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): 81-88
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away, says the Lord.
My soul is worn out waiting for your saving help,
and I put all my hope in your word.
My eyes are worn out, waiting for your promise.
They say, ‘When will you bring consolation?’
I am shrivelled like a wineskin dried in the smoke,
but still I have not forgotten your statutes.
How many are the days that are left to your servant?
When will you bring my pursuers to trial?
The proud have dug pits for me,
the proud who do not follow your law.
Each of your decrees is truth itself,
but liars pursue me: help me, Lord.
They have nearly brought an end to my life on earth,
but still I have not abandoned your precepts.
In your loving kindness give me life,
and I will observe the decrees you have uttered.
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.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away, says the Lord.
Psalm 60 (61)
An exile's prayer
You, Lord, have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the foe.
Listen, O God, to my appeal:
turn, and hear my prayer.
I call to you from the ends of the earth,
for my heart is troubled.
Lead me to the rock I cannot reach!
For you are my hope,
a strong tower in the face of my enemies.
I shall live in your tent for ever,
I shall hide in the shelter of your wings:
for you, my God, have accepted my vows;
you have given me the inheritance of those who fear your name.
Add days to the life of the king:
add years, for age after age.
Let him sit always in the sight of God:
let kindness and faithfulness guard him.
This is the song I shall sing to your name,
for ever and for ever.
I shall repay my vows to you
day after day.
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.
You, Lord, have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the foe.
Psalm 63 (64)
A prayer against enemies
Lord, guard my life from dread of the foe.
Listen, O God, to my voice;
keep me safe from fear of the enemy.
Protect me from the alliances of the wicked,
from the crowd of those who do evil.
They have sharpened their tongues like swords,
aimed poisonous words like arrows,
to shoot at the innocent in secret.
They will attack without warning, without fear,
for they are firm in their evil purpose.
They have set out to hide their snares
– for they say, “Who will see us?”
They have thought out plans to commit wicked deeds,
and they carry out what they have planned.
Truly the heart and soul of a man
are bottomless depths.
And God has shot them with his arrow:
in a moment, they are wounded –
their own tongues have brought them low.
All who see them will shake their heads;
all will behold them with fear
and proclaim the workings of God
and understand what he has done.
The just will rejoice and hope in the Lord:
the upright in heart will give him glory.
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.
Lord, guard my life from dread of the foe.
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
Deuteronomy 8:5-6
©
The Lord your God was training you as a man trains his child. Keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and so follow his ways and reverence him.
℣. The fear of the Lord is holy, abiding for ever.
℟. The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.
Let us pray.
Send forth the light of the Holy Spirit on us,
Lord God, almighty Father,
subject as we are to your divine majesty:
so that safe from every foe,
we may always rejoice
as we celebrate your praise.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
