Translations of the Psalms into Russian. Let's look at examples

Psalter (Psalter) is a book of the Old Testament, which consists of 150 or 151 psalm songs. In some languages the book is called Psalms . The Psalter is located among the teaching books of the Old Testament after the book of Job. The Psalter became a liturgical book even under David. Later, the liturgical use of the Psalter passed to Christians.

The importance of the book of Psalms is evidenced by the fact that it has come to us in the largest number of manuscripts among all the books of the Old Testament.

Story

Compared to the first king of Israel, Saul, a mature husband and father, a strong and strong warrior, King David at the time of the “anointing” was a frail youth who talentedly played the kinnor, a stringed instrument. However, David had no shortage of courage and ingenuity - just remember the legend of his victory over the giant of the enemy Philistines, Goliath. And yet, David paved the way to eternity for himself precisely with his songs of praise and appeals to God, and not with battles. It was already in Rus' that they were called psalms, since one of the stringed musical instruments of the Israelites was the psaltirion, and in Greek “psalm” means song.

Young David plays the kinnor in front of King Saul. N. Zagorsky, 1873

Many generations after the Russian prince Vladimir the Red Sun learned literacy and faith from the psalter. The Psalter of 150 (+1) songs has firmly entered the consciousness of Christians, and in particular the Orthodox person. But does everyone understand the meaning of the psalms? This question tormented the most progressive scientific minds of Russian philologists of recent centuries. It is precisely us, contemporaries who are not familiar with the Old Church Slavonic language, and even more so with Ancient Greek or Hebrew, who have a particularly difficult time if we intend to comprehend the essence of what was sung by David and his followers. And although the elder clergy explain in such cases: “... everything will be revealed in due time” (Sir 39:22), let’s push ourselves a little towards knowledge in order to shed light on some of the existing translations of the liturgical Psalter.

“Dawn had not yet broken out, and I was already standing with the harp; My soul yearned for prayer, and my spirit burned with faith,”

Such lines were born when thinking about King David from the Russian Decembrist poet Fyodor Glinka in the 18th century. Long before the moment when our literary classics decided to subject the texts of the psalms to rhymed treatment for real songfulness, the Bible was brought to the Slavs from seventy-two Greek elders-scribes. The Septuagint was the name of their translation of the divine book from Hebrew to Greek. That is, in fact, the text was translated into Old Church Slavonic from Greek with some errors. A little time passed - and a translation from the original Jewish collection appeared in Rus', which was called synodal, and according to which services are often conducted in Orthodox churches even now.

But the music is cacophonous, and the lyrics have no rhyme. The fact is that the ancient Jews, of course, did not have the achievements of modern culture of the last three thousand years. They sang whatever came to mind at the moment. Art, as such, had no other value than the conversation of a person’s soul and feelings with God. Is it possible to imagine such a conversation between David, for example: “God, we went on a campaign against the Philistines, but they won, we were defeated... No, no, not like that, it sounds ordinary... God, wait, now I’ll correct it a little and sing more beautifully ... We met the Philistines on the battlefield, I was the first to throw my spear at them...”? It's funny, isn't it? The peoples lived and fought sincerely, without preparation, without rehearsals, without “playing to the public.” Complete improvisation, impromptu and the philosophy of constantly searching for the meaning of one’s existence on earth. If there were rules for song construction, they were very sketchy and primitive. Modern literary scholars who have analyzed psalms of praise have generally distinguished three forms of parallelism in their writing. But I don’t think that David and other ancient Jews, who glorified God with their songs, specifically worked on the phrases: “So, here I used synonyms, which means in the next verse I will address God through opposing antonyms...”. No, in today’s civilization it is customary to structure the psalms for easier understanding. On synonymous, antithetical and synthetic parallelism, as well as 20 kathismas (parts).

About reading the Psalter for every need

Compiled from the writings of St. Athanasius the Great

Let everyone, pronouncing psalms, be sure that God will hear those who ask with the psalm word. For if anyone grieves, reading the psalms, he will see great consolation in them. Whether he endures temptations and persecution, singing psalms, he will appear well-skilled, and will be protected by the Lord, who protected the one who spoke the psalm; or he will put the devil to flight and repel his demons. If anyone has sinned, by reading the psalms he will come to his senses and stop sinning. And if someone has not sinned, he sees himself rejoicing that he competes with those who preceded him, and chanting psalms, he prevails in the struggle, and he will never waver in the truth, but will reprove those who deceive and intend to deceive... I heard from wise men that in ancient times among the Israelites, only by reading the Scriptures they cast out demons and exposed the intrigues they perpetrated on people.

So, in various circumstances, read the psalms:

If you want to be strengthened in hope in God and fearlessness (protection from unclean spirits): Ps. 90.
If you wish to settle in the house of God and the eternal dwellings of God: Ps. 83.
If you ask God for bounty: Ps. 66.
In difficult circumstances of life, in despondency in spirit: Ps. 101.
If captivated by alien thoughts: Ps. 136.
When you see the pride and increasing malice of many, you see that people no longer have anything sacred: Ps. eleven.
When you hear that others are blaspheming the providence, then do not join in their wickedness, but, turning to the Lord, say: Ps. 13.
If you want to know what a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven should be like: Ps. 14.
When you see the oppressed, console them by praying for them and saying to them in these words: Ps. 19.
If you see the persistence of the lawless in evil, do not think that the evil in them is from nature, as they say - and you will see that they themselves are the reason that they sin: Ps. 35.
If anyone wants to confuse you and bring you into fear, have trust in the Lord and read: Ps. 10.
During persecution and reproach of enemies and multitudes who rise up against you: Ps. 3, 24, 26, 41, 139.
If you want to strengthen yourself against an attacking enemy: Ps. 38.
Seeing the wicked ones who prepare snares for you: Ps. 5, 7.
If the malicious intent of your enemies continues, do not lose heart, as if you were forgotten by the Lord, but call on Him, chanting: Ps. 12, 25, 34, 42.
If you endure sorrow from attackers and want to know the benefits of patience: Ps. 39.
If you repent of the sin you have committed and pray for mercy: Ps. 50.
If you want to learn how to give thanks to God: Ps. 28, 104, 106, 134, 145-150.
Wanting to remember what kindnesses of God were shown to the fathers, how good God is and how ungrateful people are: Ps. 43, 77, 88, 104-106, 113.
Thanks be to the Lord when He heard you in sorrow: Ps.4:74,114,45 .
When you are saved from your enemies, delivered from your persecutors: Ps. 17, 9.
Seeing that the Lord feeds you and prospers your way: Ps. 22.
Having fallen into the hands of enemies and wisely avoided them, and evaded their evil intentions: Ps. 33.

