MONASTIC PSALTER
(St. Benedict ca. 540)

(used by most Benedictines, Cistercians, Carthusians, other Monastic groups)

Hour Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Matins
3
Invit
94

1st Nocturn

20
21
22
23
24
25

2nd Nocturn

26
27
28
29
30
31

3rd
Nocturn

Is 33,2-10
Is 33, 13-18
Ecclus 36,
14-19

3
Invit
94

1st Nocturn

32
33
34
36a
36b
37

2nd Nocturn

38
39
40
41
43
44

3
Invit
94

1st Nocturn

45
46
47
48
49
51

2nd Nocturn

52
53
54
55
57
58

3
Invit
94

1st
Nocturn

59
60
61
65
67a
67b

2nd
Nocturn

68a
68b
69
70
71
72

3
Invit
94

1st
Nocturn

73
74
76
77a
77b
78

2nd
Nocturn

79
80
81
82
83
84

3
Invit
94

1st Nocturn

85
86
86
88a
88b
92 -or -75

2nd
Nocturn

95
96
97
98
99 -or - 91
100
 

3
Invit
94

1st
Nocturn

101
102
103a
103b
104a
104b

2nd
Nocturn

105a
105b
106a
106b
107
108

Lauds
66
50
117
62
Daniel
148
149
150
66
50
5
35
Isaias
148
149
150
66
50
42
56
Isaias
148
149
150
66
50
63
64
1 Kings
148
149
150
66
50
87
89
Exod 15
148
149
150
66
50
75
91
Habacuc
148
149
150
66
50
141
142
Deut.32
148
149
150
Prime
118
118
118
118
1
2
6
7
8
9a
9b
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17a
17b
18
19
Terce
118
118
118
118
118
118
119
120
121
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
Sext
118
118
118
118
118
118
122
123
124
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
None
118
118
118
118
118
118
125
126
127
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
same as Tuesday
Vespers
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
128
129
130
131
132
134
135
136
137
138a
138b
139
140
141
143a
143b
144a
144b
145
146
147
Compline
4
90
133
same as Sunday
same as Sunday
same as Sunday
same as Sunday
same as Sunday
same as Sunday

Notes

  • This listing denotes a Sunday throughout the year (tempus per annum - ordinary time) the weekdays are also ordinary time ferias.  Adjustments are made for seasons and          feasts in certain parts of the psalmody (e.g., 3rd Nocturn, Sunday, Lauds, etc.)
  • In printed versions of Monastic breviaries, the psalter begins with Monday Prime (Ps. 1).
  • While this psalter is detailed in St. Benedict's Rule, and while his rule is the basic for the
    way of life of several monastic families, the monastic families vary certain particulars:
    the lectionary (readings), antiphons for the psalms (text and music, in some cases),
    hymns (Benedict introduced the "hymn" into the office of the Western Church -- it was not adopted by the Roman Rite for several centuries.  Benedictines vary their hymns,
    as do Cistercians.  Carthusians used the same Matins, Lauds & Vespers hymns
    throughout the week, however, and the Milanese have a similar use (see Ambrosian material)
  • The Monastic families who kept the psalm schema of the Rule retained the Vulgate version of the Latin psalms (but see the Post Vatican II texts, below).
  • Benedict provided that the superior (the Abbot) could change the psalm structure if this arrangement was unsuitable.  His only provision was that the entire psalter (150             psalms) be prayed during the course of a week.  Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the Maurist Breviary of the Hungarian Benedictine Congregation made use of this provision.
     
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updated August 9, 2000