The TE DEUM
Today we will pray and explore the TE DEUM, comes from the Te Deum laudamus, meaning We praise thee, O God. A great hymn of praise.
The first part is directed toward the Father and ends with a Trinitarian doxology and could be a rare survivor of the hymns that were popular before the Council of Nicaea in 325.
"You are God: we praise you; You are the Lord: we acclaim you; / You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you./ To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, / Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: / Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,/ heaven and earth are full of your glory./ The glorious company of apostles praise you./ The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. / The white-robed army of martyrs praises you. / Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:/ Father, of majesty unbounded, / your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, / and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
The second part is entirely Christological and reflects the controversies surrounding the fourth-century Arian heresy.
"You, Christ, are the king of glory,/ the eternal Son of the Father./ When you became man to set us free / you did not spurn the Virgin's womb. / You overcame the sting of death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. / You are seated at God's right hand in glory./ We believe that you will come, and be our judge./ Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, / and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
The third section is formed from a series of verses from the Psalms, these may have been originally versicles added as a litany at the end of the hymn.
"Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance./ Govern and uphold them now and always./ Day by day we bless you./ We praise your name for ever. / Keep us today, Lord, from all sin. / Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. / Lord, show us your love and mercy; / for we put our trust in you. / In you, Lord, is our hope: / And we shall never hope in vain."
The general rubrics of today's Divine Office direct the recitation of the Te Deum before the concluding prayer of the Office of Readings on all Sundays outside of Lent, during the octaves of Easter and Christmas, on solemnities, feasts and other special occasions. This information about The Te Deum is from Father Edward McNamara professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university. [Modified by Deacon George Kelly]
May God Be Praised, and may you praise God by praying the TE DEUM.
No comments:
Post a Comment