Interpretation
This text contains one prayer to the Lord, which goes through various stages. The psalm can be divided into three main parts:
- The author's complaint is that the Lord has abandoned and does not give relief to the tormented soul.
- A zealous petition to the Creator for help and consolation.
- Hope for the answer of the Almighty and joy that merciful deliverance is coming.
It is necessary to interpret the psalm verse by verse, this allows you to examine the text in detail and understand it:
- Verses 1-6: David complains to the Lord and pours out to Him all the suffering and sorrow that are present in his life. By pouring out his thoughts and burdens before the Lord, the author's spirit receives comfort and hope. At the same time, complaints are heard about the ill will of the Lord - He abandoned the author and forgot His covenants, since he allowed such trials into the life of his anointed one.
The rite of the twelve psalms
The oldest manuscript describing a series of 12 night and 12 day psalms is the Alexandrian Codex of the Bible of the 5th century. (Fol. 532v); numbers (there may be errors in their readings) of the daily psalms here: 8, 29, 1, 41, 50, 6, 69, 4, 111, 140, 105, 120; night: 74, 29, 54, 6, 4, 40, 51, 80, 86, 95, 21, 56; 3 psalms are also indicated here for the morning and evening services, i.e., brief instructions are given on the composition of the entire Book of Hours. The next most recent evidence of this Book of Hours is a papyrus fragment from the 2nd half. VI century P. Naqlun inv. 72/8 (see: Derda. 1995. P. 89-90), containing only the numbers of 12 daily psalms (basically the same as those indicated in the Alexandrian Codex, except for the psalms for the 8th-11th hours). It can be assumed (see: Frøyshov. 2003. P. 555) that the Egypt described in these monuments. The origin of the circle of 24 daily services goes back to Egyptian practice. monasticism of the 4th century and corresponds to the “Rule of the Angel” described by Bishop. Elenopolis Palladium (Lavsaic. Ch. 32) and etc. John Cassian the Roman (De inst. coenob. II 4-6; III 2), where each hour consisted of a psalm and prayer.
The ancient series of 24 daily psalms is written out as an appendix in some manuscripts of the Psalter (see: Diakovsky. 1913. P. 176; Parpulov. 2004. P. 22-23. App. C5). In some manuscripts, the series is combined with a system of daily services according to the Palestinian Book of Hours - for example, in the Sinait Book of Hours. gr. 864, 9th century, a series of 12 night psalms are separated into a separate service, following the 9th hour and marked with a special sign, and a series of 12 daytime psalms (preserved in fragments in the manuscript) are combined with the sequences of the Palestinian Book of Hours (see: Diakovsky 1913, pp. 176-177). The similarity in the choice of psalms indicates that the same system of 24 psalms was probably used in the compilation of the complex cycle of daily services given in the famous cargo. manuscripts of the 10th century Sinait. Iber. 34 (see about it in article Georgian Orthodox Church, section “Divine service of the Georgian Orthodox Church”) (the corresponding fragment is now in St. Petersburg: RNL. Sir. 16/1. Fol. 19) and based on Palestinian practice, presumably older than 7th century (see: Frøyshov. 2003. P. 561-562).
A comparison of sources' indications about the ancient series of 12 night psalms allows us to identify 2 editions of the ancient series of psalms - α and β. Revision α except Codex Alexandria and papyrus P. Naqlun inv. 72/8 contain manuscripts (probably others exist): State Historical Museum. Khlud. 129d (see Khludovskaya Psalter), approx. 850-875 (Fol. 159-159v; see: Corrigan. 1992. P. 129), Sinait. gr. 864, 9th century (see: Maxime (Leila) Ajjoub. 2002. P. 174-179), Sinait. Iber. 34 and Athen. Bibl. Nat. 7, X century (see: Θουντούλης. 1963. Σ. 127-130), Kekel. A-38, beginning XI century (see: შანიმე. 1960. P. 470). The 1st, 4th to 6th and 12th of the daily psalms in the manuscripts of edition α are the same, but others in the sources may differ (in comparison with the Alexandrian Codex: as the psalm of the 2nd hour 26 may be indicated; 3rd – 30; 7th – 65 or 16; 8th – 83, 84 or 81; 9th – 114; 10th – 150, 110 or 112; 11th – 110 or 101). In the choice of night psalms, the manuscripts of edition α are consistent with each other (except for the 10th hour), not counting the Alexandrian Codex (but discrepancies in the readings of the psalms between it and other manuscripts may be the result of scribe errors or inaccuracies in the readings; minor discrepancies also contain the Chludov Psalter and Athen . Bibl. Nat. 7) and indicate the following psalms: 74, 29, 54, 5, 7, 40, 31, 80 (Chludov Psalter: 8, the same psalm is probably indicated in Athen. Bibl. Nat. 7), 81, 95 (or 92, or 93, 99), 104, 56 (Athen. Bibl. Nat. 7: 55).
