Canticle for the Justice of Christ

2ND KINGS (SAMUEL) 22, 23

"O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,

3 my God, my rock of refuge!

My shield, the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold, my refuge,

my Savior, from violence you keep me safe.

4 'Praised be the LORD,' I exclaim,

and I am safe from my enemies.

5 "The breakers of death surged round about me,

the floods of perdition overwhelmed me;

6 The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,

the snares of death overtook me.

7 In my distress I called upon the LORD

and cried out to my God;

From his temple He heard my voice,

and my cry reached His ears.

8 "The earth swayed and quaked;

the foundations of the heavens trembled

and shook when his wrath flared up.

9 Smoke rose from his nostrils,

and a devouring fire from his mouth;

he kindled coals into flame.

10 He inclined the heavens and came down,

with dark clouds under his feet.

11 He mounted a cherub and flew,

borne on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness the shelter about him,

with spattering rain and thickening clouds.

13 From the brightness of his presence

coals were kindled to flame.

14 "The LORD thundered from heaven;

the Most High gave forth his voice.

15 He sent forth arrows to put them to flight;

he flashed lightning and routed them,

16 Then the wellsprings of the sea appeared,

the foundations of the earth were laid bare,

At the rebuke of the LORD,

at the blast of the wind of his wrath.

17 "He reached out from on high and grasped me;

he drew me out of the deep waters.

18 He rescued me from my mighty enemy,

from my foes, who were too powerful for me.

19 They attacked me on my day of calamity,

but the LORD came to my support.

20 He set me free in the open,

and rescued me, because he loves me.

21 The LORD rewarded me according to my justice;

according to the cleanness of my hands He requited me.

22 For I kept the ways of the LORD

and was not disloyal to my God.

23 For His ordinances were all present to me,

and His statutes I put not from me;

24 But I was wholehearted toward Him,

and I was on guard against guilt.

25 And the LORD requited me according to my justice,

according to my innocence in His sight

26 Toward the faithful You are faithful;

toward the wholehearted You are wholehearted;

27 Toward the sincere you are sincere ;

but toward the crooked you are astute.

28 You save lowly people,

though on the lofty Your eyes look down.

29 You are my lamp, 0 LORD!

0 my God, you brighten the darkness about me.

30 For with your aid I run against an armed band,

and by the help of my God I leap over a wall.

31 God's way is unerring;

the promise of the LORD is fire tried;

He is a shield to all who take refuge in

Him.

32 "For who is God except the LORD?

Who is a rock save our God?

33 The God who girded me with strength

and kept my way unerring; I

34 Who made my feet swift as those of hinds

and set me on the heights;

35 Who trained my hands for war

till my arms could bend a bow of brass.

36 You have given me your saving shield,

and your help has made me great.

37 You made room for my steps;

unwavering was my stride.

38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,

nor did I turn again till I made an end of them.

39 I smote them and they did not rise;

they fell beneath my feet.

40 You girded me with strength for war;

you subdued my adversaries beneath me.

41 My enemies you put to flight before me

and those who hated me I destroyed.

42 They cried for help - but no one saved them;

to the LORD - but he answered them not.

43 I ground them fine as the dust of the earth;

like the mud in the streets I trampled them

down.

44 "You rescued me from the strife of my people;

you made me head over nations.

A people I had not known became my slaves;

45 as soon as they heard me, they obeyed.

46 The foreigners fawned and cringed before me;

they staggered forth from their fortresses.

47 "The LORD live! And blessed be my Rock!

Extolled be my God, Rock of my salvation.

48 God, who granted me vengeance,

who made peoples subject to me

49 and helped me escape from my enemies,

Above my adversaries you exalt me

and from the violent man you rescue me.

50 Therefore will I proclaim You, 0 Lord, among

the nations,

and I will sing praise to your name,

51 You Who gave great victories to Your King

"The utterance of David, son of Jesse;

the utterance of the man God raised up,

Anointed of the God of Jacob,

favorite of the Mighty One of Israel.

2 The spirit of the LORD spoke through me;

his word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel spoke;

of me the Rock of Israel said,

'He that rules over men in justice,

that rules in the fear of God,

4 Is like the morning light at sunrise.

on a cloudless morning,

making the greensward sparkle after rain.'

