To people who adhere to purely secular views, it seems that nothing can be done to help the deceased. All that remains is to organize a funeral, hold a wake, erect a monument on the grave and preserve a good memory of the person who has passed away.
Orthodox believers, on the contrary, are convinced that the deceased, or more precisely, his soul, can be effectively helped by prayerful remembrance. Prayer for the deceased can be brief, expressed in one’s own words, and even silent when it is impossible to speak due to deep grief, but it can also be long, daily, following traditionally established canons.
Why you need to pray
Prayer is both a right and an obligation. The means and opportunity to ask, not forgetting to repent regularly. You cannot pronounce words monotonously, mentally being under the impression of current worries. Prayer is a special kind of thing that requires detachment from earthly vanity.
A person is weak; it is incredibly difficult for him to follow the path of the righteous, following the example of Jesus Christ and the saints of God. We often see that he resorts to God’s help in moments of despair caused by life’s difficulties. Taking Psalm 90 in his hands and looking into the eyes of God, he whispers holy words, trusting in the mercy of the Creator.
The oldest text, the authorship of which is attributed to King David, has truly miraculous powers. Interesting names obtained from most sources:
- Gospels of Matthew and Luke - Psalm 90.
- Psalter of the Russian Orthodox Church - “Alive in Help.”
- Greek Christian Literature - "David's Song of Praise."
- The Latin version is Quihabitat.
How to say the text of the prayer
Fully focused on content. Clearly imagining images of the manifestation of the Almighty’s help. Consistently, slowly, saying the words of prayer, imbued with life-affirming power. Gain strength and confidence.
The text fills a person with the bright joy of realizing the power of the Creator, who gives hope in difficult life circumstances. The Lord will help, protect, protect. He who resorts to his mercy will be saved.
Tempted by Satan, Jesus Christ, during a 40-day fast in the desert, read the verses of the 90th Psalm of the Holy Scriptures. And the Devil retreated powerlessly.
When is it necessary to read Psalm 90?
It is allowed to eat spiritual food at any convenient time. This strengthens faith, forms a core, relying on which you can forget your fears. Psalm 90 is enough to read once to understand that there is an all-conquering power.
Just the awareness of this inspires and gives confidence in overcoming difficult problems. But, if a moment of temptation, seduction, or burden comes, then you need to take a book and read a prayer. Or pronounce it if you know it by heart.
The unclean one is cunning and cunning, he constantly sends an army of demons to test the believer. Temptations: enrichment, lust, gaining power and power attack us everywhere.
Psalm 90 protects the Orthodox Christian, dispels insidious plans, and purifies thoughts. It is necessary to read until you feel a sense of connection with the Creator.
Home prayers for the deceased and notes given in church
If the preparation of the body of the deceased for an Orthodox funeral is carried out at home, then during ablution the “Trisagion” or “Lord, have mercy” is read. Then they dress the deceased in clean, if possible new clothes, light a lamp or candle, which will burn the entire time the body is in the house, and read the canonical “Sequence on the departure of the soul from the body,” and then the Psalter for the deceased with intense prayers for newly deceased.
If a person died outside the home and the body was transported to the morgue, then “Sequence on the departure of the soul from the body” is read in the red corner in front of the icons, and then proceed to the Psalter for the deceased.
On the very day of death, one must also take care of the church commemoration of the deceased. It is best to order Sorokoust. To do this, in the church, on the piece of paper “On repose”, “Sorokoust” is written at the top, and in the line below - the name of the deceased in the genitive case. According to this note, the deceased will be remembered at the Divine Liturgy for 40 days.
After the funeral service on the third day, relatives and friends read the Canon about the deceased. The Psalter for the departed is also traditionally read. There are rules for reading inside the Psalter itself; it says what to read, how and when to remember the deceased.
Prayer as part of the Orthodox church service
The daily cycle of the Divine Service prescribes the recitation of Psalm 90 at the 6th hour, using Church Slavonic. This is also appropriate during the funeral service for the deceased. Western churches read a prayer at the evening service.
