Kathisma 7

Kathisma 8

Kathisma 9

The Seventh Kathisma

Antiphon One

People everywhere, clap your hands! Cry out to God with shouts of joy! 2) For the Lord most high is awesome, great king over all the earth! 3) He makes nations prostrate at our feet, and peoples, beneath us. 4) He chose us for his own, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

5) God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up to a blast of trumpets. 6) Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our king, sing praises!

7) For God is king over all the earth; praise him with all your skill. 8) God is king of the nations; he reigns from his holy throne. 9) You nobles of the peoples, gather round, for the God of Abraham is the strong one: God is truly the king of earth, exalted above all!

Great is the Lord and worthy of the greatest praise in the city of our God, 2) on his holy mountain, that fairest of heights, the joy of all the earth. Mount Sion, deep heart of the north, is the city of the great king. 3) God himself is her citadel: He himself is her bulwark.

4) Kings joined forces once; against her they advanced together. 5) But at the sight of her, they were astounded; they panicked and fled in terror. 6) Trembling seized them there, like a woman in the throes of labor; 7) like the ships of Tarshish shattered by the east wind.

8) The likes of what we heard we have now witnessed in the very city of the Lord of power and might, in the city of our God--may God preserve her forever! 9) In your temple, O Lord, we reflect on your faithful care. 10) Like the heavens, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. 11) Your right hand overflows with generosity; Mount Sion rejoices, and the towns of Judah exult because of your acts of providence.

12) Go through Sion; make the rounds of her; count her towers; 13) take note of her ramparts; examine her fortresses, so you can tell generations to come: 14) God is our God forever and always: He it is who leads us!

Hear this, people everywhere; listen, all you inhabitants of the world: 2) men of every rank, rich and poor alike! 3) My mouth is about to speak words of wisdom, for my heart is full of insight. 4) My ear is attuned to the moral of the proverb; the mystery will be set to the music of the harp.

5) Why should I fear troubled times, when the malice of my slanderers surrounds me, 6) these men who trust in their riches, who glory in their great wealth? 7) No, a man cannot redeem himself, or pay his own ransom to God. 8) The price of life is much too high 9) to remain alive forever, to escape decay. 10) For all can see that wise men die, that the foolish and senseless perish alike, and leave their wealth to others. 11) Tombs are their eternal homes, the dwelling place for every generation of those once famous on earth. 12) Man, in spite of his riches, does not endure: he is like the beasts that perish.

13) Such is the fate of those who foolishly trust in themselves, and of their followers who lap up all they say. 14) Like sheep they are headed for the depths of the earth, with death as their shepherd, urging them on. Their flesh rots away, and their bodies waste away in the pit, stripped of all honor. 15) But God will ransom my soul from the hand of death; he will take me to himself.

16) Be not impressed when a man grows rich, when his household goods increase, 17) for he will take nothing with him when he dies; his wealth cannot follow him. 18) Though he flatters himself in his lifetime--they will have to admit I did well for myself-- 19) in the end he must join all his fathers and never again see the light. 20) Man in prosperity forfeits understanding; he is like the beasts that perish.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: Both now and forever, and unto ages of ages, amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.

Antiphon Two

The mighty one, God, the Lord, speaks: he summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2) From Sion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth; 3) our God is coming and he will not fail to act. Before him goes a devouring fire; a violent storm rages round about him. 4) He summons the heavens from on high, and the earth below to the trial of his people. 5) Let those devoted to him gather together before him; those who made him a sacrifice when they entered a covenant with him. 6) Let the heavens proclaim the justice of his claim, for he is the God of justice.

7) Listen, my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you, for I am God, your God. 8) I censure you not for your sacrifices, nor for your burnt offerings made to me daily. 9) I have no need of a bull from your stalls, or of goats from your pens. 10) For all the beasts of the forest are mine, and the thousands of cattle in the hills. 11) I know every bird in those hills; the teeming life in the fields is present before me. 12) Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13) Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14) Make praise your sacrifice to God and fulfill your vows to the most high. 15) Then, if you call on me in time of trouble, I will rescue you and I will spread out a feast for you.

