Invitatory

The invitatory (Latin: invitatorium; also invitatory psalm) begins the Divine Office of a liturgical day in Catholic and Anglican traditions. It consists of the versicle: Domine, labia mea aperies... ("Lord, open our lips: And we shall praise your name"), and a responsorially sung psalm. Most often it is Psalm 94(95), also known as the Venite, from his opening words "Come, let us sing for joy before the Lord"). The term invitatory derives from Medieval Latin invītātōrium, derived from invītāre, "to invite." The invitatory includes an antiphon to the psalm, which changes depending on the feast or time in the liturgical year and culminates in the exclamation Venite adoremus ("Come, let us adore him").