Prayer book. Fifth edition. Moscow. Synodal printing house, 1897.

The emergence of psalms. Hebrew original

Once in the 18th century, Johann Gottfried Herder, a famous German writer of the Enlightenment, said: “It is worth ten years to study Hebrew in order to read Psalm 104 in the original.” It is unlikely that the second king of Israel, David, imagined that his musical appeals to God would be regularly read throughout future centuries by a huge part of the world's population. The king had the difficult fate of constant wars, the fight against diseases and misfortunes in unsanitary conditions, which, frankly speaking, was not easy to survive. And yet, David raised the country from its knees, achieved its prosperity, and he himself lived until he was 70 years old, and died by accident, tripping on the stairs. How can one not think about divine protection? His faith in God was so strong that he did not start a single business without God's blessing. And he performed his prayers with talent and inspiration, by the standards of his time, to music. His scribes wrote down several psalms for him. Current scientists argue about their exact number, approximately this figure is 78 out of 150. Subsequently, some believers and talented Israelis began to imitate David. For example, the authors of the Book of Praises that has survived to this day are also Solomon (the youngest son of David, heir and third king of Israel), Moses (a prophet who wandered in the desert for 40 years), Heman, Ethan, Asaph (David’s associates) and others.

Reading today the psalter of the New Testament, adapted for Orthodox people in recent centuries by various translators, you can direct your pure thoughts to God, as the ancient Jews did. But it’s difficult to imagine their language, their expression and emotionality. Experts note that the original words of the Psalter consisted of two or three syllables. This was characteristic of denoting a special rhythm - after all, God was invisible and somewhere high in the sky, which means you need to “reach out” to him. The songs, in which there were prayers, praise to the Lord, confession, hope for the coming of the savior Messiah, and repentance for sins, were filled with passionate screams. By the 10th century AD. e. this text was copied many times by scribes on parchment, sometimes undergoing some changes. Over time, divine hymns began to be sung by a huge choir of Levites and worshipers. “Greco-Slavic poetry of psalms,” says cultural historian Georgy Fedotov, “is of a different quality than in the Jewish original. The sharpness is softened, the pain is muffled, the scream is quieted. A veil of splendor is thrown over the rebellious confession of the soul.”

Psalms for every day of the week

There is a specific pslaom for each day of the week. Some of these psalms are inscribed on the day of the week, others contain verses corresponding to the days of the creation of the world or prefiguring the events of Holy Week and the Resurrection of Christ.

Sunday - Ps. 23;
Monday – Ps. 47;
Tuesday - Ps. 66;
Wednesday – Ps. 93;
Thursday – Ps. 49;
Friday - Ps. 92;
Saturday - Ps. 91.

According to tradition, it is customary to read the entire Psalter about the deceased, but if this is not possible, then kathisma 17.

Greek translation

The Septuagint, the translation of the 72 elders canonized by the Orthodox Church, is also commonly called LXX for short. The task was set by the Alexandrian king Ptolemy Philadelphus . Scientists evaluate this Greek text, written in the 3rd - 2nd centuries BC. e., from the point of view of the originality of an independent book, and its correspondence to the accuracy of the original. And although the Septuagint appeared somewhat earlier than the final canon of the Masoretic Tanakh (Bible), the numbering in them completely coincides. However, the assumption that the Greek translation was intended as an interlinear translation to the Masoretic text of the Psalter for the emigrant communities of Jews and Jews was abandoned over time. Too often, Greek translators took liberties in interpretations at their own discretion, introducing something of their own, personal. And the vocabulary of the Greek language itself is widely replete with abstract concepts, in contrast to the sometimes politically incorrect specifics of the Hebrew language. In some places in the Book of Praises, such freedom was justified and beneficial, but sometimes it was completely unnecessary, considered heresy.

In an amazing and incredible way, the Septuagint Psalter earned great popularity among people familiar with letters, and therefore was rewritten every now and then, which cannot be said about the Hebrew parchment scrolls, which were kept rather secret from the uninitiated.

Read the Psalter / Psalter

The Psalter contains 150 psalms:

1-10	11-21	22-32	33-44	45-55	56-66	67-77	78-88	89-99	100-110
111-121	122-132	133-143	144-150

Numbering of psalms in the Psalter

The numbering of the psalms differs in Hebrew and Greek. The Orthodox Church uses Greek numbering. The Catholic Church uses both numbering options. In our description we will use the Greek version (150 Psalms).

Inscriptions in the Psalms.

Many psalms have inscriptions - additional information about the authors, performers of the psalms, and the events to which the psalms are dedicated are indicated. Translating the inscriptions has proven to be particularly difficult, so there are many options for translating them. Translators can only guess about the meaning of some words.

The inscriptions of psalms often indicate the order in which they should be sung. The musical instrument and motive to which the psalm must be sung have been determined.

Slavic translations

Strangely, there are still disputes about the nationality of two famous brothers - Constantine-Cyril and Methodius . Bulgarians believe that they were Bulgarians, Greeks - that they were Greeks. Be that as it may, the brothers who were born and lived in Byzantium also spoke Slavic as their own. Once, at the request of the Moravian prince Rostislav, the brothers translated several liturgical books into Slavic (using the Glagolitic alphabet they themselves created), including the Psalter-Septuagint. For this they suffered, since the Vatican believed that singing songs of praise to God was allowed only in three languages: Hebrew, Greek and Latin.

The manuscripts of Cyril and Methodius spread to the east of Kievan Rus, which to some extent also contributed to the adoption of Christianity here. However, unfortunately, these books have not survived. But they influenced the Old Church Slavonic translations that appeared in the following centuries. Arrangements by Metropolitans Alexy and Cyprian , who lived in the 14th century, are known. Archbishop Gennady has survived to this day . And in the next 16th century, a great event occurred: in the Russian voivodeship of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Ivan Fedorov opened a printing house. And the first book he published was the church collection “The Apostle,” which included chapters of the Psalter.

