In the psalter for the departed, kathisma 17. Psalter

Psalter. Kathisma 17 - you can watch a video with subtitles, reading in Church Slavonic, text in different fonts and read the interpretation.

Psalter. Kathisma 17. Patristic interpretation.

Psalter. Kathisma 17. Psalm 118

The divine David experienced many changes in his life: he put his enemies to flight and escaped from his enemies, sometimes he was exposed to sorrows and misfortunes, and sometimes he had joys in life, and sometimes he walked the path pleasing to God, and sometimes he stumbled on it.

And he collected all these life upheavals in this psalm, mentioning in it the unwritten prayers that he offered daily to God. This psalm is most perfect, because it leads the virtuous to perfection, awakens those living in absentmindedness to diligence, inspires those who are discouraged, corrects the careless and, in a word, gives all kinds of healing against various human infirmities.

In the highest sense, the Prophet depicts here the life of the saints: exploits, sorrows, struggles, uprisings of demons that induce countless sinful thoughts... and what the saints use to win victories: the law, the words of God, patience, help from above, and, moreover, rewards, crowns, and rewards for your efforts.

The sayings of the psalm are simple in form, but not simple in content. Blessed Augustine testifies that for a long time he could not begin to interpret this psalm, being amazed by its depth. He said that other psalms contain moral lessons; but those are like stars scattered across the sky; and this one is like the sun, shedding abundant light at noon.

The Holy Church, wanting us to more deeply assimilate the meaning of this psalm, ordered its reading at the daily midnight office, when thought, refreshed by sleep, is able to perceive more vividly and penetrate deeper.

The psalm differs from others in the number of verses, and in the fact that each of the 176 verses says something about the law of God, calling it only by different names: commandments, justifications, testimonies, words, fates, ways, advice, paths and others.

And in so many poems (which is surprising!) - everything is about the same subject, there are no weak sayings and no completely identical repetitions. There are verses similar to one another, but each of them indicates a special feature of the law, or some shade of the same feature.

The psalm is composed according to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, each of which contains 8 verses, and each of these verses of the “octagon” begins with the same letter: 22 (letters) x 8 (verses) = 176 verses. Poems are not parables, but prayerful appeals to God: each verse is a prayer, and all about one thing - about fulfilling the will of the Lord, about how to live.

Blessed Augustine, once thinking about such a wonderful construction of the psalm, suddenly saw a beautiful tree with 22 branches, each of which had 8 small branches and sweet drops flowed from all these branches.

The saint was surprised at such a wonderful vision of a beautiful tree and realized that it was a wondrous image of this sweet psalm (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Cyril, Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, Theodoret, Theophanes).

1 Blessed are the blameless ones who walk in the law of the Lord.

A person who is blameless has a heart free from reproaches for sins. The path is what real life is called. This path is difficult and dangerous. Saint Macarius depicts this path as running among thorns and swamps, where poisonous reptiles and snakes hide, and stakes and swords are stuck in places. How much attention, tension, labor, struggle is required here...

Everyone desires and seeks bliss, but not everyone understands what it is and how to achieve it. It is achieved by walking immaculately in the law of the Lord (Athanasius, Theodoret, Macarius V., Augustine, Theophan).

2 Blessed are those who experience His witness; they will seek Him with all their hearts.

What a wonderful order! No one can comprehend the correct test of the divine Scripture unless he first walks immaculately in the path of Christ through active behavior. For with a pure soul one must experience His testimonies.

He who does not divide his thoughts between God and the worries of everyday life, but devotes himself entirely to God, seeks God with all his heart. The Prophet here calls for unceasing prayer day and night (Chrysostom, Cassian, Theodoret).

3 For those who do not do iniquity walk in His ways.

Translated from Hebrew: such people no longer commit iniquity, but walk in His ways.

4 Thou hast commanded that Thy commandments should be kept strictly.

With this verse begins a divinely thought and prayerful appeal to God. The Prophet urges not only to keep the commandments of God, but to keep them earnestly, that is, with all zeal (Chrysostom, Theophan).

5 That my ways may be corrected, Thy justifications may be preserved.

The power of the verse is in the appeal: so that - oh if only! This is the same as: Lord, help, strengthen, send down Your grace. David urges us not to rely on ourselves, but to seek God’s grace and help. For as long as anyone lives in negligence, he feels strong...

When, having become exhausted, he does not achieve success in the spiritual, then with humility he resorts to God’s help through much prayer (Chrysostom, Theophan, Athanasius).

6 Then I will not be ashamed, even if I regard all Your commandments.

David says that one must fix one’s gaze (gaze) on the commandments, focus exclusively on the commandments, and this means the complete destruction of sin both in deed and in thought.

He who fulfills the commandments of God draws courage and boldness from his conscience; the Lord fulfills that petition, and he will not be ashamed on the day of the Lord’s judgment trial before his conscience, God, angels, saints... (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophanes).

7 Let us confess to You the uprightness of our hearts, ever to teach us the destinies of Your righteousness.

The beginning of salvation is the confession of previous sins in the rightness of the heart, i.e. with all my heart and with all my soul. And fulfilling the commandments of God enlightens the mind and a person acquires spiritual reasoning (Athanasius, Theodoret, Anthimus, Theophanes).

8 I will keep Your excuses: do not leave me until the end.

God sometimes leaves at special discretion for the benefit, so that the ascetic reaches the highest perfection. So, for example, Job, the prophet Elijah and other righteous people were abandoned. And one who is left until the end is already a lost person, for example: Saul, Absalom, Judas. There are abandonments when the Lord reduces His grace for human conceit: this is why disorder begins within and disorder outside...

It is necessary to confess your powerlessness, endure and humbly pray to the Lord (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

9 In this way the youngest will correct his path; always keep Your words.

The Prophet David asks: how can a young man preserve the years of his youth in order? And he answers: by always remembering the words of God. For the thought of the divine law purifies and protects.

How can we acquire this soul-saving grace, this true mind of God? – The Holy Spirit answers: by preserving the commandments of God (Athanasius, Plato, Maxim the Greek).

10 With all my heart I seek You: do not turn me away from Your commandments.

In ancient times, the heart was the name given to the entire inner life. Do not reject, i.e. take not away Thy grace, O Lord, without whose assistance it is impossible to fulfill Thy commandments (Theophanes).

11 I have hidden Your words in my heart, lest I sin against You.

It is dangerous to speak not only what is false, but also what is true (divine), when someone announces what should not be proclaimed at all. Pearls must not be cast before swine, nor holy things given to dogs ( Matt. 7, 6). When the Lord grants you to read and learn a word from the Scriptures, take care that it does not pass by (in vain); but learn from it with your mind, imprint it on your heart and keep it indelibly in your memory (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret, Ephraim).

12 Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy righteousness.

With gratitude he blesses God for being worthy of the intimate knowledge of the Divine mysteries and asks to grant him an even more faithful and higher understanding of His commandments (Athanasius).

13 With my mouth I have declared all the destinies of Your mouth.

Offers a lesson on what kind of speeches should be made in mutual interviews with each other. Being a king and busy in everything governing the people, constantly surrounded by high society, he is not ashamed to proclaim the destinies of the mouth of God. The acts of Christ the Savior and the holy apostles, the fate of the Church and the fate of God's Providence, the lives of holy and glorious men - these are the subjects of Christian conversations.

Our speeches always leave a mark on the speaker and the listener. These are the seeds of thoughts. And idle talk devastates the soul, insults the Holy Spirit living in us (Theophanes).

14 In the way of Thy testimonies we have enjoyed ourselves, as in all riches.

Shows that there is wealth according to God. For nothing could captivate him in this life: neither gold, nor dignity, nor power; instead of all this, meetings became a desired pleasure and treasure (Athanasius).

15 I will mock Your commandments, and understand Your ways.

From this we learn that the ways of God can only be understood by diligent teaching in the words of God, for the word “I will mock” indicates a diligent study of them (Theodoret, Theophanes).

16 I will learn from Your justifications; I will not forget Your words.

Even for Anthony’s first students, it was a rule to memorize individual psalms and reread them by heart on the road or in their cells. Similar things are contained in the fathers’ books about the unceasing Jesus Prayer. And in the time of Basil the Great, children memorized psalms and parables.

So now it is difficult for someone living in the world to achieve peace of thoughts from the great multitude of surrounding evil, which, remaining in the memory, constantly crowds into his attention and brings painful sorrow.

Therefore, the fathers offer prophetic instruction: to memorize certain passages of Scripture. Then the soul is, as it were, saturated with the memorized words of God, discards shameful thoughts and is filled with remembrance of divine things (Theophanes).

17 Reward Your servant, live me, and I will keep Your words.

Such prayer is possible only for the righteous, because those who have an unclean conscience will not provoke the Judge to retribution; but whoever is aware of the purity of his thoughts can rightfully ask for the enlightenment of his mind in order to know the wonderful works of God.

And so that the words do not seem proud, they have some basis; for He did not say: Reward me, but reward Your servant, i.e. to the one who is Your servant, Master, and serves You (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).

18 Open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law.

When you sit down to read or listen to someone reading, first pray to God, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! Open the ears and eyes of my heart, so that I may hear Your words and do Your will. I hope, my God, that You will enlighten my heart.” “Always pray to God that He will enlighten your mind and reveal to you the power of His words.”

Many, relying on their own understanding, fell into error and claimed to be wise. bullshit ( Rome. 1, 22). Since the time of Adam's crime, some kind of veil of death has fallen over the human soul and prevents it from seeing the truth of things. It is removed by the illumination of the Holy Spirit from the souls of the faithful and truly worthy. For this reason there was the coming of Christ (Ephraim, Macarius V.).

