We Have Already Arranged the Order of the Psalmody
St. Benedict outlines the order of the psalmody for the various Offices in the monastery.
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.
Text
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.
Sermon Outline
- Order of the Psalmody
- Terce, Sext, and None Offices
- Vesper Office
- Compline Office
- Three Psalms without antiphons
- Hymn, lesson, and prayers
Key Quotes
“At Prime let three Psalms be said, separately and not under one 'Glory be to the Father.'” — St. Benedict of Nursia
“Let the Psalms of the Vesper Office be limited to four, with antiphons.” — St. Benedict of Nursia
“Let Compline be limited to the saying of three Psalms, which are to be said straight through without antiphon,” — St. Benedict of Nursia
Application Points
- Establish a consistent order for the psalmody in your daily Offices.
- Consider the size of your community when deciding whether to use antiphons or sing Psalms straight through.
- Keep the psalmody simple and focused on the core elements of prayer and worship.