Of course, printing was a step forward in the development of human consciousness. But not everything that was published was blessed by the clergy. For example, in 1660, Hieromonk Simeon of Polotsk dared to approach the translation of the Psalter creatively and rearrange the sacred text using rhyme. He printed the edition in his own printing house, which, unfortunately for him, was banned. Under great secrecy, one of the copies of this book went to the young Mikhail Lomonosov and served as one of the motives for the young man’s passionate desire for education. By the way, having achieved success in the field of science, he himself tried to rearrange the Psalter into rhyme in his own way. This is what Lomonosov's 1st psalm sounds like:

Blessed is the one who does not go to the council of the evil, Does not want to follow in the footsteps of sinners, And sits in concordant thoughts with those who lead to destruction.

Around the same time, his colleagues in writing, Vasily Trediakovsky, Vasily Derzhavin, Alexander Sumarokov and others, were also doing this.

Since the 17th century, believers in Rus' mainly used the Elizabethan Bible: at the behest of Peter I, the clergy began comparing Slavic translations with Hebrew and the Septuagint, and completed their version of the text under Elizabeth. From that time until now, this particular Psalter has been used for worship in Orthodox churches.

Let's see how one of the psalms, 99, is read in Church Slavonic :

Shout to God, all the earth, work for the Lord in joy, come before Him in joy. Know that the Lord is our God: It is He who created us, not we, but we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates in confession, into His courts in song: confess to Him, praise His name. For the Lord is good, His mercy endures forever, and His truth endures forever.

In my opinion, almost everything is clear here now. And it sounds extremely melodious.

Three Psalms

In many cases, three psalms are used, combinations of psalms, which, as a rule, act faster and more effectively. There are many options for three psalms and in each specific case suitable combinations should be selected.

As an example, I will give several well-established three-psalms that are used to solve specific problems.

Psalms 78, 60 11 - read when children are sick.
Psalms 90, 60, 80 - universal cleansing used to remove not very strong negativity.
Psalms 71, 59, 132 - removing negative impacts on the family (slight confusion and quarrels).
Psalms 89, 131, 9 - for good luck and success.
Psalms 73, 51, 62 - for finding and getting a good job.
Psalms 50, 3, 17 - for conceiving a child.
Psalms 71, 9, 132 - for diligence in study.
Psalms 6, 22, 34 - punishment for enemies.

In addition, there are other combinations of psalms (4, 6 and more) that should be discussed separately.

The first Russian synodal translation

But the Russian language did not stand still, but developed and transformed. There was little left of the Slavic in him. New generations ceased to understand the meaning of biblical expositions. And Emperor Alexander I commanded the governing church body - the Holy Synod: “To provide the Russians with a way to read the word of God in their natural Russian language, as the most intelligible for them is the Slavic dialect, in which the books of the Holy Fathers. Our scriptures are published." The holiest persons entrusted the process to the Commission of Theological Schools, headed by the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Archimandrite Filaret Drozdov , in the future the Moscow Metropolitan. This version of the Psalter became accessible to the common people, and they began to call it Synodal .

Metropolitan Filaret Drozdov

But the clergy took this seal with hostility. For in their opinion the psalms were simplified to the point of impossibility. Is it possible to talk to the Lord as to a neighbor? So, due to the unexpected opposition of the clergy to the “word of Philaret,” the synodal text of the Bible was recommended only for home reading.

For comparison, the same Psalm 99 in the Synodal translation:

Shout to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with joy, go before His face with shouting! Know that the Lord is God, that He created us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with praise, His courts with praise. Glorify Him, bless His name, for the Lord is good: His mercy endures forever, and His truth endures from generation to generation.

In this translation of David's microtext, more than in any other, the freedom of royal self-expression is most clearly visible and at the same time the text is full of responsibility not only for itself, but also for the peoples to whom it appeals to move only along the path of God. This original expression of the call is somewhat extinguished in the translation of the psalter from the Septuagint by Pavel Yungerov.

Which psalms should be read on what occasions?

We have collected pointers for reading psalms for every need on the advice of Athanasius the Great, Arseny of Cappadocia, Demetrius of Rostov, Ambrose of Optina, Philaret of Moscow and other saints. Armed with them, you will also be able to use the Psalter as a missal. By selecting the desired set of rules below, you will be directed to it via the link.

About reading the Psalter for every need. According to the writings of St. Athanasius the Great
Psalms for every day of the week
Psalms expressing the feelings of the believer
Psalms expressing the main idea
Psalms for various needs. According to the advice and instructions of St. Ephraim the Syrian, St. Athanasius the Great, St. Ambrose of Optina and St. Philaret of Moscow
The Psalter as a missal. Index of Psalms of Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia with the addition of Elder Paisius of the Holy Mountain

You can buy the Psalter with rules for reading in different circumstances in this section. To learn more about the features of each book, go to the publication page.

Translation by Pavel Yungerov

In general, the Yunger family itself is hereditary Orthodox clergy in fourteen generations. It is no wonder that Pavel, born in the middle of the 19th century, in the family of the revered saint of the Samara province, Alexander Chagrinsky, grew up in an atmosphere of worship of God. The humility and depth with which the young man approached spiritual education did not go unnoticed. And after graduating from the Kazan Theological Academy, he defended his dissertation, receiving a doctorate master's degree. But it was not only solitude in the knowledge of the works of the past that attracted Pavel Yungerov. He also carried out active missionary work, repeatedly going on pilgrimage trips to the East and West. While preaching the word of God, he also studied the peculiarities of speech, cultural and religious traditions of peoples.

Theologian and translator P.A. Yungerov

Translations of the Old Testament by Pavel Alexandrovich are examples of the highest authenticity to the original. While studying the text of the Psalter, Yungerov preferred the Septuagint to the Masoretic (later) language. With great attention to detail, the philologist carried out a thorough verification of the texts of the Psalms in ancient Greek and Church Slavonic, noting some discrepancies.

Here is how the praise of Psalm 99 sounds in Yungerov’s translation:

Shout to God, all the earth! Work for the Lord with joy, come before Him with joy. Know that the Lord is Our God, He created us, not we, but we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with confession, His courts with hymns, confess to Him, praise His name. For the Lord is good, His mercy endures forever, and His truth endures forever.

As you can see, the text changes are not very pronounced, but they are there. Yungerov's translation from the Septuagint is a little more restrained. The Synodal translation is a guide-demand for people’s praise, but Yunger’s is humbly in-depth, it contains the word “confession”, that is, even praise to the Lord from his point of view (and the ancient Greek interpreters) does not mean a rattling empty barrel, but a filled vessel with reflections on one’s inner world.

