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): 113-120
The prophets foretold that the Saviour would be born of the Virgin Mary.
I hate the deceitful of heart
and I love the law you have given.
You are my roof and my shield
and I put all my hope in your word.
Turn away from me, men of malice:
I shall follow the decrees of my God.
Rescue me, God, as you promised, and I shall live:
do not disappoint my hopes.
Be my support, and I shall be safe,
and delight in your judgements forever.
You disdain those who depart from your judgements,
since their thoughts are nothing but lies.
You sweep the wicked from the world like dross:
therefore I love your decrees.
My flesh trembles with fear of you;
I am in fear of your judgements.
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 78 (79)
A lamentation over Jerusalem
The nations have overrun your inheritance.
They have profaned your holy temple, O God.
They have reduced Jerusalem to ruins.
The corpses of your servants are carrion for birds;
their flesh is food for the beasts.
Their blood has been poured out like a moat round Jerusalem
and there is no-one to bury them.
Our neighbours hold us in contempt:
those who live near us deride us.
How long will it last, O Lord?
Will you be angry for ever?
Will your anger blaze up like a fire?
Do not remember the sins of our fathers:
let your loving kindness come quickly,
for we are poor and destitute.
O God our salvation, come to our help:
free us and glorify your name.
And look kindly on our faults,
for the sake of your name.
Why should the gentiles ask, ‘Where is their God?’
Let the blood of your servants be avenged
before all nations, before our own eyes.
Hear your people groan in their fetters,
and put forth the power of your arm.
Rescue those who are doomed to die.
We, your people, the sheep of your flock
will proclaim your name for ever.
From generation to generation
we shall proclaim your praise.
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 79 (80)
Lord, tend your vine
Shepherd of Israel, listen –
you who take Joseph as your flock.
Shine out before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh –
you who are enthroned upon the cherubim.
Awaken your power and come to us,
come to us and save us.
Bring us back, O God:
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
Lord God of hosts –
how long will your anger endure
against the prayers of your people?
You have given us tears for our bread,
abundance of tears for us to drink.
You have made us a mockery among our neighbours,
and our enemies laugh at us.
Bring us back, O God of hosts:
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
planted it, and drove out the nations.
You cleared the ground all about it,
made firm its roots; and it filled the land.
Its shade covered mountains,
its boughs shaded the cedars of God;
its leaves spread as far as the sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
So why did you destroy its wall,
so that anyone could pluck its fruit,
whoever was passing by?
The wild boar of the forest broke it,
every wild beast could graze off it.
Turn back, O God of hosts,
look down from heaven and tend this vine.
Protect the vine, for your right hand planted it;
and the son of man, whom you made strong.
The vine is burnt and dug up;
and they too will perish when they see you rebuke them.
Stretch out your hand over your chosen one
over the son of man, whom you made strong –
and we will not forsake you, and you will give us life;
and we will call on your name.
Bring us back, Lord God of hosts:
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
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.
Deepen our faith, Lord God,
as we celebrate the great mystery of the incarnation
by which you revealed to the world the splendour of your glory
through the Virgin Mary
when she gave birth to your Son,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
