Parce Domine - Catholic Lenten Lament

This particular type of hymn is a lenten lament, a hymn of sorrow and mourning for lent. In the Traditional Mass, this is a hymn that is sung often during the ablutions in lent.

The lyrics are derived from Joel 2:17, where the priests are instructed to weep between the porch and the altar, asking God to spare the people and not to make His heritage a reproach.

"Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"

The priests of the Old Testament served as intercessors between God and Israel, and their act of weeping served as a form of intercessory prayer that served to attempt to satisfy God's divine justice, and not bring destruction upon Israel for their sins. This is of course a prefiguration for Christ's passion and sacrifice, the ultimate intercession.

There is two direct parallels to the priests weeping in Joel: Jesus weeping over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44), where the laments the future destruction of Jerusalem; and the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46), where, according to Catholic tradition, He saw all the sins of humanity individually, and still decided to forgive them.

Jesus' prayer was: "My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Which directly echoes the prayers from the priests, for Christ is the ultimate High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), who not only intercedes on behalf of humanity but also offers himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin, thus not only surpassing the Old Testament priesthood, but fulfilling and transcending it.
Lyrics:

Parce Domine, Parce populo tuo,
ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Flectamus iram vindicem,
Ploremus ante Judicem;
Clamemus ore supplici,
Dicamus omnes cernui:

Parce Domine, populo tuo,
ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Nostris malis offendimus
Tuam Deus clementiam
Effunde nobis desuper
Remissor indulgentiam.

Parce Domine, populo tuo,
ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Dans tempus acceptabile,
Da lacrimarum rivulis
Lavare cordis victimam,
Quam laeta adurat caritas.

Parce Domine, populo tuo,
ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Audi, benigne Conditor,
Nostras preces cum fletibus
In hoc sacro jejunio,
Fusas quadragenario.

Parce Domine, populo tuo,
ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

Видео Parce Domine - Catholic Lenten Lament канала Ex Cathedra