There are many different events in life; in one day you can experience a lot of events and emotions. It is very difficult to always be on a spiritual high, to remember that a Christian should feel joy in the Lord in his heart. To return to a normal state of mind, experienced priests recommend reading the texts of the psalms, including 102.
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Why do Christians need to repeat these lines? They contain a special spiritual energy that can positively influence someone who has begun to become despondent, who is oppressed by various problems, or who is tormented by a bad mood.
What are psalms
All psalms are written down in a book called the Psalter. Like the prayer book, it is highly revered among Christians. The main difference between psalms and prayers is that they are chanted. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fact that they all came from the pens of ordinary people. In other words, there is no talk of any divine origin. If some texts of prayers were revealed to people solely by the will of heaven, then the psalms were written by righteous Christians living according to the commandments of God.
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The most famous author of such texts is King David. It is noteworthy that some psalms were written by him in those years when he was just the anointed of the Lord, but had not yet ascended the throne. This is explained by the fact that David was always distinguished by his love for the Almighty and all His creations. Although, as you know, he himself was not always a righteous man. Some of his psalms were written at a time when he realized the severity of the sin he had committed and turned to heaven with a prayer for mercy and repentance.
Psalm 102, the text of which is very well known to many Christians, is also the creation of King David. It is included by the church in the process of worship, so it can also be heard during liturgies in the church. It is believed that every Christian must read it, since it contains special spiritual energy. According to the clergy, reading the psalm can help one find spiritual balance and draw closer to the Lord.
Liturgical use
In Judaism, this psalm is widely used in worship. It is read at the end of prayers on Rosh Chodesh (new moons), in memorial services, and among Sephardim - in the morning prayer of Yom Kippur. In winter, it is read along with Psalms 119-133 on Saturdays after afternoon prayer; according to the first lines of the psalm, this entire reading is called בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי ( Barhi nafshi
).
In Orthodoxy, Psalm 103 is read at the beginning of Vespers. Thus, it opens the daily liturgical circle, which is why it is traditionally called pre-initial. This psalm was chosen as the beginning of Vespers because it recalls the six days of creation, which, according to Gen. , started in the evening. The reading of the psalm is not accompanied by any rituals; moreover, during its reading, the priest, as it were, withdraws from the service, leaving the altar and closing the royal doors; this symbolism is reminiscent of Adam standing in front of the closed gates of paradise, from which he was expelled (Gen.,). At Great Vespers (on the eve of the holidays) this psalm is sung in a special solemn style.
The history of writing the psalm
Every prayer and absolutely every psalm has a specific story. Some of them are very exciting and therefore immediately attract a person's attention. However, not all stories are like this. The same can be said about Psalm 103. It should immediately be noted that scientists do not know as much about it as we would like.
This psalm is in pairs. That is, he has a couple. Therefore, it is not permissible to read it separately. It is for this reason that it is always read along with Psalm 103. Please note that this is not the only paired text. Psalms 18 and 19, 69 and 70 are also paired. Their peculiarity is the overlapping meaning. In other words, grasping the meaning of a paired psalm that was read alone will be very problematic. It is for this reason that the clergy categorically prohibit reading only one of the psalms. Indeed, in this case, the believer will not even be able to really understand what the text says.
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All of them were written by King David. And there is not the slightest doubt about this. Of course, this statement is based on certain facts. Indeed, the signature that can be found before each psalm clearly states that King David is its author. In ancient times he ruled Israel and became famous as a righteous man.
But he became a true righteous man after he committed a sin that he decided to keep silent about. But he failed to hide the truth from the Lord, so the ruler was subsequently severely punished by heaven. The punishment sent down from above helped him realize how great his sin was and sincerely repent of it.
Meaning
By reading the interpretations of different authors, a believer can rethink the long-familiar lines of Psalm 103 in a new way. In such a brief form, the author was able to describe the titanic work that God did. After all, he planned and arranged life on earth in such a way that birds, animals, and even fish at the bottom of the ocean did not have to worry about food. For a person there is everything - water and air, fruits and grain.
The earth was designed to be a blessed place to live. Only man managed to ruin everything by disobeying God. In the closing verses, King David (credited to him) dreams of a time when harmony and perfection will be restored. Freed from the consequences of the Fall, God's regenerated children will be able to endlessly sing the goodness of the Creator.
Time of writing
But if specialists had absolutely no problems determining authorship, then with the time of writing it is not so simple. There is absolutely no hint in the text itself as to exactly what time the psalm might have been written. For this reason, researchers of religion had to focus exclusively on the text itself, or more precisely, on the manner of writing the psalm.
For example, the psalm written by David after realizing the gravity of the sin of adultery he had committed is filled with sadness and a desire to repent. Such expressions clearly indicate that David was in an emotionally depressed state.
