FIRST NOCTURN, OR WATCH OF THE NIGHT. Antiphon for Advent. Behold, 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 * 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.]1 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. 1 Not in the Hebrew. 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 posses 2 In Acts iv. 25, 26, the authorship of this Psalm is attributed to David. soul: * O save me for Thy mercy's sake. For in death there is no one that remembereth Thee: * and in the grave who shall give Thee thanks? I am weary with my groaning, every night I wash my bed: * I water my couch with my tears. 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 supplication : *the LORD hath received 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. 1 Intituled "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." See the history in 2 Kings (Sam.) xv., xvi., xviii. 2 Here occur in the Hebrew the letters SLH, or "Selah." The meaning of this is uncertain. Gesenius thinks "it seems to have been used to mark a short pause in singing the words of the Psalm, so that the singer would be silent, while the instrumental music continued." 3 SLH, again. But the Hebrew reads, not, "without a cause," but, "on the jaw-bone." 5 Intituled "A Psalm of David." The title also contains directions, probably musical, the meaning of which is now uncertain. 6 Ps. ii. 11. 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? 1 Intituled "An Hymn of David, which he sang unto the LORD concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite." This Cush is supposed to be the same as Shimei, whose cursing of David is narrated in 2 Kings (Sam.) xvi. 7, 8, or else a nickname for Saul. 2 SLH. 3 Not in the Hebrew. ♦ Intituled "A Psalm of David." It has also a title which seems to show that it was a song for the vintage. 5 This verse was quoted by our Lord, concerning those who cried Hosannah on Palm Sunday, Matthew xxi. 16. 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. : 1 Intituled "A Psalm of David." It has also a superscription the meaning of which is not now certain. 2 Here occurs:-" Instrumental music-SLH." This is a strong argument in favour of Gesenius' opinion, see p. 5, note 2. 3 SLH. Here, according to the present Hebrew text, ends Ps. ix. |