a_

Ascension Day, evening (Prayer Book)

The joy of the Church and of the angels in the Ascension of Christ, the
King of Glory.

{113}

PSALM xxv. _Ad te, Domine, levavi_

A confession of faith in the Name of God; the Church's prayer for
deliverance from temptation and adversity.

PSALM xxvi. _Judica me, Domine_

A prayer of Christ as He approaches His Passion; and of the Christian
priest when about to offer the Holy Eucharist.

PSALM xxvii. _Dominus illuminatio_

The hope of Christ and His Church in the Fatherhood of God; a prophecy
of the Resurrection and the Holy Eucharist (vv. 6, 7).

PSALM xxviii. _Ad te, Domine_

The prayer of Christ for deliverance from His enemies; and for His
Church (ver. 10).

PSALM xxix. _Afferte Domino_

The Church's thanksgiving for the sovereignty of Christ over all the
powers of nature, and over His Church.

PSALM xxx. _Exaltabo te, Domine_

A thanksgiving of Christ and His Church for the Resurrection.

{114}

PSALM xxxi. _In te, Domine, speravi_

S. Luke xxiii. 46

Christ's prayer in His Passion and Crucifixion; His exhortation to His
Church (vv. 26, 27).

PSALM xxxii. _Beati, quorum_

Rom. iv. 6-8. Ash Wednesday, morning (Prayer Book)

The Church's confession of sin, and the blessedness of forgiveness
through faith in Christ. (See on Ps. vi.)

PSALM xxxiii. _Exultate, justi_

The Church's thanksgiving for creation and redemption, and for her own
exceeding blessedness in being called to be the people of the Lord.

PSALM xxxiv. _Benedicam Domino_

A thanksgiving of Christ for His Resurrection. His call to His Church
to obedience, to holiness, to courage.

PSALM xxxv. _Judica, Domine_

A prayer of Christ against the persecution and false witness of His
enemies, and on behalf of those who love Him.

PSALM xxxvi. _Dixit infustus_

The Church's witness to the awfulness of sin; {115} her confession of
hope in the blessedness of the life eternal in contrast with the doom
of the ungodly.

PSALM xxxvii. _Noli cemulari_

A Psalm of a proverbial character; the testimony of the Church's
experience of the justice of God, in spite of the apparent prosperity
of the wicked: it expresses the _restfulness_ of the life of faith.

_Cf._ ver. ii with Matt. v. 5.

PSALM xxxviii. _Domine, ne in furore_

Ash Wednesday, morning (Prayer Book)

A Psalm of Christ bearing in loneliness and silence the burden of human
sin,