16) But to the wicked, God says this: What right have you to recite my commandments, or mouth the terms of my covenant? 17) For you despise correction, and turn your back when I speak.

18) When you find a thief, you fall in with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19) You use your mouth to forge evil and harness your tongue to deceit. 20) You malign your brother continually, forever defaming the son of your mother. 21) You do all these things and expect me to say nothing! Do you fancy that I am like you? I will accuse you; I will show you where you are wrong.

22) You are unmindful of God; you had better take care, or I will tear you to pieces and no one will save you. 23) As for him who offers me a sacrifice of praise -- for him I will give a feast, for he prepares a way for me to show him the saving power of God.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your kindness; in your great tenderness, wipe out my sin. 2) Over and over again, cleanse me of all malice; from my fault purify me.

3) For my sin is only too clear to me; my sin is ever before me. 4) Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your eyes, this I have done. You are just when you sentence, without reproach when you judge. 5) For in guilt itself was I born; a sinner my mother conceived. 6) But you love truth at the heart of my being; teach me wisdom deep within me.

7) Purify me: I shall be cleaner than spring water; wash me: I shall be whiter than snow. 8) Let me hear the sound of joy and feasting; let them dance, these bones you have crushed. 9) Turn your face away from my sins; cleanse me of all malice.

10) O God, create in me a pure heart, in my belly, a new and constant spirit. 11) Do not banish me from your presence; do not deprive me of your holy spirit. 12) Give me back the joy of your help; insure within me a spirit of fervor,

13) that I may teach sinners your ways, that the misguided may return to you. 14) Rescue me from death, O God, my saving God, and my tongue shall ring out your justice! 15) Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. 16) For you take no delight in sacrifice; were I to make a burnt offering, you would want no part of it. 17) The best sacrifice, a broken spirit; a heart broken and crushed you have never disdained, O God.

18) In your kindness, be good to Sion: Rebuild Jerusalem within its walls! 19) Then you will delight in just sacrifices -- burnt offerings completely consumed! -- then will they lay calves upon your altar!

Glory: Both now:
Alleluia:

Antiphon Three

Why do you boast of your wickedness, O champion of evil? You who should be devoted to God, 2) why do you harbor evil thoughts all day long? Your tongue is a sharpened razor, you master of deceit! 3) You prefer evil to good, the lie to speaking truthfully. 4) You love treacherous speech and words that hurt.

5) With a crash may God bring you down to destruction, forever doom your children! May he pluck you from your tent and uproot your sons from the land of the living!

6) Honest folk will look on in dread, but then they will laugh at you and say: 7) So much for the man who refused to make God the source of his strength! So much for him who relied on his own great wealth, who grew strong by destroying others! 8) For my part, like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God, I place my trust in God's unfailing love unto ages of ages. 9) I praise you, everlasting one, for all you have done; I glorify your name for its goodness, in the presence of those who are faithful to you.

The fool thinks to himself: God is not here! The deeds of men are abominable, corrupt; no one does good. 2) From the heavens God looks down on the children of men, to find one man of understanding, even one who seeks God. 3) But they are a wicked lot, all of them depraved; not even one good man remains; no, not even one.

4) Are they so ignorant, these evildoers, who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and who never turn to God! 5) They seek to prevail by plotting together, but their plots come to nothing, for God scatters the bones of those encamped against us. They are shamed and confused because God himself rejects them.

6) O, that Israel's salvation might come from Sion! When God restores his people's fortune, it will be gladness for Jacob, joy for Israel!

O God, by your name save me; by your power prove me right! 2) O God, heed my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth! 3) Foreigners rise up to attack me; ruthless men hunt down my soul; they have no room for you in their hearts.

4) But see! God comes to help me: the Lord who is the true sustainer of my life. 5) Let evil recoil upon my foes, Lord; in your faithfulness destroy them! 6) With a willing heart I will offer you sacrifice; I will praise your name for its goodness, O Lord. 7) O, that you would rescue me from all anguish and make my foes really something to behold!

