Prayer During the Day on Thursday
    Thursday, 9 October 2025
Denys, Bishop of Paris, and his Companions, Martyrs, c.250 [Commemoration]
Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, Philosopher, Scientist, 1253 [Commemoration]
     
     
      Preparation  
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God;
All
   let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.
   
Psalm 143.10
     
   
Praise
  
     
    A hymn, song, canticle, extempore praise, or
     
    Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
And such a Life, as killeth death.
     
    Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a Feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.
     
    Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in Love.
   
George Herbert (1633)
     
   
The Word of God
  
     
     
   
Psalmody
     
    Either, on any Thursday Psalm 133
     
    Or, Week 3 Psalm 101
     
    Alternatively, when Morning and Evening Prayer are also celebrated, one of these cycles may be followed.
     
   

Psalm 133

Refrain: Mercy and truth are met together,
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

1  Behold how good and pleasant it is ♦
   to dwell together in unity.

2  It is like the precious oil upon the head, ♦
   running down upon the beard,

3  Even on Aaron’s beard, ♦
   running down upon the collar of his clothing.

4  It is like the dew of Hermon ♦
   running down upon the hills of Zion.

5  For there the Lord has promised his blessing: ♦
   even life for evermore.

Refrain: Mercy and truth are met together,
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Grant to your people, good Lord,
the spirit of unity,
that they may dwell together in your love,
and so bear to the world
the ointment of your healing and the
dew of your blessing;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
     
    (or)
     
   

Psalm 101

1  I will sing of faithfulness and justice; ♦
   to you, O Lord, will I sing.

2  Let me be wise in the way that is perfect: ♦
   when will you come to me?

3  I will walk with purity of heart ♦
   within the walls of my house.

4  I will not set before my eyes ♦
   a counsel that is evil.

5  I abhor the deeds of unfaithfulness; ♦
   they shall not cling to me.

6  A crooked heart shall depart from me; ♦
   I will not know a wicked person.

7  One who slanders a neighbour in secret ♦
   I will quickly put to silence.

8  Haughty eyes and an arrogant heart ♦
   I will not endure.

9  My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, ♦
   that they may dwell with me.

10  One who walks in the way that is pure ♦
   shall be my servant.

11  There shall not dwell in my house ♦
   one that practises deceit.

12  One who utters falsehood ♦
   shall not continue in my sight.

13  Morning by morning will I put to silence ♦
   all the wicked in the land,

14  To cut off from the city of the Lord ♦
   all those who practise evil.
     
    Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
     
All
   Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
     
   
Short readings
  
     
    Week Three
    You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
   
1 Peter 2.9,10
     
    Or, on any Thursday
    Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.
   
1 Corinthians 12.12,13a
     
     
   
Response
  
     
    Silence, study, song, or words from Scripture, such as
     
    Jesus said, I am the gate for the sheep.
All
   I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
   
John 10.7,10b
     
   
Prayers
  
     
    Prayers may include these concerns:
     
    Local government, community leaders
    All who provide local services
    Those who work with young or elderly people
    Schools, colleges and universities
    Emergency and rescue organizations
     
    A form of intercession found here may be used.
     
    Either, the following prayer is said
     
    O gracious and holy Father,
    give us wisdom to perceive you,
    diligence to seek you,
    patience to wait for you,
    eyes to behold you,
    a heart to meditate upon you,
    and a life to proclaim you,
    through the power of the Spirit
    of Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
   
Benedict of Nursia (c.550)
     
     
    Or, the Collect of the day is said
     
    O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers
      of your people who call upon you;
and grant that they may both perceive and know
      what things they ought to do,
and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.
     
    The Lord’s Prayer is said.
     
    (Either)
     
    As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
     
All
  Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
     
    (or)
     
    Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
     
All
  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.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
     
   
The Conclusion
  
     
    May God kindle in us the fire of love.
All
   Amen.
     
   

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.