Contents of the Psalm
Judging by the test of Psalm 103, it is somewhat different from the others. Because in it David exclusively praises the Most High, His greatness. Comparing this text with others, one important detail becomes obvious: when writing it, the author was completely calm. This suggests that the author wrote the text during his peaceful reign.
As you know, the ruler lived for many years with several wives. Simply put, he had a whole harem. In those years, this was not considered something strange for rulers. But still, many priests reproached the king for categorically refusing to dissolve the harem. And there was a good reason for this. David's children were at enmity with each other. Each of them dreamed of taking the throne of their father.
This circumstance greatly darkened David’s life. After all, he was actually very attached to his children. Proof of this is his reverent attitude towards his son named Absalom. It was this youth who betrayed him first.
The young man, who enjoyed authority among the courtiers and was also a favorite of the common people, rebelled against his father. Because of this, David was forced to leave Israel and wander with his loyal soldiers. Returning to his country, David managed to suppress the uprising and regain power. He forgave his son and gave the order to the soldiers to return him to the castle. However, Absalom, fearing his father's wrath, fled. He died during the escape. The news of the death of his son came as a strong blow to the ruler.
Returning to the discussion of the text of Psalm 102, it should be noted that there is absolutely no hint of the author’s mental suffering. That is why church ministers are also inclined to believe that it was written in times of peace, when the ruler had a rare opportunity to talk about the meaning of life and the greatness of the Lord. That is, if we answer the question why this psalm is read, then we can say that it is to calm the soul and glorify the power of the Almighty.
If we rely on historical facts, then a time of peace came to Israel already at the dawn of David’s reign. From this it follows that Psalm 102 could have been written by the king in his old age. That is, answering the question why this psalm is read, we can say that to calm the soul and glorify the power of the Almighty.
Interpretation of the Psalm
Each psalm contains a specific meaning. Before you start reading the text of the psalm, you need to try to understand what exactly its author wanted to say. In the case of the psalm in question, everything is quite simple. After all, its main meaning is to praise the Almighty:
- David argues that the wrath of the Lord is always just, but it never lasts long. Once a person realizes that he has made a mistake and begins to repent, heaven will grant him forgiveness;
- The power of God is absolute - man cannot even imagine the power of the Creator. After all, it is he who controls the life of every creature living on earth, and also writes the fate of all people;
- the commandments given by the Almighty are a manifestation of care and mercy - one should not perceive the need to live according to the commandments as something unfair. After all, such a righteous life opens the gates of heaven for a Christian.
In addition, the text contains various comparisons. With their help, the author tried to show how great the Lord is. At the same time, he compares a person to flowers that quickly disappear. Thus, David hints that man in himself cannot even compare with the Lord. Because he is just his creation. This comparison is very relevant. After all, the worst sin of a person is pride. David devoted his entire life to learning not to put himself above the Creator. And this is what he tried to teach other people.
Why read Psalm 148?
There is a certain time for reading prayers in the temple. It is read morning and evening. At home, a believer can turn to the Lord at any time.
The chant is ancient and based on the basic needs of the people of that time. Previously, the glorification of the Almighty was free of charge. But the Creator, by His mercy, could perform a miracle that would certainly please people. It could be a rich harvest, protection from natural disasters, and so on.
However, today the psalm has not lost its value. It also provides protection from many of the dangers associated with hard work. Historical findings prove that the song was important to believers of the past. In houses they copied it on a piece of paper and always carried it with them in their breast pocket, like a talisman.
Rules for reading the psalm
The church version of the psalm, translated into Old Church Slavonic, is required to be read during the evening service, which is traditionally held on Saturday. Therefore, before reading the psalm yourself at home, it is recommended to visit the temple and listen to exactly how it should be sung.
Then you can simply follow a few recommendations given by spiritual mentors:
- the psalm must be recited - this requirement is relevant for absolutely all psalms, since they, in essence, are precisely a song that was written to express certain feelings to the Lord or to repent;
- the song should be joyful - the text should be read as solemnly as possible. Indeed, in this case we are talking specifically about a song of praise. This means that it should sound as solemn and festive as possible. This will help a person feel the mood of prayer;
- it is better to give preference to the Old Church Slavonic text - but in this case you must be guided by your own feelings. If a person has difficulty pronouncing words and understanding their meaning, you can use the version of the text translated into Russian.
Please note that reading the psalm is only allowed in a good mood.
Psalm 50 – David's repentance
According to Arsenius of Cappadocia 50, the song is raised when epidemics occur due to our sins, people or animals die. Since we sin constantly, the psalm reads:
- every day is a house Rule;
- included in the canon of the Mother of God;
- c Follow to Holy Communion;
- as part of Small Compline;
- Midnight Office, and the Third Hour.
Advice: Sometimes, to see your own fall, you need an outside perspective. As Nathan did, he first told a parable. When trying to know yourself, try to discover the extent of guilt, not based on internal motives, but dispassionately consider actions, as if through the eyes of an outsider.
