Prayer before and after Choir

The following prayer for choirs (scholæ cantorum), intended to be used at the start and end of each practice or session, was devised and adorned with chant by the monks of Solesmes, and indulgenced by Pope St Pius X:

Aña. Repleátur * os meum laude tua, ut possim cantáre; gaudébunt lábia mea dum cantávero tibi. T. P. Allelúja. (Ps. 70, 7 & 23)

V. Laudábo Dóminum in vita mea.

R. Psallam Deo meo quámdiu ero. (Ps. 145, 2)

Orémus.

Oratio (cf. Os. 14, 3; Heb. 13, 15; 11, 13)

Súscipe, quǽsumus, Dómine, sacrifícium labiórum nostrórum: † et, intercedéntibus sanctis tuis Gregório atque Cæcília, tua nobis pietáte concéde; ut, quam offérimus laudem peregrinántes in terris, * hanc tibi perpétuo concínere mereámur in cælis. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. R. Amen.

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The antiphon is derived from the Introit (shorn of its alleluias), and the versicle extracted from the Offertory, of the Mass of the Whitsuntide Ember Friday.

The Original Verses of the Attende Domine

Attende Domine serves well as a motet in Lent. Owing to a reference I found online, I discovered that the Attende Domine was originally a neo-Gallican paraliturgical composition of the early nineteenth century, while the verses (together with their music) with which we are familiar (Ad te, Rex summe, etc.) were inserted about the turn of the twentieth century (when Solesmes restored the Gregorian chant) from the Mozarabic Rite, in place of the original verses (and their music), which had been derived from Scripture.

A quick search online revealed that the earliest book containing the original verses was dated 1811, and the latest, 1918.

Having finally found the original verses (and their music in Le paroissien romain... (1854), pp. 371-374) online, it is obvious that the Attende Domine was composed in imitation of the Rorate cæli; the clearest textual parallel is in verse 3 of the Rorate cæli, the relevant words being ut auferat jugum captivitatis nostræ, significantly enough not found in Scripture, but deriving from an Advent Magnificat antiphon, while others are in verse 2 (Peccavimus... ...iniquitatis nostræ) and verse 4 (popule meus... Dominus Deus tuus... Redemptor tuus).

Here are the original verses of the Attende Domine, in Latin and English, with the Scriptural references added:

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

1. Recordare, Domine, quid acciderit nobis (Lam. 5, 1); peccavimus cum patribus nostris, injuste egimus (Ps. 105, 6); multiplicatæ sunt super capillos capitis iniquitates nostræ (cf. Ps. 39, 13).

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

2. Contristati sumus in exercitatione nostra et conturbati sumus a voce inimici et a tribulatione peccatorum (cf. Ps. 54, 3-4): in proximo est perditio nostra, et non est qui adjuvet (cf. Ps. 21, 12); formido mortis cecidit super nos (cf. Ps. 54, 5).

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

3. Cor contritum et humiliatum ne despicias, Domine (cf. Ps. 50, 19): in jejunio et fletu (Joël 2, 12) te deprecamur nos (cf. 2 Par. 6, 37). Eleemosynam concludimus in sinu pauperum, et ipsa exorabit te pro nobis (cf. Eccli. 29, 15): convertimur ad te, quoniam multus es ad ignoscendum (cf. Is. 55, 7).

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

4. Audi, popule meus, et considera (cf. Ps. 80, 9): vinea mea electa (cf. Jer. 2, 21), domus Israël (cf. Is. 5, 7): Ego te plantavi, quomodo facta est in amaritudinem? (Cf. Jer. 2, 21) expectavi ut faceres judicium, et ecce iniquitas, et justitiam, et ecce clamor (cf. Is. 5, 7).

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

5. Revertere, revertere (cf. Eccli. 17, 23) ad Dominum Deum tuum (cf. Os. 14, 2), et auferam jugum captivitatis tuæ (cf. Magn. Aña., F. II infra Hebd. II Advent.); redimam te (Jer. 15, 21); lavabo iniquitates tuas in sanguine meo (cf. Apoc. 1, 5); et ero victima tua (?), et Redemptor tuus (Is. 41, 14; 49, 26; 54, 5; 60, 16).

R. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

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R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

1. Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us (Lam. 5, 1); we have sinned with our fathers: we have acted unjustly (Ps. 105, 6); and our iniquities are multiplied above the hairs of our head (cf. Ps. 39, 13).

R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

2. We are grieved in our exercise; and we are troubled at the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of sinners (cf. Ps. 54, 3-4): our perdition is at hand, for there is no one to help us (cf. Ps. 21, 12); and the fear of death is fallen upon us (cf. Ps. 54, 5).

R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

3. A contrite and humbled heart do not despise, O Lord (cf. Ps. 50, 19); in fasting and weeping (Joël 2, 12) we pray to thee (cf. 2 Par. 6, 37). Alms we will shut up in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for us from thee (cf. Eccli. 29, 15). We return to thee; for thou art bountiful to forgive (cf. Is. 55, 7).

R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

4. Hearken, O my people, and consider (cf. Ps. 80, 9), my chosen vineyard (cf. Jer. 2, 21), O house of Israel (cf. Is. 5, 7): I planted thee: how then art thou turned into bitterness? (Cf. Jer. 2, 21) And I looked that thou shouldst do judgement, and behold iniquity: and do justice, and behold a cry (cf. Is. 5, 7).

R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)

5. Return, O return (cf. Eccli. 17, 23) to the Lord thy God (cf. Os. 14, 2), and I shall take away the yoke of thy captivity (cf. Magn. Aña., F. II infra Hebd. II Advent.); I shall redeem thee (Jer. 15, 21), and wash thy iniquities in my Blood (cf. Apoc. 1, 5); and I shall be thy Victim (?), and thy Redeemer (Is. 41, 14; 49, 26; 54, 5; 60, 16).

R. Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity; for we have sinned against thee. (Cf. Bar. 3, 2)