Summary and structure of the Psalter

The Psalms of the Psalter are conventionally divided into 4 groups:

Personal complaints.

The scheme of a psalm of this type: appeal to God -> description of the situation -> trust in God -> request -> offering praise to God.

People's laments.

They have a structure similar to personal lamentations, but are a collective appeal to God.

Psalms of praise to the Lord.

The outline of a psalm of this type: a promise to give praise to the Lord -> a description of the blessings sent down -> deliverance -> an offering of praise -> an instruction to people to trust in God

Hymns.

Celebrating the greatness of God and His mercy.

In addition to the psalms that belong to these four groups, mention should also be made of the psalms of wisdom, songs of ascension, and royal psalms.

Songs of Ascension are psalms sung by pilgrims as they ascend Mount Zion.

Royal psalms are psalms that describe important events in the royal life, for example, the ascension to the throne.

Translation by Vasily Kapnist

A little earlier than Pavel Yungerov lived the wonderful Russian poet and playwright Vasily Vasilyevich Kapnist. He was friends with the famous Derzhavin, created the comedy “Sneak” - the prototype of “The Inspector General” and “Woe from Wit”. Like many poets of that time, he tried his hand at poetic translations of the Psalms. Not all of his psalms have survived to this day. For example, the first one:

Blessed is he who does not join the council of the wicked, does not take the path of sinners, And does not sit on the seat of the arrogant Destroyers. But with all his will he will submit to the Law of his God, And day and night he will learn from His righteous covenants. Like a tree there will be a planting, Which grows by the sources of the waters, Its fruit will be heavy in time, And its leaf will not fall off. In everything he does, he will succeed. Not so sinners, not so: But like the dust that the wind will blow from the face of the earth in the empty steppes. The wicked will not stand in judgment, Nor will the sinners come to the righteous for advice: the Lord foresees the truthful ways, And destruction awaits the wicked on the way.

Mikhail Lomonosov’s translation given above sounds approximately the same. Poets of the 18th century were quite successful in the ode genre. High ideological content, rhetorical exclamations, complex metaphors - these features are also present in Kapnist’s psalms.

Interpretation of the Psalms.

Many editions of the Psalter contain interpretations of the psalms. Of the ancient interpretations, the following interpretations are especially popular:

John Chrysostom,
Ambrose,
Augustine,
Theodoret of Cyrus,
Euphemia Zigabena.

From new interpretations:

Tolyuka,
Ewald;
Bishop Feofan,
Archpriest Vishnyakov.

In no other Old Testament book is personal faith in God shown in as many ways as in the book of Psalms. The Book of Psalms is a collection of religious poetry. Many psalms of the Psalter are addressed to God and are a reflection of personal religious feelings. The Psalms reflect the joy of being able to communicate with God. Through a psalm a person can express reverence for God. The psalms also reflect folk wisdom.

Translation by Archpriest Vasily Probatov

Orthodox theologian and preacher Vasily Probatov began his literary activity thanks to... conflict. Differences in views on issues of faith with Bishop Theodosius Ganetsky led to Probatov’s excommunication from the Kolomna churches, where he served for several years. The priest moved to the Ryazan region, and because of free time, from the mid-20s of the 20th century, he began translating the biblical book of praise, calling it “Psalter in verse.”

Priest Vasily Probatov

Probatov looks at Psalm 99 in a pioneer spirit, which is a little strange, since he could not accept the October Revolution and more than once found himself a victim of interrogations by security officers:

Go with a friendly song, With triumph, to the Lord’s house, And serve the Creator Here in holy joy; Believe firmly, unchangeably, that He is God and King of all, We are His sacred inheritance, Sheep of His pasture; So enter into reverent God's tribe, into God's temple, and offer thanks to the Creator, rejoicing there; Glorify with joy from your heart the Name of your God, For His mercy is eternal, His truth is eternal.

It’s somewhat reminiscent of the Soviet enthusiasm of the children’s song by Mikhail Matusovsky and Vladimir Shainsky “It’s fun to walk through the open spaces together...” - isn’t it? The spirit of change of the new time probably infected some consciously, and unconsciously, but infected others. In a good way. Father Vasily revealed a different Psalter to his parishioners and future generations. He uses synonyms and allegories and poetic devices quite widely in order to present David’s sincerity as pure as in the original: he calls God “Creator”, “Creator”, and “King”.

It is clear that the communists could not give rise to such an interpretation of the divine book. In fact, with their atheism and practicalism, they did not recognize God at all. So Vasily Probatov and his works were undeservedly consigned to oblivion, and began to be published only at the end of the 20th century.

“Psalms of David” by Sergei Averintsev

Sergei Sergeevich Averintsev is also a resident of the twentieth century. He was born in Stalin's pre-war time in Moscow in the family of a professor and research biologist. Therefore, I was familiar with the scientific approach to life from a very young age. True, he was attracted by knowledge not only of the flora and fauna, like his father, but of the universe as a whole, the culture of mankind, and the integration of communication.

After graduating from the Faculty of Philology of Moscow State University, Averintsev worked with words for many years. And during the “perestroika” Gorbachev years he was elected to the People's Deputies of the USSR. We should be grateful to Sergei Sergeevich for developing the law on freedom of conscience. However, the subsequent break in the country had a depressing effect on Averintsev; he moved to Austria, where, along with his teaching activities at the oldest university in Vienna, he became a regular at St. Nicholas Cathedral.

Historian, biblical scholar S.S. Averintsev

With deep historical and linguistic knowledge, Sergei Averintsev sought answers to the questions of the origin of humanity, its existence and mission on Earth. The German Slavist Wolfgang Kazak called Averintsev’s spiritual poetry “the inviolability of secrets incomprehensible to reason.” But are the rhythmically structured texts of a philology professor poetry? After all, there is no rhyme in them, just as there was no rhyme in the songs of David. Sergei Sergeevich’s well-known colleague Gasan Guseinov, discussing Averintsev’s passion for the English Christian thinker Gilbert Chesterton, openly speaks of the understanding that “both knew that they were writing bad poetry.” But in the case of the translation of the Psalter, this fact is very useful. After all, David followed only the dictates of his heart, and not work on verbal filigree.

