Prayer Before Mass

Remember not, Lord, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers, nor take Thou vengeance upon them. (P.T. Alleluia.)

- Psalm 83

Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for the sons of Core.

How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.

For the sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord: they shall praise thee for ever and ever.

Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps,

in the vale of tears, in the place which he hath set.

For the lawgiver shall give a blessing, they shall go from virtue to virtue: the God of gods shall be seen in Sion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob.

Behold, O God our protector: and look on the face of thy Christ.

For better is one day in thy courts above thousands. I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners.

For God loveth mercy and truth: the Lord will give grace and glory.

He will not deprive of good things them that walk in innocence: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Glory be to the Father, etc.

- Psalm 84

Unto the end, for the sons of Core, a psalm.

Lord, thou hast blessed thy land: thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people: thou hast covered all their sins.

Thou hast mitigated all thy anger: thou hast turned away from the wrath of thy indignation.

Convert us, O God our saviour: and turn off thy anger from us.

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever: or wilt thou extend thy wrath from generation to generation?

Thou wilt turn, O God, and bring us to life: and thy people shall rejoice in thee.

Shew us, O Lord, thy mercy; and grant us thy salvation.

I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me: for he will speak peace unto his people: And unto his saints: and unto them that are converted to the heart.

Surely his salvation is near to them that fear him: that glory may dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth have met each other: justice and peace have kissed.

Truth is sprung out of the earth: and justice hath looked down from heaven.

For the Lord will give goodness: and our earth shall yield her fruit.

Justice shall walk before him: and shall set his steps in the way.

Glory be to the Father, etc.

- Psalm 85

A prayer for David himself. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.

Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to thee all the day.

Give joy to the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.

For thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer: and attend to the voice of my petition.

I have called upon thee in the day of my trouble: because thou hast heard me.

There is none among the gods like unto thee, O Lord: and there is none according to thy works.

All the nations thou hast made shall come and adore before thee, O Lord: and they shall glorify thy name.

For thou art great and dost wonderful things: thou art God alone.

Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear thy name.

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever:

For thy mercy is great towards me: and thou hast delivered my soul out of the lower hell.

O God, the wicked are risen up against me, and the assembly of the mighty have sought my soul: and they have not set thee before their eyes.

And thou, O Lord, art a God of compassion, and merciful, patient, and of much mercy, and true.

O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give thy command to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.

Shew me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded, because thou, O Lord, hast helped me and hast comforted me.

Glory be to the Father, etc.

- Psalm 115

I have believed, therefore have I spoken; but I have been humbled exceedingly.

I said in my excess: Every man is a liar.

What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things that he hath rendered to me?

I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people:

precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

O Lord, for I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds:

I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people:

in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Glory be to the Father, etc.

- Psalm 129

Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord:

Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.

For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord. My soul hath relied on his word:

my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Glory be to the Father, etc.

Ant. Remember not, Lord, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers, nor take Thou vengeance upon them. (P.T. Alleluia.)

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father....

℣. And lead us not into temptation.
℟. But deliver us from evil.

℣. I said, Lord have mercy on me.
℟. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.

℣. Turn to us, O Lord, for a little while.
℟. And be gracious to Thy servants.

℣. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
℟. Just as we have hoped in Thee.

℣. Let Thy priests be clothed with justice.
℟. And may Thy saints rejoice.

℣. Cleanse me from my hidden faults, O Lord.
℟. And from the sins of others, spare Thy servant.

℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come to Thee.

℣. The Lord be with you all.
℟. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray:

MOST gracious God, incline Thy merciful ears unto our prayers and by the grace of the Holy Spirit illumine our hearts, that we may be worthy to serve at Thy holy Mysteries and to love Thee with an everlasting love.

O GOD, to whom every heart is open, every wish is spoken, and from whom no secret is hidden, purify our inmost thoughts by the infusion of Thy Holy Spirit; that we may love Thee perfectly and praise Thee worthily.

ENKINDLE, O Lord, our hearts and minds with the fire of the Holy Spirit: that we may serve Thee with a chaste body and please Thee with a clean heart.

ILLUMINE, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our minds with the Paraclete who proceedeth from Thee, and lead us to all truth, just as Thy Son hath promised.

MAY the power of the Holy Spirit be with us, We beseech Thee, O Lord, and may He mercifully cleanse our hearts and defend us from all harm.

O GOD, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that, in the same Spirit, we may relish what is right and always rejoice in His consolation.

O LORD, we beseech Thee, visit our minds and cleanse our thoughts; that at the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, He may find in us a place prepared for Him. Who with Thee lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever.
℟. Amen.