Te Deum

STAND
TE DEUM Te Deum laudámus: * te Dóminum confitémur. Te ætérnum Patrem * omnis terra venerátur. Tibi omnes Angeli, * tibi Cæli, et univérsæ Potestátes: Tibi Chérubim et Séraphim * incessábili voce proclámant:					TE DEUM We praise thee, O God, * we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, * the Father everlasting. To thee all Angels cry aloud, * the Heavens, and all the Powers therein. To thee Cherubim and Seraphim * continually do cry.
During the following Tersanctus all make a profound reverence:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus * Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et terra * majestátis glóriæ tuæ. Te gloriósus * Apostolórum chorus, Te Prophetárum * laudábilis númerus, Te Mártyrum candidátus * laudat exércitus. Te per orbem terrárum * sancta confitétur Ecclésia, Patrem * imménsæ majestátis; Venerándum tuum verum * et únicum Fílium; Sanctum quoque * Paráclitum Spíritum. Tu Rex glóriæ, * Christe. Tu Patris * sempitérnus es Fílius.					Holy, Holy, Holy, * Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full * of the Majesty of thy glory. The glorious company of the Apostles * praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets * praise thee. The noble army of Martyrs * praise thee. The holy Church throughout all the world * doth acknowledge thee; The Father, * of an infinite Majesty. Thine honourable, true, * and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost, * the Comforter. Thou art the King of Glory, * O Christ. Thou art the everlasting * Son of the Father.
During the following verse all make a profound reverence:
Tu, ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem: * non horruísti Vírginis uterum. Tu, devícto mortis acúleo, * aperuísti credéntibus regna cælórum. Tu ad déxteram Dei sedes, * in glória Patris. Judex créderis * esse ventúrus.					When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, * thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, * thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, * in the glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come * to be our Judge.
Here all genuflect.
Te ergo quæsumus, tuis fámulis súbveni, * quos pretióso sánguine redemísti.					We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, * whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood.
Here all rise.
Ætérna fac cum Sanctis tuis * in glória numerári. Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, * et bénedic hereditáti tuæ. Et rege eos, * et extólle illos usque in ætérnum. Per síngulos dies * benedícimus te.					Make them to be numbered with thy Saints, * in glory everlasting. O Lord, save thy people, * and bless thine heritage. Govern them, * and lift them up for ever. Day by day * we magnify thee;
During the following verse by local custom a profound reverence is made:
Et laudámus nomen tuum in sæculum, * et in sæculum sæculi. Dignáre, Dómine, die isto * sine peccáto nos custodíre. Miserére nostri, Dómine, * miserére nostri. Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos, * quemádmodum sperávimus in te. In te, Dómine, sperávi: * non confúndar in ætérnum.					And we worship thy Name * ever, world without end. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us * this day without sin. O Lord, have mercy upon us, * have mercy upon us. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, * as our trust is in thee. O Lord, in thee have I trusted, * let me never be confounded.

The Te Deum is one of my favorite prayers. Like many ancient hymns its authorship is in question. Some parts may have been composed as early as 168 while other parts are ascribed to later years by such authors as St. Cyprian and St. Ambrose. The Te Deum is tradionally said in Thanksgiving for a special blessing ( election of a pope, coronation of a King, baptism). The Te Deum is still chanted on the last day of each year in St. Peter's Basilica in thanks for all of the blessings of the previous year. It is often sung as "Holy God We Praise Thy Name" or "God We Praise Thee" at Mass or after Benediction. Its combination of simple and sublime lyrics make it timeless in my estimation.