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): 65-72
The law from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold.
You have been good to your servant, O Lord:
you are true to your word.
Teach me goodness and wisdom and knowledge,
for I trust your commands.
Before I suffered I used to stray;
but now I shall hold to your promises.
You are good and your actions are good,
so teach me your judgements.
The proud make lying plans against me,
but I shall still obey your commands
with all my heart.
Their hearts are as gross as solid fat,
but I delight in your law.
My suffering has done me good:
it has taught me your judgements.
The law that you proclaim does me good,
more than treasure of silver and gold.
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 law from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold.
Psalm 55 (56)
Trusting in the word of the Lord
In God I trust: I shall not fear what mortal man can do to me.
Take pity on me, O God,
for men have trampled me down.
My attackers press me all day long.
All day my enemies trample me:
so many fight against me, O Most High!
Whenever I fear,
I shall put my hope in you –
in God, whose sayings I praise:
in God I put my trust.
I am frightened no longer:
what harm can mere flesh do to me?
All day they attacked my interests,
their thoughts were directed against me.
They picked quarrels, they lay in ambush,
they followed at my very heels.
You have kept track of my wanderings –
so collect my tears in your wineskin,
and keep count of every one!
Then my enemies will be turned back
on the very day I call on you.
Then I shall know that you are my God.
In God I hope, whose sayings I praise;
in the Lord, whose sayings I praise.
In God I put my hope.
I do not fear: what harm can mere men do to me?
The vows I have made you hang over me:
I shall fulfil them and give you praise.
You have rescued my soul from death
and my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk in the presence of God
in the light that shines on the living.
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.
In God I trust: I shall not fear what mortal man can do to me.
Psalm 56 (57)
Morning prayer in time of affliction
Your merciful love reaches to the heavens, Lord.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
My soul flies to you for refuge.
I will hide in the shelter of your wings
until the time of ambush is past.
I will cry to God the Most High,
to the God who cares for me.
He will send help from heaven to set me free.
He will disgrace those who trample me underfoot.
He will send forth his mercy and faithfulness.
My soul lies among lion-cubs
that would devour the children of men.
Their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongues are pointed swords.
May you be exalted above the heavens, O God;
let your glory cover the whole earth.
They prepared a trap for my feet;
my soul was bent double under its burden;
they dug a pit in front of me
– but they fell into it themselves.
My heart is ready, God.
My heart is ready.
I will offer you music and song.
Awake, my glory,
awake, lyre and harp.
I will awaken the dawn.
I will proclaim you among the peoples, Lord,
and make music for you among the nations,
for your mercy reaches as high as the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
May you be exalted above the heavens, O God;
let your glory cover the earth.
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.
Your merciful love reaches to the heavens, Lord.
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
Galatians 5:13-14
©
My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself.
℣. I will run in the way of your commands, Lord.
℟. You give freedom to my heart.
Let us pray.
Lord, who at this third hour
bestowed the gift of the Holy Spirit on the apostles
while they were at prayer,
grant us a share in the same grace.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