5 Although my house is not so with God

Yet He has made an eternal covenant with me,

set forth in detail and secured.

Will he not bring to fruition all my salvation

and my every desire?

6 But the wicked are all like thorns to be cast

away; they cannot be taken up by hand.

7 He who wishes to touch them

must arm himself with iron and the shaft of

a spear, and they must be consumed by fire."

Canticles Sunday

THE EIGHTH ODE

Canticle of the Three Holy Children

Daniel 3, 57-88 and 56

ALL ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye dews and hoar frosts, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye ice an snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye sons of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

Let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Ghost: let us praise and exalt him above all forever.

Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, and glorious for ever.

THE FIFTH ODE

A prayer of Isaias the Prophet.

Is. 26: 9-21

Isaias' prophecy, which is also his prayer. O Lord our God, grant

us peace.

Out of the nightmy spirit waketh at dawn unto Thee, O God;

for Thy commandments are a light upon the earth.

Learn righteousness, all ye that dwell upon the earth.

For the ungodly man hath come to an end; every one that

learneth not righteousness upon the earth shall not be able to do

truth; let the ungodly be taken away, that he may not see the glory

of the Lord.

O Lord, Thine arm is lifted up, and they knew it not; but

when they know it, let them be put to shame.

Zeal shall lay hold upon an untaught people, and now fire

shall devour the adversaries.

O Lord our God, bestow Thy peace upon us, for Thou hast

given all things unto us.

O Lord our God, take us for Thy possession. O Lord, we

know no other beside Thee; we call upon Thy name.

But the dead shall not see life, neither shall physicians raise

them up; therefore hast Thou brought wrath upon them, and hast

slain them, and hast taken every man of them away.

Bring more evils upon them, Lord; bring more evils upon

them that are glorious upon the earth.

O Lord, in trouble we remembered Thee; with small affliction

was Thy chastening with us.

And as a woman in travail draweth nigh to be delivered, and

crieth out in her travail, so have we become in the presence of Thy

beloved.

We have conceived, O Lord, because of Thy fear, and have

suffered pangs, and have brought forth the spirit of Thy salvation,

which we have wrought upon the earth.

We shall not fail, but all those that dwell upon the earth shall

fail.

The dead shall arise, and they that are in the tomb shall

awake, and they that are upon the earth shall rejoice.

For the dew which Thou sendest is healing unto them; but

the land of the ungodly shall perish.

Go, my people, enter into thine inner chamber, shut thy door,

hide thyself for a little season, until the anger of the Lord shall

pass away.

Glory. Both now.

Canticles Every Day

Ode 9, Part 1 The Magnificat Luke 1, 46-55

MY soul doth magnify the Lord:

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior,

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed,

Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is his name.

And his mercy is from generation unto generation to those that fear him.

He hath showed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent away empty.

He hath received Israel, his servant, being mindful of his mercy,

As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.

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.

Ant. All generations shall call me blessed, for God hath regarded his lowly handmaid.

Ode 9, Part 2 Canticle of Zachary Luke 1 :68-79

BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant:

As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began.

Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us:

To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament,

The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us,

That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear.

In holiness and justice before him, all our days.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:

To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins:

Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:

To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.

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 withoutend. Amen.

Canticle of Simeon Luke 2.29-32.34

+ NOW Thou dost dismiss thy servant, 0 Lord according to thy word in peace:

Because my eyes have seen thy salvation.

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:

A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

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.

Ant. Save us, 0 Lord, while we are awake, and guard us when we sleep: that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace.

Ant. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

Canticles Sunday

THE SEVENTH ODE

Canticle of the Three Holy Children

Daniel 3: 26-56

THE praise of the three youths putteth out the flame.

Blessed art Thou, our God, and the God of our fathers.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers; and

praised and glorified is Thy name for ever.

For Thou art righteous in all the things that Thou hast done

for us; yea, true are all Thy works, and upright are Thy ways, and

all Thy judgments are true.

