Alleluia!

Give praise, you servants of the Lord;
praise the Name of the Lord.
Let the Name of the Lord be blessed,
from this time forth for evermore.
From the rising of the sun to its going down
let the Name of the Lord be praised.

The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God, who sits enthroned on high,
but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?

He takes up the weak out of the dust
and lifts up the poor from the ashes.
He sets them with the princes,
with the princes of his people.
He makes the woman of a childless house
to be a joyful mother of children.

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!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,
and in that day their thoughts perish.

Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,
and food to those who hunger.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.

Alleluia!

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!

How good it is to sing praises to our God!
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!

The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars
and calls them all by their names.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
there is no limit to his wisdom.
The Lord lifts up the lowly,
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make music to our God upon the harp.

He covers the heavens with clouds
and prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains
and green plants to serve mankind.
He provides food for flocks and herds
and for the young ravens when they cry.

He is not impressed by the might of a horse;
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who await his gracious favor.

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.

Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders;
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.

He sends out his command to the earth,
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

He scatters his hail like bread crumbs;
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them;
he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.

He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation;
to them he has not revealed his judgments.

Alleluia!

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.

Oh for your spirit, holy John, to chasten
Lips sin-polluted, fettered tongues to loosen;
So by your children might your deeds of wonder
Rightly be chanted.

Lo! a swift herald, from the skies descending,
Bears to your father promise of your greatness;
How he shall name you, what your future story,
Duly revealing.

Scarcely believing message so transcendent,
Him for a season power of speech forsakes,
Till, at your wondrous birth, now again returns
Voice to the voiceless.

You, in your mother’s womb all darkly cradled,
Knew well your Monarch, dwelling in his chamber,
Whence the two parents, through the children’s merits,
Mysteries uttered.

Now as the angels celebrate your praises,
Godhead essential, Trinity co-equal;
Spare your redeemed ones, as they bow before you,
Pardon imploring. Amen.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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.