19 I am a stranger on earth, do not hide Your commandments from me.

We are not residents on earth, but strangers (wanderers), for having spent life for a short time, we move on to another life... But others are proud of earthly blessings, as permanent and lasting, forgetting the transience of life; but a wise husband does not become attached to real blessings, but prays to God not to leave him in ignorance of God’s commandments (Theodoret).

20 My soul love to desire Your destiny at all times.

Many desire the judgments of God and strive for the Kingdom of Heaven, but not constantly: their love for the divine alternates with serving carnal passions. David is constantly yearning for this love: for all time (Chrysostom).

21 Thou hast rebuked the proud: curse them that turn aside from Thy commandments.

Let us be afraid, brethren, lest a curse from the Holy Spirit come upon us; Let us take care that, calling others damned, we ourselves do not suffer this through our own deviation from the commandments through the enemies of God. We are dishonest, even though no one has dishonored us, and we are cursed, because we shy away from accepting dishonor for our sins.

The damned soul is the one who, knowing his unclean deeds, does not gratefully tolerate dishonor, but deceiving his conscience, easily accepts evil thoughts from demons.

You, however, follow the path of patience, complacently endure continuous losses in property, give thanks for dishonor, confessing that you justly suffer for your sins (Chrysostom, Abba Zosima).

22 Take away from me diarrhea and humiliation, for I have sought Your testimonies.

Our sins are worth reproach; why also sinners on the day of Resurrection will rise to reproach and eternal shame, as Daniel says. Therefore, whoever, after committing sins, brings worthy repentance can say to God: do not recognize me as worthy of reproach and humiliation (Didim, Hesychius).

23 For the princes are gray and slander me: but Thy servant mocketh Thy justifications.

Let the evil be angry, and you do your thing: fear God and keep His commandments ( Ecc. 12, 13). But on the other hand, the same justifications testify that there is no person without sin. For if not now, then something has been done before that requires due retribution; this is what came in the guise of falsehood.

The mercy of God arranged it this way in order to subject you to purifying suffering here and to save you from punishment in eternity. And courage for those who endure sorrow and adversity comes as they are mocked, i.e. deepening into the justifications of God, in which they find consolation for themselves (Theophanes).

24 For Thy testimonies are my teaching, and Thy counsels my justifications.

While the heart is weak and cannot bear the bitterness that occurs during external and internal battles, it is enough to occupy the mind with the study of the Scriptures in order to firmly bind one’s (wrathful) thoughts with the thought of the wonderful guidance of God and prevent them (Isaac).

25 My soul cleaves to the earth: live me according to Your word.

This is the voice of a repentant, feeling the attack of carnal earthly desires. Under the earth we mean everything material and carnal and love for it. Clinging to the earthly is the death of the spirit. Live me is a prayer for the influx of grace-filled forces against earthly attractions and habits (Ambrose, Augustine).

26 Thou hast declared my ways, and Thou hast heard me: teach me by Thy justification.

I have proclaimed my ways - (I) confessed my sins, and you heard me - (You) forgive them to me; Teach me by Your justification - show me, Lord, what should I do so as not to make a mistake? (Chrysostom, Hilary).

27 Let me understand the way of Your justifications, and I will mock at Your wonders.

We need divine understanding in order to succeed in virtue: to practice mercy towards people without vanity, not to seek human praise, to live in chastity. We must pray to the Lord that He will instruct us to walk this path truly and heartily; for strength does not lie in the external course of affairs, but in the internal dispositions of the heart (Theodoret, Theophanes).

28 My soul slumbers from despondency: strengthen me in Your words.

The constant attack of sin weakens the power of thoughts and leads the ascetic to indifference; a relaxed soul falls into despondency, into this destructive sleep of the soul; when the desire for everything is lost due to boredom and languor. Such a person, due to the relaxation of spiritual energy, either loiters or moves from place to place.

Just as one who is dozing is drawn to sleep, so one who is spiritually weakened is drawn to sin. And truly, it is not the body, but the soul that sleeps at this time. What to do? - confirm me in Your words - and this teaches that it is impossible to drive out the spirit of despondency except by teaching in divine words.

We must be sober and watchful according to the word of Christ: watch and pray ( Matt. 26, 41). First of all, pray and force yourself to do the same.

Delve into the meaning and depth of the Divine and God-inspired Scriptures, since the word of God disperses despondency (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Ambrose, Cassian, Theophanes, Hesychius, Athanasius, Theodore).

29 Leave the path of unrighteousness from me, and have mercy on me with Your law.

The path of unrighteousness is the path of sin. I am a damned (poor) man: who will deliver me from the body of this death? ( Rome. 7, 24) – The grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Hilary).

30 I have chosen the path of truth, and I have not forgotten Your destiny.

The path of truth is chosen (loved) by the one who does not utter lies with his lips, but speaks and does everything openly. And equally, the one who, in every action, remembers and places before his eyes the judgments and commandments of God - he can say: and I have not forgotten Your destinies (Eusebius).

31 I cleave to Thy testimony, O Lord, do not put me to shame.

The heart cannot be without affection: this is its nature. By detaching itself from one, it clings to the other. God can remove from us everything that serves to our shame and disgrace, if we can conscientiously say: cling to Thy testimonies, and with these words we express our excessive disposition towards the words of God.

Incline your ear more often to spiritual words, and your mind will move away from unclean thoughts (Theodoret, Hilary, Theophanes, Thalassius).

32 The path of Your commandments flowed when You enlarged my heart.

(I rushed on the path) of Your commandments, when You enlarged my heart. From here it follows that both are needed: because the grace of God is not given to those who do not have zeal for good, and a person cannot perform virtues without help from above. Our heart expands through temptations and sorrows, which lead to trust in God, and the worries of everyday life oppress Him (Theodoret, Mark the Ascetic).

33 Lay down for me, O Lord, the way of Your justifications, and I will seek and take away.

Lay down the law, i.e. teach, definitely show me what I should do. Know that Christ lays down the path of procession for the saints. We see a prototype of this in the transition of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. He preceded them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire.

The pillar was the legislator of the path; God spoke to them from the pillar. This pillar was a type of Christ. Let us also surrender our path to the guidance of the Savior, so that His commandments will be the law of our path (Ambrose, Theophan).

34 Give me understanding, and I will try Your law, and I will keep it with all my heart.

And the Lord commanded us to test the Scriptures; but those who try need illumination from above, both in order to find what they are looking for and in order to preserve what they have found. Testing (studying) the words of God teaches the knowledge of God (Theodoret, Thalassius).

35 Guide me in the path of Your commandments, as I have desired.

The path is the thorny path that many righteous people walked before us. For we must imitate Christ and take up the cross and follow Him (Athanasius).

36 Incline my heart to Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Look around and you will see: everyone’s main concern is about having; and the more someone has, the more he wants to have. This disease is called greed or covetousness.

Having mastered a person, this passion occupies all the forces of his soul so that there is no time to even think about God and His holy will. The prophet asks God to turn his heart away from such trouble, knowing that everything that interests the flesh is harmful to the soul (Ambrose, Augustine, Theophan).

37 Turn away my eyes from seeing vanity: live me in Your way.

Our terrible traitor is a distracted eye, and we suffer considerable abuse from him. Human eyes are windows into the heart: whatever the eyes see enters the heart. The prophet asks God not to allow sin to enter his heart through these windows, because the liberation of the eyes kills the soul.

And vanity is everything that is done not out of need and benefit, but to delight one’s feelings. The world is chock full of such things and events. This is a hustle without any use or benefit. The prophet asks to turn your eyes away from such vanity, because it, despite all its emptiness, is attractive (Efrem, Pimen, Theophanes).

38 Make Thy servant Thy word to fear.

Instill in me Thy fear, which does not allow me to serve the lusts of the flesh, carnal wisdom, enmity against God ( Rome. 8, 7). He asks for that fear due to which he is afraid to offend his Beloved (Chrysostom, Augustine).

39 With them is my reproach, even the nepschev: for Thy fate is good.

When they revile you for the sake of Christ, this reproach does not apply to you, but to Christ; and when they reproach you for your sins, then you can pronounce these prophetic words: take away my reproach (which was the result of sin), the nepshchevah (whom I fear): for your judgments are just: reproaches follow sins.

Remission of sins is given immediately as you repent, but cleansing the soul from sins requires a lot of work (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Hilary, Theophan).

40 Behold, I have desired Your commandments: live me in Your righteousness.

The prophet focused on devotion to the will of God. And this hope comes at the end, when all one’s means and efforts are exhausted. By Your righteousness, O Lord, revive me: help (me) to fulfill what You command: grant Yourself what You command.

For You have determined that without Me you can do nothing ( In. 15.5) (Augustine, Feofan).

41 And let Thy mercy, O Lord, come upon me, Thy salvation according to Thy word.
42 And I answer those who reproach my word, because I have trusted in Your words.

The goal of God's mercy is our salvation; therefore it is proper to pray first for the mercy on which our salvation depends. He who has acquired mercy also has boldness against those who revile and rebel against him (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Athanasius, Theodore, Hilary).

43 And do not take away from my lips the words that are truly true, because I trusted in Your destiny.
44 And I will keep Your law forever and ever.

The one who prays needs nothing more than this. And if anyone falls into any sin, the word of truth is taken away from him not only from his lips, but also from his heart. For truth is precious, as Christ Himself said: I am the truth and the life ( In. 14, 6) (Epiphanius, Chrysostom, Anthimus).