In all the things that Thou hast brought upon us, and upon

Jerusalem the holy city of our fathers, Thou hast executed true

judgments; for according to truth and judgment didst Thou bring

all these things upon us because of our sins.

For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from

Thee, and in all things wherein we have sinned greatly; and we

have not hearkened unto Thy commandments, nor heeded them;

neither have we done as Thou hast commanded us, that it might

go well with us.

Wherefore all that Thou hast done to us, and all that Thou

hast brought upon us, Thou hast done in true judgment; and

Thou hast delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, and of

most wicked forsakers of God, and to an unrighteous king, and the

most wicked in all the world.

And now we cannot open our mouth; we are become a shame

and reproach to Thy servants, and to them that worship Thee.

Deliver us not up for ever, for Thy holy name's sake, neither

forget Thou Thy covenant; and take not away Thy mercy from us,

for the sake of Thy beloved Abraham, and Isaac Thy servant, and

Israel Thy holy one;

To whom Thou hast said that Thou wouldest multiply their

seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the

seashore.

For we, O Lord our King and Master, are become the least of

all the heathen, and we are brought low in all the earth this day

because of our sins.

Nor is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or

whole-burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, nor place

of first-fruits before Thee, that we may obtain mercy.

Nevertheless, in a contrite soul and an humble spirit let us be

accepted.

Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like

as ten thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice this day be

acceptable in Thy sight; and hereafter let it be performed before

Thee; for there is no shame to them that put their trust in Thee.

And now we follow Thee with our wholeheart, and we fear

Thee, and we seek Thy face; put us not to shame.

But deal with us according to Thy tenderness, and according

to the multitude of Thy mercy.

Deliver us according to Thy marvellous works, and give glory

to Thy name, O Lord.

And let all them that do Thy servants’ hurt be confounded,

and let them be ashamed, and deprived of all their might; and let

their strength be broken.

And let them know that Thou art the Lord, the only God, and

glorious over allthe world.

And the king's servants, that put them in, ceased not to make

the furnace hot with brimstone, pitch and tow, and wood of the

vine.

And the flame mounted up above the furnace forty and nine

cubits; and it brake forth, and wrapped in flames those Chaldeans

found about the furnace.

But the angel of the Lord came down to be with Azarias and

his companions in the furnace, and drove the flame of the fire out

of the furnace.

And made the midst of the furnace asit had been the blowing

of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor

brought grief, nor troubled them.

Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, and blessed,

and glorified God in the furnace, saying,

The hymn of the three, which the youths sang.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and to be

praised and exalted above all for ever.

And blessed is Thy glorious and holy name, which is highly

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy holy glory, and to be

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art Thou that beholdest the depths, that sittest upon

the cherubim, Thou that art praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art Thou on the glorious throne of Thy kingdom,

Thou that art praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art Thou in the firmament of heaven, Thou that art

praised and exalted above all for ever.

Glory. Both now.

Canticles Friday

THE FOURTH ODE

A prayer of Avvacum the Prophet

Avv. 3: 2-19

Declare, O Avvacum, the Word's kenosis. Glory be to Thy power,

O Lord.

O Lord, I have heard Thy report, and was afraid; O Lord, I

considered Thy works, and was amazed.

Between the two living creatures shalt Thou be known; when

the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be acknowledged; when the

season cometh, Thou shalt be shown forth; when my soul is

troubled, in Thine anger shalt Thou remember mercy.

God shall come from Theman, and the Holy One from the

shady and densely wooded mountain.

His virtue hath covered the heavens, and the earth was full of

His praise.

And His brightness shall be as the light; horns are in His

hands, and He hath established a mighty love of His strength.

Before His face shall the Word proceed, and He shall go forth

for instruction at His feet.

He stood, and the earth was moved; He beheld, and the

heathen melted away.

The mountains were burst asunder violently, the everlasting

hills melted away at His eternal going forth.

I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians because of troubles;

the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam were dismayed.

Wast Thou angry, O Lord, with the rivers; or was Thy wrath

against the rivers, or Thine attack against the sea? For Thou wilt

mount upon Thine horses, and Thy chariots are salvation.