The β edition of the ancient series of 24 psalms is contained in the Book of Hours of Paris. gr. 331, XI century (see: Θουντούλης. 1963. Σ. 127-130), Leimonos. 295, XII century. (see: Θουντούλης. 1963. Σ. 127-130; here for most daytime hours it is indicated not one, but several psalms), Sinait. gr. 868, XII-XIV centuries. (see: Diakovsky. 1913. P. 178). The choice of daytime psalms in the monuments of the β edition, with some discrepancies, coincides with their choice in the monuments of the α edition (only the psalms of the 5th and 12th daytime hours are fundamentally different - in the β edition these are psalms 39 and 111, respectively). The choice of night psalms in the known manuscripts of edition β is the same; Compared to edition α, different psalms are indicated here for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th and 11th hours of the night: 26, 55, 101, 91, 6, 95 (or 97), respectively. In modern The ancient series of psalms (neither in the α or β edition) are not found in liturgical books.
Orthodox icons and prayers
The rite of singing twelve psalms,
how the venerable desert fathers sang them day and night, which is remembered in the books of the fathers and in the lives and torment of many saints.
This rite was brought from the Holy Mountain by the Monk Dosifei, Archimandrite of Kiev-Pechersk.
Priest: Blessed be our God:
If he is not holy, he says: Through the prayers of our saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us, amen.
Layman: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. King of Heaven: Trisagion. Glory, and now: Most Holy Trinity: Lord, have mercy. (3) Glory, and now: Our Father: Lord, have mercy. (12) Glory, and now: Come, let us worship: (3)
Psalm 26
The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: from whom shall I fear? When the evildoers approached me to eat my flesh, my oppressors and my enemies, they themselves became weak and fell. If a regiment is formed against me, my heart will not fear; if war rises against me, and at the same time I hope. I asked one thing from the Lord, this I will seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may contemplate the beauty of the Lord and visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His abode on the day of my tribulation, He kept me secret in His tabernacle, He exalted me on a rock. And now, behold, He has lifted up my head against my enemies: I went around His tabernacle and offered in it a sacrifice of praise and shouting; I will sing and praise the Lord! Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I cried, have mercy on me and hear me. My heart said to you: “I will seek the Lord.” My face has sought You; I will seek Your face, O Lord. Do not turn Your face away from me, and do not turn away in anger from Your servant. Be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior. For my father and my mother abandoned me, but the Lord received me. Give me a law, O Lord, in Your way, and guide me on the straight path for the sake of my enemies. Do not betray me to the souls of those who oppress me, for unrighteous witnesses have arisen against me - but unrighteousness has deceived itself. I believe that I will see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Trust in the Lord! Take courage, and let your heart be strengthened, and trust in the Lord!
Psalm 31
Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered! Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not count sin, and there is no deceit in his mouth. For I have become silent; My bones grew old because I cried all day, for day and night Your hand was heavy on me; I turned into a sufferer when the thorn stung me. I recognized my iniquity and did not hide my sin; I said: “I will confess my iniquity to the Lord,” and You forgave the wickedness of my heart. Therefore, every righteous person will pray to You at the appropriate time, and then when many waters overflow, they will not come close to him. You are my refuge from the sorrow that has overwhelmed me; My joy! Deliver me from those around me. “I will admonish you and instruct you in this path that you will go, I will fix My eyes on you.” Do not be like a horse and a mule, who have no reason, you need to tighten their jaws with a bridle and bit, who do not obey you. The sinner will receive many blows, but he who trusts in the Lord will be surrounded by mercy. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you righteous, and rejoice, all you who are upright in heart.
