Verses on Various Occasions · Chapter
CXXXIX: Prime explained
A morning hymn from the Parisian Breviary, translated by Newman, invoking Christ's guidance and protection against sin, temptation, and the flesh's rebellion, while dedicating the day's work to God and seeking blessing.
What happens
A morning hymn from the Parisian Breviary, translated by Newman, invoking Christ's guidance and protection against sin, temptation, and the flesh's rebellion, while dedicating the day's work to God and seeking blessing.
Themes in this chapter
Faith and Doubt
The prayer expresses confident faith in Christ's guidance and protection, while acknowledging the constant threat of sin and the foe, implying a struggle against doubt and temptation.
Sin and Redemption
The hymn petitions for deliverance from sinful words, deeds, and thoughts, and seeks redemption through Christ's grace and the discipline of abstinence.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The suppliant voice praying for guidance and protection.
- Christ
Addressed as the uncreated Light and protector who fences the senses against the foe.
- Lord
The one to whom daily toil is offered and from whom blessing is sought.
- Father, Son, and Paraclete
The Trinity glorified in the doxology.
Key passages
“Now that the day-star glimmers bright, We suppliantly pray That He, the uncreated Light, May guide us on our way.”
At dawn, we humbly ask the divine Light to lead us through the day.
Opening stanza invoking Christ as the uncreated Light, a common metaphor for divine guidance.
“No sinful word, nor deed of wrong, Nor thoughts that idly rove; But simple truth be on our tongue, And in our hearts be love.”
May we avoid sin in speech, action, and thought, and instead speak truth and feel love.
A plea for purity and charity, central to Christian moral teaching.
“And, while the hours in order flow, O Christ, securely fence Our gates, beleaguer’d by the foe— The gate of every sense.”
As time passes, Christ, protect our senses from the attacks of the enemy.
Metaphor of the senses as gates under siege, asking Christ to guard them.
“And grant that to Thine honour, Lord, Our daily toil may tend; That we begin it at Thy word, And in Thy blessing end.”
May our work honor you, Lord, starting with your command and ending with your blessing.
Dedicating daily labor to God, framing work as a sacred act.
“And, lest the flesh in its excess Should lord it o’er the soul, Let taming abstinence repress The rebel, and control.”
To prevent the body from dominating the spirit, let self-discipline subdue its rebellious desires.
A call for asceticism to maintain spiritual authority over physical impulses.