Terce (Mid-Morning Prayer)
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Hymn
Come, Holy Spirit, live in us
With God the Father and the Son,
And grant us your abundant grace
To sanctify and make us one.
May mind and tongue made strong in love
Your praise throughout the world proclaim,
And may that love within our hearts
Set fire to others with its flame.
Most blessèd Trinity of love,
For whom the heart of man was made,
To you be praise in timeless song,
And everlasting homage paid.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal
The psalms of the day are shown here. If you are reciting more than one daytime hour (Terce, Sext, None) today, use the psalms of the day at one hour and the complementary psalms at the others.
PSALMS OF THE DAY
Psalm 118(119): 41-48
Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.
Cover me, Lord, with your loving kindness.
Save me, as you have promised.
Then I will answer those who taunt me,
for I put my hope in what you have said.
Do not take a single word of your truth
away from my speech,
for I have put all my hope in your decrees.
I will always observe your law,
for ever and for all ages.
I shall walk freely and without constraint,
for I have sought out your commands.
I shall speak of your decrees in front of kings
and not be discomfited.
I shall delight in your precepts,
for I have loved them.
I shall stretch out my hand to your precepts,
for I have loved them.
I shall ponder your statutes.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.
Psalm 39 (40)
Thanksgiving and a prayer for help
My food is to do the will of my Father.
I waited, I waited for the Lord;
and he heard me.
He heard my voice when I cried,
he led me from the pit of misery,
he led me from the mire of filth.
He set my feet on firm rock,
he steadied my footsteps.
He filled my being with a new song,
a song to the Lord.
Many shall see what has happened, and trust,
and honour the Lord.
Happy the man who puts his trust in the Lord,
who pays no heed to the proud,
who pays no heed to liars.
Many are your wonders, O Lord my God,
and great is your care for us:
there is no-one like you.
If I wanted to tell the things you have done for us –
they are too many to count.
You have refused sacrifice and oblation,
but you have opened your ears to me.
You have refused burnt-offerings, even for sin –
so I said “I am coming.
The books of scripture have written of me.
It is your will, my God, that I wish to perform:
your law is next to my heart.”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
My food is to do the will of my Father.
Psalm 39 (40)
Though I am wretched and poor, the Lord will take care of me.
I have proclaimed your judgement in the great assembly:
I will not close my lips – Lord, you know it.
I have not hidden your judgements away in my heart;
I have not hidden your faithfulness from the assembly of the people.
But you, Lord, do not keep your mercy from me:
let your kindness and faithfulness always sustain me.
For evils besiege me, uncountable evils;
my transgressions surround me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart has failed me.
Make it your will, Lord, to rescue me:
Lord, hurry to help me.
Let all who seek you rejoice in you:
let them say always, “Great is the Lord,”
all who delight in your salvation.
Though I am poor and destitute,
the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my liberator:
my God, do not delay.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Though I am wretched and poor, the Lord will take care of me.
OR:
At the daytime hours (Terce, Sext, None) when you don’t choose to use the psalms of the day, use the complementary psalms instead.
COMPLEMENTARY PSALMS
Psalm 119 (120)
Longing for peace
I called and the Lord answered me.
I was in trouble, and cried to the Lord;
and he answered me.
Lord, free me from the lips of liars,
from deceitful tongues.
What will be given you, what will you receive,
deceitful tongue?
Sharp arrows from the warrior,
hardened in the flames.
Alas, I am an exile in Meshech;
I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
My soul has lived too long
with those who hate peace.
I am for making peace;
but whenever I spoke, they attacked me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
I called and the Lord answered me.
Psalm 120 (121)
The guardian of the people
May the Lord guard your going in and coming out.
I shall lift my eyes to the hills:
where is my help to come from?
My help will come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip:
he will not doze, your guardian.
Behold, he will not doze or sleep,
the guardian of Israel.
The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade;
he is at your right hand.
By day the sun will not strike you;
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all harm;
the Lord will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going
both now and for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
May the Lord guard your going in and coming out.
Psalm 121 (122)
Jerusalem, the holy city
I rejoiced in the things which were said to me.
They filled me with joy when they said,
“We will go to the house of the Lord.”
Now our feet are standing
within your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city,
whole and self-contained:
there the tribes have gone up,
the tribes of the Lord –
the witness of Israel,
to praise the Lord’s name.
For there are the thrones of justice,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“Safety for those who care for you,
peace inside your walls,
security within your ramparts!”
For my brethren and those near to me I will say
“Peace be upon you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will call blessings upon you.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
I rejoiced in the things which were said to me.
CONCLUSION
Short Reading
Jeremiah 31:33
©
This is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people.
℣. Put a steadfast heart within me, O God.
℟. Do not cast me away from your presence.
Let us pray.
Father, Creator of all that is good,
you have called men to work in your world,
and by their cooperation to better the condition of mankind.
Grant that we may always work together as children of your family,
and love all men as our brethren.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