Psalm 56
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for my soul trusts in You, and in the shadow of Your wings I will hope until iniquity passes away. I will call upon the Most High God, the God who has been good to me. He sent from heaven and saved me, and gave me over to the reproach of those who trampled me. God sent His mercy and His truth and delivered my soul from among the young lions. I fell asleep troubled: the sons of men, their teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword. Ascend into heaven, O God, and throughout all the earth is Your glory. They have prepared a net for my feet and have crushed my soul; They dug a hole in front of my face - and fell into it! My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready, I will sing and make melody in my glory. Awake, my glory, awaken, psalter and harp. I'll wake up at dawn! I will praise You among the nations, O Lord, I will sing praises
Then: Trisagion. Glory, and now: Most Holy Trinity: Lord, have mercy. (3) Glory, and now: Our Father:
Troparion, tone 1
Hasten to open your fatherly embrace to me: / I have wasted my life fornication, / looking indifferently at the inexhaustible wealth of Your mercies, Savior! / Now do not despise my impoverished heart, / for I cry to You, Lord, in contrition: / “I have sinned, Father, against heaven and before You!”
Glory: When You come, O God, to earth with glory / the whole world will tremble; / a river of fire flows before the Throne of Judgment, / books are opened and secrets are revealed. / Then deliver me from the unquenchable fire / and deign me to stand at Your right hand, / Most righteous Judge.
And now: We all know You, Mother of God, / who truly appeared as a virgin and after childbirth, / lovingly resorting to Your goodness; / for in You we, sinners, have protection / and in You we have acquired salvation from temptation, / the only one who is blameless.
Then: Lord, have mercy, (30). Come, let us worship: (3)
Psalm 33
I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise will always be on my lips. Let my soul glory in the Lord, that the meek may hear and be glad. Magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my sorrows. Come to Him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed. This beggar cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his sorrows. The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear Him and deliver them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him. Fear the Lord, all you His saints, for there is no shortage of those who fear Him. The rich became poor and began to starve, but those who seek the Lord will not tolerate the need for any good. Come, children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the person who wants to live, who wants to see good days? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and strive towards it: the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are on their prayer; but the face of the Lord is upon those who do evil, to destroy the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cried out - and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their sorrows. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and humble in spirit and will save. The righteous have many sorrows - and the Lord will deliver them from all of them. The Lord protects all their bones; not one of them will be broken. The death of sinners is evil, and those who hate the righteous will sin. The Lord will deliver the souls of His servants, and all who trust in Him will not sin.
Psalm 38
I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue.” I set a guard over my mouth when the wicked stood before me. I became dumb, and humbled myself, and kept silent, as if I had no blessings, and my pain resumed. My heart warmed within me and a fire kindled in my thoughts. I said with my tongue: “Show me, O Lord, my end, and the number of my days, what it is, so that I may know what I lack.” Behold, You have measured my days in spans, and my nature is like nothing before You; However, everything is vanity, every living person. Truly, like a ghost, a transitory person, only worries in vain; saves and does not know for whom he will collect it. And now, who is my patience? Isn't it the Lord? And my nature is from You. Deliver me from all my iniquities: You gave me to the reproach of a fool! I became dumb and did not open my mouth, because You did so. Turn away Your blows from me, for I have disappeared from the strength of Your hand. In reproaches for iniquity You taught man and weary his soul like a web; However, every person is vanity! Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my petition; do not remain silent, seeing my tears, for I am a settler with You and a stranger, like all my fathers. Give me relief so that I can rest before I move away and I am no longer there.