Unfortunately, some psalms are missing from Sergei Averintsev’s translations, and the 99th one is missing. Perhaps he paid attention to the most significant microtexts for the church, or simply did not have time to complete what he started. For example, Psalm 96/97 (all songs in its translation are doubled):

The Lord is King, let the earth rejoice, let the many islands rejoice! Cloud and darkness are around Him, righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne; fire comes before His face, scorches the surroundings of His enemies, His lightning shines on the entire circle of earth, the earth sees and shakes, before the face of the Lord the mountains melt like wax, before the face of the Ruler of the whole earth - the heavens proclaim His truth, and all nations see His glory. Let those who honor idols be ashamed, those whose boasting is nothing but dust; may all deities bow before Him! Zion hears and rejoices, the multitude of the daughters of Judah rejoices, O Lord, over Thy judgments! For You, Lord, are High above all the earth, exalted above all gods. You who love the Lord, abhor evil! He preserves the souls of His faithful, He rescues them from the hands of sinners; light shines on the righteous, and joy on those whose hearts are upright. Rejoice, O righteous ones, in Him, and glorify the memory of His shrine!

I don’t know about you, but for some reason my personal imagination immediately took me to the German organ preludes and fugues of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, who fill modern Austrian churches with their polyphony. Was it not this music that Averintsev plunged into, escaping from his multinational homeland, which collapsed overnight? The musical intonations of polyphonic heterogeneous lines are the basis of Sergei Sergeevich’s translations, published in the year of his death - 2004.

Psalms for various needs

According to the advice and instructions of St. Ephraim the Syrian, St. Athanasius the Great, St. Ambrose of Optina and St. Philaret of Moscow

According to the advice and instructions of the holy fathers of the Church: St. Ephraim the Syrian, St. Athanasius the Great, St. Ambrose of Optina, St. Philaret of Moscow, the Psalter can be divided into psalms for different needs:

To protect yourself from serious sins: Ps. 18
Against demonic attacks: Ps. 45, 67
When accusations and slander are raised against you: Ps. 4, 7, 36, 51
When you see the pride and malice of many, when people have nothing sacred: Ps. eleven
For humility of spirit: Ps. 5, 27, 43, 54, 78, 79, 138
When enemies continue to seek your destruction: Ps. 34, 25, 42
In gratitude for the victory over the enemy: Ps. 17
In times of sorrow and misfortune: Ps. 3, 12, 21, 68, 76, 82, 142
In despondency and in unaccountable sorrow: Ps. 26, 90, 101
In defense from enemies, in adversity, in the machinations of man and the enemy: Ps. 3, 37, 2, 49, 53, 58, 90, 139
About standing so that the Lord hears your prayer: Ps. 16, 85, 87, 140
When you ask for mercy and bounty from God: Ps.66
If you want to learn how to give thanks to the Lord: Ps. 28
In order not to be stingy and to give alms: Ps. 40
Praising the Lord: Ps. 23, 88,92,95, 110, 112, 113, 114, 133, 138
In illness: Ps. 29, 46, 69
In mental turmoil: Ps. thirty
In spiritual pain: Ps. 36, 39, 53, 69
To console the oppressed: Ps. 19
From damage and sorcerers: Ps. 49, 53, 58, 63, 139
When you need to confess the true God: Ps. 9, 74, 104, 105, 106, 107,117, 135, 137
About forgiveness of sins and repentance: Ps. 6, 24,50,56, 129
In spiritual joy: Ps. 102, 103
When you hear that they are blaspheming the Providence of God: Ps. 13, 52
When you see that the wicked prosper, and the righteous endure tribulations so as not to be offended: Ps. 72
In gratitude for every good deed of God: Ps. 33, 45, 47, 64, 65, 80, 84, 97, 115, 116, 123, 125, 134, 145, 148, 149
Before leaving home: Ps. 31,
On the road: Ps. 41.42, 62, 42
Before sowing: Ps. 64
From theft: Ps. 51
From drowning: Ps. 68
From the frost: Ps. 147
In persecution: Ps. 53, 55,56, 141
On the granting of a peaceful death: Ps. 38
On the desire to move to eternal settlements: Ps. 83
For the departed: Ps. 118
If the evil one prevails: Ps. 67, 142
About the extraordinary change in affairs: Ps. 67
Penitential psalms: Ps. 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, 142
When sadness overcomes: Ps. 101
Prayer for God to hear your prayer: Ps. 140

Translation by German Plisetsky

It is believed that the poet and translator German Plisetsky was undeservedly excluded by the Soviet authorities from the recognized talents of the country. His works were not published, and he himself lived in Khimki near Moscow, living from penny to penny, but not attaching any importance to it. Geshka and Plisa, as his friends called him, kept up with the times, seeking truth and justice, composing rhymes in the spirit of Vysotsky, Voznesensky, Yevtushenko. Became widely known after his death.

Poet German Plesetsky

His first collection of essays and translations was published only in 2001, nine years after his death. And the main popularity was mainly earned by his poem about Pasternak and translations of Omar Khayyam. They say that German Borisovich is one of the transcriptions of the Psalter into poetic form. But, to be honest, apart from the first psalm, I did not find evidence of the existence of his translation of the entire biblical collection. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

Blessed is he who does not go to council, depraved, deceitful and stinking. Blessed is he who is not in a hurry to gather, having said to the wicked: “No!” He listens to God. He wants to comprehend God's law. Let it be like a trunk, branching, and let every leaf not wither! Growing at the source of the waters, may it bear ripe fruit! And the wicked are dust scattered to all the winds. The prayers of the depraved will not save, and God’s Judgment will not escape. Blessed be the right path! And the path of the depraved - be damned!

The abundance of exclamation marks indicates the influence of the slogans of the communist USSR. But why not?

Authorship

In the inscriptions of psalms there are often proper names, but it is not always clear whose names these are - the author, the performer, or the person to whom the psalm is dedicated. The author of the Psalter is generally considered to be King David, although absolutely all researchers are confident that the Psalter is the fruit of the work of more than 10 authors. Moreover, the book was created over a long time - perhaps even more than a dozen generations. The time of creation of the psalms is from the time of Moses until the return from Babylonian captivity.

In the inscriptions of the Psalter the following names are indicated as authors:

David,
Asaph - chief psalmist under David,
The sons of Korach are the temple gatekeepers,
Adam,
Abraham,
Yeman,
Idifun
Moses, etc.

The Psalter was created gradually as a product of collective creativity and was subjected to numerous editions during its creation.

