Psalmody

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

Psalm 84
Longing for God’s Temple



How lovely is your dwelling place, *
Lord, God of hosts.

My soul is longing and yearning, *
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy *
to God, the living God.

The sparrow herself finds a home *
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars, *
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.

They are happy, who dwell in your house, *
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you, *
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.

As they go through the Bitter Valley †
they make it a place of springs, *
the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
They walk with ever growing strength, *
they will see the God of gods in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer, *
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield, *
look on the face of your anointed.

One day within your courts *
is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God *
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield; *
he will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good *
to those who walk without blame.

Lord, God of hosts, *
happy the man who trusts in you!

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.

Psalm Prayer

Bless your people, Lord. You have given us the law that we may walk from strength to strength and raise our minds to you from this valley of tears. May we receive the gifts you have gained for us.

Ant. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

Ant. 2 Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord.

Canticle: Isaiah 2:2-5
The mountain of the Lord’s dwelling towers above every mountain



In days to come, *
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain *
and raised above the hills.

All nations shall stream toward it; *
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain, *
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways, *
and we may walk in his paths.”

For from Zion shall go forth instruction, *
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations, *
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares *
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another, *
nor shall they train for war again.

O house of Jacob, come, *
let us walk in the light of the Lord!

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. Come, let us climb the mountain of the Lord.

Ant. 3 Sing to the Lord and bless his name.

Psalm 96
The Lord, king and judge of the world



O sing a new song to the Lord, †
sing to the Lord, all the earth. *
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Proclaim his help day by day, †
tell among the nations his glory *
and his wonders among all the peoples.

The Lord is great and worthy of praise, †
to be feared above all gods; *
the gods of the heathens are naught.

It was the Lord who made the heavens, †
his are majesty and state and power *
and splendor in his holy place.

Give the Lord, you families of peoples, †
give the Lord glory and power, *
give the Lord the glory of his name.

Bring an offering and enter his courts, †
worship the Lord in his temple. *
O earth, tremble before him.

Proclaim to the nations: “God is king.” †
The world he made firm in its place; *
he will judge the peoples in fairness.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, *
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice, *
all the trees of the wood shout for joy

at the presence of the Lord for he comes, *
he comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world, *
he will judge the peoples with his truth.

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.

Psalm Prayer

Lord, you have renewed the face of the earth. Your Church throughout the world sings you a new song, announcing your wonders to all. Through a virgin, you have brought forth a new birth in our world; through your miracles, a new power; through your suffering, a new patience; in your resurrection, a new hope, and in your ascension, new majesty.

Ant. Sing to the Lord and bless his name.

1st Reading

Heb 9:15, 24-28

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

Christ is mediator of a new covenant:
   since a death has taken place
   for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant,
   those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
   a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
   that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
   as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
   with blood that is not his own;
   if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
   from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
   to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
   and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
   offered once to take away the sins of many,
   will appear a second time, not to take away sin
   but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.