Chapter 2: Devout thanksgivings for the whole Life of Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and man: and firstly a prayer arousing the soul to the praise of God

O LORD my God, I wish to praise You; for I know that to praise You was the end for which I was created.

Open my lips to praise You, that I may worthily magnify Your name.

Lift up my heart to You; keep me from being weary; shed forth upon me Your grace; kindle in my heart the fire of Your love; that so I may be able to render to You the thanks that are Your due. Take away the iniquity of Your servant; wash me from all uncleanness, whether of the flesh or of the spirit; that so I may be made worthy to open my lips to glorify Your Name.

But who can worthily extol the depth of Your infinite Majesty? All the powers of Heaven, all the Angelic hosts, can never praise You worthily: how then can frail man attain thereto, who is a thing of corruption, and a worm?

No creature, no thought, no tongue, no language, can ever duly praise You. — What then? Shall I cease from praising You, because I cannot praise You worthily? Shall I be silent, and close my lips, because I know them to be unclean, and myself to be a thing of nought?

Far from me be such ingratitude, as that I should cease to praise You, Whom every creature is bound to praise: and above them all man, whom You have endowed with reason; on whom, beyond all others, You have bestowed so many gifts,

O Father of mercies, and God of infinite goodness, I know in truth, I confess from the bottom of my heart, that in Your sight I am a sinner of utter vileness, one who with downcast eyes, with groans and tears, should rather plead for mercy, than think of taking upon his polluted lips Your most sweet name, and dare to praise it.

And yet, trusting in Your lovingkindness and in Your unfathomable goodness, I long to praise You, beseeching from the depth of my heart the bowels of Your mercies, that You would not despise me, nor hold me back from praising Your glorious name, impure worm and foul carcase though I be: but would kindle and inflame my inmost soul to praise You with devout and joyful lips.

Your own praise, O my God, You Yourself are; nor can You be worthily praised by any other than Yourself; for of all things You are the Maker and the Ruler; and from You do all things come, whose excellence and whose work declare the Glory of Your name.

Ever therefore should You be praised, should You be blessed, by every creature. But when the mind contemplates Your majesty, and longs to join You in praising You in Yourself for Your supreme goodness, words come not.

May then, O my God, Your own incomprehensible Essence, Your own unspeakable Almightiness, Your own unsearchable Wisdom, Your own unutterable Sweetness, Your own boundless Tenderness, praise You!

Praise You Your supreme Goodness; Your surpassing Mercy; Your eternal Power also, and Your transcendent Majesty!

Praise You Your infallible Truth, Your unchangeable Equity, Your inextinguishable Light, Your Knowledge from which no secrets are hid, Your Own unapproachable Substance!

Praise You Your unerring Justice, Your all-wise Providence, Your most calm Governance, and Your unconquerable Power!

Praise You Your infinite Dignity, Your supreme Lovingkindness, Your all-surpassing Sweetness, Your peerless Beauty, and Your all-excelling Charity!

May every name that can be used of You, and every word that can be spoken of You, praise You and magnify You for ever!

May the most noble Queen of Heaven, the glorious Virgin Mary, praise You; and may she, and the whole Court of Heaven, magnify for ever Your infinite Majesty!

May the thousand thousands of Your ministering Angels extol You with the worship which is Your due, and sing praises of endless gratitude to the honour of Your Name!

May the ten thousand times ten thousand citizens of Heaven, who ever stand before You, praise You with boundless rejoicing, and adore You with the deepest reverence!

May all this most joyous Company of the household of Heaven pay to You, on my behalf, devout and acceptable homage; may they praise You and magnify You for ever!

May all the fervent desires of the Saints, all the sweet utterances of the Doctors of the Church, all the several virtues put forth, and all the most perfect actions wrought, in honour of Your name, join the universal melody of all created things, in praising and in magnifying You to the utmost of their power, blessing the most Holy Name of the Lord their God for ever and ever!

And may all Your Saints, and all Your Elect, whose names are written in the Book of Life, laud and magnify You with never-ending praise; and may their prayers obtain for me the full remission of my sins, a good death, a happy end, deliverance from the pains of Hell, and an entry into Heavenly glory, there to have the bliss of dwelling with You for ever!