Translation by Naum Grebnev

Naum Isaevich Rambakh (this was his real last name) was born in China shortly before the Great Patriotic War, then moved with his family to the USSR. He didn’t really like to talk about his Jewish nationality - the times were too turbulent, and because of this he was criticized by his colleagues - they say he was hiding under a pseudonym. Naum's mother spoke several languages, was known as a talented translator, and was friends with Anna Akhmatova. And he himself went through almost the entire war, bravely fighting “for the Motherland, for Stalin,” shoulder to shoulder with other soldiers of the multinational Soviet Union.

Naum Grebnev (Rambakh)

Fame came to Naum Grebnev with his talented translation of Rasul Gamzatov’s poem “Cranes”. The song, set to music by composer Jan Frenkel, was performed by Mark Bernes himself. Taking into account his blood affiliation with the nation of David and other forefathers of the Christian religion, the poet-translator of the 20th century tried to combine these two components: origins and modernity. Being deeply lyrical and emotional, the author thus presented the psalter to the judgment of today's Russian-speaking readers, translating the synodal translation into verse. This is what his 99th Psalm looks like:

Glorify, O people, the palace of the Lord, Go to it with joy, with praise. Come before His face with song, He created us, He called us sons, Hurry to His gates with praise, Go to His courts with pure love, For the Lord is our only God. Praise the Lord, the Lord's people, Bless them in heartfelt prayer, For whatever happens in the world will pass, Only the truth of the Lord is eternal From generation to generation.

Psalms expressing the feelings of the believer

Glorification of God for the works of creation and providence, especially for the good deeds poured out on man: Ps. 102
Glorifying God for the special care of the believer: Ps. 2
Without God's blessing it is impossible to have success in your affairs: Ps.126
God's providence for the believer and his election for eternal life: Ps. 138
Contrition for sins, a petition to God for mercy at the Judgment: Ps. 37
The believer’s desire to unite with God and trust in Him in misfortune: Ps. 41
The bliss of the righteous and the destruction of the wicked: Ps. 1
Characteristics of a true righteous man and heir of eternal life: Ps. 14
God forgives sins to those who humbly confess them before Him: Ps. 31
One should not envy the happiness of sinners, but it is appropriate to look at the end of the lawless and the righteous: Ps. 36
God's special mercy to the merciful: Ps. 40
The blessedness of those who dwell in the temple of the Lord: Ps. 83.
Glorifying the goodness of the Lord to those who trust in Him: Ps. 90
The firmness of the believer in persecution and the consolation of God’s protection: Ps. 26
The consolation of the righteous by the constant preservation of God: Ps. 120
Sighing for the Heavenly Fatherland: Ps. 136
Sample prayer for the king: Ps. 19.20

Prayer book. Fifth edition. Moscow. Synodal printing house, 1897.

Translation by Naum Basovsky

Not much is known about Naum Isaakovich Basovsky. Born in Kyiv, he was fond of exact sciences, and accordingly chose education in the field of mathematics and physics. Taught. He moved to Moscow, and then to the Israeli Rishon LeZion, where he lives to this day. But what they say is true: talented people are talented in everything. Naum Basovsky is the author of not only a large number of scientific inventions and publications in the media, he is also a laureate of many poetry competitions. His erudition and outlook were wonderfully embodied in literature.

N. Basovsky

Let's see how figuratively and richly he presents Psalm 99:

God reigns, and the nations tremble, and the face of the earth trembles. He is as high as the vaults of heaven, great above the nations of the world. Judgment and truth are from God over them; justice is their triumph. Holy is the terrible name of the Lord, and holy is His footstool. Both Moses and Aaron, and Shmuel - those whose voice sounded inviting - pulled their prayers to the Almighty, and the Lord answered. They heard God's voice from a large pillar of clouds, received the holy tablets, and kept them forever. Forgiveness was given to us according to the Law, according to the Law and punishment. Worship Zion, people, glorify God at all times!

From these lines one can smell not only David’s song to the kinnora, but also “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” And this style is probably not accidental. Born in Ukraine, Naum Isaakovich, of course, even in his school years, was immersed in the history of the emergence of Christianity in Kievan Rus. By embodying the Israeli word of God for the Russians, he thus literally united two ancient cultures into one. The prominence of the syllables and beautiful chanting melody, the abundance of images and ancient Russian words will undoubtedly bring pleasure not only to any reader, but also to a linguist.

The Psalter as a missal. Index of Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia

In defense from demons

Ps.
6. May God free those under spell.
Ps.
8. Wounded by demons or wicked people.
Ps.
9. May demonic insurance in dreams or temptations during the day cease.
Ps.
13. Read from the demon three times a day for three days.
Ps.
24. Those who suffer greatly from temptations, who murmur and complain.
Ps.
33. Those standing on the verge of death when they are tormented by demons. Or when the enemy invades with sinister intentions.
Ps.
45. Young people who are not allowed to marry by their enemies out of envy.
Ps.
57. May circumstances favor those who work with good intentions, and may
The Lord will rebuke demons and wicked people.
Ps.
65. May the evil one not bring discord into the house and may not plunge the family into sorrow.
Ps.
70. For those who are lonely, who, due to the machinations of demons, are bored with their neighbors and fall into despair, may the Lord have mercy on them and heal them.
Ps.
90. Let the demon disappear that appears before a person and frightens him.
Ps.
94. Let spouses not fall under the influence of spells that make them quarrel and bicker.
Ps.
96. Let the spell dissipate.
Ps.
121. May the Lord heal those suffering from superstition.

For protection from elements and disasters

Ps.
17. During earthquakes, other disasters or thunderstorms.
Ps.
21. May the Lord control the fire and may there be no great damage.
Ps.
28. Those suffering from seasickness and fearing a stormy sea.
Ps.
30. May the Lord provide sufficient grain and fruits when the weather is unfavorable for farming.
Ps.
31. May lost and confused travelers find their way.
Ps.
47. When gangs of robbers rob people and grave disasters occur, read for 40 days.
Ps.
50. When God sends us for admonition because of our sins.
Ps.
68. When the rivers flood from the rains and wash away people and houses.
Ps.
85. May God save the world when an epidemic comes and people die.
Ps.
92. May the Lord protect a ship that is in danger at sea (The monk also advised sprinkling the ship on four sides).
Ps.
111. May the Lord protect soldiers going to war.
Ps.
133. May the Lord protect people from every misfortune.

