02-20# The Rule of our Holy Father Benedict. Chapter 17: How Many Psalms Are to Be Sung At These Hours
_
We have already arranged the order of psalmody as regards night office and Lauds: now let us see about the other hours that follow. At Prime let three psalms be said separately and not under one Gloria: the hymn proper to this hour after the versicle “O God, make speed to save us” before the psalms are begun; and after the three psalms are ended let there be recited one lesson, the versicle and the Kyrie eleison and so to the end. And at Terce, Sext and None let the same order of office be kept: versicles, hymns proper of those hours, three psalms each, lesson and versicle, Kyrie eleison and so to the end. And let the psalms be sung with antiphons if the community be large, but straight on if it be small.

Let Vespers service however be arranged with four psalms and their antiphons, after which psalms a lesson is to be said, then a responsory, hymn, versicle, Gospel canticle, lesser litany and Lord’s prayer and so to the end.

But let Compline be arranged with the recitation of three psalms, which psalms are to be recited straight on and without antiphon. After the psalms the hymn proper to the hour, one lesson, versicle and Kyrie eleison and blessings and so to the end.