45 And I walked in breadth, because I sought Your commandments.
46 And speak of Thy testimonies before the kings, and do not be ashamed.

This is a fearless testimony to the truth of God. Even if before the kings, then there is nothing to say about others. Living according to the commandments of the Lord produces boldness: an example of which is David himself.

Before the Fall he conversed very freely with Saul; after the fall - even running away from his son, who rebelled against him, he walked, bowing to the ground and with his head covered (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

47 And I learned in Your commandments, which I loved dearly.
48 And I lifted up my hands to Thy commandments, which I loved, and mocked at Thy justifications.

David also combined doing the commandments with teaching, showing his ardent love for them by constantly mocking, i.e. delved into them (Chrysostom).

49 Remember Your words to Your servant, whose hope You have given me.
50 So comfort me in my humility, for Your word lives on me.

When God gave the law, He promised His mercy to those who kept it, and threatened punishment to the criminals (see. Ref. 20, 6). So, he asks that God remember His promises, on which He commanded us to place our trust. For it was hope that consoled me in all my troubles.

To the extent that the word of God increases in the human soul, comprehended and accepted by it, to the same extent the ability to live virtuously increases (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).

51 Pride has transgressed the law to the fullest, but I have not deviated from Your law.
52 I have remembered Your destiny from eternity, O Lord, and have been comforted.

The Gordians not only broke the law, but also incited others to do so, imitating those living under the law and laughing at them. David shows how he defeated the power of evil in the proud: we did not deviate from the law, we remembered fate and were consoled (Theophanes, Nameless).

53 I have received sorrow from sinners who forsake Your law.

We must grieve over our brethren who sin, because they are like that, and nurture in ourselves the same dispositions that this divine hymnist had: for for a sinner, worshiping God is a ridiculous custom; and for the God-fearing, lawlessness is terrible because he foresees a terrible punishment.

The righteous person grieves not only for his own sins, but also for those that are committed before his eyes. When a righteous person’s own life needs correction, he cries and grieves in order to completely atone for his sin; but when he sees the sins of others, then, leaving his own sin, he begins to mourn the sins of others (Athanasius, Nameless, Chrysostom).

54 Peta bahhu Thy justification for me, in the place of my coming.

What is held in the heart is what is usually sung about; and what is sung is better imprinted on the feelings. The place of arrival is real life. All the saints considered this life to be a journey, having a fatherland in heaven, and therefore they sang in this life the justifications of God (Ambrose, Chrysostom).

55 I have remembered Your name in the night, O Lord, and kept Your law.

David wet his bed with tears every night: he got up in the night and confessed to the Lord, - and you think all night long to give yourself up to a sound sleep! Then you should most of all pray and fear sin and ask for His help. For the darkness of the night is the kindler of sin. The witness is your own conscience!

When the body becomes heated by sleep and food, then the alertness of the mind weakens and evil spirits disturb the soul with all sorts of unclean thoughts. At this time, the memory of God is especially necessary: ​​it encourages and enlivens the mind and drives away nasty thoughts. The face of the saints is always awake at night, praying and chanting God (Ambrose, Chrysostom, Theodoret).

56 This was done to me, as I sought the justification of Your demands.

The memory of God strengthened in the Prophet from night vigils and helped him fulfill divine justifications (Chrysostom).

57 Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have decided to keep Thy law.

In the Old Testament, the Lord was the part and lot of the priests and Levites. For the sons of Levi he says that there is no portion among their brethren; for part of them I am the Lord (cf. Number 18, 20).

David here says: despising everything else, both abundance and wealth, I only have a part of You and try to keep Your commandments. These words can be spoken by those who, like the Levites, have no desire for worldly things (Theodoret).

58 I prayed to Your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to Your word.

These words teach us that when we pray to God, we must stand before Him as if we were directly before His face: placing all our hopes for mercy on Him. For the One whom we ask Himself knows in what way to show us mercy.

So a prudent patient will say to the doctor: heal me as you know, as art requires. For He often brings about salvation through admonition, and punishment is the work of His love for mankind; as doctors say: the opposite is cured by the opposite (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

59 I have thought about Thy ways, and brought back my nose to Thy witness.

The Prophet remembers how he acted and gives a lesson on how we should act. He thought about his every step and considered it in such a way that he was always in accordance with the testimonies of God (Hilary).

60 We have prepared ourselves and are not dismayed to keep Your commandments.

A reasonable person always expects to encounter sorrow, if not today, then tomorrow, and is not embarrassed. He curbs his anger with silence and even reproaches himself. There are many obstacles to those who wish to please God: for the Creator tests souls with both peace and sorrow. But this helps the faithful and courageous to salvation (Barsanuphius V., Macarius V., Abba Zosimas).

61 The sinner has already obligated himself to me, and has not forgotten Your law.

Snake - there is a chain of evil thoughts with which demons try to cast off the face of God (Athanasius).

62 At midnight I rose to confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness.

It is not enough to pray during the day - you have to get up at midnight. The Lord Himself spent nights in prayer in order to motivate you to prayer by His example. Previously the Prophet said: I remembered Your name in the night (see v. 55), but now he says: I rose at midnight, to teach you not only at night, but also at midnight to get up to pray.

You can remember God at night and not get up; You can get up and not stand for prayer, but the Prophet got up for prayer, because at this time we must primarily pray to God and mourn our sins, since at that time many temptations come to us... and the mind, overcome by sleep, loses its wakefulness.

We also need to get up at this time because the Bridegroom comes at night. The Holy Fathers attribute to this feat very great significance in spiritual progress. The king, bound by many worries during the day, talked alone with God at night, and, offering sincere and fervent prayers, received what he wanted.

So, we, private people, will imitate him - the king, leading an easy and calm life - the one who, clothed with purple and a crown, surpassed the monks in (strict) life (Ambrose, Isaac, Chrysostom).

63 I am a partaker of all those who fear You and keep Your commandments.

So the Holy Spirit says this about Himself (Pimen).

64 Fill the earth with Thy mercy, O Lord: teach me Thy righteousness.

When you see many sinners, the wicked, those who speak lies on high, and think about God’s long-suffering towards such iniquities, that even after such serious crimes God commands His sun to shine on the evil and the good and to rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, then you will certainly say these words (Eusebius, Theodoret).

65 Thou hast done kindness to Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word.

Do not be insensitive to the good deeds of God, because you would not have been freed from sin and would not have been numbered among the servants of the Lord if some divine grace had not been to blame (Athanasius).

66 Teach me kindness, and discipline, and wisdom, as in Thy commandments of faith.

The Prophet knows that punishment is useful, and that the Lord, imposing it on people, is guided by philanthropy, which is why he asks for it. For punishment brings reason (knowledge). If Saint David, being a Prophet, had the need to pray for the granting of these qualities to him, then how much more should we care about acquiring them.

Goodness is love for God and neighbor for God’s sake, through self-reproach and apology for others. The one who is punished is everyone who is instructed in the fear of God. Reason is the correct understanding of the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Sacraments; for all nations read the Holy Gospel, but understand it differently.

The Orthodox Church alone accepts all Holy Scripture, old and new, in full, while non-Orthodox ones accept it by choice (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Augustine, Ambrose of Optina).

67 Let me not even humble myself first, since I have sinned: for this reason I have preserved Your word.

A person humbles himself when he carefully considers his sin. Until the Lord humbles a person with misfortunes, he wanders and sins; admonished by disasters, he humbles himself and begins to keep the commandments of God (Chrysostom, Gregory the Theologian, Theodoret).

68 Thou art good, O Lord, and by Thy goodness teach me by Thy justification.

It is the job of the righteous to accept everything sent from Divine Providence with pleasure, even if something very difficult was sent, he says: good art thou, Lord; and from the Lord Himself he asks for knowledge of justifications. And he said: goodness, because God also has severity (Hesychius).

69 The iniquity of the proud has multiplied against me, and with all my heart I will test Your commandments.

The harder someone works for the Lord, the more he stirs up enemies against himself. For the righteous with his right life exposes their wicked life. And if you are reproached in the name of Christ, you are blessed: for the Glory and Spirit of God rests upon you ( 1 Peter 4, 14) (Ambrose).

70 Their hearts are as if they were milky; I have learned Your law.

Just as milk hardens when it turns into cheese, so the heart of the proud becomes hardened because of their iniquities. Uta, thicken, widen: and forsake God who created him, and depart from God his Savior ( Deut. 32, 15). For the heart of the proud is fattened, but the heart of the saints is refined. Therefore, do not be embarrassed when you are given over to cruel and grievous temptations that humble you in life and teach you to mortify and enslave the body, and to walk in the strait and narrow path (Athanasius).

71 It is good for me, for Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn by Thy justification.

Prosperity is not useful to us: it makes us lazy, proud, and the devil attacks us more strongly. It produces more evil than disaster. Therefore, the Prophet gives thanks to the harsh measures of the Doctor, as having brought him health. For there is nothing worse than pride.

This is why there are temptations and sorrows, why there are sufferings and illnesses, and many unfortunate circumstances are sent to curb the soul, which is easily arrogant and reaches the point of pride.

If even now, when such labors lie upon us, we sin incessantly, then why would we not dare if God left us with pleasures and also in inaction? “For all evil,” says Scripture, “was taught by idleness ( Sire. 33, 28).

This saying is confirmed by daily events. Therefore, it is salutary not only for evil, but also for good people to be subjected to humiliation and suffering. Sorrows encourage the saints to be humble and meek, for no one can be considered worthy of knowing the justifications of God without first being humble and oppressed by many tribulations.

