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[[File:Invitatory-4th-tone.jpg|thumb|right|500px|Invitatory of the 4th tone (transcribed from Worcester antiphonary, 13th century)]]
The '''invitatory''' (Latin: '''invitatorium'''; also '''invitatory psalm''') is the [[psalm]] used to start certain daily prayer offices in Catholic and Anglican traditions. Most often it is [[Psalm 95|Psalm 94(95)]], also known as the Venite.<ref group="n">Numbered 94 in the Greek [[Septuagint]], 95 in the Hebrew [[Masoretic text]]: see [[Psalms#Numbering|Psalms > Numbering]].</ref> The term derives from Medieval Latin ''invītātōrium'', derived from ''invītāre'', "to invite."<ref>"[https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=invitatory Invitatory]" in ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'', 5th ed.</ref>

==Catholic==
The invitatory is used to start [[Nocturns]] in the [[Liturgy of the Hours]], the Catholic Church's Divine Office.<ref>{{cite CE1913|wstitle= Invitatorium |volume= 8 |last= Leclercq |first= Henri |short=1}}</ref>  It is usually [[Psalm 95|Psalm 94(95)]], which begins ''Venite exsultemus'' in Latin.  After the reform of the Liturgy of the Hours following the [[Second Vatican Council]], the Invitatory is said either before the [[Office of Readings]] or [[Lauds]], whichever is said first in a liturgical day. In place of Psalm 94(95), [[Psalm 100|Psalm 99(100)]], [[Psalm 67|Psalm 66(67)]], or [[Psalm 24|Psalm 23(24)]] may be used as circumstances may suggest.

Verse 17 of [[Psalm 51|Psalm 50(51)]] ''Domine, labia mea aperies'' is often used as the invitatory [[antiphon]] in the Liturgy of the Hours.<ref>See ''Liturgy of the Hours'' volume 1, 2, 3, or 4;{{synth|date=March 2014}} ''Christian Prayer''; or ''Shorter Christian Prayer''.{{vague|date=March 2014}}</ref>

==Anglican==
In the Episcopal Church, the Morning Prayer office opens with an invitatory psalm, either the Venite (Psalm 95:1-7, or the entire psalm on Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and all Fridays in Lent) or the Jubilate (Psalm 100). An invitatory antiphon may appear before, or before and after the invitatory psalm. The invitatory may be spoken or sung; there are several musical settings in plainsong or [[Anglican chant]].<ref name="Episcopal">"[https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/invitatory-psalm Invitatory Psalm]" in Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, eds., ''An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians.''</ref>

An invitatory psalm may also be substituted for the [[Phos Hilaron]] in Evening Prayer.<ref name="Episcopal" />

In [[Anglican prayer beads]], the invitatory bead is next to the cross, most often corresponding to the opening [[versicle]] of Evening Prayer.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.kingofpeace.org/prayerbeads.htm|title = Anglican Prayer Beads|publisher = King of Peace Episcopal Church|access-date = 2020-12-12|archive-date = 2019-02-01|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190201164947/http://www.kingofpeace.org/prayerbeads.htm|url-status = dead}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
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==References==
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{{Liturgical hours in the Catholic Church}}
{{Psalms}}
[[Category:Liturgy of the Hours]]
[[Category:Psalms]]