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 18 (19)
Praise of God, the Lord of the law
The prophets foretold that the Saviour would be born of the Virgin Mary.
The law of the Lord is spotless,
it refreshes the soul.
The teaching of the Lord can be trusted,
it gives wisdom to children.
The judgements of the Lord are right:
they give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the Lord are clear:
they give light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure:
it lasts through all ages.
The decrees of the Lord are true:
each one of them is just.
They are more desirable than gold,
than heaps of precious stones.
They are sweeter than honey,
than dripping honeycomb.
From them your servant learns;
keeping them brings rich rewards.
But who knows his own errors?
Save me from those I do not see.
Save me, your servant, from pride:
let it have no hold over me.
Then I will be spotless
washed clean of the gravest sin.
May the words of my mouth be pleasing
and the thoughts of my heart, in your sight.
O Lord, you are my helper,
O Lord, you are my redeemer.
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.
Psalm 7
Prayer of the just man under persecution
I put my hope in you, O Lord, my God.
Save me from all who persecute me,
save me and set me free.
Lest my enemy rip me to pieces like a lion
because no-one defends me.
If I have done this, O Lord, my God –
if my hands have done wickedness,
if I have done harm to those who harm me,
if I have ruined my enemy and sent him away with nothing –
then let my enemy pursue me and surround me;
let him pound my life into the ground,
let him drag my glory down to the dust.
Lord, rise up in wrath.
Rise up against the fury of my enemies.
My God, come out
to the trial that you commanded.
The assembly of the peoples will gather round you
and you will be above them –
the Lord judges the peoples.
Judge me, Lord, in your justice,
judge me according to the innocence that is mine.
Annihilate the wickedness of sinners
and set the righteous firm:
God, you are just and see into men’s hearts.
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.
Psalm 7
My help comes from God,
who saves the upright of heart.
God is a just judge,
he is strong and his anger grows daily.
See, he has sharpened his sword once again,
he has stretched his bow and prepared it.
He has prepared to pour out death,
made ready his burning arrows.
See, the enemy is pregnant with wickedness,
he has conceived torment and given birth to evil.
He has opened a pit and excavated it –
and fallen into the pit he has dug.
His wickedness will rebound on his head;
on his head his own evil will fall.
I will proclaim the Lord and his justice.
I will sing psalms to his name,
the name of the Lord, the Most High.
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.
The prophets foretold that the Saviour would be born of the Virgin Mary.
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
The prophets foretold that the Saviour would be born of the Virgin Mary.
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.
Psalm 120 (121)
The guardian of the people
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.
Psalm 121 (122)
Jerusalem, the holy city
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.
The prophets foretold that the Saviour would be born of the Virgin Mary.
CONCLUSION
Short Reading
(Isaiah 10:20-21)
©
That day, the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the House of Jacob will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.
℣. The nations shall fear your name, O Lord.
℟. And all the kings of the earth your glory.
Let us pray.
Give us the grace, Lord, to be ever on the watch for Christ your Son.
When he comes and knocks at our door,
let him find us alert in prayer,
joyfully proclaiming his glory.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