Psalm 40
Blessed is he who considers the needy and needy: in the day of trouble the Lord will deliver him. May the Lord protect him, and revive him, and make him blessed on earth, and may he not deliver him into the hands of his enemies! May the Lord help him on his bed of suffering: You changed his entire bed during his illness. I said: “Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned before You!” My enemies said evil things about me: “When will he die and his name perish?” And if anyone came in to look, his heart spoke in vain, he collected iniquity for himself, went out, and they conspired together. All my enemies whispered against me, they plotted evil against me; they brought a wicked word against me: “Shall he who sleeps rise again?” For even the man who was at peace with me, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, lifted up his heel against me. But You, Lord, have mercy on me and raise me up, and I will repay them. I know that You have desired me by this, that my enemy will not rejoice over me. And for my goodness You supported and strengthened me before Your face forever. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let it be, let it be!
Then: Trisagion. Glory, and now: Most Holy Trinity: Lord, have mercy. (3) Glory, and now: Our Father:
Troparion, tone 4
Visit my humble soul, O Lord, / which has wasted its whole life in sins; / just like the harlot, accept me too, / and save me.
Slava: I have spent my entire life shamefully, O Lord, / with harlots, unfortunate one. / Like the prodigal son in contrition I cry: / “Heavenly Father, I have sinned, / have mercy and save me, / and do not cast me away, who by my own free will have withdrawn from You / and am now impoverished because of fruitless deeds.
And now: Let us now diligently resort to the Mother of God / we, sinners and humble ones, and fall to Her, / crying out in repentance from the depths of our souls: / “Mistress, help, take pity on us, / hasten, we are perishing from many sins! / Do not let Your servants go empty-handed: / for in You we have our only hope!”
Then: Lord, have mercy, (30). Come, let us worship: (3)
Psalm 69
God, turn to help me, Lord, hasten to help me. May those who seek my soul be ashamed and ashamed, may those who wish me harm turn back and be ashamed, may those who say to me immediately return with shame: “It’s good, it’s good!” Let all those who seek You, O God, rejoice and be glad in You, and let those who love Your salvation say continually: “May the Lord be exalted.” I am poor and needy; God help me. My helper and my deliverer are You; Lord, don't be slow!
Psalm 70
I trust in You, Lord, that I may never be ashamed; According to Your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; incline Your ear to me and save me. Become for me God the Protector and a fortified place to save me, for my stronghold and my refuge are You. My God, deliver me from the hand of a sinner, from the hand of a lawbreaker and an offender. For You are my patience, O Lord, The Lord is my hope from my youth. I was established on You from the womb, from my mother’s womb. You are my protector; about You my singing ceaselessly. As if I had become a wonder to many, and You are my strong helper; May my lips be filled with praise, so that I may sing Your glory all day long - Your splendor. Do not reject me in my old age, do not leave me when my strength declines. For my enemies spoke to me, and those who were in wait for my soul decided together, saying: “God has abandoned him; pursue and capture him, for there is no deliverer.” My God, do not move away from me, my God, turn to help me! May those who slander my soul be ashamed and disappear, may those who seek my harm be clothed in shame and disgrace. I will always trust in You, and I will increase all praise to You. My mouth will proclaim Your righteousness, Your salvation all day long; for I have not learned book sciences. I will enter the temple in the power of the Lord; Lord, I will remember the truth of You, the One. My God, what You taught me from my youth, and to this day I will proclaim Your wonders. And until old age and advanced years, O God, do not leave me, until I proclaim Your arm to all the future generations, Your power and Your righteousness. God, to the very heights, in what You have done great for me, O God, who is like You? How many many and evil sorrows You showed me, and, turning, you revived me and brought me out of the abysses of the earth. You increased Your greatness on me and, turning, comforted me, and again brought me out of the abysses of the earth. And I will glorify You among the nations, O Lord, on stringed instruments; I will play Your truth, O God, on the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My mouth will rejoice when I sing to You, and so will my soul, which You have delivered. And my tongue will also proclaim Your truth all day long, when those who seek my harm will be ashamed and disgraced.
