The Psalter of David

Sixth Kathisma

Psalm 37

A Psalm of David in recordation of the Sabbath.

Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath. For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins. For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me. My sores are putrefied and corrupted, because of my foolishness. I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long. For my loins are filled with illusions; and there is no health in my flesh. I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee. My heart is troubled, my strength hath left me, and the light of my eyes itself is not with me. My friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against me. And they that were near me stood afar off: And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long. But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth. And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth. For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God. For I said: Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me: and whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me. For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity: and I will think for my sin. But my enemies live, and are stronger than I: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. They that render evil for good, have detracted me, because I followed goodness. For sake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me. Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.

Psalm 38

Unto the end, to Idithun himself, a Canticle of David.

I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me. I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed. My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out. I spoke with my tongue: O Lord, make me know my end. And what is the number of my days: that I may know what is wanting to me. Behold thou hast made my days measurable. and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living. Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things. And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee. Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool. I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it. Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes: Thou hast corrected man for iniquity. And thou hast made his soul to waste away like a spider: surely in vain is any man disquieted. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: give ear to my tears. Be no silent: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were. O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.

Psalm 39

Unto the end, a Psalm to David himself.

With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me. And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps. And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many shall see, and shall fear: and they shall hope in the Lord. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies. Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number. Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require: Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me that I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart. I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it. I have not hid thy justice within my heart: I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from a great council. Withhold not thou, O Lord, thy tender mercies from me: thy mercy and thy truth have always upheld me. For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head: and my heart hath forsaken me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. Look down, O Lord, to help me. Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me. Let them immediately bear their confusion, that say to me: ‘Tis well, ’tis well. Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified. But I am a beggar and poor: the Lord is careful for me. Thou art my helper and my protector: O my God, be not slack.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. 3., with bows.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Psalm 40

Unto the end, a Psalm to David himself.

Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day. The Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth: and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. The Lord help him on his bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness. I said: O Lord, be thou merciful to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. My enemies have spoken evils against me: when shall he die and his name perish? And if he came in to see me, he spoke vain things: his heart gathered together iniquity to itself. He went out and spoke to the same purpose. All my enemies whispered together against me: they devised evils to me. They determined against me an unjust word: shall he that sleepeth rise again no more? For even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me. But thou, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up again: and I will requite them. By this I know, that thou hast had a good will for me: because my enemy shall not rejoice over me. But thou hast upheld me by reason of my innocence: and hast established me in thy sight for ever. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.

Psalm 41

Unto the end, understanding to the sons of Core.

As the hart panteth after the fountains of water; so my soul panteth after thee, O God. My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God? My tears have been my bread day and night, whilst it is said to me daily: Where is thy God? These things I remembered, and poured out my soul in me: for I shall go over into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even to the house of God: With the voice of joy and praise; the noise of one feasting. Why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou trouble me? Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God. My soul is troubled within my self: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and Hermoniim, from the little hill. Deep calleth on deep, at the noise of thy flood-gates. All thy heights and thy billows have passed over me. In the daytime the Lord hath commanded his mercy; and a canticle to him in the night. With me is prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God: Thou art my support. Why hast thou forgotten me? And why go I mourning, whilst my enemy afflicteth me? Whilst my bones are broken, my enemies who trouble me have reproached me; Whilst they say to me day by day: Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why dost thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 42

A Psalm of David.

Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man. For thou art God my strength: why hast thou cast me off? And why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me? Sent forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles. And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth. To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad, O my soul? And why dost thou disquiet me? Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. 3., with bows.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Psalm 43

Unto the end, for the sons of Core to understanding.

