Introduction

God ✠ come to my assistance.
—Lord, make haste to help me.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Examination of Conscience

A brief examination of conscience may be made. At its conclusion the following penitential prayer may be said.

Father, I have sinned against you
and am not worthy to be called your son.
Be merciful to me, a sinner.

Hymn

OChrist, you are the light and day
Which drives away the night,
The ever shining Sun of God
And pledge of future light.

As now the ev'ning shadows fall
Please grant us, Lord, we pray,
A quiet night to rest in you
Until the break of day.

Remember us, poor mortal men,
We humbly ask, O Lord,
And may your presence in our souls
Be now our great reward.

Psalm 91

Safe in God's sheltering care

He will conceal you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,
and abides in the shade of the Almighty,
says to the Lord, "My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!"

He will free you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destructive plague;
he will conceal you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge.
His faithfulness is buckler and shield.

You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness,
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand fall at your right:
you it will never approach.

Your eyes have only to look
to see how the wicked are repaid.
For you, O Lord, are my refuge.
You have made the Most High your dwelling.

Upon you no evil shall fall.
no plague approach your tent.
For you has he commanded his angels
to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you upon their hands,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread,
and trample the young lion and the serpent.

Since he clings to me in love, I will free him,
protect him, for he knows my name.
When he calls on me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him, and give him glory.

With length of days I will content him;
I will show him my saving power.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Reading

Revelation 22:4-5

They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.

Responsory

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
—Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
—I commend my spirit.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
—Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Gospel Canticle

Luke 2:29-32

Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us while we sleep; that awake we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep rest in his peace.

Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Now ✠ you dismiss your servant in peace,
according to your word, O Master;

For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:

A light for revelation to the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us while we sleep; that awake we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep rest in his peace.

Closing Prayer

Lord, we beg you to visit this house and banish from it all the deadly power of the enemy. May your holy angels dwell here to keep us in peace, and may your blessing be upon us always.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Conclusion

May ✠ the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
—Amen.

Marian Antiphon

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc,
et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

or

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae:
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.
Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

℣. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
℟. Ut digni efficamur promissionibus Christi.

This page is intended to aid personal memorization of Sunday Compline. Compline operates on a one-week cycle of psalms and readings, but "one may use Compline from Sunday during the week" (The Office of Compline, Ignatius Press, 2010, p. 7). Given the forthcoming release of an updated translation in the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition, it is desirable to commit the new translation to memory rather than the current translation.

Portions of this page that reflect the new Second Edition translation are Psalm 91 and the Gospel Canticle from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2020, pp. 202, 400).

All other text comes from the current First Edition translation. Hymn and Examination of Conscience from Night Prayer (Catholic Book Publishing Company, 2010, pp. 11, 54). All other text from The Liturgy of the Hours, Volume I (Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1976, pp. 1069, 1628).

Text set in Milo Serif and Milo following the beautiful Schuyler Bibles (source, text sample).