The Psalter of David

Third Kathisma

Psalm 17

Unto the end, to the servant of our Lord David, who spake to our Lord the words of this Canticle in the day that our Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul, and he said:

I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector, and the horn of my salvation, and my support. Praising, I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies. The sorrows of death surrounded me: and the torrents of iniquity troubled me. The sorrows of hell encompassed me: and the snares of death prevented me. In my affliction I called upon the Lord, and I cried to my God: And he heard my voice from his holy temple: and my cry before him came into his ears. The earth shook and trembled: the foundations of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because he was angry with them. There went up a smoke in his wrath: and a fire flamed from his face: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens, and came down, and darkness was under his feet. And he ascended upon the cherubim, and he flew; he flew upon the wings of the winds. And he made darkness his cover, his pavilion round about him: dark waters in the clouds of the air. At the brightness that was before him the clouds passed, hail and coals of fire. And the Lord thundered from heaven, and the Highest gave his voice: hail and coals of fire. And he sent forth his arrows, and he scattered them: he multiplied lightnings, and troubled them. Then the fountains of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were discovered: At thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the spirit of thy wrath. He sent from on high, and took me: and received me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strongest enemies, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my affliction: and the Lord became my protector. And he brought me forth into a large place: he saved me, because he was well pleased with me. And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and will repay me according to the cleanness of my hands: Because I have kept the ways of the Lord; and have not done wickedly against my God. For all his judgments are in my sight: and his justices I have not put away from me. And I shall be spotless with him: and shall keep myself from my iniquity. And the Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes. With the holy thou wilt be holy; and with the innocent man thou wilt be innocent: And with the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted. For thou wilt save the humble people; but wilt bring down the eyes of the proud. For thou lightest my lamp, O Lord: O my God, enlighten my darkness. For by thee I shall be delivered from temptation; and through my God I shall go over a wall. As for my God, his way is undefiled: the words of the Lord are fire-tried: he is the protector of all that trust in him. For who is God but the Lord? or who is God but our God? God, who hath girt me with strength; and made my way blameless. Who hath made my feet like the feet of harts: and who setteth me upon high places. Who teacheth my hands to war: and thou hast made my arms like a brazen bow. And thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up: And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: and thy discipline, the same shall teach me. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; and my feet are not weakened. I will pursue after my enemies, and overtake them: and I will not turn again till they are consumed. I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand: they shall fall under my feet. And thou hast girded me with strength unto battle; and hast subdued under me them that rose up against me. And thou hast made my enemies turn their back upon me, and hast destroyed them that hated me. They cried, but there was none to save them, to the Lord: but he heard them not. And I shall beat them as small as the dust before the wind; I shall bring them to nought, like the dirt in the streets. Thou wilt deliver me from the contradictions of the people; thou wilt make me head of the Gentiles. A people which I knew not, hath served me: at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me. The children that are strangers have lied to me, strange children have faded away, and have halted from their paths. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. O God, who avengest me, and subduest the people under me, my deliverer from my enraged enemies. And thou wilt lift me up above them that rise up against me: from the unjust man thou wilt deliver me. Therefore will I give glory to thee, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing a psalm to thy name. Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David, his anointed: and to his seed for ever.

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 18

Unto the end, the Psalm of David.

The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands. Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge. There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard. Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world. He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: and he as a bridegroom coming out of his bridechamber, Hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way: His going out is from the end of heaven, And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat. The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones. The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves. More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward. Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: And from those of others spare thy servant. If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin. And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. O Lord, my helper and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19

Unto the end, the Psalm of David.

May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation: may the name of the God of Jacob protect thee. May he send thee help from the sanctuary: and defend thee out of Sion. May he be mindful of all thy sacrifices: and may thy whole burntoffering be made fat. May he give thee according to thy own heart; and confirm all thy counsels. We will rejoice in thy salvation; and in the name of our God we shall be exalted. The Lord fulfil all thy petitions: now have I known that the Lord hath saved his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven: the salvation of his right hand is in powers. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord, our God. They are bound, and have fallen: but we are risen, and are set upright. O Lord, save the king: and hear us in the day that we shall call upon thee.

Psalm 20

Unto the end, the Psalm of David.

In thy strength, O Lord, the king shall joy; and in thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly. Thou hast given him his heart’s desire: and hast not withholden from him the will of his lips. For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones. He asked life of thee: and thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy salvation: glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him. For thou shalt give him to be a blessing for ever and ever: thou shalt make him joyful in gladness with thy countenance. For the king hopeth in the Lord: and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. Let thy hand be found by all thy enemies: let thy right hand find out all them that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as an oven of fire, in the time of thy anger: the Lord shall trouble them in his wrath, and fire shall devour them. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth: and their seed from among the children of men. For they have intended evils against thee: they have devised counsels which they have not been able to establish. For thou shalt make them turn their back: in thy remnants thou shalt prepare their face. Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thy own strength: we will sing and praise thy power.

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 21

Unto the end for the morning enterprise, the Psalm of David.

O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head. He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him. For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother. I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother’s womb thou art my God, Depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me. Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me. They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring. I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death. For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet. They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me. They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence. Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him. Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me. With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him. The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever. All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight. For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he shall have dominion over the nations. All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him. And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him. There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.

Psalm 22

The Psalm of David.

The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: He hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name’s sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me. Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebreateth me, how goodly is it! And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Psalm 23

The first of the Sabbath, the Psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place? The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour. This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.

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

Regard my wretched soul, O Lord, for it has wasted its whole life in sin; receive me as Thou didst the sinful woman, and save me.

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

Spent am I in apathetic stupor, wallowing in sinful indolence. But Thou, O Christ our God, Illuminator of our lives, permit the light of real repentance to shine for me and clarify the vision of my soul.

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

Virgin Mother of God, we came to know the Word of the Father, Christ our God, enfleshed of thee. Pray to Him to save our souls.

Lord, have mercy. 40.

O God, our Master, Father of all blessings, Lord of consolation, spare me, thy worthless servant. Do not le my many evil deeds surpass thy loving kindness. Refuse me not thy mercy; allay thy wrath, as Lord of kindness, towards the one who has sinned against Thee. To me, a sinful man who all day long offend thy good and perfect Name, show mercy.

Save me, the way Thou didst save the sinful woman, the publican, the thief upon the cross, and the unproductive worker of the eleventh hour. I am unworth, because all I have done is evil and sinful, never good in thy sight. I have ever followed mine evil and sinful inclinations. Behold, I hasten to thy mercy in repentance.

Let thy mercy come to me, O Lord. Let the mighty power of thine Holy Spirit bring me strength in mine on-going struggle against spiritual forces. Let thy powerful right hand and ineffable goodness increase over me.

Save me, thy worthless servant, not because of my deeds, but because of my faith, that I may praise Thee all the days of my life. All the powers of heaven give praise unto Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever. 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.