Any translation introduces distortion into the texts of the Holy Scriptures and does not allow us to express the fullness of the idea contained in the prayer. Therefore, it is recommended to study the Church Slavonic language in order to feel the depth and harmony of the texts written in it.
It is completely acceptable to recite Psalm 90 in Russian. God needs sincere faith. And skill comes with experience.
The history and power of prayer
In the Orthodox world, this prayer service is also known as Psalm 90. The prayer text is written in the Psalter. Christians from generation to generation pass on testimonies of the unprecedented power of this prayer request. If a person says “Living Help” with respect and faith, then he can count on support in the most difficult moments of his life.
Prayer can grant healing, avert a negative outcome, and correct an unpleasant life situation. It also protects from various troubles and bad weather. It is believed that when reading it, a person acquires the strongest protection from a wide variety of fears and gains strength to overcome obstacles encountered on his life path.
The prayer service appeared long before Christians came to the territory of Rus'. Even in ancient times, people believed that Psalm 90 protected from all evil. The text of this prayer petition has survived to this day in a slightly modified form. This was done to make it easier for people to understand its deep and true meaning.
Two legends of the origin of “Living Aid” have reached us. According to the first legend, the prayer was written by Moses himself. Another version claims that the Old Testament King David is considered the author. According to this legend, the sacred text was written around the 9th-10th century BC.
The psalm was translated into Russian not very long ago. Today his text is available to any person who needs help from higher powers. The prayer service is considered the most sought-after text in the Psalter. It is read in the following situations:
- when hard times come and the believer needs help;
- if a person has turned away from the righteous path;
- when the situation seems hopeless.
In the Orthodox world, “Living Help” is considered one of the most powerful amulets against all kinds of misfortunes and troubles. This prayer is placed on the same level with “Virgin Mary, Rejoice” and even “Our Father.”
The uniqueness of this petition lies in the fact that it is not only Orthodox Christians who honor it. Prayer is also used in other religions. For example, in Judaism.
There is a rule according to which the text of this prayer request must be carried with you. You can write it on paper and carry it with you, folded several times. As a result, you can turn to higher powers at any time. The text may be applied to the ribbon and tied to the belt. In this case, the ribbon will become a strong amulet.
Reading a prayer can not only protect and give strength, but also treat complex illnesses. With its help, you can relieve both headaches and cure serious illnesses.
The words “Living Help” help to “attract” good luck and fix a business that is being destroyed. But one should not overuse the power of this sacred text. A request is made only as a last resort, when it seems that there is no way out and only the help of higher powers can save.
For maximum effect, the words of the prayer must be learned by heart and pronounced with deep understanding. The optimal time for reading is 12 noon.
The psalm is read before three images: Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael and Guardian Angel. The text is pronounced slowly and clearly, in a calm voice.
If you follow these rules, then prayer will always help.
Why is it read forty times?
To restore faith in the Lord.
In times of confusion, it is necessary to find peace of mind and humility. Organize your thoughts, move away from external irritation and unnecessary influence. Then, it is very important to restore connection with God, stop all doubts, and gain faith.
This doesn't happen all at once. It takes work, spiritual effort, time. It is necessary to acquire a special attitude towards receiving divine grace.
The saving power of the psalm is well known. It can be pronounced in a moment of danger, carried in the form of a piece of paper or a piece of cloth, having previously written the text on them.
He will eliminate the enemy threat, protect him from enemies and envious people. You will be much calmer with him. It is especially recommended to wear it for people whose lives may be at risk: during armed conflicts, various types of tests, visiting places of adverse influences.
The meaning of the words of prayer
Psalm 90, written as praise to the Lord by the prophet David long before the birth of Jesus Christ, contains the idea of receiving intercession through all-consuming faith. And not simple intercession, but crushing everything.
This fills the heart with a feeling of complete satisfaction, the knowledge that one has found the truth in God. The soul immediately becomes calm.