Psalm 76
With my voice I cried to the Lord, with my voice to God - and He listened to me. On the day of my sorrow I sought God, at night I lifted up my hands before Him - and was not deceived. My soul refused consolation; I remembered God and rejoiced. I reasoned and my spirit became faint-hearted. My eyes were ahead of the night watch; I was excited and could not speak; I reflected on the ancient days and the eternal years I remembered and delved into. At night I reasoned with my heart and tested my spirit: will the Lord reject me forever, and will no longer be pleased? Or will he cut off his mercy until the end, ending his speech from generation to generation? Or will God forget to take pity, or will He restrain His compassion in His anger? And I said: “Now I have begun to understand: this change is from the right hand of the Most High.” I remembered the works of the Lord; For I will remember Your wonders from the beginning, and delve into all Your works and reason about Your deeds. God, your path is holy. Who is a great God like our God? You are a God who works miracles, You have demonstrated Your power among the nations, You have delivered Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph, with Your arm. The waters saw You, O God, the waters saw You and were afraid, the deeps were troubled, the multitude of the noise of the waters. The clouds made a sound, for Your arrows flew past. The voice of Your thunder in the circle of heaven, Your lightning illuminated the universe, the earth trembled and trembled. Thy way is in the sea, and Thy paths are in many waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. You led Your people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Then: Trisagion. Glory, and now: Most Holy Trinity: Lord, have mercy. (3) Glory, and now: Our Father:
Troparion, tone 6
I think about the terrible day / and mourn my evil deeds. / How will I answer the Immortal King? / Or how dare I, the prodigal, look at the Judge? / Merciful Father, Only Begotten Son, / Holy Spirit, have mercy on me!
Glory: In the valley of tears, / in the place that You have appointed, / when you sit, O Most Merciful One, to execute righteous judgment, / do not expose my hidden things / and do not disgrace me before the Angels, / but have mercy on me, O God, and have mercy on me.
And now: Open the doors of Mercy to us, / blessed Mother of God, / so that we, trusting in You, will not be ashamed, / but through Your prayers we will be delivered from troubles, / for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Then: Lord, have mercy, (30). Come, let us worship: (3)
Psalm 101
Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Do not turn Your face away from me, on the day when I mourn, incline Your ear to me, on the day when I call on You, hear me quickly. For my days are gone like smoke, and my bones are dried up like brushwood. I was cut down like grass, and my heart was dried up, so that I forgot to eat my bread. Because of the voice of my groaning my bones stuck to my flesh. I became like a pelican in the desert, I became like an owl in the ruins. I didn’t sleep and became like a bird sitting alone on the roof. All day long my enemies reviled me, and those who praised me swore by me. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and dissolved my drink with tears from Thy anger and Thy wrath, for having lifted me up, Thou hast cast me down. My days have fallen like a shadow, and like grass I have dried up. But You, Lord, remain forever, and the memory of You endures forever. You, having risen, will have mercy on Zion, for the time has come to have mercy on it, for the time has come, for Your servants have loved its stones and regret its dust. And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory, for the Lord will build Zion and appear in His glory. He respected the prayer of the humble and did not neglect their prayer. May they write this for another generation, and the created people will praise the Lord, for He bowed down from His holy height, the Lord looked down from heaven to earth to hear the groaning of the prisoners, to free the sons of the slain, to proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, when they are gathered nations together, and kings to serve the Lord. He turned to Him on the way, in the days of his strength: “Tell me about my few days; do not snatch me away half of my days; your years are like generations.” In the beginning, O Lord, You founded the earth, and the work of Your hands is the heavens; They will perish, but You will remain, and they will all wear out like a garment, and You will fold them up like a garment and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not end. The sons of Your servants will find shelter, and their seed will be established forever.