That is why the sacred singer, finding pleasure in sorrows, which he calls here humility, favored weaknesses and needs, so that by enduring them he would be rewarded with the knowledge of God’s justifications (Chrysostom, Cyril).

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.

It is good because it gives peace to the spirit. Through the law of the Gospel, the Lord cleanses the soul, preparing for Himself a dwelling in it. And perishable wealth is thousands of gold and silver, i.e. all the treasures of the world irritate the lust of greed and the thirst for enrichment (Cyril, Feofan).

73 Thy hands made me, and ye created me: give me understanding, and I will learn Thy commandment.

What kind of honor has been given to man by God?! When everything else is arranged by His word, the body of man is said to be made by Him Himself.

This does not mean that God acted as if with his hands, since He is incorporeal and formless: spirit is God ( In. 4, 24); but that He showed special favor to this creation, having created it after His own image (cf. Life 1, 26) and endowing him with intelligence. The Prophet asks His Creator to grant him an understanding of the divine commandments (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

74 Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because they trust in Your words.

The righteous is pleasing only to the pious, tangibly known to them in the word of wisdom; for others it is difficult to even see him; because his life is not like the lives of others.

In each locality, those who are equally disposed know each other: “The pure is naturally disposed towards the pure and rejoices in him; the merciful is disposed towards the generous and rejoices with him; faster to faster, prayer book to prayer book.” Although they are not together in body, they are always inseparable in spirit. If someone happens to be in another area, there he will soon become acquainted with those who are unanimous (Athanasius, Ambrose).

75 I understood, Lord, that Thy destiny is righteous, and Thou hast truly humbled me.

Of the sad things that happen to us, nothing befalls us unjustly, but everything happens according to the righteous judgment of God. Some suffer for their own evil deeds, while others suffer for their neighbors.

We will accept the one who reproaches us as a God-sent accuser of the evil thoughts hidden in us. Nothing happens without God's knowledge; everything that happens happens according to His Judgment... (Mark the Ascetic, Chrysostom).

76 Be Thy mercy, that Thy servant may comfort me according to Thy word.

Many who have received consolation mistakenly believe that they acquired it through their prudence or their own intelligence. So, in order not to be mistaken with them, let Your mercy be my consolation (Athanasius).

77 May Thy compassions come to me, and I will live, for Thy law is my teaching.

Being deprived of divine favor, the Prophet imagines himself as a corpse and begs for God’s love for mankind to revive him, to revive him in the feeling of his heart (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

78 Let pride be ashamed, for I have committed unrighteousness against me; I will mock Your commandments.

He does not wish harm to his enemies, but prays for them. Shame serves for our correction and promotes salvation: having experienced this healing on himself, the Prophet wishes it for his enemies. If I mock, it means I will study diligently (Chrysostom, Theophan).

79 Let those who fear You and those who know Your testimonies convert me.

This verse was translated more clearly by another translator: may those who fear You - the prophets, apostles, saints, venerable and righteous servants of Yours - return me to the path of repentance and faith (Athanasius, Theodoret).

80 May my heart be blameless in Your justifications, so that I will not be ashamed.

This means the complete destruction of sin both in deed and in thought. Because those who wish to be worthy of sonhood must not only have an immaculate body, but also an immaculate soul (Makariy V.).

81 My soul disappears for Your salvation, I have trusted in Your words.

Disappears, i.e. strongly desires salvation through the study of divine words. He wants to study exactly the meaning of the Divine Scriptures and recognizes the search for meaning as a consolation and joy (Athanasius).

82 My eyes have perished in Thy word, saying, When Thou hast comforted me;

All the mysteries of God are revealed in the word of God, but are comprehended only when grace allows them to be comprehended. Suddenly the mind sees in the word something that it had not previously seen in it, although it had read and pondered it several times (Ambrose).

83 For I have become like fur on my face; I have not forgotten Your justifications.

Fur swells from heat and, swelling, increases in volume: on the side, i.e. in the cold it shrinks and hardens. So the body, by its nature, becomes pampered from luxury and rebels against the soul, but from ascetic life and from other graces of the Almighty it is suppressed and deadened to passions (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Mark the Ascetic).

84 How many are the days of Thy servant; when you bring judgment upon me from those who persecute me;

The days of our life are few; and we are also haunted by bad thoughts, carnal passions, worldly worries, all kinds of persecutors, first of all, the devil and spirits of evil. Although man appears to be our persecutor, the first persecutor is not man, but the devil, whom man only imitates (Chrysostom).

85 The transgressors have told me mockery, but not like Thy law, O Lord.

Mockery is verbosity. There cannot be a strong, healthy or saving word in the soul of a lawbreaker, because he lives lawlessly. Many try to speak, but since they do not live well and lawfully, they speak verbosely and empty words.

Many strive to explain the divine Scripture, but not all speak well. For rarely does anyone have a gift from God for this (Cyril).

86 All Your commandments are true: having persecuted me unrighteously, help me.

Through reverent prayer the Prophet revives his courage. He who does not endure persecution has not yet begun to live truly, piously in Christ Jesus (Ambrose).

87 I have not yet passed away upon the earth: I have not forsaken Thy commandments.

Great is the wickedness and power of the enemies: but the commandments teach not to avenge oneself and not to repay evil for evil, but to ask for God’s help and to submit offenses to His judgment (Chrysostom).

88 Live me according to Thy mercy, and I will preserve the testimonies of Thy mouth.

The Prophet decorated this word with humility. For he does not ask for life as a reward for his righteousness, but as a gift of mercy, promising for this to keep the commandments of God. This petition is marked by devotion to the will of God, which is the essence of prayer (Chrysostom, Theophan).

89 For ever, O Lord, Thy word abideth in Heaven.
90 Thy truth endureth unto generation and generation: Thou hast founded the earth, and it endureth.

David is speaking prophetically here. By the word abiding forever, we mean the only begotten Son of God, who is the Truth (cf. In. 14, 6). The earth was founded by this same Truth. Lies reign in all nations; the truth is only in the Church, for believers constitute one race (Basily V., Cyril, Athanasius, Theodore, Ambrose).

91 The day endures through Your discipline, for all kinds of work are done by You.

Everything that exists was created by God and serves Him, and nothing happens by chance. Everything moves according to the laws of God’s mercy and truth, wisely and expediently (Epiphanius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

92 For had it not been for Thy law, my teaching, then I would have perished in my humility.

This can be said to every pious person who falls into disaster: for humility here refers to the time of temptations and sorrows, the battle of evil thoughts and the attacks of opposing forces (Athanasius, Theodoret).

93 I will never forget Your justifications, for You have revived me in them.

Happy is the one who lifts this voice to God with complete truth. For a sinner cannot say: I will never forget Your justifications, as a transgressor of God’s commandments (Chrysostom).

94 I am Thine, save me, for I have sought the justification of Thy demands.

Not everyone can use these words: for the slave of sin lies if he calls himself God: for whoever is overcome, to this he also works ( 2 Peter 2, 19). God Himself calls those who faithfully do His will His faithful servants, slaves, friends, sons and daughters by grace (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

95 Waiting for the sinner to destroy me, I understood Your testimonies.

By understanding Your Commandments and thinking about You, says the Prophet, I invalidated the plans of sinners against me (Athanasius).

96 I have seen the end of every end; Your commandment is wide.

Everything human has an end; The commandment of the Lord is broad and inexhaustible and limitless: for its final limit is perfect likeness to God: therefore ye shall be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect ( Matt. 5, 48).

He who begins to walk according to the commandments enters the boundless expanse where the will of God reigns (Chrysostom, Climacus, Theophanes).

97 Since I have loved Your law, O Lord, I am my instruction all day long.

He who loves something willingly desires it and constantly thinks about it. Just as the Prophet loved the Law, he is constantly occupied with it: he is not distracted by other activities and the vanity of this age, but all day, i.e. all the time of his life he exercises himself in fulfilling the requirements of the Law (Hilary, Didymus).

98 Thou hast made me wiser than mine enemy, according to Thy commandment, even as I am in my age.

David attributes everything to divine grace. Devotion to the commandments drives away blindness from the eyes of the mind and makes a person wise against the machinations of enemies, visible and invisible (Chrysostom, Theophan).

99 More than all those who taught me, I understood that Your testimonies are my teaching.

Although Christ said that a student is not higher than a teacher and a slave is not higher than his master ( OK. 6, 40; Matt. 10, 24), but this was said by the Savior after He, having explained himself in advance, said definitely: do not call anyone on earth a teacher for you: for you have one Teacher, who is in heaven (see. Matt. 23, 78).

So, in relation to this particular Teacher, the student is not higher than Him, and many of the teachers designated here are not like that, but those over whom the student often becomes not only higher, but also more intelligent, through the most diligent exercise in the word of God (Eusebius).

100 Moreover, the elder understood that I have sought Your commandments.

Why did grace enlighten David so much that he understood the works of God more than an elder? - Because he exacted the commandments of God. Grace replenishes maturity and the wisdom of old age becomes the property of those who are not old in years, for the age of old age means living undefiled ( Prem. 4, 9).

From an early age, David made it a law of his life to please God by diligently fulfilling His commandments, knowing that wisdom does not enter an evil soul ( Prem. 1, 14) (Ambrose).

101 I have forbidden my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy words.

Deviation from evil ways is external labor, and internal labor must also be added to it—restraining the mental feet from the evil mental paths.

The main thing: avoidance of evil thoughts. If you hasten to replace evil thoughts with good ones, then your task will be 100 times easier (Theophanes).

