The Conclusion of the Hours
during the Sacred Triduum

KNEEL

Ant:  Christus factus est pro nobis obédiens usque ad mortem.

Ant:  Christ for our sake became obedient unto death.
Secunda nocte additur : On the second night there is added :
Mortem autem crucis. Even the death of the Cross.
Tertia nocte additur : On the third night there is added :

Propter quod et Deus exaltávit illum, et dedit illi nomen, quod est super omne nomen.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name which is above every name.
Et sic dicitur etiam per omnes Horas diei.

And it is thus said also throughout all the Hours of the day.
Then is said the whole of the Pater noster in silence.
Pater noster. Our Father.
Thereafter, Ps. 50, Miserere, is said in a barely audible tone.

Psalmus 50.  Miserere mei, Deus

Miserére mei Deus, * secúndum magnam misericórdiam tuam.
2  Et secúndum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum, * dele iniquitátem meam.
3  Amplius lava me ab iniquitáte mea: * et a peccáto meo munda me.
4  Quóniam iniquitátem meam ego cognósco: * et peccátum meum contra me est semper.
5  Tibi soli peccávi, et malum coram te feci: * ut justificéris in sermónibus tuis, et vincas cum judicáris.
6  Ecce enim in iniquitátibus concéptus sum: * et in peccátis concépit me mater mea.
7  Ecce enim veritátem dilexísti: * incérta et occúlta sapiéntiæ tuæ manifestásti mihi.
8  Aspérges me hyssópo, et mundábor: * lavábis me, et super nivem dealbábor.
9  Audítui meo dabis gáudium et lætítiam: * et exsultábunt ossa humiliáta.
10  Avérte fáciem tuam a peccátis meis: * et omnes iniquitátes meas dele.
11  Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: * et spíritum rectum ínnova in viscéribus meis.
12  Ne projícias me a fácie tua: * et spíritum sanctum tuum ne áuferas a me.
13  Redde mihi lætítiam salutáris tui: * et spíritu principáli confírma me.
14  Docébo iníquos vias tuas: * et ímpii ad te converténtur.
15  Líbera me de sanguínibus, Deus, Deus salútis meæ: * et exsultábit lingua mea justítiam tuam.
16  Dómine, lábia mea apéries: * et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.
17  Quóniam si voluísses sacrifícium dedíssem útique: * holocáustis non delectáberis.
18  Sacrifícium Deo spíritus contribulátus: * cor contrítum, et humiliátum, Deus non despícies.
19  Benígne fac, Dómine, in bona voluntáte tua Sion: * ut ædificéntur muri Jerúsalem.
20  Tunc acceptábis sacrifícium justítiæ, oblatiónes, et holocáusta: * tunc impónent super altáre tuum vítulos.
Et non dicitur Gloria Patri.
Psalm 50.  Miserere mei, Deus

Have mercy upon me, O God, * after thy great goodness.
2  According to the multitude of thy mercies * do away mine offences.
3  Wash me throughly from my wickedness, * and cleanse me from my sin.
4  For I acknowledge my faults, * and my sin is ever before me.
5  Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; * that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.
6  Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, * and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
7  But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, * and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
8  Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; * thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
9  Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, * that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
10  Turn thy face from my sins, * and put out all my misdeeds.
11  Make me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me.
12  Cast me not away from thy presence, * and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
13  O give me the comfort of thy help again, * and stablish me with thy free Spirit.
14  Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, * and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
15  Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health; * and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.
16  Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, * and my mouth shall shew thy praise.
17  For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee; * but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
18  The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: * a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
19  O be favourable and gracious unto Sion; * build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
20  Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations; * then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.
Here is not said the Glory be.
After this Psalm is finished, without Oremus there is said, in a similar tone the Collect :

Réspice, quæsumus, Dómine, super hanc famíliam tuam, pro qua Dóminus noster Jesus Christus non dubitávit mánibus tradi nocéntium, et crucis subíre torméntum : sed dicitur sub silentio : Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum : Amen.

Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the Cross.  Here is added silently : Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end : Amen.

Thus are terminated all the Hours on these three days, until None on Holy Saturday inclusive.  But at Lauds, when the Collect is finished, there is made a certain amount of noise and clatter; and at once the lighted candle is brought forth from beneath the Altar, and all arise, and depart in silence.
If another Hour is to follow, it is taken from the following table:

Prime

Terce

Sext
 

None

Vespers

Compline