Sext (Midday 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.
PSALMS OF THE DAY
I shall walk the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.
My life is in the dust.
Revive me, as you have promised.
I told you my ways and you heard me:
now teach me the way of your judgements.
Make me understand the way of your commandments,
and I will reflect on your wonders.
My soul is sad and weeps:
rescue me as you have promised.
Turn me from deceptive paths
and give me the gift of the law.
I have chosen the path of truth
with your decrees in front of me.
I hold on to your decrees:
let me not be disappointed.
I shall walk the path of your commandments,
for you have set my heart free.
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 shall walk the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.
Psalm 25 (26)
Trustful prayer of an innocent man |
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I shall not be shaken, for I trust in the Lord.
Pass judgement on me, Lord:
I have come to you in my innocence
and I stand upright, trusting in the Lord.
Probe me, Lord, and test me:
test my heart and my innermost being.
Your loving kindness is before my eyes:
I have walked in your truth.
I have not taken my seat with frivolous men;
I have not gone in with those who plot secretly.
I hate the gatherings of evil men;
I do not take my seat with wrongdoers.
I shall wash my hands in innocence
and take my place by your altar, O Lord.
I shall proclaim your promises aloud
and tell the story of all your wonders.
Lord, I love the house where you dwell,
the place where your glory resides.
Do not lump my soul with wrongdoers,
my life with the men of blood,
whose hands are stained with their crimes,
their right hands heavy with bribes.
I have come to you in my innocence:
rescue me and take pity on me.
My feet stand on the right path:
I will bless the Lord in the assembly.
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 shall not be shaken, for I trust in the Lord.
Psalm 27 (28)
Supplication and thanksgiving |
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My heart hoped in the Lord, and I received help.
To you, Lord, I make my cry.
My God, do not refuse to speak to me.
Do not be silent
or I will be like those who go down into the underworld.
Listen to my cry as I plead with you,
as I stretch out my hand to your holy temple.
Do not drag me away like the wicked,
like those who do evil.
They speak peace to their neighbour
but evil is in their hearts.
Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my plea.
God is my help and my protection.
My heart hoped in him, and I received help.
My heart rejoices, I will sing songs to him.
The Lord is the strength of his people,
a safe refuge for his anointed.
Lord, save your people
and bless your inheritance.
Pasture them and carry them
for all eternity.
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.
My heart hoped in the Lord, and I received help.
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 122 (123)
The Lord guards his people |
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You who dwell in the heavens, take pity on us.
To you I lift up my eyes,
to you who dwell in the heavens.
Like the eyes of a servant watching his master,
like the eyes of a maid on her mistress’s hands,
so we keep our eyes on the Lord our God,
as we wait for his kindness.
Take pity on us, Lord, take pity:
we have had our fill of contempt.
Our souls have had their fill
of the laughter of the rich,
of the contempt of the proud.
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 who dwell in the heavens, take pity on us.
Psalm 123 (124)
Our help is in the name of the Lord |
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Our help is in the name of the Lord.
If the Lord had not been with us
(so let Israel sing),
If the Lord had not been with us
when men rose up against us,
they might have skinned us alive,
such was their anger.
The waters could have drowned us,
the torrent poured over us,
the foaming waters poured over us.
Blessed be the Lord, who saved us
from being torn to pieces by their teeth.
We have escaped, like a bird
from the snare of the fowler.
The snare was broken,
and we escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and 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.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Psalm 124 (125)
The Lord guards his people |
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The Lord stands guard over his people, both now and for ever.
Those who trust in the Lord are like the mountain of Zion:
it cannot be shaken, it will stand firm for ever.
Jerusalem – the mountains stand guard over it,
and the Lord stands guard over his people,
both now and for ever.
The sceptre of the wicked shall not rest
upon the inheritance of the just;
lest the just themselves stretch out their hands
and turn to wickedness.
Be good, O Lord, to the good
and the upright of heart.
As for those who turn away to crooked paths,
the Lord shall treat them like the doers of evil.
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.
The Lord stands guard over his people, both now and for ever.
CONCLUSION
| Short reading | 2 Corinthians 13:4 © |
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He was crucified through weakness, but still he lives now through the power of God. So then, we are weak, as he was, but we shall live with him, through the power of God, for your benefit.
My life is in the dust.
– Revive me, as you have promised.
Lord Jesus Christ, at this sixth hour darkness covered the whole earth
and you ascended the Cross, innocent, for our redemption.
Give us the light that will make us worthy to come at last to eternal life.
You live and reign for ever and ever.
A M E N
