bless the Lord; * praise him, and magnify him
for ever.
16 O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Servants
of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
17 O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless ye the Lord:
* O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord.
18 O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise
him and magnify him for ever:
(During the following verse, all bow:)
19 Let us bless the Father and the Son, with the Holy
Ghost; * let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
20 Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven; * and
to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Here is not said Amen or
Glory be.
Psalm 148.
All creatures are invited to praise their creator
O praise ye the Lord from the heavens: * praise ye him in
the height.
2 Praise him, all ye Angels of his: * praise him, all his host.
3 Praise ye him, O sun and moon: * praise him, all ye stars and
light.
4 Praise him, all ye heavens of heavens, * and ye waters that are
above the heavens, praise the Name of the Lord.
5 For he spake the word, and they were made; * he commanded, and
they were created.
6 He hath established them for ever, yea, unto ages of ages : * he
hath set forth a law, and it shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, * ye dragons and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and ice, wind and storm, * fulfilling his
word;
9 Mountains and all hills; * fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle; * creeping things and flying fowls;
11 Kings of the earth, and all people; * princes, and all judges of
the world;
12 Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of
the Lord: * for his Name only is exalted.
13 His praise is above heaven and earth : * and he shall exalt the
horn of his people.
14 A hymn unto all his saints : * even unto the children of
Israel, a people that draw nigh unto him.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. After childbirth thou didst still remain a virgin undefiled: Mother of God, intercede for us.
Little Chapter
ECCL. 24
Like a vine, I gave forth an odor of sweetness:
and my flowers are the fruits of honor and riches.
R: Thanks be to God.
Hymn:,V: God hath chosen her, and preferred her.
R: And He maketh her dwell in His tabernacle.
THE CANTICLE OF ZACHARY
Luke 1. 68-79
Blessed †
be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath visited and redeemed his people ;
2 And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the
house of his servant David ;
3 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, * which have
been since the world began ;
4 That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the
hand of all that hate us.
5 To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to
remember his holy Covenant ;
6 To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather
Abraham, * that he would give us ;
7 That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies *
might serve him without fear ;
8 In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of
our life.
9 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 ;
10 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the
remission of their sins,
11 Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the
Day-Spring from on high hath visited us ;
12 To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the
shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
13 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy
Ghost.
14 As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, *
world without end. Amen.
During Advent
Ant.
The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not, thou shalt
bear within thy womb the Son of God, alleluia
V: O Lord, hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.
R: Amen.
V: O Lord, hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.
R: Amen.
V: O Lord, hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we, Thy servants, may enjoy continual health of mind and body; and that, through the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever virgin, we may be delivered from present sorrow, and enjoy eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.
V: O Lord, hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.
R: Amen.
Ant.
Blessed be the Redeemer of all, Who, in providing for the salvation of men, gave
Saint Dominic to the world.
V: The law of his God is in his heart.
R: And his steps shall not fail.
R: Amen.
Ant. May Catherine, the virgin blessed, give us the enjoyment of the true light of Christ and unite us to the heavenly choirs.
V: My soul shall exault in the Lord.
R: And shall be delighted with His salvation.
R: Amen.
Ant. O what happiness and glory belong always to the saints, how distinguished the merits of the Preachers, by whose words and deeds the world is adorned, by whose works the mind grows stronger.
V: The saints shall be joyful in glory.
R: They shall sing for joy on their couches.
R: Amen.
Ant. All ye saints of God vouchsafe to make intercession for our salvation, and for that of all.
V: Pray for us, all ye saints of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
R: Amen.
Ant. Give peace, O Lord, in our days, because there is no other who will fight for us, except Thee, our God.
V: Let peace be in thy strength.
R: And abundance in thy towers.
R: Amen.
V: O Lord, hear my prayer.