O God, listen to my prayer; do not hide from my pleading! 2) Give me a hearing and answer me, for with all my cares I cannot rest. 3) I am panic-stricken by the shouts of my foes, by the cries of the wicked, for they bring down evil upon me; seething with anger they assail me. 4) And within me, my heart is awhirl: the terror of death hangs over me; 5) fear and trembling seize me; I shudder from head to foot! 6) O, for the wings of a dove, that I might fly away, that I might find some rest! 7) How far would I flee! I would make the wilderness my retreat! 8) I would run to find shelter against the raging wind, against the hurricane 9) that devours, Lord, against the treachery of their tongues.

9) For I see nothing but violence and strife in the city; 10) day and night they patrol, high on its walls. And within, there is nothing but oppression and evil; 11) rumor and scandal run rampant; never are tyranny and fraud far from its streets. 12) It is not an enemy who reviles me -- I could bear that; it is not my foe who rises against me -- I could hide from him; 13) but it is you, my equal, my closest, dearest friend! 14) How intimate the friendship we shared in the house of God!

May death strike them down; 15) may they finish alive in the depths of the earth, for evil has made its home among them! 16) For my part, I will call on God; the Lord will save me. 17) In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, I moan and groan for him to hear me. 18) May he rescue my soul unharmed from the war they wage against me; may he grant me peace though many fight against me.

19) May he bring them to their knees, this one who sits as judge forever, for they will not mend their ways; they have no fear of God. 20) The traitor has stretched forth his hand against his friends; he has broken his word. 21) His speech is smoother than cream, but there is war in his heart; his words are like oil but sharp as drawn swords. 22) Entrust your cares to the Lord and he will support you, for he will never let the just man stumble. 23) As for them, O God, bring them down, into the very pit of destruction. They are men of blood and deceit; may they not live out half their days! As for me, I put my trust in you!

Glory: Both now:
Alleluia:

The Eighth Kathisma

Antiphon One

Have mercy on me, O God! How men hound me! 2) All day long they harass me, trying to swallow me up! My defamers hound me all day long! How many are they who fight against me, O exalted one! 3) Whenever I am afraid, I trust in you. 4) Listen, you who defame me! I glory in God! In God I trust; I am not afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

5) All day long, they abuse me at every turn; their only thought is to do me harm. 6) They conspire; they lurk; they watch my every move, hoping for my death. 7) Shall their malice go unpunished? In your anger, bring these people down, O God! 8) Store up my tears in your skins and list my hardships in your scroll; you yourself write down my lament! 9) If my enemies retreat when I call on you, then I know God is with me. 10) Listen, you who defame me! I glory in God! Listen, you who defame me! I glory in the Lord! 11) In God I trust; I am not afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

12) I am bound by the vows I made to you, O God most high; I will fulfill them with praise and thanksgiving. 13) O, that you would rescue me from death and save my feet from banishment, that I might walk in your presence in the land of the living.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for my soul takes refuge in you. In the shadow of your wings I take refuge until the storms of destruction pass. 2) I call to God most high, to God, who does everything for me. 3) He reaches down from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who trample on me; God sends me his steadfast love and faithfulness. 4) Prostrate I lie, surrounded by lions, in the midst of ravenous beasts: men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharpened swords. 5) They spread a net for my feet to ensnare me; they dig a pit for me: May they themselves fall into it!

6) O God! Exalt yourself above the heavens; throughout the earth, your glory! 7) My heart is ready, O God; my heart is ready; I will sing and make music! 8) Wake up, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn! 9) I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O Lord; I will sing a hymn of praise to you among the nations, 10) for your loving kindness towers to the heavens, and your steadfast love, to the sky. 11) O God! Exalt yourself above the heavens; throughout the earth, your glory!

Men of rank, do you really decree what is just? Do you mete out fair judgment to the children of men? 2) Never! Your hearts forever devise what is wicked, and your hands take in the fruits of extortion. 3) The wicked are defiant from birth; liars go wrong from the womb. 4) Their venom is like that of a serpent, like that of a viper that stops up its ears 5) lest it hear the voice of the snake charmer, of that cunning weaver of spells.

