The earth is melted and all that dwell therein: I have established the pillars thereof. I said to the wicked: Do not act wickedly: and to the sinners: Lift not up the horn. Lift not up your horn on high speak not iniquity against God. For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert hills: for God is the judge. One he putteth down, and another he lifteth up. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup of strong wine full of mixture. And he hath poured it out from this to that: but the dregs thereof are not emptied: all the sinners of the earth shall drink. But I will declare for ever: I will sing to the God of Jacob. And I will break all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be exalted. ANT. I said to the wicked: Speak not iniquity against God. Liquefacta est terra,et omnes qui habitant in ea: *ego confirmavi columnas ejus. Dixi iniquis: Nolite inique agere: *et delinquentibus: Nolite exaltare cor nu. Nolite extollere in altum cornu vestrum : * Nolite loqui adversus Deum iniquitatem. Quia neque ab oriente, neque ab occidente, neque a desertis montibus: * quoniam Deus judex est. Hunc humiliat, et hunc exaltat: *quia calix in manu Domini vini meri plenus mixto. Et inclinavit ex hoc in hoc verumtamen fæx ejus non est exinanita: *bibent omnes peccatores terræ. Ego autem annuntiabo in sæculum: * cantabo Deo Jacob. Et omnia cornua peccatorum confringam : et exaltabuntur cornua justi. ANT. Dixi iniquis: Nolite loqui adversus Deum iniquitatem. The eighth Psalm was written after David had conquered his enemies. He speaks of the peace that was restored to Sion, and of the sudden vengeance of God that overtook the wicked. The enemies of our Saviour were sleeping their sleep; when, suddenly, the earth trembled, and God arose to judge them. ANT. The earth trembled, and was still, when God arose in judgment. ANT. Terra tremuit et quievit, dum exsurgeret in judicio Deus. PSALM 75. Ibi confregit potentias arcuum: *scutum, gladium, et bellum. Illuminans tu mirabiliter a montibus æternis: *turbati sunt omnes insipientes corde. Dormierunt somnum suum: *et nihil invenerunt omnes viri divitiarum in manibus suis. Ab increpatione tua Deus Jacob: * dormitaverunt qui ascenderunt equos. Tu terribilis es, et quis resistet tibi: *ex tunc ira tua. De cœlo auditum fecisti judicium: *terra tremuit et quievit. Cum exsurgeret in judicium Deus : * ut salvos faceret omnes mansuetos terræ. Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur tibi: *et reliquiæ cogitationis diem festum agent tibi. Vovete et reddite Domino Deo vestro : * omnes qui in circuitu ejus affertis munera. Terribili et ei qui aufert spiritum principum, * terribili apud reges terræ. ANT, Terra tremuit et quievit, dum exsurgeret in judicio Deus. In Judea God is known, his name is great in Israel. And his place is in peace, and his abode in Sion. There hath he broken the power of bows, the shield, the sword, and the battle. Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills: all the foolish of heart were troubled. They have slept their sleep: and all the men of riches have found nothing in their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, they have all slumbered that mounted on horseback. Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee? from that time thy wrath. Thou hast caused judgment to be heard from heaven: the earth trembled and was still. When God arose in judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. For the thought of man shall give praise to thee: and the remainders of the thought shall keep holyday to thee. Vow ye, and pray to the Lord your God: all you that round about him bring pres ents. To him that is terrible, even to him who taketh away the spirit of princes; to the terri-, ble with the kings of the earth. ANT. The earth trembled,' and was still, when God arose in judgment. The ninth Psalm tells us of David's tribulation when his son Absalom,-the type of the Jewish people,-raised the standard of revolt against him. The Royal Prophet, who is the figure of Christ, loses not his confidence in the midst of his trials. The recollection of the wonderful works wrought by God in favour of His people, animates his courage, and he feels that this same merciful God will deliver him. ANT. In the day of my tribulation, I sought God with my hands raised up in prayer. PSALM I cried to the Lord with my voice; to God with my