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.
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 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 | Philippians 2:2-4 © |
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Be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.
All the ways of the Lord are kindness and faithfulness
– to those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.
Lord, at this third hour you were led out to suffer the punishment of the Cross,
for the salvation of the world.
In our prayer we beg you –
may we always receive forgiveness for the evil things we have done,
and may we be protected from doing such things in the future.
You live and reign for ever and ever.
A M E N