6) O God, smash their teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of these lions, O Lord! 7) Let them vanish like water that quickly recedes; let them wither like the grass under foot; 8) ravaged by consumption, let them finish their days; like a stillborn child, let them never see the sun. 9) Before they can thrive let them be rooted out like a thornbush; like thorn and thistle let them crackle in the blaze. 10) The just will be glad when they see vengeance done; they will wash from their feet the blood of the wicked. 11) And men will say: So there is a reward for the righteous! There is, then, a God who judges the earth!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: Both now and forever, and unto ages of ages, amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.

Antiphon Two

Rescue me from my enemies, O God; from those who attack me, protect me. 2) Rescue me from evildoers, from blood-thirsty men, save me! 3) See how they lie in wait for my soul; powerful men band together against me. 4) For no offense, for no sin of mine, O Lord, for no guilt of mine, they rush at me to take their stand. Wake up! Come to my aid and see! 5) You, Lord, O God of hosts! O God of Israel! Rise up and punish all the nations; show no mercy to these worthless traitors.

6) They wait till evening; then, howling like dogs, they roam about in the streets. 7) They prowl about looking for something to eat, and if they find nothing they snarl all night. 8) See how they snarl, mouths wide open; their lips are like swords: Who is there to hear us? 9) But you, O Lord, you laugh them to scorn; you deride all the nations! 10) As for me, I sing the glories of your might; I declare your loving mercy every morning, for you have been a fortress for me, my refuge when I am in trouble. 11) O my strength, your praise will I sing! Yes, my God, you are my stronghold, my kind and loving God. O, my strength, to you I turn. 12) Yes, God is my fortress; the God whom I love is coming to my aid. 13) God will let me see the end of those who lie in wait for me.

14) O God! Slaughter them! Lest they seduce my people, let your might send them reeling; put them down, O our shield, our Lord! 15) Sin is in their mouths, on their lips; let them be trapped by their pride, for their blasphemies, for the lies they tell under oath. 16) Destroy them in your anger; destroy them until nothing is left of them! Let them understand that God is master over Jacob and throughout the world.

In your anger you deserted us, O God! In your rage you turned your back on us! 2) You rocked the earth and split it open; cracked and crumbling, it shuddered horrendously. 3) You made your people suffer hardships; you gave us a wine that made us stagger. 4) Now, raise a banner for those who revere you, to rally them against the archers' attack. 5) Come and deliver your beloved; stretch forth your right hand and answer me.

6) From his holy place, God made this promise, that in triumph I would divide up Shechem and portion out the valley of Succoth; 7) Gilead and Manasseh are mine; Ephraim my helmet and Judah my scepter; 8) Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I plant my sandal, and over the Philistines I shout in triumph! 9) Who is there now to lead me to that bastion, to set me on the throne of Edom?

10) But you, O God, can you really have rejected us? You no longer go forth with our armies, O God. 11) Grant us help against the foe, for the help of man is worthless. 12) With God we shall be victorious; he himself will bring our foes to nothing!

Listen, O God, to my cries; attend to my prayer! 2) From the edge of the world beneath I call to you; I am losing heart completely. Lead me away from here to that lofty mountain. 3) O, that you would be my refuge, a towering fortress against my foe. 4) Let me dwell in your eternal tent and hide in the shelter of your wings.

5) O God, if only you would hear my prayer and give me the inheritance of those who revere your name! 6) Lengthen the king's days; make his years endless generations. 7) May he ever sit enthroned before God! Bid love and truth protect him! 8) Then will I sing to your name without end, fulfilling my vows day after day.

Glory: Both now:
Alleluia:

Antiphon Three

Only in God is my soul at rest, and from him comes my deliverance. 2) He alone is the rock of my salvation, my stronghold; never will I stumble. 3) How long will you assault a man, will all of you knock him down, as if he were a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 4) They fully intend to topple him from his place of honor, delighting in their lies. 5) With their mouths, they bless indeed, but inwardly their hearts are full of cursing.