voice, and he gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought God: with my hands lifted up to him in the night, and I was not deceived. My soul refused to be comforted; I remembered God, and was delighted, and was exercised, and my spirit swooned away. My eyes prevented the watches: I was troubled, and I spoke not. I thought upon the days of old and I had in my mind the eternal years. : And I meditated in the night with my own heart, and I was exercised, and I swept my spirit. Will God then cast off for ever? or will he never be more favourable again? Or will he cut off his mercy for ever, from generation to generation? Or will God forget to show ANT. In die tribulationis meæ Deum exquisivi manibus meis, Et meditabor in omnibus operibus tuis: *et in adinventionibus tuis exercebor. Deus in sancto via tua: quis Deus magnus sicut Deus, noster? Tu es Deus, qui facis mirabilia. Notum fecisti in populis virtutem tuam: *redemisti in brachio tuo populum tuum, filios Jacob et Joseph. Viderunt te aquæ Deus, viderunt, te aquæ: * et timuerunt, et turbatæ sunt abyssi. Multitudo sonitus aqua* vocem dederunt rum : nubes. Etenim sagittæ tuæ transeunt : * vox tonitrui tui in rota. Illuxerunt coruscationes tuæ orbi terræ: * commota est et contremuit terra. In mari via tua, et semitæ tuæ in aquis multis: *et vestigia tua non cognoscentur. Deduxisti sicut oves populum tuum: * in manu Moysi et Aaron. ANT. In die tribulationis meæ Deum exquisivi manibus meis. V. Exsurge, Domine. mercy? or will he in his anger shut up his mercies ? And I said: Now have I begun this is the change of the right hand of the Most High. I remembered the works of the Lord; for I will be mindful of thy wonders from the beginning. And I will meditate on all thy works; and will be employed in thy inventions. Thy way, O God, is in the holy place who is the great God like our God? Thou art the God that dost wonders. Thou hast made thy power known among the nations: with thy arm thou hast redeemed thy people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; and they were afraid, and the depths were troubled. Great was the noise of the waters: the clouds sent out a sound. For thy arrows pass: the voice of thy thunder in a wheel. Thy lightnings enlightened the world, the earth shook and trembled. Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in many waters; and thy footsteps shall not be known. Thou hast conducted thy people like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. ANT. In the day of my tribulation, I sought God with my hands raised up in R. And judge my cause. R. Et judica causam meam. Here is said the Pater noster, in secret. The Lessons of the third Nocturn are taken from St. Paul. After having reproved the Faithful of Corinth for the abuses which had crept into their assemblies, he relates the institution of the Holy Eucharist, which took place to-day (Thursday); and after showing us the dispositions, wherewith we should approach the Holy Table, he speaks of the enormity of the crime of an unworthy Communion. SEVENTH LESSON. From the first Epistle of Saint Ch. XI. Now this I ordain : not praising you, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all I hear that when you come together in the church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must be, also, heresies; that they also, who are approved, may be made manifest among you. When you come together therefore into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord's Supper. For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry, and another is drunk. What, have you not houses to eat and drink in? Or despise ye the Church of God, and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not. De Epistola prima Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Corinthios. Cap. XI. Hoc autem præcipio : non laudans quod non in melius, sed in deterius convenitis. Primum quidem convenientibus vobis in ecclesiam, audio scissuras esse inter vos, et ex parte credo. Nam oportet et hæreses esse, ut et qui probati sunt, manifesti fiant in vobis. Convenientibus ergo vobis in unum, jam non est Dominicam Cœnam manducare. Unusquisque enim suam cœnam præsumit ad manducandum. Et alius quidem esurit, alius autem ebrius est. Numquid domos non habetis ad manducandum et bibendum? Aut Ecclesiam Dei contemnitis, et confunditis eos qui non habent? Quid dicam vobis? Laudo vos? In hoc non laudo. |