We have heard, O God, with our ears: our fathers have declared to us, The work thou hast wrought in their days, and in the days of old. Thy hand destroyed the Gentiles, and thou plantedst them: thou didst afflict the people and cast them out. For they got not the possession of the land by their own sword: neither did their own arm save them. But thy right hand and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance: because thou wast pleased with them. Thou art thyself my king and my God, who commandest the saving of Jacob. Through thee we will push down our enemies with the horn: and through thy name we will despise them that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow: neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from them that afflict us: and hast put them to shame that hate us. In God shall we glory all the day long: and in thy name we will give praise for ever. But now thou hast cast us off, and put us to shame: and thou , O God, wilt not go out with our armies. Thou hast made us turn our back to our enemies: and they that hated us plundered for themselves. Thou hast given us up like sheep to be eaten: thou hast scattered us among the nations. Thou hast sold thy people for no price: and there was no reckoning in the exchange of them. Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoff and derision to them that are round about us. Thou hast made us a byword among the Gentiles: a shaking of the head among the people. All the day long my shame is before me: and the confusion of my face hath covered me, at the voice of him that reproacheth and detracteth me: at the face of the enemy and persecutor. All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten thee: and we have not done wickedly in thy covenant. And our heart hath not turned back: neither hast thou turned aside our steps from thy way. For thou hast humbled us in the place of affliction: and the shadow of death hath covered us. If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread forth our hands to a strange god: Shall not God search out these things: for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, and cast us not off to the end. Why turnest thou thy face away? and forgettest our want and our trouble? For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly cleaveth to the earth. Arise, O Lord, help us and redeem us for thy name’s sake.

Psalm 44

Unto the End, for Them, that shall be Changed, to the sons of Core, for understanding, Canticle for the beloved.

My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the king: My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly. Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty. With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign. Because of truth and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully. Thy arrows are sharp: under thee shall people fall, into the hearts of the king’s enemies. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness. Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Myrrh and stacte and cassia perfume thy garments, from the ivory houses: out of which the daughters of kings have delighted thee in thy glory. The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety. Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father’s house. And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore. And the daughters of Tyre with gifts, yea, all the rich among the people, shall entreat thy countenance. All the glory of the king’s daughter is within in golden borders, clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king. Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth. They shall remember thy name throughout all generations. Therefore shall people praise thee for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

Psalm 45

Unto the End, to the Sons of Core, for the Secrets.

Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly. Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea. Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains were troubled with his strength. The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful: the most High hath sanctified his own tabernacle. God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early. Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he uttered his voice, the earth trembled. The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector. Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth, making wars to cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire. Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. 3., with bows.

Trisagion

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. 3., with bows.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, forgive our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Penitential Troparia.
Though lacking the sighs of the publican, the sorrowing tears of the sinful woman, and though I sink in deep despair, I nevertheless cry out to Thee: Be gracious to me, O God, and have mercy!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O merciful God and Father of consolation, hear me as I pray to Thee: O Lord, Who givest light to those in darkness, glory to Thee!

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Thou, O Mother of God, art the pillar of strength for the faithful. Thou art the bottomless abyss of mercy. And so, O glorious Lady, save those who sing to thee.

Lord, have mercy. 40.

O Theotokos, Queen and Lady, O Virgin Mary, Mother of our God! Thy Son, the God of all, did not spurn sinners who came unto Him; He saved them all and led them to true knowledge. In my wretchedness I have profaned and broken the mandate of my baptismal voys. I have failed to keep the commandments of thy Son, Who is my God.

I have come to thee, O Lady; teach me to perform the will of thy Son, my Lord, so that He may save me and lead me to the knowledge of truth, and grant unto me the grace of the most Holy Spirit, that I may not be trapped by the snares of the enemy.

From my youth have I found no other helper than thee, O Lady Theotokos. How often have I displeased thee, and yet thou didst not ignore me. In my wretchedness I have turned callous to thy mercy. I have fallen into a stupor and have become bereft of reason. Nevertheless, I continue to cry out to thee without ceasing: Be thou compassionate, O Lady, and raise me from the depths of sin. Lend me thine hand as I lie fallen, and strengthen me in mine helplessness. Wipe away the blemishes. Save me, for I perish.

Beholding thy mercy to me, unworthy though I am, may all sinners flee to thy protection and glorify thy Son together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Come let us worship God our King. Bow.
Come let us worship Christ, our King and our God. Bow.
Come let us worship and fall down before the very Lord Jesus Christ, our King and our God. Bow.