102 I have not deviated from Your judgments, as You have laid down laws for me.

The judgments of God are commandments, strong faith in the constantly vigilant all-seeing Providence of God, which determines all the incidents of our lives. The immediate and direct will of God is the chance for good that is before your eyes (Theophanes).

103 If Your words are sweeter to my throat than honey to my lips.

The sweetness of the word of Scripture is compared to honey only because we have nothing sweeter than it; and not because this was the only measure of it. The prophet uses a weak comparison to express his pleasure derived from fulfilling the commandments of God.

Honey is sweet only for the throat, and then goes into the belly and is cast down: the words of God delight both the heart and the soul. There is nothing more pleasant than divine teaching. Where there is spiritual teaching, there is humility, honesty, and modesty; there husband and wife, and children are united in harmony and love by the bonds of virtue, there is Christ in the middle (Chrysostom).

104 I understood from Your commandments: for this reason I hated every way of unrighteousness.

Having understood the divine commandments, David felt disgust for every kind of evil, which is a sure sign of purification of the heart. The wound does not heal until all the pus is drained; so the wound of the soul festers while sympathy for sin breaks through in it (Vasily V., Chrysostom, Barsanuphius V., Theophanes).

105 The lamp of my feet is Your law, and the light of my paths.

One must continuously practice the words of God and use the Holy Scriptures as a kind of lamp (Cyril).

106 I swore and appointed them to preserve the fate of Your righteousness.

He called the firm decision of the soul an oath: he decided to endure all kinds of calamities with gratitude, confessing that God brings everything with His righteous judgment. And since the Lord said: I do not do My will, but the will of the Father who sent Me ( In. 6, 38), then any decision of one’s own will is not reliable (Vasily V., Chrysostom, Theodoret).

107 I humble myself to the core: Lord, live me according to Your word.

Because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble ( Proverbs 3, 34). Humility to the extreme (to the extreme) is confession of sins. God’s word promises to revive those who repent, since God shows us mercy and love for mankind after confessing our sins: Confess, he says, to the Lord, for it is good, for His mercy endures forever ( Ps. 135, 1) (Theodorit, Apollinaris).

108 Be pleased with the freedom of my lips, O Lord, and teach me Thy destinies.

Virtue must be arbitrary (voluntary) and free from any coercion: such was David’s, who prayed to God that he would be pleased to accept only his arbitrary deeds: God loves the giver willingly (God loves the giver). 2 Cor. 9, 7) (Kirill).

109 I will take my soul into Your hand, and I will not forget Your law.

When we surrender our souls into the hands of God in order to receive food, life, honor and glory from them, then we will not be subjected to the slightest oblivion of God, but we will always remember Him, and nothing in life will lead us into anger or irritation at our attackers (Theodore).

110 The sinners have laid a net for me, and from Thy commandments I have not gone astray.

Lawless people and demons weave all kinds of intrigues, but I decided to follow the path of Your commandments without temptation (Theodoret).

111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for this is the joy of my heart.

Likewise, the testimony of God made the hearts of the apostles rejoice when they left the cathedral, rejoicing that they were worthy to accept reproach for the name of Jesus (Apollinaris).

112 I incline my heart to create Your justifications forever for reward.

The Lord Almighty Himself says: turn to Me, and I will turn to you, and I will pour out My blessing upon you ( Small 3, 7). The Prophet bowed his heart with the hope of reward, knowing that the more someone works here, the more joy he will receive there (Theophanes).

113 I have hated the lawbreakers, but I have loved Your law.

Just as he who loves light hates darkness, so he who loves the law of God hates law-breaking thoughts and actions. Such is the praise of the saints. And whoever remembers evil is a transgressor (Chrysostom, Isaiah).

114 Thou art my Helper and my Protector: I trust in Thy words.

The prophet does not ask: be you my helper, but he confesses that God is already his helper and intercessor (Chrysostom).

115 Turn away from me, you wicked ones, and I will test the commandments of my God.
116 Intercede for me according to Your word, and I will live: and do not disgrace me because of my hope.
117 Help me, and I will be saved, and I will learn from Your justifications.

He speaks about those evil ones with whom our heart is filled: for from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, false witness, blasphemy: these are the things that defile a person ( Matt. 15, 19, 20).

It is to these thoughts that he says: turn away from me; and then calls on God for help, so that the evil forces are driven away by God's wave from his soul. For while we are here, we need His constant help.

And if you want your enemies to leave you idle, do not stop your conversation with God. True prayer will never give offense (Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

118 Thou hast brought to naught all those who depart from Thy justifications: for their thoughts are unrighteous.

This is the end that awaits those who reject the law of God: they are destroyed. Sober your heart from weakening thoughts, for it is not only God who punishes deeds, but also the thoughts of the heart, cherished in secret (Athanasius, Theophan).

119 Those who transgress against all the sinners of the earth: for this reason I have loved Your testimony.

Those who transgressed nepschevah (I considered them criminals) all the wicked on earth, and knowing what harm comes from crime, I applied all my zeal to fulfilling the words of God.

For if the eyes of our souls were enlightened, then the souls of sinners would appear as dark shadows, arousing horror.

This is how the heavenly powers and saints of God always see them. By such darkness, demons recognize them as their own, and enter into them and commit the atrocities characteristic of them (Theodorit, Theophanes).

120 Nail my flesh with Thy fear: for I am afraid of Thy judgments.

If the fear of God does not control our lives, then it is impossible for sanctification to occur in the body. For just as the members of the body of those nailed to nails remain motionless and inactive, so those embraced in the soul by the fear of God avoid all passionate overwhelm by sin and purify their souls through prayer.

Where fear dwells, spiritual purity dwells. Here it is still necessary to nail our sinful passions to Christ. For under flesh and blood, of which the apostle says that they cannot inherit the kingdom of God ( 1 Cor. 15, 50), what should be understood is not this visible body (it was created by God), but the wisdom of the flesh, excited by the spirit of malice.

One must not only believe in Christ, but also suffer with Him. He who has seen God in governing the world and has revered the destinies of God can only nail the fear of God (wisdom) to the flesh. God controls the universe: He also controls the life of every person in all its details (Vasily V., Macarius V., Ignatius).

121 I have done justice and righteousness: do not betray me to those who offend me.

Having said this, blessed David learned to practice all the virtues and commandments... Who now has such purity of soul as to dare to apply these words to himself? (Chrysostom).

122 Consider Your servant for good, so that pride does not slander me.

Slander is hard, even if it is well rewarded. The wondrous Joseph and many others were subjected to it. And the Lord commands us to pray so as not to be tempted. And, moreover, slander of proud and strong people is especially difficult, because untruth, based on strength, brings great harm.

But slander does not cause pain to an innocent and God-devoted person, but strengthens the aspiration of his mental eyes towards God, for purity of conscience gives boldness to resort to God’s intercession in case of slander (Chrysostom, Theophanes).

123 My eyes perish for Thy salvation, and for the word of Thy righteousness.

The word disappearance means an increased desire for salvation. You see that those who are only taught by God the law are those who wish to serve Him, renouncing other ministries. It is to them that God instructs and imparts knowledge of Himself, so that they not only read, but also learn the meaning (of the law) (Apollinaris).

124 Deal with Thy servant according to Thy mercy, and teach me Thy justification.

This is a prayer for grace-filled help. David asks himself for admonition to know the commandments of God; for admonition is given by God and is kept with Him as in a treasury; since the prophet Isaiah says that the spirit of wisdom and understanding rests on Him ( Is. 11, 2) and other gifts rest on Him (Athanasius, Theodoret).

125 I am Thy servant: give me understanding, and I will hear Thy testimony.

By nature, all people are servants of God; but by disposition - those who sincerely accept His dominion are slaves. As a reward for slavery, he asks for intelligence, given by God by grace, about which it is said in Proverbs: the understanding of good things gives grace ( Proverbs 13, 16).

The Holy Fathers called the ability to clearly see for oneself and determine the will of God the gift of “reasoning thoughts.” What kind of guidance is there for us who are weak? - Ask the elders and tell you ( Deut. 32, 7) (Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

126 It is time for the Lord to do: I have destroyed Your law.

God is patient with human sins, but when he sees that wickedness increases, then he imposes punishment; Therefore, the Prophet says that it is time for You, Master, to rise up in defense of the offended, for the enemies have trampled on the law too much.

The words: time to create the Lord, without context, can be used before the beginning of any work dedicated to God, especially prayer. When approaching it, everyone can say to themselves: you have been doing the things of life, now is the time to begin the work of God, to do it for God. (These words are used in this sense in our service book before the beginning of the liturgy) (Theodoret, Theophanes).

127 For this reason I have loved Your commandments more than gold and topaz.

Topaz is a precious stone that has the color of gold, which is why David classified it as gold. But wisdom is better than precious stones; and everything else is unworthy of her. The prophet loves the commandments more than any wealth. This is the perfection of a Christian! (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).

128 For this reason I have been guided by all Your commandments; I have hated every way of unrighteousness.

Whoever wants to truly please God, to receive from Him the heavenly grace of the Spirit, to grow and be perfected in the Holy Spirit, must force himself to fulfill all the commandments of God and conquer his heart, even against his will... constantly praying and asking the Lord.

One must not cultivate virtue and vice together in oneself, but give birth to only the fruits of virtue, and the soul should not be in communion with two spirits: the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world (Makariy V.).

129 Wonderful is Thy testimony: for this cause am I to try my soul.

The commandments of God are worthy of wonder; they teach every kind of virtue and drive away every kind of evil. The witness is marvelous, since God is marvelous and His providence is incomprehensible. For the sake of testing my soul, that is, I began to intensively investigate. Scripture does not know scientific research in the form of naked knowledge: it is all about life and its structure (Chrysostom, Didymus, Theophanes).

