Terce (Mid-Morning Prayer)
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help 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. Alleluia.
At one of today's daytime hours (Terce, Sext, None), use the psalms of the day. At the others, use the complementary psalms, which are shown further down the page.
SPECIAL FOR TODAY: If you are celebrating Afternoon Prayer (None) today, use the psalms of the day then, and the complementary psalms for the other Hours.
PSALMS OF THE DAY
If you love me, follow my commandments, says the Lord.
See my distress, and rescue me,
since I have not forgotten your law.
Give judgement in my case and redeem me;
give me life, as you have promised.
The wicked are far from salvation:
they have not sought out your judgements.
Your acts of kindness are many:
Lord, give me life as you have decreed.
How many pursue me and trouble me!
But I have not abandoned your decrees.
I have seen liars and they disgust me,
since they have ignored your promises.
Lord, see how I love your commandments!
In your loving kindness, give me life.
Truth lies behind all your words:
justice makes your judgements last 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.
If you love me, follow my commandments, says the Lord.
Psalm 127 (128)
Peaceful life in the Lord |
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May the Lord bless you: may you be at peace all the days of your life.
Blessed are all who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways.
The food you have worked for, you will eat:
God’s blessing will bring you good things.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
on the side of your house.
Your children will be like olive shoots,
seated round your table.
See, this is how the man is blessed
who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion:
may you see the wealth of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
May you see your children’s children.
Peace be on Israel.
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 bless you: may you be at peace all the days of your life.
Psalm 128 (129)
The renewed faith of an afflicted people |
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The Lord has defeated your enemies for you.
Let Israel say: ‘They have attacked me
again and again from my youth.
Again and again from my youth –
but they could never defeat me.
My back has been scored by ploughmen
ploughing long furrows.
But the Lord, the Righteous One,
has broken the necks of the wicked.’
May all who hate Zion
be thrown back in utter confusion.
Like the grass that grows on the roof
that withers before it flowers.
He who harvests it is empty-handed;
his arms are empty of its sheaves.
Those who go past do not say
‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you,
we bless you in the name of the Lord.’
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 Lord has defeated your enemies for you.
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 |
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I cried out to the Lord and he 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 cried out to the Lord and he answered me.
Psalm 120 (121)
The guardian of the people |
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May the Lord guard your coming and your going.
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 coming and your going.
Psalm 121 (122)
Jerusalem, the holy city |
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What they told me filled me with joy.
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.
What they told me filled me with joy.
CONCLUSION
| Short reading | 1 John 3:23-24 © |
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His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to. Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God and God lives in him. We know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us.
You Lord, guide the upright.
– You, God, know our heart and our innermost being.
Lord, at this third hour you gave the Holy Spirit to the Apostles as they prayed.
We humbly beg you:
in your kindness, give us a share in the same grace.
Through Christ our Lord,
A M E N
