Frequently Used Texts in the Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours

Below are the frequently used texts in the Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours.

• Morning Prayer
• Daytime Prayer
• Evening Prayer
• Night Prayer

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The following prayer may be said before the private recitation of the Office:

Lord, open my lips to praise your holy name. Cleanse my heart of any worthless, evil or distracting thoughts. Give me the wisdom and love necessary to pray this Office with attention, reverence and devotion. Father, let my prayer be heard in your presence, for it is offered through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 100

The joyful song of those entering God’s temple

The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy.

(repeat antiphon)

Know that he, the Lord, is God.
He made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

(repeat antiphon)

Go within his gates, giving thanks.
Enter his courts with songs of praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.

(repeat antiphon)

Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.

(repeat antiphon)

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

(repeat antiphon)

Psalm 67

People of all nations will worship the Lord

You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).

O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.

(repeat antiphon)

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

(repeat antiphon)

Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.

(repeat antiphon)

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

(repeat antiphon)

The earth has yielded its fruit
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.

(repeat antiphon)

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

(repeat antiphon)

Psalm 24 may also be used, p. 1523.

Psalm 95

A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

(repeat antiphon)

The Lord is God, the mighty God,
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him,
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

(repeat antiphon)

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker. For he is our God and we are his people,
the flock he shepherds.

(repeat antiphon)

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness,
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me,
Although they had seen all of my works.

(repeat antiphon)

Forty years I endured that generation.
I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways."
So I swore in my anger,
"They shall not enter into my rest."

(repeat antiphon)

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

(repeat antiphon)

Note: For Psalm 95 one may substitute psalm 100 or 67 or 24

Invitatory Antiphons

Advent before December 17 — Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come.

Advent, December 17–23 — The Lord is close at hand; come, let us worship Him.

Christmas — Christ is born for us; come let us adore Him.

Epiphany — Christ has appeared to us; let us adore Him.

Lent and Holy Week — Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.

Lent only — Today if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.

Easter — The Lord is risen, allelluia.

Ascension to Pentecost — Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who promised to send the Holy Spirit on His people, allelluia.

For Solemnities and Feasts

Morning Prayer

Psalms and Canticle from Sunday, Week I.

Psalm 63:2–9

A soul thirsting for God

Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-Prayer

Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honor, and our voices celebrate you for ever.

Canticle: Daniel 3:57–88, 56

Let all creatures praise the Lord

All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5).

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Note: At the end of the canticle the Glory to the Father is not said.

Psalm 149

The joy of God’s holy people.

Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-Prayer

Let Israel rejoice in you, Lord, and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. We put our trust in your faithfulness and proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation. May your loving kindness embrace us now and for ever.

Reference:

Franciscan Sisters T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful. (n.d.). Nuns praying the liturgy of the hours [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.franciscansisterstor.org/images/stories/prayer/prayer--LOH-2.jpg