In defense from human hostility

Ps.
3. Let anger leave people, and let them not torture (offend) their neighbors unrighteously.
Ps.
5. May the Lord heal the eyes wounded by the villain.
Ps.
7. Tormented by fear from the intrigues and threats of villains.
Ps.
10. Abusive spouses who bicker and get divorced (when an abusive husband or wife torments the spouse).
Ps.
11. Mentally ill people who are tormented by anger and attack their neighbors.
Ps.
14. Let thieves or robbers turn back and go home and repent.
Ps.
16. In case of serious unfair accusations, read three times a day for three days.
Ps.
22. May the Lord pacify disobedient children so that they do not upset their parents.
Ps.
26. May the Lord protect the peasants from the enemy army, so that there is no harm to the people and fields.
Ps.
29. In dangers in distant lands, among those who exist, among the barbarians and the godless, may the Lord protect them and enlighten the people of those lands and pacify them, so that they know God.
Ps.
32. May the Lord reveal the truth about those unjustly convicted, and may they be released.
Ps.
33. Those standing on the verge of death when they are tormented by demons. Or when the enemy invades with sinister intentions.
Ps.
34. May the Lord free the good from the snares of the evil ones that oppress the people of God.
Ps.
35. May hostility dissipate after disputes and misunderstandings.
Ps.
36. Wounded by robbers.
Ps.
42. May our compatriots be freed from enemy captivity.
Ps.
47. When gangs of robbers rob people and grave disasters occur, read for 40 days.
Ps.
57. May circumstances favor those who work with good intentions, and may the Lord rebuke demons and wicked people.
Ps.
59. May the Lord reveal the truth when many people are condemned (slandered) unjustly.
Ps.
72. Let the robbers repent.
Ps.
73. May the Lord protect the peasants who work in the fields when the enemy surrounded the village. So that God protects peaceful people who are surrounded by enemies.
Ps.74.
May the evil owner reconcile and not torment his neighbors and workers.
Ps.
78. May the Lord protect the settler from robbery by the enemy army.
Ps.
82. May the Lord forbid the evildoers who plot murder.
Ps.
84. May the Lord heal those wounded by robbers and those suffering from fright.
Ps.
87. May the Lord protect the defenseless who suffer from their hard-hearted neighbors.
Ps.
93. May the Lord enlighten the troublemakers who sow discord among the people and cause unrest and division.
Ps.
107. May the Lord pacify the enemies, and may they abandon their evil intentions.
Ps.
117. May the Lord humble the barbarians when they surround the village and instill fear in the inhabitants, and may he turn them away from evil intentions.
Ps.
118. May the Lord frighten the barbarians and forbid them when they kill innocent women and children.
Ps.
120. May the Lord protect slaves from the hands of the enemy, so that they are not maimed before they return to freedom.
Ps.
124. May the Lord protect the fields of the righteous from evil people.
Ps.
131. May the Lord show His mercy in a world where wars do not stop because of our sins.
Ps.
133. May the Lord protect people from every misfortune.
Ps.
135. May the Lord protect refugees when they leave their homes and go away, may they be saved from their enemies.
Ps.
139. May the Lord pacify the difficult character of the head of the family, so that the family does not suffer from him.
Ps.
140. May the Lord pacify the cruel ruler who torments his neighbors.
Ps.
141. May the Lord pacify the troublemaker who brings grief to people.
Ps.
143. May the Lord pacify the ferment among the people, so that there is no rebellion.

About organizing family life and eradicating hostility among loved ones

Ps.
10. Abusive spouses who bicker and get divorced (when an abusive husband or wife torments the spouse).
Ps.
19. To barren spouses, so that the Lord heals them and they do not divorce.
Ps.
22. May the Lord pacify disobedient children so that they do not upset their parents.
Ps.
43. May the Lord reveal the truth to the spouses if there was a misunderstanding between them, so that they can live in peace and love.
Ps.
45. Young people who are not allowed to marry by their enemies out of envy.
Ps.
54. May the good name of the family that was unjustly accused be restored.
Ps.
75. To a mother who is afraid during childbirth, may the Lord strengthen and protect her.
Ps.
76. When there is no mutual understanding between parents and children, may the Lord enlighten them, so that children obey their parents, and parents love their children.
Ps.
86. May the Lord prolong the lives of those family members whom others cannot do without.
Ps.
106. May the Lord heal the barren woman.
Ps.
116. May love remain in the family, and may they glorify God.
Ps.
126. May the Lord bring peace to the family if there is a quarrel.
Ps.
127. May the evil of enemies not touch the houses, and may the peace and blessing of God be in the family.
Ps.
139. May the Lord pacify the difficult character of the head of the family, so that the family does not suffer from him.
Ps.
142. May the Lord protect a pregnant woman so as not to lose her fetus.

About healing from illness

Ps.
4. May the Lord heal those who are soft-hearted and who become despondent at the sight of the deeds of the hard-hearted.
Ps.
5. May the Lord heal the eyes wounded by the villain.
Ps.
7. Tormented by fear from the intrigues and threats of villains.
Ps.
12. Suffering from liver diseases.
Ps.
18. Let the woman in labor give birth.
Ps.
19. To barren spouses, so that the Lord heals them and they do not divorce.
Ps.
27. May the Lord heal those suffering from mental and nervous illnesses.
Ps.
37. For toothache.
Ps.
40. May the wife be delivered successfully if the birth is premature.
Ps.
44. Suffering from heart or kidney disease.
Ps.
55. For soft-hearted people who are hurt by their neighbors.
Ps.
56. Those suffering from headaches resulting from great tribulation.
Ps.
58. To the dumb, may the Lord give them the gift of speech.
Ps.
63. When someone is bitten by a mad dog or a wolf.
Ps.
67. May those suffering from miscarriages be healed.
Ps.
79. May the Lord heal the patient with dropsy.
Ps.
95. May the Lord heal the deaf.
Ps.
102. May the Lord help a woman suffering from female infirmity.
Ps.
106. May the Lord heal the barren woman.
Ps.
108. May the Lord heal the sick person with epilepsy. May the Lord have mercy on the slanderers and admonish them to repent.
Ps.
113. May the Lord heal weak-minded children.
Ps.
122. May the Lord heal the blind and those suffering from eye diseases.
Ps.
125. May the Lord heal those suffering from headaches.
Ps.
128. May the Lord heal those suffering from migraines. May the Lord show His mercy on the hard-hearted and unrestrained, so that they may show mercy.
Ps.
142. May the Lord protect a pregnant woman so as not to lose her fetus.
Ps.
145. May the Lord heal those suffering from bleeding.
Ps.
146. May the Lord heal those bitten and wounded by evildoers.