6) Only in God is my soul at rest, and from him comes my hope. He alone is the rock of my salvation, my stronghold; never will I stumble. 7) My deliverance depends on the most high god; the glorious one is my mountain fortress, God, my refuge. 8) At all times trust in him, my people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

9) Lowborn men are but a breath; the highborn, a delusion. On scales they weigh less than a leaf; together, less than vapor. 10) Rely not on extortion; take no pride in stolen goods. Put no hope in wealth; when God speaks, repent from your hearts. 11) One thing God has spoken; two things I have heard: 12) Power belongs to God, and: Yours, O Lord, is loving kindness. You yourself repay each man according to his deeds.

O God, you are my God; at early morning I look for you; my soul thirsts for you; for you my body craves, like dry land, weary, without water. 2) So I gaze on you in the sanctuary, to see your power and your glory. 3) How much sweeter your loving mercy, than my very life and lips that praise you!

4) I will bless you all my life, lifting my hands as I invoke your name. 5) As at a banquet shall my soul gorge itself; on my lips, joy; praise in my mouth. 6) In bed I remember you; as I lie awake I reflect on you, 7) mindful of how you helped me, and I rejoice in the safety of your wings. 8) My soul presses close to you; your right hand supports me.

9) As for those who seek my life, may they go into the depths of the earth. 10) Let them be put to the sword, left as the prey of jackals! 11) But the king shall rejoice in God; whoever swears by him will glory when liars' mouths are silenced.

Hear my voice, O God, when I complain to you; from the threats of the enemy protect my life. 2) Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from that noisy crowd of evildoers. 3) For they sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows. 4) From ambush they shoot at the innocent; suddenly they shoot, afraid of nothing. 5) They encourage each other in their evil scheming, conspiring in secret to lay their snares. Plotting their evil, they say: 6) Who will see us? Who will discover this perfect crime?

He will discover it, the one who searches the innermost man, the very depths of the heart. 7) God will fire his arrows at them, inflicting on them sudden staggering wounds. 8) Their tongues shall be their downfall, and those who look on shall recoil in horror. 9) Then, all men will stand in awe; they will tell others what God has done, and they will understand why he has done it. 10) But the just will rejoice in the Lord; they will fly to him for refuge! And all the upright will glory!

Glory: Both now:
Alleluia:

The Ninth Kathisma

Antiphon One

It is only right to praise you in Sion, O God! Vows to you shall be fulfilled, 2) for you listen to prayer. All flesh must lay its faults before you; 3) though our faults overpower us, you blot them out. 4) Happy is the man you choose, whom you invite to live in your courts: You fill his heart with the beauty of your house, with the holiness of your temple.

5) You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God, our saviour; you are the hope of the very ends of the earth, of those far beyond the seas. 6) You fixed the mountains in their place by your power -- you are yourself robed in power! 7) You calmed the raging seas and all their roaring waves; 8) the turmoil of the nations you subdued. Those who live at the ends of the earth are dazed by your signs and wonders.

9) Make morning and evening rejoice! Make the rains come down in torrents, O God, to restore your people and your land! 10) Bless it abundantly: let heaven's fountains overflow with water; with your rains provide for your family dwelling there. 11) Let the earth bring forth grain, to sustain the needy who settle there, for this is why you made it! 12) Drench its furrows and soak down its ridges; loosen its clods with gentle showers, and bless it with fruitfulness! 13) Crown the year with your bounty; wherever you pass, let there be plenty. 14) Make the boundless meadows lush with rich growth, and clothe the hills in gladness! 15) Fill the pastures with herds of cattle, and make a mantle of wheat stretch out through the valleys! And everywhere, let there be joy; everywhere, songs of praise!

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth! Sing praises to the glory of his name! 2) Praise upon praise for his glory! Tell God: How awesome you are! 3) The greatness of your power makes your enemies cringe. 4) All the earth falls down before you, singing to you, singing hymns in honor of your name.

