Summary of comments of this office by Dom Schuster, in his work L'année liturgique.

The Introït comes from Psalm 24: "My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare: look Thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor." Behold Lawrence, the crossbearer ("staurophoros") of the Roman Church, who, surrounded by enemies and placed on the red-hot grill, implores, obtains, and triumphs.

The Gradual is taken from Psalm 9, and invokes the help of God so that, despite the apparent momentary triumph won by the tyrant over the martyr, the final victory will belong to God. Moreover, Laurence predicts the glory of this day, and sees his enemies, who will recoil, lose all power, and disappear when God manifests Himself.

The Tract, originally the conclusion of the second reading that preceded the Gospel, is Psalm 122 of David's psalter. It describes the sentiments of the soul that, straitened on all sides by afflictions here below, lifts its eyes to heaven, and, as the slave and the maidservant are attentive to the slightest sign of their masters, so also it never loses sight of the Lord.

The antiphon of the Offertory sings with the psalmist (Ps. 18) the praises of the divine Word, eternal rule of holiness which rejoices hearts and does not oppress them, because grace inclines the will to obey while leaving the will free to act. The word of God is sweet as the fragrant honey that flows from the honeycomb.

The antiphon during Communion is borrowed from Psalm 83: "The sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest, where she may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God: blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, they shall praise Thee for ever and ever."