Thou shalt bend thy bow, thou shalt bend it against sceptres;

the land of rivers shall be rent asunder, saith the Lord.

They shall see Thee, and the nations shall be in travail, while

Thou scatterest the courses of the waters; the deep uttered her

voice, and lifted up the height of her form on high.

The sun was lifted up, and the moon stood still in her course;

at the light Thy darts shall go forth, at the brightness of the

gleaming of Thy weapons.

With threatening shalt Thou bring low the earth, and in anger

shalt Thou break down the nations.

Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, Thou art

come to save Thine anointed ones. Thou didst bring death upon

the heads of the transgressors, Thou didst bring bands upon their

neck.

Thou didst cut asunder the heads of the mighty with fury;

they shall tremble in themselves, they shall burst their bridles, as

the poor man devouring in secret.

And Thou hast mounted upon Thine horses in the sea, and

they trouble the many waters.

I kept watch, and my belly was troubled, at the voice of the

prayer of my lips; and trembling entered into my bones, and my

strength was troubled within me.

I will rest in the day of mine affliction, that I may go up to the

people of my sojourning.

For the fig tree shall not blossom: and there shall be no increase in the vines.

The labour of the olive tree shall fail: and the fields shall yield no food: the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls.

But I will rejoice in the Lord: and I will joy in God my Jesus.

The Lord God is my strength: and he will make my feet like the feet of harts: and he the conqueror will lead me upon my high places singing psalms.

Glory. Both now.

Canticles Thursday

THE FIRST ODE

An Ode of Moses in the Exodus.

Exodus 15: 1-19

When he had drowned Pharao in the deep, Moses said, Let us

sing unto the Lord, for He is gloriously glorified.

Let us sing unto the Lord, for He is gloriously glorified; the

horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.

He was to me a helper and protector for salvation. He is my

God, and I will glorify Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

The Lord bringing wars to nought; the Lord is His name.

Pharao's chariots and his hosts hath He cast into the sea; the

chosen mounted captains hath He plunged into the Red Sea.

He covered them with the sea; they sank into the depths as a

stone.

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorified in power; Thy

right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy; and in the

greatness of Thy glory hast Thou overthrown them that rose up

against Thee.

Thou sentest forth Thy wrath; it consumed them as stubble.

And with the breath of Thine anger the waters parted

asunder; the waters were congealed as a wall, the waves were

congealed in the midst of the sea.

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the

spoil, I will satisfy my soul, I will destroy with my sword; my right

hand shall have the dominion.

Thou sentest forth Thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank

as lead in the mighty water.

Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like

Thee, glorious in holiness, marvellous in glories, doing wonders?

Thou stretchedst out Thy right hand; the earth swallowed

them.

Thou in Thy righteousness hast guided this Thy people which

Thou hast redeemed; Thou calledst them in Thy strength unto Thy

holy habitation.

The heathen heard, and were angry; pangs took hold upon

the inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the princes of Edom made haste, the princes also of the

Moabites; trembling took hold upon them; all the inhabitants of

Chanaan melted away.

Let fear and trembling fall upon them; by the greatness of

Thine arm let them become as stone,

Till Thy people pass over, O Lord; till they pass over, this

people, which Thou hast purchased.

Bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine

inheritance; in the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee

to dwell in, in the sanctuary which Thy hands have established.

The Lord reigning for ever and ever.

For the horse of Pharao went in with his chariots and with his

horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of

the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry ground

in the midst of the sea.

Glory. Both now.

Canticle of Jeremias:

Jer. 31, 10-14

HEAR the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the islands that are afar off,

And say: He that scattered Israel will gather him: and he will keep him as the shepherd doth his flock.

For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and delivered him out of the hand of one that was mightier than he.

And they shall come, and shall give praise in mount Sion: and they shall flow together to the good things of the Lord,

For the corn, and wine, and oil, and the increase of cattle and herds,

And their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall be hungry no more.

Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, the young men and old men together:

And I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them joyful after their sorrow.

And I will fill the soul of the priests with fatness: and my people shall be filled with my good things.

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.

Ant. My people, saith the Lord, shall be filled with my good things.

Ant. 5 To our God.