130 The manifestation of Your words enlightens and instructs little children.

By babies we mean those who are infants of malice and simple in heart, who innocently accept the word of God and “do not torture” - why? As they hear, so they will follow (Chrysostom, Theophan).

131 My mouth was opened, and my spirit was drawn, because I desired Thy commandments.

This expression refers to the inner man: the mouth, i.e. the zeal of the soul attracts the grace of the Spirit. The understanding of divine words does not allow one to be deceived by pleasures or empty glory (Chrysostom, Ambrose, Athanasius).

132 Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love Your name.

Every person, being in sorrows and temptations, constantly needs the mercy of God. God's charity is the manifestation of divine grace to those who love His holy name and pray in meekness and lowliness of heart, for the Lord Himself says: to whom will I look, only to him who is meek and silent and trembles at My words ( Is. 66, 2) (Theodorite).

133 Direct my steps according to Thy word, and let not all iniquity possess me.

Feet, i.e. The thoughts of a faithful person who prays fervently are directed by the grace of God to the creation of virtues. More precisely, God Himself begins, He Himself accomplishes all good, and He Himself strengthens with His grace our will and desire for the desire for good; why Paul, in confirmation of this, says: Jesus Christ will complete this good work in you until the day of Christ ( Phil. 16),

and there is also God, who works in you to do what you will and to do for good pleasure ( Phil. 2, 13); and Solomon: The will of the Lord is prepared ( Proverbs 8, 35). And the Lord said: without Me you cannot do wicked things ( In. 15.5) (Theodoret, Eusebius).

134 Deliver me from the slander of men, and I will keep Your commandments.

There is no mental illness that would be more painful than slander; no one can despise it, except the one who, like Susanna, looks to God, Who alone can deliver from troubles, and reassure people, and comfort the soul with hope.

Yes, and the Lord Christ called those worthy of wonder and blessed who are reviled and slandered: blessed are you when they revile you and condemn you and say all kinds of evil things against you, who lie, for my sake Matt. 5, 11), at the same time he commands to watch and pray so as not to fall into misfortune (see. Matt. 26, 41) (Theodorite).

135 Make Thy face shine upon Thy servant, and teach me by Thy justification.

The Deity is incorporeal, simple and uncomplicated; but divine Scripture expresses itself about it in a rather corporeal and crude manner, applying it in words to human nature. So, the appearance of the face of God should be taken as the cessation of sad circumstances and the giving of blessings (Theodoret).

136 My eyes have seen the coming of the waters, but I have not kept Your law.

From the yearning of the heart, the eyes become watery. Tears of contrition are spiritual washing. The one who has cried is renewed. What brings such water out of the eyes of the penitent? – Love (Feofan).

137 Thou art righteous, O Lord, and Thy judges are righteous.

The Lord arranges everything justly and confirms His promises with deeds. The destinies of God are everything that happens in the universe. Everything that happens happens as a result of the judgment and decrees of God: one thing happens according to the will of God; the other is by His permission.

This conviction is the basis for the strength of moral life, deep inner peace, firmness in trouble and courage. These words, according to history, were uttered by the pious Emperor Mauritius during the beating of his wife and each of his children (before his eyes by the enemy) (Chrysostom, Ignatius, Theophanes, Didymus).

138 Thou hast commanded the truth of Thy testimony, and the truth greatly.

In his testimonies, the Lord set forth commands that were very righteous and true; because the law gives everyone their due: both the virtuous and the sinner (Theodoret).

139 Thy zeal has consumed me, for I have forgotten Thy words.

The Prophet mourns those who live in iniquity, and, seeing the Lawgiver in contempt, he is rightly indignant with jealousy, due to the trampling of the words of the Lord.

The divine Paul kept such jealousy within himself, as the Writer testifies that in Athens his spirit was embarrassed in him, seeing the idol full of the city ( Acts 17, 16) (Theodorite).

140 Thy word is kindled with great heat, and Thy servant loveth him.

How should we receive God's words? - That they are all tested, that in Scripture not a single syllable is thrown in vain; but that they are like kindled silver.

That is why the Savior teaches us not to despise a single tittle written in Scripture, saying: one jot, or one tittle, shall not pass from the law, until all shall be ( Matt. 5, 18) (Unnamed).

141 I am the youngest and humbled: I have not forgotten Your justifications.

This is what David says about himself in a sense of humility: “You vouchsafed so much grace to me, a young man, who was considered nothing by my parents, and made me both a prophet and a king. Therefore, with all zeal I desire to preserve Your justifications” (Theodoret).

142 Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and your law is truth.

He who fulfills the commandments of God has eternal life as a reward for his labors, but he who is submissive to human laws does not receive due honor from the legislators in this life (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

143 Sorrows and needs have come upon me: Your commandments are my teaching.

This is inevitable for a righteous person: such are the exploits of the saints, their victories. The commandments strengthen us to endure everything sad courageously and generously (Chrysostom).

144 The truth of Thy testimony endures forever: give me understanding, and I will live.

In all this, the Prophet seeks admonition from God - the most necessary gift of God. For the foolish or foolish does not enter into that blessed life; but we must ask for admonition from God, who gives to those who ask Him with all our souls (Didim).

145 I cried with all my heart: Hear me, O Lord, I will seek Your righteousness.

With all my heart – i.e. body, soul, and spirit with all zeal. This means spiritual order, and not a cry from the lips. The Lord sees and feels the pain of our hearts...

“He cries out to God with all his heart, even though he does not think of evil, and it is better for God to bow to a heartfelt cry than to a verbal one; just as Moses silently called to God, and God said to him: Why do you cry to Me? Ref. 14, 15) (Chrysostom, Climacus, Theodoret, Theophanes, Psalter with interpretation).

146 I cried to You, save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.

In the word save, he combines receiving everything that is necessary to preserve the testimonies of the Lord (Theophanes).

147 I went ahead in hopelessness and cried out: I have trusted in Your words.

In hopelessness – i.e. not at the usual hour. It is wonderful and strange that David, despite the fact that he was a king and immersed in countless worries, and on top of that he was undertaking military campaigns, not only offered prayers to God during the day, but also in the middle of the night, without waiting for the roosters to crow: so he loved his Master God; so earnestly asked Him for help; So he always trusted in the words of God: He will call to me, and I will hear Him ( Ps. 90, 15).

Preceding in hopelessness - anticipating the dawn, in darkness, in bad time, in the vagueness of circumstances. This time is accompanied by the most powerful attacks from mental enemies: because darkness itself contributes to their indecent actions. But David warned of this difficult time with a prayer to God (Chrysostom, Didymus, Athanasius).

148 Prepare my eyes for the morning, to learn from Your word.

Not only during the night, but also at dawn, before even the rising of the sun, David preceded the morning by teaching the words of God, although he was also a king. And we, being in poverty and having no care, spend the night tossing and turning on our beds, and do not even bring due praise to the Giver of blessings when the day comes (Theodoret).

149 Hear my voice, O Lord, according to Thy mercy: live me according to Thy destiny.

Possessing such great benefits, he prays for mercy, and by his example teaches us to pray for the same. We cannot know what is best for us. Therefore, it is reasonable to surrender everything to God’s discretion and humbly cry: live according to Your destiny.

Fate is God's providence for the salvation of man. And since everyone’s paths are unsearchable, it is appropriate to pray like this: “In the image of fate, save me” (Chrysostom, Theophan).

150 Those who persecute me with iniquity have drawn near; but they have departed from Thy law.

From these words we learn what the persecutors of the righteous will suffer. Thus, the scribes and Pharisees went straight to lawlessness, persecuting the apostles, to whom the Lord said: “Cast you aside, I am swept away, but reject Me, the One who sent Me is rejected ( OK. 10, 16), as it is said: the enemy will be your enemy, and I will resist your enemy ( Ref. 23, 22). That is why they moved away from the Law of the Gospel, not obeying the apostles (Chrysostom).

151 Thou art near, O Lord, and all Thy ways are the truth.

The Lord is near: in Him we live, and we move, and we are ( Acts 17, 28), as if you are everywhere and fulfill everything.

152 From the beginning I knew from Your testimonies that I founded the age.

From the beginning – i.e. From the first time the Prophet knew that the words of the Lord are firm and His commandments are constant. Royal and state laws change, but this does not happen with God’s laws; but just as heaven and earth endure forever, so do the commandments of God. Nothing can be added to them, and nothing can be taken away from them. The Lord also said: heaven and earth pass by, but My words will not pass by ( Matt. 24, 35) (Chrysostom).

153 See my humility and forgive me: for I have not forgotten Your law.

A blessed thing is humility before God. It is acquired by fulfilling God's commandments and enduring temptations. When we humble ourselves in this way, although we are subject to the malice of demons or hostility from evil people, we nevertheless have God as our deliverer, according to the word of the Apostle: Humble yourself before God, and he will exalt you ( Jacob 4, 10) (Eusebius).

154 Judge my judgment and deliver me: for Thy word live me.

When conscience denounces untruth, such a person is already self-condemned before God. But David has a clear conscience - from which boldness before God is born. Ascetics call a clear conscience the door of prayer, but they place their hope in the mercy of God (Theophanes).

155 Salvation is far from the sinner, for I have not sought Your justifications.

It is not salvation that sinners run away from, but they run away from salvation because they do not seek God’s justifications, which contain healing and compulsion to repentance.

