========================================================================
  WE HAVE ALREADY ARRANGED THE ORDER OF THE PSALMODY
  by St. Benedict of Nursia
========================================================================

Summary: St. Benedict outlines the order of the psalmody for the various
Offices in the monastery.

Topics: "Daily Prayer", "Liturgical Worship"
Scripture References: Psalm 119:164, Psalm 141:2, Matthew 6:9, Colossians 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
------------------------------------------------------------------------

St. Benedict of Nursia provides detailed instructions on the arrangement
of psalmody for the Night and Morning Offices, as well as the remaining
Hours, emphasizing the structure of each Hour with specific prayers,
hymns, Psalms, lessons, and concluding prayers. He highlights the
importance of reciting Psalms, lessons, and prayers in a specific order
for Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vesper, and Compline Offices, whether sung
with antiphons for large communities or straight through for smaller
groups. St. Benedict's guidance ensures a disciplined and orderly
approach to daily prayer and worship.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------

We have already arranged the order of the psalmody for the Night and
Morning Offices; let us now provide for the remaining Hours. At Prime
let three Psalms be said, separately and not under one "Glory be to the
Father." The hymn of that Hour is to follow the verse "Incline unto my
aid, O God," before the Psalms begin. Upon completion of the three
Psalms let one lesson be recited, then a verse, the "Lord, have mercy on
us" and the concluding prayers.

The Offices of Terce, Sext and None are to be celebrated in the same
order, that is: the "Incline unto my aid, O God," the hymn proper to
each Hour, three Psalms, lesson and verse, "Lord, have mercy on us" and
concluding prayers.

If the community is a large one, let the Psalms be sung with antiphons;
but if small, let them be sung straight through. Let the Psalms of the
Vesper Office be limited to four, with antiphons. After these Psalms the
lesson is to be recited, then the responsory, the Ambrosian hymn, the
verse, the canticle from the Gospel book, the litany, the Lord's Prayer
and the concluding prayers.

Let Compline be limited to the saying of three Psalms, which are to be
said straight through without antiphon, and after them the hymn of that
Hour, one lesson, a verse, the "Lord, have mercy on us," the blessing
and the concluding prayers.

========================================================================
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/st-benedict-of-nursia/we-have-already-arranged-the-order-of-the-psalmody/
========================================================================