It turns out that achieving grace is simple:
- Only a deeply religious person can find confidence, peace and protection. He loves God with all his heart, opens his soul and entrusts his thoughts.
- The Almighty gave Moses the Ten Commandments. By following them, everyone gains the Lord's protection.
- Our heavenly Father will always protect the believer from the attacks of enemies, will not allow him to fall into sinful passion, and will ward off slander that creates confusion in our souls.
- The Almighty loves us. He sent his son Jesus Christ to death to atone for all human sins committed in the past, as well as future ones.
Explanation
Ps.90:1-2
A person who lives with God in his soul, a truly devoted person, finds hope and shelter. His heart is calm, his soul is serene. A believer has protection at any time when evil forces are hanging over him.
The Lord is his only protection and hope. No one can do more for a believer than God. Only he is an intercessor and refuge.
Ps.90:3-4
Whoever “hunts” you or plans evil, the Lord God will protect and shelter you. Words of slander will fall away like arrows hitting a stone wall. You will always be protected from troubles, always remaining in peace and serenity.
Loyalty to the Almighty will surround you like the steel armor of a knight. Those who seek protection will certainly receive it through loyalty to the Lord.
Ps.90:5-6
The psalmist convinces us that there is no need to be afraid of nightmares that come in dreams, or of real villains, robbers, thieves, robbers. The Creator takes care of the children devoted to him.
He will not give believers into the hands of enemies, and will warn against the temptation of lust and adultery. Stop the insidious demons. It will close the abyss of depravity. Carelessness and laziness will not be able to prevent the children under God’s protection from doing righteous works.
Ps.90:7-8
The “thousands on the left” who seduce you, and the “ten thousand on the right” who oppose you in the way of righteousness, will fall. You will see everything with your own eyes. Sinners who repent of their deeds will find forgiveness. And you will become a witness to this.
Ps.90:9-10
Trust in the Lord, he is your support and hope. Make it your refuge. And then all evil will depart from your house. Any illness will go away.
Ps.90:11-12
Angels will protect you during troubles and misfortunes. They will allow you to bypass any obstacles and avoid overwhelming difficulties. When you don’t have enough strength to continue the work you started, the Lord will provide help. A believer will not remain lonely and abandoned.
Ps.90:13-14
Magicians and sorcerers act in the form of an asp, and a basilisk represents people in power. The dragon represents deceit and cunning, the lion is the most powerful animal. But their strength and power fade in the face of the Almighty.
No matter what evil forces interfere with you, under the protection of God they are powerless. Moreover, you yourself will be able to trample on envy and slander, melt away cruelty with a kind heart, and cover inhumanity with mercy.
Ps.90:15-16
Love for the Lord not only protects from all evil. It makes a person truly happy, allows you to see the world in a joyful light, and find solutions to any problems.
The Creator never leaves the one who loves him. He is nearby at any time. Be it grief or life's troubles; joy or luck. The Lord gives life, long life, salvation to those who sincerely believe in him. The path to this lies through the son of God - Jesus Christ.
Prayer text
He who lives under the roof of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty, rests, says to the Lord: “My refuge and my defense, my God, in whom I trust!” He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive plague, He will cover you with His feathers, and you will be safe under His wings; shield and fence are His truth. You will not be afraid of the terrors in the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that walks in the darkness, the plague that devastates at noon.
A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you: you will only look with your eyes and see the retribution of the wicked. For you said: “The Lord is my hope”; You have chosen the Most High as your refuge; no evil will befall you, and no plague will come near your dwelling; for He will command His angels about you - to guard you in all your ways: they will carry you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone; you will step on the asp and basilisk; You will trample on the lion and the dragon. “Because he loved Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he has known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow; I will deliver him and glorify him, I will satisfy him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.
