Friday Morning Praise

from Work of God, Benedictine Prayer

O God, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

ANTIPHON
The Son of Man will come in the clouds with great power and glory.

PSALM 51

Have mercy, tender God, forget that I defied you.

Wash away my sin, cleanse me from my guilt.

I know my evil well, it stares me in the face, evil done to you alone before your very eyes.

How right your condemnation! Your verdict clearly just.

You see me for what I am, a sinner before my birth.

You love those centered in truth; teach me your hidden wisdom.

Wash me with fresh water, wash me bright as snow.

Fill me with happy songs, let the bones you bruised now dance.

Shut your eyes to my sin, make my guilt disappear.

Creator, reshape my heart, God, steady my spirit.

Do not cast me aside stripped of your holy spirit.

Save me, bring back my joy, support me, strengthen my will.

Then I will teach your way and sinners will turn to you.

Help me, stop my tears, and I will sing your goodness.

Lord, give me words and I will shout your praise.

When I offer a holocaust, the gift does not please you.

So I offer my shattered spirit; a changed heart you welcome.

In your love make Zion lovely, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Then sacrifice will please you, young bulls upon your altar.

PSALM 76

God, you are known throughout Judah, Israel glories in your name.

Your tent is pitched in Salem, your command post on Zion.

There you break flaming arrows, shield and sword and war itself!

Majestic and circled with light, you seize your prey; stouthearted soldiers
are stripped of their plunder.

Dazed, they cannot lift a hand.

At your battle cry, God of Jacob, horse and rider are stunned.

You, the one who strikes fear who can stand up to your anger!

Your verdict sounds from heaven; earth reels, then is still, when you stand as judge
to defend the oppressed.

When you are robed in fury, even the warlike give you praise.

Now, all you worshipers, keep your promise to God, bring gifts to the Holy One who terrifies princes and stuns the rulers of earth.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

ANTIPHON
The Son of Man will come in the clouds with great power and glory.

READING

[Ezek 36:22-28]

Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned mlong the nations to which you came. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.

BENEDICTUS ANTIPHON
I will praise God at all times, praise always on my lips.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who shepherds the people and sets them free.

God raises from David's house a child with power to save.

Through the holy prophets God promised in ages past to save us from enemy hands, from the grip of all who hate us.

The Lord favored our ancestors recalling the sacred covenant, the pledge to our ancestor Abraham, to free us from our enemies, so we might worship without fear and be holy and just all our days.

And you, child, will be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will come to prepare
a pathway for the Lord by teaching the people salvation through forgiveness of their sin.

Out of God's deepest mercy a dawn will come from on high, light for those shadowed by death, a guide for our feet on the way to peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

BENEDICTUS ANTIPHON
I will praise God at all times, praise always on my lips.

INTERCESSIONS

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as is it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Source of Mercy, the life and death of your son are our hope of salvation. Pour the refreshing waters of your love over us. Cleanse our hearts, forgive our failings, and renew our zeal for you as we continue in our conversion throughout our lives. We ask this through Christ our Savior and your Holy Spirit. Amen.

May God bless us and keep us. May God smile upon us and be gracious to us. May God look upon us kindly, and give us peace. Amen.

Let us bless God and give thanks.