5) Come, see what God has done, how wondrous are his dealings with mankind. 6) Flowing waters he turned into dry land that his people might cross dry-shod; there we rejoiced in him. 7) He rules forever by his power; he keeps close watch on all the nations: let rebels tame their pride. 8) Bless God, you nations! Let his praise be heard, far and wide! 9) For he wills that we should yet live; he will not let us stumble. 10) For you have tried us, O God, as men do silver. 11) You led us into the wilderness; you put ulcers on our thighs; you let sickness drive us hard. 12) Yes, you dragged us through fire and water, but once the ordeal was over, you refreshed us with new life.

13) So now I approach your temple with sacrifices in fulfillment of every vow 14) my lips ever uttered, that my mouth ever swore in the face of trouble. 15) Burnt offerings of fattened sheep I bring to you; the smoke of ram's flesh, of bullocks and goats prepared in your honor. 16) Come, listen to me, you who revere God; I will reveal the mercies he has shown me. 17) When I cried out to him in prayer, high praise on my tongue, 18) had wrong been in my heart the Lord would not have listened. 19) But God not only listened, he accepted my prayer. 20) Blessed be God, for he does not reject my plea; he does not withdraw his mercy from me!

O that God be kind to us and bless us, that he smile on us and come to us, 2) that his way be known on earth, among all nations his saving help! 3) Let all people praise you, O God; let all people praise you!

4) Let the nations be glad and shout for joy, for you are the ruler! It is you who lead the nations into the plains, and the peoples into the land. 5) Let all people praise you, O God; let all people praise you!

6) Let the earth yield its harvest; let God, our God, bless us! 7) Yes, may he bless us and bless us, so that all the ends of the earth may revere him!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: Both now and forever, and unto ages of ages, amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia: Glory to you, O God.

Antiphon Two

Let God arise; let his foes be scattered, and let those who hate him flee before him! 2) As smoke is blown away, so are they blown away; as wax melts before fire, so do they perish, the godless ones, before God. 3) But the just rejoice before God; they leap and dance for joy!

4) Sing to the Lord; make music to his name; clear the way for him who rides the clouds! Leap for joy in the Lord and dance before him! 5) Father of orphans and defender of widows -- such is God who dwells in his holy place. 6) God restores exiles to their homes; he opens to captives the gates of prosperity, but the stubborn he entombs in a wasteland. 7) Day after day he bears our burdens; God himself is our saviour. 8) God is for us a God who saves, and to this sovereign Lord we owe our escape from death! Blessed be the Lord!

9) The Lord said: I shall lead them back from the fiery furnace; I shall lead them out of the depths of the sea. 10) God will smash the heads of his foes, the hairy skulls of all who persist in their stubbornness, 11) that you may wade through their blood, that the tongues of jackals may lick up their share of the blood of your enemies.

12) Show forth, O my God, show forth your might, that might you set to work for us from your temple high in Jerusalem! 13) Rebuke the oppressor, the beast that lives among the reeds, the bull-generals of the nations, and all their calf-soldiers who trample on peoples in their lust for silver! You scatter people who delight in war! To you kings will come bearing gifts. 14) Let the great ones of Egypt come to you; let Ethiopia stretch forth its hand to the Lord! 15) Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! 16) Make music to the Lord, to him who rides the heavens, the ancient heavens! Look! His voice resounds, that voice of might! 17) Come, acknowledge the power of God! Over Israel his splendor, in the skies his might! 18) O how awesome is God in his holy place! He it is, this God of Israel, who will give his people strength and power. Blessed be God!

19) When you marched forth to lead your people, O God, when you marched across the desert, 20) the earth trembled, the heavens rumbled, at the sight of God, the God of Sinai, at the sight of God, the God of Israel. 21) That peak of Bashan is no peak of God, but a mountain of pride, that peak of Bashan! 22) What right have you, you arrogant peaks, to look down on this mountain where God has chosen to reign, where the Lord will live forever?

