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النشر الإلكتروني

Know ye, also, that the Lord hath made his Holy One wonderful: the Lord will hear me, when I shall cry unto him.

Be ye angry, and sin not: the things ye say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who showeth us good things?

The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.

By the fruit of their corn, their wine, and oil, they are multiplied.

In peace, in the self-same, I will sleep, and I will rest. For thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.

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The Church has introduced here the first six Verses of the 30th Psalm, because they contain the prayer which our Saviour made, when dying: Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my Spirit!-words so beautifully appropriate in this Office of the close of day.

PSALM 30.

In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded deliver me in thy justice.

Bow down thine ear unto me: make haste to deliver me. Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me.

For thou art my strength,

In te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in æternum: * in justitia tua libera me.

Inclina ad me aurem tuam: * accelera uteruas me.

Esto mihi in Deum protectorem, et in domum refugii : *ut salvum me facias.

Quoniam fortitudo mea,

et refugium meum es tu
* et propter Nomen tuum
deduces me, et enutries me.
Educes me de laqueo hoc,
quem absconderunt mihi :
quoniam tu es protector

meus.

re

In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum : demisti me, Domine, Deus veritatis.

and my refuge and for thy Name's sake, thou wilt lead me, and nourish.

Thou wilt bring me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me for thou art my protector.

Into thy hands, I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.

The third Psalm gives the motives of the just man's confidence, even during the dangers of the night. There is no snare neglected by the demons; but the good Angels watch over us, with brotherly solicitude. Then, we have God himself speaking, and promising to send us a Saviour.

PSALM 90.

Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi * in protectione Dei cœli commorabitur.

Dicet Domino: Susceptor meus es tu, et refugium * Deus meus, spemeum, rabo in eum.

Quoniam ipse liberavit me de laqueo venantium : * et a verbo aspero.

Scapulis suis obumbrabit tibi : * et sub pennis ejus sperabis.

Scuto circumdabit te veritas ejus : * non timebis a

timore nocturno.

A sagitta volante in die, a negotio perambulante in tenebris : * ab incursu, et dæmonio meridiano.

Cadent a latere tuo mille,

He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven.

He shall say unto the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust.

For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.

He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.

His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.

Of the arrow that flieth in the day of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.

A thousand shall fall at thy

side, and ten thousand at thy right: but it shall not come nigh thee.

But thou shalt consider with thine eyes and shalt see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast said: Thou, O Lord, art my hope : Thou hast made the Most High thy refuge.

There shall no evil come unto thee, nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.

For he hath given his Angels charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways.

In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt walk upon the asp and basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

God will say of thee: Because he hoped in me, I will deliver him: I will protect him, because he hath known my name.

He will cry unto me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.

I will fill him with length of days and I will show him my salvation.

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The fourth Psalm invites the Servants of God to persevere, with fervour, in the prayers they offer during the Night. The Faithful should say this Psalm in a spirit of gratitude to God, for his raising up, in the Church, adorers of his holy name, whose grand vocation is to lift up their hands, day and night, for the safety of Israel. On such prayers, depend the happiness and destinies of the world.

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CAPITULUM.

(Jeremias, xiv.)

But thou art in us, O Lord, and thy holy Name hath been invoked upon us: forsake us not, O Lord, our God.

B. Into thy hands, O Lord: * I commend my Spirit. Into thy hands.

V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord God of truth. I commend.

Glory. Into thy hands.

V. Preserve us, O Lord, as the apple of thine eye.

B. Protect us, under the shadow of thy wings.

Tu autem in nobis es, Domine, et Nomen sanctum tuum invocatum est super nos : ne derelinquas nos, Domine, Deus noster. B. In manus tuas, Domi*Commendo spiritum In manus tuas. V. Redemisti nos, Domine Deus veritatis.* Commendo.

ne:

meum.

Gloria. In manus tuas.

V. Custodi nos, Domine, ut pupillam oculi.

B. Sub umbra alarum tuarum protege nos.

The Canticle of the venerable Simeon,-who, whilst holding the divine Infant in his arms, proclaimed him to be the Light of the Gentiles, and then slept the sleep of the just,-is admirably appropriate to the Office of Compline. Holy Church blesses God for having dispelled the darkness of night by the rising of the Sun of Justice; it is for love of him, that she toils the whole day through, and rests during the night, saying: I sleep, but my heart watcheth.'

CANTICLE OF SIMEON.

(St. Luke, ii.)

Now dost thou dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word, in peace.

Because mine eyes have seen thy Salvation,

Which thou hast prepared; before the face of all peoples. A light to the revelation of

Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine : * secundum verbum tuum in pace.

Quia viderunt oculi mei: Salutare tuum.

*

Quod parasti: * ante faciem omnium populorum. Lumen ad revelationem

1 Cant. v. 2.

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