Sunday Terce

Make me to go in the path of thy commandments

Terce is our first spiritual nourishment and at the same time the "confírmation" of our day: we beg for strength for the rest of the way.  This hour presents the picture of a unified prayer; it has a positive outlook and aims at zealous work on our soul.  The first three strophes of the psalm speak of battle, the next three bind us into a closer union with God.

Psalm 118. iii.  Legem pone

ה
Here begins the letter He (H)

Fifth strophe: God's grace needed for a life pleasing unto God

33  Legem pone mihi, Dómine, viam justificatiónum tuárum: * et exquíram eam semper.
34  Da mihi intellectum, et scrutábor legem tuam: * et custódiam illam in toto corde meo.
35  Deduc me in sémitam mandatórum tuórum: * quia ipsam vólui.
36  Inclína cor meum in testimónia tua: * et non in avarítiam.
37  Avérte óculos meos ne vídeant vanitátem: * in via tua vivífica me.
38  Statue servo tuo elóquium tuum, * in timóre tuo.

39  Amputa oppróbrium meum quod suspicátus sum: * quia judícia tua jucunda.

40  Ecce concupívi mandáta tua: * in æquitáte tua vivífica me.

33  Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, * and I shall keep it unto the end.
34  Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; * yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart.
35  Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; * for therein is my desire.
36  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, * and not to covetousness.
37  O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity; * and quicken thou me in thy way.
38  O stablish thy word in thy servant, * that I may fear thee.
39  Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of; * for thy judgments are good.
40  Behold, my delight is in thy commandments; * O quicken me in thy righteousness.

ו
Here begins the letter Vau (V)

Sixth strophe: Fidelity

41  Et véniat super me misericórdia tua, Dómine: * salutáre tuum secúndum elóquium tuum.
42  Et respondébo exprobrántibus mihi verbum: * quia sperávi in sermónibus tuis.

43  Et ne áuferas de ore meo verbum veritátis usquequáque: * quia in judíciis tuis supersperávi.
44  Et custódiam legem tuam semper: * in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi.

45  Et ambulábam in latitúdine: * quia mandáta tua exquisivi.

46  Et loquébar in testimóniis tuis in conspéctu regum: * et non confundébar.
47  Et meditábar in mandátis tuis, * quæ diléxi.
48  Et levávi manus meas ad mandáta tua, quæ diléxi: * et exercébar in justificatiónibus tuis.

41  Let thy loving mercy come also unto me, O Lord, * even thy salvation, according unto thy word.
42  So shall I make answer unto my blasphemers; * for my trust is in thy word.
43  O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth; * for my hope is in thy judgments.
44  So shall I alway keep thy law; * yea, for ever and ever.
45  And I will walk at liberty; * for I seek thy commandments.
46  I will speak of thy testimonies also, even before kings, * and will not be ashamed.
47  And my delight shall be in thy commandments, * which I have loved.
48  My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; * and my study shall be in thy statutes.


Psalm 118. iv.  Memor esto verbi tui

ז
Here begins the letter Zain (Z)

Seventh strophe: Thy word, a song from home in éxile

49  Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo, * in quo mihi spem dedísti.
50  Hæc me consoláta est in humilitáte mea: * quia elóquium tuum vivificávit me.
51  Supérbi iníque agébant usquequáque: * a lege autem tua non declinávi.
52  Memor fui júdiciórum tuórum a sæculo, Dómine: * et consolátus sum.

53  Deféctio ténuit me, * pro peccatóribus derelinquéntibus legem tuam.
54  Cantábiles mihi erant justificatiónes tuæ, * in loco peregrinatiónis meæ.

55  Memor fui nocte nóminis tui, Dómine: * et custodívi legem tuam.
56  Hæc facta est mihi: * quia justificatiónes tuas exquisivi.

49  O think upon thy servant, as concerning thy word, * wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust.
50  The same is my comfort in my trouble; * for thy word hath quickened me.
51  The proud have had me exceedingly in derision; * yet have I not shrinked from thy law.
52  For I remembered thine everlasting judgments, O Lord, * and received comfort.
53  I am horribly afraid, * for the ungodly that forsake thy law.
54  Thy statutes have been my songs, * in the house of my pilgrimage.
55  I have thought upon thy Name, O Lord, in the night season, * and have kept thy law.
56  This I had, * because I kept thy commandments.