23) The chariots of God were twice ten thousand; in grandeur the Lord advanced from Sinai. 24) The Lord thundered forth his word; couriers spread the news: 25) El Shaddai has dispersed a mighty army, while in the camp housewives divide the spoils. 26) Even for those within the sheepfolds there were wings like a dove's, covered with silver, 27) sparkling with the sheen of green gold, and precious pearls like snow on Mount Zalmon. 28) When you came out victorious, you took captivity captive, receiving tribute from their hands, even from those who rebelled against your presence there. 29) They have seen your paths in the desert, O God, the paths of my God and king in grandeur. 30) The singers march up front, and musicians take up the rear; between them, young maidens sound their timbrels. 31) In chorus, bless God, the Lord, you sons of Israel! 32) There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them; the princes of Judah in robes of brocade, the princes of Zebulon, the princes of Nephthali.

Glory: Both now:
Alleluia:

Antiphon Three

Save me, O God, for the waters have risen to my neck! 2) I am sinking into the mire, and there is nothing to hold on to. Into deep waters have I fallen, and the rushing current is sweeping me away. 3) I am exhausted from crying out; my throat is on fire; and my eyes grow dim looking for my God. 4) More numerous than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without reason. They are more numerous than the hairs of my beard, those who hound me for no reason. Should I make amends to them--I, who never robbed them?

5) O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins lie naked before you. 6) May they never be disappointed in me, those who trust you, Lord of power and might! May they never be shamed in me, those who seek you, O God of Israel! 7) It is for you that I put up with insults, that shame covers my face, 8) that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. 9) For the zeal of your house consumes me, and insults aimed at you fall on me! 10) If I mortify my flesh with fasting, they taunt me for it; 11) if I put on sackcloth, for them it is something to laugh at, 12) the gossip of those who sit around by the door, the meaningless song of drunkards.

13) As for me, I pray for your favor, O Lord; in your great love, O God, answer me now with your saving help that never fails. 14) Rescue me from this morass! Let me not be sucked in! Let me escape my foe; let me not be caught by the deep! 15) Let not the current carry me away, nor the whirlpool suck me under; let not this pit close its mouth about me! 16) Answer, Lord! In your loving mercy, in your great tenderness, look at me! 17) Do not hide your face from your servant! Hear me quickly, for I am distressed! 18) Attend to my soul and deliver it; from my foe deliver it! 19) You see how they abuse me; disgraced and shamed, I stand before you. 20) Scorn has broken my heart; I have reached the end of my strength. In vain I waited for one to share my sorrow, for someone to comfort me, but there was none. 21) For food they gave me poison; in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

22) Let their tables be a snare to them, and their feasts, a trap. 23) Let their eyes grow weaker and weaker, until they are blind. And then, let their seed fail them! 24) Pour out your anger on them; let your scorching wrath overtake them; 25) let their lands be laid waste, their tents, deserted! 26) For in their rage, they fall upon one whom you strike and add to the wounds of your victim. 27) Make them pay, wrong for wrong! Let them never share the reward of the just. 28) Let them be erased from the book of life, never to be recorded among the just.

29) But me -- bent over, full of pain -- let your help renew me, O God! 30) I shall praise God's name with a song; I shall exalt him with thanksgiving! 31) That will please the Lord, more than a calf, more than a strong one with its horns and hoofs. 32) When they see it, the poor will jump for joy; you who seek God, your hearts will live forever! 33) For the Lord hears the poor; he has not scorned his own in their chains. 34) Let heaven and earth praise him, the sea and all that moves about in it. 35) For God shall save Sion, he shall rebuild the cities of Judah.

36) There they will live -- it will be theirs; his servants' sons shall inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell in it.

Quick, O God! Rescue me! O Lord, help me! 2) Let shame and disgrace fall on those who hunt down my soul! Make them back off! Make them recoil in confusion, who gloat at my ruin! 3) Make them draw back, covered with shame, who jeer at me. 4) But for all who seek you, joy and gladness! For those who love your help, let them always say: God is great! 5) As for me -- poor wretch that I am -- O God, hasten to me! O you, my helper, my saviour; O Lord, do not delay!

Glory: Both now:
Alleluia:

The Psalter
Copyright © 1984 by the Monks of New Skete