About help with various everyday needs

Ps.
1. When a tree or vine is planted, let it bear fruit.
Ps.
15. May the lost key be found.
Ps.
23. May the door open when the key is lost.
Ps.
31. May lost and confused travelers find their way.
Ps.
48. To those whose work is fraught with danger.
Ps.
52. May God bless the nets and may they be filled with fish.
Ps.
62. May the fields and trees bear fruit during the drought.
Ps.
66. Blessing be on livestock.
Ps.
71. May God bless the new harvest that the peasants are reaping.
Ps.
81. So that trade continues among the peasants and they do not fall into grief and despair.
Ps.
83. May the Lord protect household utensils, livestock and the fruits of labor.
Ps.
89. May the Lord send rain in the drought and may the dry springs be filled.
Ps.
123. May the Lord protect people from snakes so that they do not bite.
Ps.
144. May God bless the works of people and accept them.
Ps.
147. May the Lord pacify wild animals, may they not cause harm to people and the economy.
Ps.
148. May the Lord send favorable weather so that people can reap a rich harvest and glorify God.

About the arrangement of relationships between people, reconciliation, admonition and the sending of worldly wisdom and God's help

Ps.
2. May the Lord enlighten those coming to meetings and councils.
Ps.
3. Let anger leave people and let them not torture (offend) their neighbors unrighteously.
Ps.
14. Let thieves or robbers turn and return home and repent.
Ps.
16. In case of serious unfair accusations, read three times a day for three days.
Ps.
20. May the Lord soften the hearts of the rich and give alms to the poor.
Ps.
34. May the Lord free the good from the snares of the evil ones that oppress the people of God.
Ps.
35. May hostility dissipate after disputes and misunderstandings.
Ps.
38. May the abandoned and discouraged find work so that they will no longer grieve.
Ps.
39. May the owner and the employee make peace after a quarrel.
Ps.
41. Young people, when they suffer from unhappy love.
Ps.
46. In order to reconcile the worker and the owner, when the worker leaves offended by the owner, and to find work for him.
Ps.
51. Let the hard-hearted rulers repent, and let their hearts soften, and let them stop torturing the people.
Ps.
53. May the Lord enlighten the rich who bought slaves, and may they set them free.
Ps.
55. For soft-hearted people who are hurt by their neighbors.
Ps.
60. Those who find it difficult to work out of laziness or fear.
Ps.
64. May merchants prosper. So that they have the fear of God and do not deceive people.
Ps.
69. To the soft-hearted, who are sad and fall into despair over trifles, may the Lord strengthen them.
Ps.
70. For those who are lonely, who, due to the machinations of demons, are bored with their neighbors and fall into despair, may the Lord have mercy on them and heal them.
Ps.
77. May the Lord enlighten creditors so that they will be compassionate and not extort debts from debtors.
Ps.
101. May the Lord bless those in power so that they are kind and compassionate and help people.
Ps. 108.
May the Lord heal the sick person with epilepsy. May the Lord have mercy on the slanderers and admonish them to repent.
Ps.
109. So that the younger ones respect the elders.
Ps.
110. Let unrighteous judges repent and judge the people of God with justice.
Ps.
119. May the Lord grant long-suffering to those who have to live with the evil and unrighteous.
Ps.
128. May the Lord heal those suffering from migraines. May the Lord show His mercy on the hard-hearted and unrestrained, so that they may show mercy.
Ps.
129. May the Lord grant courage and hope to those who are starting a new work and are unskilled in it, and may they not experience great difficulties.
Ps.
132. May the Lord enlighten the peoples, so that they become peace-loving and live in peace.
Ps.
136. May the Lord pacify the hot-tempered.
Ps.
137. May the Lord enlighten the rulers so that they understand the needs of the people.

For assistance in financial and other material difficulties; about promoting well-being and justice

Ps.
20. May the Lord soften the hearts of the rich and give alms to the poor.
Ps.
38. May the abandoned and discouraged find work so that they will no longer grieve.
Ps.
64. May merchants prosper. So that they have the fear of God and do not deceive people.
Ps.
77. May the Lord enlighten creditors so that they will be compassionate and not extort debts from debtors.
Ps.
80. May the Lord not leave the poor in need and grief, who have fallen into despair from poverty.
Ps.
81. So that trade continues among the peasants and they do not fall into grief and despair.
Ps.
83. May the Lord protect household utensils, livestock and the fruits of labor.
Ps.
88. May the Lord strengthen the sick and weak, so that they do not become exhausted at work and do not fall into despondency.
Ps.
103. May the Lord bless the wealth of people, so that they do not fall into despondency, but glorify God.
Ps.
112. May God bless the poor widow so that she pays her debts and escapes prison.
Ps.
114. May the Lord bless poor children and comfort them, so that they do not suffer from rich children and do not become despondent.
Ps.
137. May the Lord enlighten the rulers so that they understand the needs of the people.
Ps.
144. May God bless the works of people and accept them.

About the sending and return of spiritual fruits, deliverance from passions and correction of life

Ps.
24. Those who suffer greatly from temptations, who murmur and complain.
Ps. 25. When someone asks something from God, so that he gives what he asks without harm to the one asking.
Ps.
49. Let those who have wandered away from God repent and turn, that they may be saved.
Ps.
61. May the Lord deliver the weak from adversity, so that he does not grumble.
Ps.
91. May the Lord give prudence to people so that they grow spiritually.
Ps.
97. May the Lord comfort those overwhelmed by grief.
Ps.
98. So that God bless and send grace to the young who want to devote themselves to God.
Ps.
99. May the Lord bless those who do His will and fulfill their desires.
Ps.
100. May the Lord give gifts and talents to kind and simple-hearted people.
Ps.
104. Let people repent and confess their sins.
Ps.
105. May the Lord enlighten people so that they do not deviate from the path of salvation.
Ps.
115. May the Lord heal you from the terrible passion of lies.
Ps.
130. May the Lord grant people repentance and console them with hope so that they can be saved.
Ps.
134. May people concentrate during prayer, and may their souls unite with God.
Ps.
136. May the Lord pacify the hot-tempered.
Ps.
138. May the Lord deliver the weak in spirit from the temptations of blasphemous thoughts.