Night Prayer
Friday℣.God, come to my assistance.
℟.Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
An examination of conscience may be made. In a communal celebration this may be followed by a penitential act.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
A suitable hymn may be sung.
Ant. Day and night I cry to you, my God.
Psalm 88
A Plea of One Close to Death
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song to be sung to the tune “The Suffering of Affliction.” A psalm*88: title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term. of Heman the Ezrahite.
1O Lord, God of my salvation,
I cry out to you by day.
I come to you at night.
2Now hear my prayer;
listen to my cry.
3For my life is full of troubles,
and death*88:3 Hebrew Sheol. draws near.
4I am as good as dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.
5They have left me among the dead,
and I lie like a corpse in a grave.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
6You have thrown me into the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths.
7Your anger weighs me down;
with wave after wave you have engulfed me.
Interlude
8You have driven my friends away
by making me repulsive to them.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O Lord;
I lift my hands to you for mercy.
10Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead?
Do the dead rise up and praise you?
Interlude
11Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?*88:11 Hebrew in Abaddon?
12Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13O Lord, I cry out to you.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
14O Lord, why do you reject me?
Why do you turn your face from me?
15I have been sick and close to death since my youth.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
Your terrors have paralyzed me.
17They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
They have engulfed me completely.
18You have taken away my companions and loved ones.
Darkness is my closest friend.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Day and night I cry to you, my God.
9Are you also confused?
Is our champion helpless to save us?
You are right here among us, Lord.
We are known as your people.
Please don’t abandon us now!”
℣.Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
℟.Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
℣.You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
℟.I commend my spirit.
℣.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
℟.Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
29“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
30I have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared for all people.
32He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
All-powerful God, keep us united with your Son in his death and burial so that we may rise to new life with him, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.