FIRST NOCTURN, or Watch of

THE NIGHT.

Psalm II.2

there cometh the King. Antiphon for the rest of the year. Serve the LORD.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Alleluia.

Psalm I.

BLESSED is the man that walk

in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat

of the scornful:

But his delight is in the law of the LORD;* and in His Law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, * that bringeth forth his fruit in his season:

His leaf also shall not wither: *and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Not so are the ungodly [not so]: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away [from the face of the earth.]'

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment : * nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: * but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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.

This Doxology is said at the end of every Psalm unless special directions are given to the contrary.

I Not in the Hebrew.

and the people imagine a

vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD, and against His Anointed.

*

Let us break their bands asunder: * and cast away their yoke from us.

He That sitteth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn: * and the Lord shall have them in derision.

Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath: * and vex them in His sore displeasure.

Yet me hath He anointed King upon His holy hill of Zion * to declare His decree.

The LORD hath said unto me : * Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

*

Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear : * and rejoice with trembling before Him.

Lay hold of instruction, lest the Lord be * and ye angry, perish from the way [of the righteous.]1

When His wrath is kindled in but a little, * blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Mine eye is grown dim because of grief: I am waxen old because of all mine enemies.

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity: * for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

The LORD hath heard my sup*the LORD hath replication : ceived my prayer.

Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: * let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

Antiphon for Advent. Behold, there cometh the King, even the Most High, with great power, to save the nations. Alleluia.

Antiphon for the rest of the year. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling before Him.

In Paschal time there is only one Antiphon to the whole Nocturn.

Second Antiphon for Advent. Strengthen ye.

Second Antiphon for the rest of the year. God is a righteous judge.

3 SLH, again.

6 Ps. ii. 11.

Psalm VII.1

my

save me from

LORD God, in Thee do I take refuge : * all them that persecute me, and deliver me.

Lest he tear my soul like a lion, while there is none to deliver, or to save.

O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands;

If I have rewarded evil unto them that dealt friendly with me, * may I fall and be stripped by mine enemies.

Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it, yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, * and lay mine honour in the dust.2

Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger: * and lift up Thyself against the borders of mine enemies.

And awake for me, [O Lord my God,] to the judgment that Thou hast commanded: * so shall the congregation of the people compass Thee about.

For their sakes, therefore, return Thou on high : * the LORD judgeth the peoples.

Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, * and according to mine integrity that is in me.

O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, and establish the just; * God trieth the hearts and reins.

My defence is of the Lord, * Who saveth the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, strong [and patient]3: * wherefore is He provoked every day?

If ye turn not, He will whet His sword: * He hath bent His bow and made it ready.

He hath also prepared for Him the instruments of death, * He hath ordained His arrows to burn up His enemies.

Behold, he travaileth with iniquity he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

He made a pit and digged it : * and is fallen into the ditch which he made.

His mischief shall return upon his own head: * and his iniquity shall come down upon his own pate.

I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness: * and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

2 SLH.

3 Not in the Hebrew.

The LORD also is a refuge for the poor: * a refuge in times of trouble.

And let them that know Thy name put their trust in Thee : * for Thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.

Sing praises to the LORD, Which dwelleth in Zion: * declare among the people His doings.

For when He maketh inquisition for blood He remembereth them He forgetteth not the cry of the afflicted.

:

Have mercy upon me, O LORD: * consider my trouble [which I suffer] of them that hate me.

Thou That liftest me up from the gates of death: * that I may show forth all Thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion!

I will rejoice in Thy salvation: *the heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made.

In the net which they hid,* is their own foot taken.

The LORD is known when He executeth judgment: * the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.2

The wicked shall be turned into hell: * all the nations that forget God.

For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for

ever.

Arise, O LORD, let not man prevail : let the heathen be judged in Thy sight.

Put Thou a master over them. O LORD:* let the nations know themselves to be but men.3

8

*

Why standest Thou afar off, O LORD, why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?

*

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: they are taken in the devices that they have imagined.

For the wicked is praised according to his soul's desire and the unrighteous is deemed blessed.

The wicked provoketh the LORD in the greatness of his scornful indignation he doth not

care.

:

*

God is not before his eyes : his ways are always grievous. Thy judgments are far out of his sight he hath dominion over his enemies.

He hath said in his heart : * I shall not be moved unto generation and generation, yea, I shall never be in adversity.

* un

His mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness, and fraud: der his tongue is mischief and