So, not all sinners are far from salvation, but only those who do not seek God’s justification; although there is a lot of knowledge, there is no zeal for the divine commandments (Theodoret, Athanasius, Didim, Theophanes).

156 Thy bounties are many, O Lord, live me according to Thy destiny.

Relying on the wealth of generosity and philanthropy of the Lord, David asks for salvation. Live me according to Your destiny: or “save me according to Your destinies.” For no one will be saved except those who completely surrender themselves into the hands of God (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

157 There are many who drive me out and oppress me: we have not turned away from Your testimonies.

There is no time in which the righteous will not be persecuted, because everyone who wants to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted ( 2 Tim. 3, 12). And persecution occurs both externally from unrighteous people, and internally - from hostile forces, through one’s own passions and sins themselves, which bring suffering and sorrow.

But he who keeps the divine commandments of his Master does not value the insults of his persecutors (Nicetas, Didymus).

158 I have seen those who do not understand and have ceased to say that I have not kept Your words.

The righteous must grieve for every wicked person: thus Paul grieved for the Jews, the Lord mourned Jerusalem, the divine Jeremiah shed tears for the wickedness of the people.

For when someone sees the soul of those who sin, as if ulcerated and devoured by beasts, and covered, as it were, with pus and rottenness, then he feels the same trembling state for sinners as for saints. And such one truly melts away, like a candle from fire. This is true love for God (Vasily V., Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

159 See that I have loved Your commandments: Lord, live for me according to Your mercy.

By constantly reminding us of commandments, justifications, laws and revelations, the Prophet shows great love for them. Some keep the commandments with annoyance or under duress, but it is characteristic of the perfect to fulfill them with love (Chrysostom).

160 The beginning of Thy words is truth: and for ever the destiny of Thy righteousness.

This is the first commandment of God: to be true in everything: in deed, in word, and in thought; and therefore - in the exact confession of thoughts, wishes and desires (Cyril, Athanasius, Palamas).

161 The princes have driven me into oblivion: and at Thy words my heart feared.

David feared the commandments of God more than the rulers of this age - the spirits of wickedness ( Eph. 6, 12) and the evil people under their control. Therefore, although Saul and his entourage chased him through the desert, David was not afraid of all this, because his heart feared the words of God (Chrysostom, Theophan).

162 I will rejoice in Your words, for I have gained much gain.

The most faithful observance of the word is that which is done with joy. Therefore, the holy man, not only out of fear, obeyed the Divine words, but with great joy, which happens over acquired wealth. Here is a lesson for us, so that above any joy we put joy and joy in the commandments of God (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

163 I have hated and detested injustice, but I have loved Your law.

I hate lies and abhor them, because they were the cause of many and great sins. Troubles and sorrows appear as consequences of our sins. And whoever wants to love the law must abhor untruth, for only then can the benefits of the law be revealed (Basily V., Eusebius).

164 By day of the seven days we praise Thee about the destinies of Thy righteousness.

These words should not be definitely understood as if we praise God only 7 times, and not at every hour of the day; for this septenary is taken by the Jews to be multiple. After all, Saint David prayed at all times, i.e. incessantly. All this expresses the fiery love of the Prophet, for which he could not get enough of the divine chant.

Nor should we despise the established times of prayer, which are established out of necessity, for each time recalls specially one of the blessings given by God. If the king, a man immersed in countless worries and always entertained, called on God so many times a day, then what excuse or excuse can we have, leading such an idle life, that we do not pray so often?

It is impossible, in no way impossible, for a person who prays with the proper zeal and often calls on God to sin. God is not ashamed of a place: he seeks one thing - a warm heart and a chaste soul (Vasily V., Theodoret, Chrysostom).

165 There is peace for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them.

In order to acquire peace of mind, it is necessary to especially practice reading the New Testament and the Psalter. It is very beneficial to engage in reading the word of God in solitude and to read the entire Bible intelligently.

From this, the whole mind of the reader delves into the truths of the Divine Scripture and receives warmth from God, which in solitude produces tears: from them the person is completely warmed and filled with spiritual gifts, delighting the mind and heart more than any word (Seraphim).

166 I have loved Your salvation, O Lord, and Your commandments.

The hope of salvation gave rise to a love for the commandments. Just begin by fulfilling the commandments as much as you can in the hope (desire) of salvation. Do not feel sorry for yourself, but force yourself without pity and even with some cruelty towards yourself, and then such compulsion will be reborn into your inspiring love for saving commands (Ambrose).

167 My soul preserve Thy testimonies, and I love dearly.

He who keeps the commandments is nourished and delighted by the spiritual current emanating from the commandments themselves. Begin to keep the commandments and you will love them dearly. Just as a lover yearns when he does not see his beloved object for a long time, so does the soul that has loved the commandments yearn if it does not find an opportunity to fulfill them for a long time (Theophanes).

168 I will keep Your commandments and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You, O Lord.

The wise Sirach says that weakness to sin comes from the false confidence of those who sin that no one sees them... they do not understand that the eyes of the Lord are darker than the brightest sun, despising all the ways of men and looking in secret places ( Sire. 23, 25), therefore the holy ascetics taught to establish the memory of God in yourself first: that God is before you and before Him, all your ways are open: deeds, words and thoughts of the heart (Theophanes).

169 Let my prayer come near to You, O Lord: give me understanding according to Your word.

The prophet asks for understanding not human, but consisting in the knowledge of the words of God. A person who is in sins and attached to them cannot utter these words, for the Lord said through the Prophet: your sins separate between Me and you ( Is. 59, 2); This means that it is necessary, first of all, to renounce sins, and then it will be possible to say these words.

But a sinner cannot even use psalms, because it is written: Sing to the Lord, you who reverence Him ( Ps. 29.5), and not non-reverence (Chrysostom).

170 Let my petition come before You, O Lord: deliver me according to Your word.

You see what a strict order there is in divine words. First it is said: let him draw near; and then, what is more important: may my request be accepted; because rather than enter, you need to get closer; what was previously called prayer is here called petition. The Prophet resorts to such different words in order to soften the Lord in order to get rid of sins (Athanasius, Chrysostom).

171 My lips will burst forth with song, when Thou hast taught me Thy righteousness.

The inner (spiritual) person also has its own spiritual food. For words, like bread, have flesh, and when fed with them we can regurgitate a song from the mouth of the inner man. This spiritual regurgitation is not evidence of prayerful work alone, but a consequence of all the labors of a godly life, when the heart begins to approach purity (Nikita, Theophan).

172 My tongue proclaims Your words, for all Your commandments are true.

These are edifying words! They teach us how condemned those who engage in idle talk, who sing demonic songs, flatter and self-indulge people, gossip and make false reports are worthy of condemnation. Meanwhile, nothing else should leave our tongues except the words of God.

He who devotes his tongue to the study of God's words does not utter idle words. Doctors use language to determine the state of physical health, and speech reveals the state of mental health. What hurts someone’s soul is what he speaks about: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks ( Matt. 12, 34) (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theophanes).

173 May Thy hand be to save me, as I have willed Thy commandments.

The saving hand is a divine action. Whoever chooses the commandments of God, God undoubtedly assists him in his salvation (Chrysostom).

174 I have desired Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my teaching.

Our salvation is Jesus Christ. “As my eyes have seen Your Salvation,” said Simeon. It was this Savior that the Prophet desired. He who desires Christ the Savior must learn from His law (Athanasius).

175 My soul will live and praise Thee: and Thy destinies will help me.

David speaks about life in God: our real life is hidden with Christ in God ( Col. 3, 3). In the future life only the soul in its own sense will praise the Lord (Athanasius).

176 I have gone astray, like a lost sheep: seek Thy servant, for I have not forgotten Thy commandments.

This is a decent thing for anyone to say. And the Prophet, having said in what he has succeeded, again speaks of himself that he is the lost sheep, thereby maintaining his humility, and deliberately belittling and humiliating himself, so as not to be arrogant in accordance with the command of the Lord: when you have done everything, say: we are servants without keys ( OK. 17, 10).

Therefore, the conclusion of the entire psalm is crowned with humiliation of oneself (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

17th Kathisma (memorial), read on days of special remembrance of the dead (read daily for 40 days after death)
The meaning of the 17th Kathisma
During the entire forty days after the death of a person, his family and friends must read the Psalter. How many kathismas per day depends on the time and energy of the readers, but reading must certainly be daily. When the entire Psalter has been read, it is read first. Just don’t forget that after each “Glory...” you need to read a prayer request for the remembrance of the deceased (from “Following the departure of the soul from the body”).
Prayer request for the deceased
Remember, O Lord, our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternally departed servant, our brother (name), and as the Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming iniquities, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things prepared for those who love Thee: even if Thou sin, yet do not depart from Thee, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Thy God in the Trinity of the glorified faith, and the One in the Trinity and Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to the same, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as you are Generous, give rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
According to the 17th Kathisma:
Trisagion, according to Our Father...
And troparia, tone 2
Those who have sinned against You, O Savior, like the prodigal son: accept me, Father, who repents, and have mercy on me, O God.
Glory: I call to You, Christ the Savior, with the publican’s voice: cleanse me as she did, and have mercy on me, O God.
And now: Mother of God, do not despise me, demanding Your intercession: for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
Lord, have mercy (40 times).