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Psalm 90 – effective protection
For an Orthodox Christian, reading the text of Psalm 90 is as necessary as drinking clean water and breathing fresh air. No matter how strong a spirit we have, no matter how strictly we follow God’s commandments, the Evil One will always find a way to penetrate our earthly plans. He is infinitely cunning and resourceful. Just waiting for the moment to seduce the believer. Test the fortitude of the righteous and sinners.
Man is weak by nature. Without God's help he cannot resist. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to know the text of this prayer at least in Russian. It is advisable to learn it and repeat it regularly. Gradually, understanding and full awareness of the words that a praying person pronounces while reading “Alive in Help” will come.
It also doesn't hurt to carry it with you all the time. When setting off on a long journey, be sure to remember the text of the prayer. Place it in a safe place for your loved ones who are going through a difficult ordeal. This will definitely help.
Cases of the miraculous intercession of prayer are well known.
- During the First World War, the unit of Colonel Whittelsey of the British Army managed to completely maintain its strength. Military operations continued for four years. Bullets whistled, shells exploded, but the soldiers remained unharmed. This is evidenced by the report of engineer F. L. Rawson. This became possible only due to the fact that all the soldiers of the regiment constantly uttered the words of Psalm 90, having previously learned it by heart. It is characteristic that he called them “On Defense.” And indeed, he protected.
- An equally interesting incident occurred in Afghanistan. The participant was an ordinary Soviet officer. At his mother’s request, he took with him a small icon with the prayer “Alive in Help.” The unit in which he happened to fight was surrounded. There was no chance of salvation, there was no need to wait for help. But she came from where they were not expecting. The words of prayer spoken by the military literally paralyzed the enemy. The fighters managed to gather their strength and make a breakthrough. During a time in which no one died. And the officer himself returned home alive and well after some time. The mother's happiness, having regained her beloved son, knew no bounds.
- There are many known cases of miraculous salvation of military personnel during the Great Patriotic War, who carried the text of the prayer with them on small pieces of paper. For ideological reasons at the time, this was not advertised. It was prohibited to perform religious services on the territory of military units. But God's providence has no obstacles. Facts show: even people who knew only the first words of Psalm 90 became invulnerable to the enemy!
How to read prayers for the deceased
The action of prayer is compared to opening a door through which the grace of Christ enters the soul. Therefore, prayer performed with attention and reverence purifies the person praying and has a healing effect on the soul of the deceased.
The effectiveness of prayer for the deceased directly depends on whether the one praying himself lives according to the commandments of Christ, whether he is ready for “strain of the body and sorrow of the heart,” without which, as the Holy Fathers wrote, all prayer will have no soul.
Saint Theophan directly stated that church commemoration alone without the prayers of family and friends does not have the proper power: “If none [of those close to you] breathes from the soul, then the prayer service will crackle, but there will be no prayer for the sick person. The same is the proskomedia, the same is the mass... It doesn’t even occur to those serving the prayer service to hurt their souls before the Lord for those who are remembered at the prayer service... And where can they all get sick?!”
Why do even people far from Christianity read this prayer?
To verify its effectiveness. Doubts constantly torment a person deprived of true faith. He himself wants, personally, as Thomas Aquinas once did, to verify the veracity of everything he has heard about miraculous prayer.
Of course, Psalm 90 impresses anyone. It clearly shows what an Orthodox Christian possesses. Even an unbeliever feels all its power and protection.
Sometimes it happens that he begins to understand how much he has lost by departing from the Lord. Illuminated by such a discovery, the lucky person who has “seen the light” steps on the right path. To join at least a little to the great faith of Orthodoxy.
This is the miracle of influence this prayer has!
“Living help” - prayer and amulet from any trouble
"Living Aid" is a great asset to the Christian world. This prayer works wonders, helping people not only in difficult moments of their lives, but also protecting them from misfortunes and serious illnesses.
This prayer is very popular, not only among Orthodox believers, but also among those who pay more attention to folk beliefs. The thing is that, according to popular belief, the roots of this prayer are pagan. It is believed that it was originally written before the arrival of Christianity in Rus'. Later, when Rus' adopted Orthodoxy, the text also changed.