ח
Here begins the letter Heth (Kh)

Eighth strophe: I am ready

57  Pórtio mea, Dómine, * dixi custodíre legem tuam.
58  Deprecátus sum fáciem tuam in toto corde meo: * miserére mei secúndum elóquium tuum.

59  Cogitávi vias meas: * et convérti pedes meos in testimónia tua.
60  Parátus sum, et non sum turbátus: * ut custódiam mandáta tua.

61  Funes peccatórum circumpléxi sunt me: * et legem tuam non sum oblítus.
62  Média nocte surgébam ad confiténdum tibi: * super judícia justificatiónis tuæ.
63  Párticeps ego sum ómnium timéntium te: * et custodiéntium mandáta tua.

64  Misericórdia tua, Dómine, plena est terra: * justificatiónes tuas doce me.

57 Thou art my pórtion, O Lord; * I have promised to keep thy law.
58  I made my humble petition in thy presence with my whole heart; * O be merciful unto me, according to thy word.
59  I called mine own ways to remembrance, * and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
60  I made haste, and prolonged not the time, * to keep thy commandments.
61  The snares of the ungodly have compassed me about; * but I have not forgotten thy law.
62  At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, * because of thy righteous judgments.
63  I am a companion of all them that fear thee, * and keep thy commandments.
64  The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: * O teach me thy statutes.


Psalm 118. v.  Bonitátem fecisti

ט
Here begins the letter Teth (T)

Ninth strophe: Thou art good

65  Bonitátem fecísti cum servo tuo, Dómine: * secúndum verbum tuum.
66  Bonitátem et disciplínam et sciéntiam doce me: * quia mandátis tuis crédidi.

67  Priúsquam humiliárer ego delíqui: * proptérea elóquium tuum custodívi.
68  Bonus es tu: * et in bonitáte tua doce me justificatiónes tuas.
69  Multiplicáta est super me iníquitas superbórum: * ego autem in toto corde meo scrutábor mandáta tua.

70  Coagulátum est sicut lac cor eórum: * ego vero legem tuam meditátus sum.

71  Bonum mihi quia humiliásti me: * ut discam justificatiónes tuas.
72  Bonum mihi lex oris tui: * super míllia auri et argénti.

65  O Lord, thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant, * according unto thy word.
66  O teach me true understanding and knowledge; * for I have believed thy commandments.
67  Before I was troubled, I went wrong; * but now have I kept thy word.
68  Thou art good and gracious; * O teach me thy statutes.
69  The proud have imagined a lie against me; * but I will keep thy commandments with my whole heart.
70  Their heart is as fat as brawn; * but my delight hath been in thy law.
71  It is good for me that I have been in trouble; * that I may learn thy statutes.
72  The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me * than thousands of gold and silver.

י
Here begins the letter Jod (Y)

Tenth strophe: Make me a temple of God

73  Manus tuæ fecérunt me, et plasmavérunt me: * da mihi intellectum, et discam mandáta tua.
74  Qui timent te vidébunt me et lætabúntur: * quia in verba tua supersperávi.

75  Cognóvi, Dómine, quia æquitas judícia tua: * et in veritáte tua humiliásti me.
76  Fiat misericórdia tua ut consolétur me: * secúndum elóquium tuum servo tuo.
77  Véniant mihi miseratiónes tuæ, et vivam: * quia lex tua meditátio mea est.
78  Confundántur supérbi, quia injúste iniquitátem fecérunt in me: * ego autem exercébor in mandátis tuis.
79  Convertántur mihi timéntes te: * et qui novérunt testimónia tua.

80  Fiat cor meum immaculátum in justificatiónibus tuis, * ut non confúndar.

73  Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: * O give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74  They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; * because I have put my trust in thy word.
75  I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, * and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled.
76  O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort, * according to thy word unto thy servant.
77  O let thy loving mercies come unto me, that I may live; * for thy law is my delight.
78  Let the proud be confounded, for they go wickedly about to destroy me; * but I will be occupied in thy commandments.
79  Let such as fear thee, and have known thy testimonies, * be turned unto me.
80  O let my heart be sound in thy statutes, * that I be not ashamed.