Prayer of Manasseh, King of Judah
Lord Almighty, God of our fathers: Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and their righteous seed, who created the heavens and the earth with all their splendor, who bound the sea with the word of Your command, who closed the abyss and sealed it with Your terrible and glorious name, Whom all fear, and they tremble at the face of Your power, because no one can resist the splendor of Your glory, and Your terrible wrath against sinners is unbearable! But immeasurable and incomprehensible is the mercy of Your promise; For You are the most high Lord, merciful, long-suffering and abounding in mercy, and regretting the evil deeds of men. You, Lord, according to the abundance of Your goodness, promised repentance and forgiveness to those who sinned against You and, according to the abundance of Your compassion, ordained repentance for sinners for salvation. So, You, Lord, God of hosts, did not order repentance for the righteous Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, who did not sin against You, but you ordered repentance for me, a sinner, because I have sinned more than the sand of the sea. My iniquities have multiplied, O Lord, my iniquities have multiplied, and I am not worthy to look and see the heights of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bonds, so that I cannot lift up my head, and there is no relief for me, because I have aroused Thy anger and have done evil before Thee: I have not fulfilled Thy will and have not kept Thy commandments. And now I bow the knees of my heart, needing Your goodness. I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned, and I know my iniquities; but I ask, praying to You: release me, Lord, release me, and do not destroy me with my iniquities, and, being angry forever, do not keep my evil deeds, and do not condemn me to the deepest places of the earth. For You, God, are the God of the repentant, and You will show all Your goodness on me, for You will save me, unworthy, according to Your great mercy, and I will praise You unceasingly all the days of my life, for all the powers of heaven sing of You, and Your glory forever and ever. Amen.
Then:
Daily doxology
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men. We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we praise You, we thank You for Your great glory. Lord, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty, Lord, Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit! Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. He who takes away the sins of the world, accept our prayer, He who sits at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For You alone are Holy, You alone are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. I will bless You every day and praise Your name forever and ever. Lord, You have become a refuge for us from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned before You. Lord, I have resorted to You, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. For with You is the source of life, in Your light we will see light. Extend Your mercy to those who know You. Grant, Lord, that on this day we may be preserved without sin. Blessed are You, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name forever. Amen. May Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we trust in You. Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your commandments. Blessed are You, Lord, enlighten me with Your commandments. Blessed are You, Holy One, enlighten me with Your commandments. Lord, Your mercy endures forever; do not despise the creatures of Your hands. Praise is due to You, singing is due to You, glory is due to You, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of Saint Eustratius
Magnifying, I exalt You, Lord, for You looked upon my humility and did not imprison me in the hands of enemies, but saved my soul from disasters. And now, Master, may Thy hand cover me and may Thy mercy come to me, for my soul is in confusion and suffers as it leaves my pitiful and vile body, fearing that somehow the enemy’s evil plan will meet and overthrow her in darkness because of the sins that happened to me in this life in knowledge and ignorance. Be merciful to me, Master, and may my soul not see the gloomy and dark gaze of evil demons, but may Your shining and bright Angels receive it. Give glory to Your holy name and by Your power lead me to Your divine judgment seat. When I am judged, may not the hand of the prince of this world take hold of me to drag me, a sinner, into the depths of hell, but stand before me and be my Savior and Protector. After all, even these bodily torments are joy for Your servants. Have mercy, O Lord, on my soul, defiled by the passions of this world, and accept it, purified by repentance and confession, for You are blessed forever and ever. Amen.
Then: Trisagion. Glory, and now: Most Holy Trinity: Lord, have mercy. (3) Glory, and now: Our Father:
Troparion, tone 8
With your merciful eye, Lord, / look at my humility: / for little by little my life is shortening, / and there is no salvation for me from works. / Therefore I pray: / “With your merciful eye, Lord, / look at my humility / and save me!”
Glory: My age is ending, / and Your terrible throne is being prepared, / my life is passing, / judgment awaits me, threatening me with fiery torment / and unquenchable flame. / Give me streams of tears and extinguish its power, / who desires the salvation of all people.
And now: For our sake, born of the Virgin, / and endured crucifixion, / overthrew death with death, / and revealed the resurrection as God, / do not despise, O Good One, those created by Thy hand; / Show Your love for mankind, O Merciful One, / Accept the Mother of God who gave birth to You, who intercedes for us, / And save, O our Savior, despairing people.
Then: Lord, have mercy, (30). And let go.
