The Third Hour (9:00 a.m.)

 

Reader:  Come, let us worship God, our King!           

     Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God!

             Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!

 

Psalm 16

Lord, hear my righteousness, attend to my need,give ear to my prayer, not uttered with deceitful lips.

Let my judgment come out from Your presence,let my eyes see what is right.

You have tested my heart, You have visited me at night,You have tried me by fire and no wrongdoing was found in me.

That my mouth may not talk of the human affairs,for the sake of the words of Your lips I have kept hard ways.

Set my steps in Your tracksthat my steps may not slip.

I cry out to You, O God, because You answer me;incline Your ear to me and answer my words.

Show me the wonder of Your mercies,

For You save those who hope in You from those who resist Your right hand.

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;You will screen me by the shelter of Your wings

from the presence of the godless who trouble me.My enemies surround my soul.

They have closed their heart, their mouths speak arrogance.

Those who threw me out have now surrounded me;they have set their eyes to cast me down on the ground.

They lie in wait for me like a lion alert for its prey,

and like a lion cub living in hidden places.

Arise, Lord, forestall them and overthrow them;deliver my soul from the godless, take Your sword from Your enemies’ hand.

O Lord, separate them from the few     

and from the earth in their lifetime.

Their stomach is filled with Your hidden treasure.

They are satisfied with children, and they leave what remains for their babes.

But I will appear before Your face in righteousness.I shall be satisfied when Your Glory is manifested to me.

 

Psalm 24

Lord, to You I have lifted up my soul. 

My God, I have trusted in You,

Let me not be put to shame,

nor let my enemies laugh at me.

For none who await You will be put to shame;let them be ashamed who do wrong for no reason.

Lord, make Your ways known to me,

and teach me Your paths.

Guide me by Your truth and teach me,because You, O God, are my Savior and for You I wait all day.

Lord, remember Your compassion and Your mercies,because they are from all eternity.

Remember not the sins of my youth and my ignorance,but in Your mercy remember me for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

Good and straight is the Lord;

so He gives laws for sinners in the way.

He will guide the meek to judge what is right,He will teach the humble His ways.

All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truthto those who seek His covenant and His laws.

Lord, for Your name’s sake,forgive my sin, for it is great.

Who is a man who fears the Lord?He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

His soul shall dwell in prosperity,and his children will inherit the earth.

The Lord is the strength of those who fear Him,and His covenant will make it clear to hem.

My eyes continually look to the Lord,because He will pull my feet out of the trap.

Look upon me and have mercy on mebecause I am poor and lonely.

The troubles of my heart are multiplied;bring me out of my afflictions.

Behold my humiliation and my laborand forgive all my sins.

Behold my enemies, for they are multipliedand they hate me with an unjust hatred.

Guard my soul and deliver me;let me not be ashamed, for I have hoped in You.

The innocent and upright have joined me, Lordbecause I wait for You.

O God, redeem Israel,

out of all his troubles.

 

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, God, in Your great loving-kindness

and in Your abundant compassion blot out my transgres­sions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions;

and my sin is continually before me.

Against You alone have I sinned

and done evil before You:

So that You are justified in Your sentence

and blame­less in Your judgment.

Behold, I was brought forth into iniquity


and in sins did my mother conceive me. 

Behold, You love truth in the in­ner being;

therefore, teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be clean:

wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

You will make me hear joy and gladness

and my af­flicted bones shall rejoice. 

Turn Your face away from my sins

and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, God,

and renew a right spirit within me. 

Cast me not away from Your presence

and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. 

Uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways;

and sinners will return to You.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, God, the God of my salvation

and my tongue shall joyfully declare Your deliverance.

Lord, open my lips

and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.

For You have no delight in sacrifice,

if I would give burned offerings, You would not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, God, You will not despise.

Lord, do good to Zion in Your good pleasure

and re­build the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shall You be pleased with a sacrifice of right­eousness, with offerings and whole-burnt offerings. 

Then they will offer calves upon Your altar.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,now and ever and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia! 

Glory to You, O God! (Three times)

Lord, have mercy. (Three times)

Reader: (Chanted to the tone of the prescribed Troparion:)  Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit . . .

Chant the prescribed troparion.  If two or more troparia are prescribed, then chant the first one before the Glory.

Then the following Theotokion in the same tone:

Now and ever and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

Birthgiver-of-God, you are the true vine laden with the fruit of life.  We implore you, O Lady: Intercede together with the Apostles and all the saints, that mercy may be granted to our souls.

Blessed is the Lord God, blessed is the Lord day by day; the God of our salvation will prosper us.  Our God is the God Who saves.

Holy God!  Holy Mighty!  Holy Immortal!  Have mercy on us. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,now and ever and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

All-Holy Trinity, have mercy on us!  Lord, cleanse us from our sins!  Master, pardon our transgressions!  Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name’s sake!

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy Kingdom come.  Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.

Priest:  For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, of the    Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

Reader:  Amen.

Reader: Chants the prescribed Kontakion.

Reader:  Lord, have mercy. (40x)

The Prayer of the Hours

At every season and every hour, in heaven and on earth, You are worshiped and glorified, Christ our God, long-suffering, merciful, and compassionate.  You love the righteous and show mercy to the sinner.  You call all to salvation through the promise of blessings to come:  Lord, in this hour receive our supplications and direct our lives according to Your commandments.  Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our minds; deliver us from all tribulations, evil, and distress.  Surround us with Your holy angels, that guided and guarded by them, we may attain unity of the faith and knowledge of Your Unapproachable Glory, for You are blessed to the ages of ages.  Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without defilement you gave birth to God the Word.  True Birthgiver-of-God, we magnify you.

{During the Pascha Season}   Shine!  Shine!  O New Jerusalem!  The Glory of the Lord has shone on you!  Exult now and be glad, O Zion!  Be radiant, Pure Birthgiver-of-God in the Resurrection of       your Son!

In the name of the Lord, Father, bless.

Priest:  May God have compassion on us and bless us, may He manifest His presence to us and have mercy on us.

Reader:  Amen.

The Prayer of the Third Hour

Reader:  O God, the Master, Father Almighty; Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son; and You, Holy Spirit: One Divinity, One Power, have mercy on me a sinner, and according to Your divine judgment, save me, Your unworthy servant, for blessed are You to the ages of ages.  Amen.

If no other service will immediately follow, the Priest pronounces the Dismissal, otherwise, the Reader proceeds directly into the Sixth Hour.

 

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