# Little Office of The Passion/Vespers

VESPERS
P. Incline unto mine aid, O God.
F. O Lord, make haste to help me.
P. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
F. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. Praise be to thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory.
Antiphon
P. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seven seals thereof, because thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God in thy blood.
Psalm XXIX
I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: * and has not made my enemies to rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I have cried to thee: * and thy hast healed me.
​Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: * thou has saved me from them that go down into the pit.
Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: * and give praise to the memory of his holiness.
For wrath is in his indignation: * and life in his good will.
In the evening weeping shall have place, * and in the morning gladness.
And in my abundance I said: * I shall never be moved.
O Lord, in thy favor, * thou gavest strength to my beauty.
Thou turnedst away thy face from me, * and I became troubled.
To thee, O Lord, will I cry: * and I will make supplication to my God.
What profit is there in my blood, * whilst I go down to corruption?
Shall dust confess to thee, * or declare thy truth?
The Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: * the Lord became my helper.
​Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: * thy hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with goodness:
To the end that my glory may sing to thee, and I may not regret: * O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee 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.
Antiphon
P. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seven seals thereof, because thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God in thy blood.
Little Chapter (Hebrews II, 9)
P. We see Jesus for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor; that, through the grace of God, he might taste death for all.
F. Thanks be to God.
Hymn
O thou who through death's agony
For man didst break sin's barrier down,
Bring us to find true peace in thee,
Jesus, who art the Virgin's crown.
A bitter potion thou didst drain
'Mid cruel scorn and suffering
Thou spotless Lamb for sinners slain,
O Lord Most High, eternal King.
To all thy faithful, who this day
Thy sacred Passion bear in mind,
Give saving health and grace to pray,
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind.
Upon the altar of the tree
Flowed forth in streams thy Blood divine,
O Jesus, King of clemency.
In whom the Father's light doth shine.
O Blood of Christ whose glorious might
Did strike the demon with despair,
Grant we may come in robes of white
The Lamb's great marriage feast to share.
To Christ, the Lord of Majesty,
Betrayed and sold to set us free,
Who suffered on the cruel tree,
Be praise and honor endlessly. Amen.
​P. The chastisement of our sins was upon him.
F. For by his stripes we were healed.
Antiphon
P. Our Shepherd, the fountain of living water, is gone, for he laid down his life for his sheep and vouchsafed to die for his flock.
The Magnificat (St. Luke I. 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 generations, * to them that fear him.
He hath shown 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 empty away.
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.
P. Lord, have mercy on us.
F. Christ, have mercy on us.
P. Lord, have mercy on us.
LET US PRAY
P. O Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to the pious belief of the faithful, didst at the hour of vespers will to be taken down from the cross and laid dead in the arms of thy Mother: grant, we beseech thee, that laying aside the burden of our sins, we may be presented in the sight of thy divine Majesty. Who livest and reignest world without end.
F. Amen.