Today's prayer text combines both principles. This is what it looks like now:
He who lives under the shelter of the Most High rests in the shadow of the Almighty. He says to the Lord: You are my refuge and my defense, my God, in whom I trust! He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive plague. He will overshadow you with His wings and you will be safe under His wings, His truth is a shield and a fence. You will not be afraid of the terrors in the night, the arrow that flies during the day, or the plague that walks in the darkness. infection that devastates at noon. A thousand and ten thousand will fall near you, but they will not come close to you. Only you will look with your eyes and see the retribution of the wicked. For you said: The Lord is my hope. You have chosen the Almighty as your refuge. No evil will befall you and no plague will come close to your dwelling, for He will command His angels about you - to protect you in all your ways. They will carry you on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the asp and the basilisk, you will trample on the lion and the serpent. Because he loved Me, I will deliver him, I will protect him, because he knew My name. He will call to Me and I will hear him; I am with him in his sorrow and will show him My salvation.
The secret of the prayer “Living Help”
The correct name of this prayer is Psalm 90. It is found in the book of Psalms. It is used as a prayer for God’s help and salvation from danger in a certain situation, as well as as a permanent amulet from all troubles. In this regard, prayer is one of the most powerful, along with “Our Father” and “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary,” since initially its goal is salvation.
Many scholars, churches and clergy claim that Moses is the original author and not the pagan sages. What is most interesting is that the antiquity of this prayer makes it truly unique, since it is used not only in Christianity, but also in Judaism.
The text of the “Living Help” prayer is usually carried with you - written down in text on a folded ribbon. Many people prefer to simply put the ribbon in their pocket or tie it around their waist, but you can also wear it on your chest.
This ancient prayer saved many people and cured terrible diseases that even the best doctors could not handle. It is an excellent amulet against any misfortune. The “Living Help” prayer brings good luck, but only in those moments when it is really needed. This is a direct dialogue with God, a request for protection of body and soul.
Where did the number 40 come from?
The texts of the Holy Scriptures tell the story of the God-man Jesus Christ, immediately after baptism, who went into the desert. To cleanse the body and spirit in solitude, prayer and fasting. Thus, preparing yourself for the great mission ordained by the Lord. In order to save the human race from death and sin.
For forty days he did not eat anything, and after that he was tempted three times by the Devil:
- Hunger.
- Pride.
- By faith.
The unclean one seduced him in every possible way, as a simple person, counting on temptations to tempt Jesus into committing sin. But, having received baptism and strengthened his body with fasting and his spirit with prayer, the Son of God resisted and rejected all the machinations of the unclean.
And he was helped in this by prayer, which Christ repeated constantly, replacing bodily food with spiritual food, and through this strengthening in faith.
As a sign of the great feat of the Messiah, we must repeat his deeds at least in small ways. That is, repeating the words of the prayer 40 times and remembering the days of his stay in the wasteland. Which will undoubtedly help the believer achieve what he wants.
What benefit do the prayers of the living bring to the soul of the deceased?
According to the teachings of the Church, it is extremely important to pray for a recently deceased Orthodox Christian precisely in the first forty days from the time of death, since during this period the temporary location of his soul in heaven or hell is determined, until the Last Judgment.
After death, a Christian can no longer alleviate his lot on his own. It can only be changed by the prayers of family and friends, commemoration at the liturgy, and the distribution of alms with a request to remember the person.
The funeral service is a special rite, which, according to Christian doctrine, frees the deceased from earthly sins and directs his soul to eternal life.
Funeral service
The story is told about how a deceased monk who had many unconfessed sins was buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. After a while, the abbot and the inhabitants of the monastery saw in their dreams how their negligent brother was tormented in hell. The monks began to pray for the sinner, and in the new visions that came to them, his face brightened and became peaceful. Through the prayers of the brethren, the sins of the deceased were forgiven, and he entered the heavenly abode.