Options for praying according to the Psalter for the repose
Sometimes for a one-time, but strong, that is, tangible for the deceased, mention, there is a tradition (and for good reason) to read from the entire book one kathisma, which, as was realized through rich church experience, is most suitable for expressing the feelings and moods of the deceased himself.
Such a kathisma, unique and most extraordinary, beautiful not only in its content, but also in artistic expression and language, this is the 17th kathisma. It is one of not only the most beautiful, but also one of the longest in the entire text of the book. The one who reads this chapter gets the opportunity to truly, albeit relatively briefly, remember the dear deceased, to work for him (to bring God not only a word, but also an action, work), and the person praying himself receives great benefit from this for his soul.

The Psalter consists of 20 sections - kathisma, each of which is divided into three “Glories”. Before reading the first kathisma, the pre-initial prayers are said before starting the reading of the Psalter. At the end of the reading of the Psalter, prayers are said after reading several kathismas or the entire Psalter. The reading of each kathisma begins with a prayer:
Prayers before reading the Psalter
Verbs with tenderness: Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Trisagion


Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Lord have mercy. (three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord's Prayer

Tropari
Have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us, bewildered by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: The honor of Thy prophet, O Lord, is a triumph, Heaven shows the Church, the Angels rejoice with men. By your prayers, O Christ God, guide our belly in peace, so that we may sing to You: Alleluia.
And now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen: My many and many sins, Mother of God, have come to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul and pray to Your Son and our God to grant me forgiveness for the evil deeds, O Blessed One.
Lord have mercy, 40 times. And bow down, so powerfully.
The same prayer to the Holy Life-Giving Trinity: All-holy Trinity, God and Creator of the whole world, hasten and direct my heart, begin with reason and finish the good works of these God-inspired books, even the Holy Spirit will vomit the lips of David, which I now want to say, I, unworthy, meaning my own ignorance, falling down, I pray to Thee, and ask You for help: Lord, guide my mind and confirm my heart, not about the words of the lips of this cold, but about the mind of those who say, rejoice, and prepare to do good deeds, even as I learn, and I say: yes Enlightened by good deeds, at the judgment of the right hand of Your land I will be a partaker with all Your chosen ones. And now, Vladyka, bless, and, sighing from my heart, I will sing with my tongue, saying to my face: Come, let us worship our King God. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
Just wait a little, until all your feelings calm down. Then make the beginning not quickly, without laziness, with tenderness and a contrite heart. Rtsy quietly and intelligently, with attention, and not struggling, as the verb is understood with the mind.
Come, let us worship our King God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
When reading the kathisma for each “Glory” the following is said:
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! (three times)

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life, Thy servant [or: Thy handmaid], our brother [or: our sister] [name], who reposed (before the 40th day from the day of death - “newly reposed”), and who is Good and Lover of Mankind , forgive sins and consume untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his [or: her] sins, voluntary and involuntary, deliver him [or: yu] eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him [or: her] communion and eternal pleasure Your good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even to its last sighs of confession.
In the same way, be merciful to him [or: to that] and have faith in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
And now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Then the reading of the psalms of kathisma continues.
At the end of the kathisma it reads:
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Troparia deceased
From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, give rest to the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.
In Thy chamber, O Lord: where all Thy saints rest, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You are God, Who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the bound, May You Himself and the soul of Your servant give rest.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for the salvation of his soul.
Then the prayer prescribed at the end of kathisma is read:
According to the 1st kathisma
Master Almighty, Incomprehensible, the beginning of light and the supreme power, like the Hypostatic Word of the Father and the One-Powered Emitter of Your Spirit: merciful for the sake of mercy and ineffable goodness, not despising human nature, the darkness of sin contained, but the Divine lights of Your sacred teachings, the law and prophets shining to the world, follow and let us, O God, grant us, in a vigilant and sober heart, to pass through the whole night of this present life, awaiting the coming of Thy Son and God. ours, the judge of all, let us not recline and sleep, but be awake and lifted up in the doing of Thy commandments, and let us find ourselves in His joy, where those who celebrate the unceasing voice and the ineffable sweetness of those who behold Your face, the unspeakable kindness. For You are a Good and Lover of Mankind, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 2nd kathisma
Master Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Only Begotten Son, grant unto me an undefiled body, a pure heart, a vigorous mind, an unlost mind, the influx of the Holy Spirit, to the acquisition and contentment of the truth in Thy Christ: with Him is due to Thee glory, honor and worship, with the Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 3rd kathisma
Lord Almighty, Word of the Eternal Father, Self-perfect God Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy unconditional mercy, do not part from Thy servants, but rest ever in them, do not forsake me, Thy servant, O All-Holy King, but give me, unworthy, the joy of Thy salvation and enlighten my mind with the light of the knowledge of Your Gospel, bind my soul to the love of Your Cross, adorn my body with Your dispassion, calm my thoughts and keep my nose from creeping, and do not destroy me with my iniquities, Good Lord, but tempt me, O God, and enlighten my heart mine, test me and guide me in my paths, and see if the path of iniquity is in me, and turn me away from it, and guide me on the eternal path. For You are the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, and we send up glory to You with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 4th kathisma
To You, Lord, the only Good and Unmemorable Evil One, I confess my sins, I fall down crying to You, unworthy: I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned and am not worthy to look up to the heights of heaven from the multitude of my untruths. But, my Lord, Lord, grant me tears of compunction, the only Blessed and Merciful One, for with them I beg You to be cleansed before the end from all sin: for it is a terrible and menacing place for the Imam to pass through, our bodies being separated, and a multitude of dark and inhuman demons will bury me, and no one can help or deliver. Thus I bow down to Your goodness, do not betray those who offend me, below let my enemies boast about me, Good Lord, below let them say: you came into our hands, and you are betrayed to us. Neither, Lord, do not forget Your bounties and do not repay me for my iniquity, and do not turn Your face away from me: but You, Lord, punish me, both with mercy and bounty. Let my enemy not rejoice over me, but extinguish his reproaches against me and abolish all his actions, and give me a reproachful path to You, Good Lord: even though I have sinned, I have not resorted to another doctor, and I have not stretched my hand to a foreign god. , do not reject my prayer, but hear me with Your goodness and strengthen my heart with Your fear, and may Your grace be upon me, Lord, like fire that burns up unclean thoughts in me. For you are, Lord, light, more than any light; joy, more than any joy; peace, more than any peace; true life and salvation that endures forever and ever, Amen.
According to the 5th Kathisma
Righteous and Praiseworthy God, Great and Mighty God, Eternal God, hear the prayer of a sinful man at this hour: hear me, who promised to hear those who call on You in truth, and do not hate me, having unclean lips and containing sins, the hope of all the ends of the earth and those who wander. far away. Take the weapon and the shield and rise up to help me: pour out the sword and make a stand against those who persecute me. Ban the unclean spirit from the face of my madness, and let the spirit of hatred and resentment, the spirit of envy and flattery, the spirit of fear and despondency, the spirit of pride and all other malice be separated from my thoughts; and may all kindling and movement of my flesh, caused by the devil’s action, be extinguished, and may my soul and body and spirit be enlightened by the light of Your Divine knowledge: may I, through the multitude of Your bounty, achieve the union of faith, in a perfect husband, according to the measure of my age, and glorify with the Angels and by all Your saints, Your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 6th Kathisma
We thank Thee, Lord our God, for all Thy good deeds, even from the first age to the present in us, the unworthy, the former, those known and unknown, those manifested and unmanifested, those who were in deed, and in a word: having loved us as He loved the Only Begotten You are willing to give your Son to us. Make us worthy of Your love. Grant with Your word wisdom and with Your fear inhale strength from Your power, and whatever we want or don’t want to sin, forgive, and not impute, and preserve our holy soul, and present it to Your Throne, having a clear conscience, and the end is worthy of Your love for mankind. And remember, O Lord, all who call upon Thy name in truth: remember all who desire good or evil against us: for all are men, and every man is in vain. We also pray to You, Lord: grant us Your great mercy.
According to the 7th Kathisma
Lord, my God, as you are Good and Lover of Mankind, you have done many mercies with me, even more than you expected, and what will I repay to your goodness, my Lord, Lord? I thank Your much-sung name, I thank Your inscrutable kindness towards me, I thank Your unconditional long-suffering. And from now on, intercede, and help me, and cover me, Master, from everyone who has no one to sin before You: for You weigh my favored nature, You weigh my madness, You weigh what I have done, even in knowledge and not in knowledge, even voluntary and involuntary, even in the night and in the days, and in the mind, and thoughts, for God is good and a lover of mankind, cleanse me with the dew of Thy mercy, Most Good Lord, and save us for the sake of Thy holy name, in the image of destinies. For You are Light and Truth and Life, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 8th Kathisma
Lord, Generous and Merciful, Long-suffering and Many-merciful, inspire prayer and listen to the voice of my prayer: create a sign for good with me, guide me on Your path, to walk in Your truth, make my heart glad, in fear of Your Holy Name, who art Thou before great. , and work miracles. You are the One God, and there is no one like You in God, O Lord, Mighty in mercy, and Good in strength, to help and comfort, and to save all who trust in Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever forever and ever, amen.
According to the 9th Kathisma
Master Lord, our God, who is the only ailment of my soul that is accursed and knows how to sow healing, heal you as if you were weighed, for the sake of the multitude of your mercy and your generosity, since there is no plaster to apply to it from my deeds, lower than oil, lower than duty, but you who have come call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance, have mercy, be generous, forgive me, tear up the handwriting of many of my and cold deeds and guide me on Thy right path, so that, walking in Thy truth, I will be able to avoid the arrows of the evil one and I will appear uncondemned before Thy terrible throne , glorifying and singing Your Most Holy Name forever, amen.
According to the 10th Kathisma
Lord our God, Rich in mercy and Incomprehensible in generosity, One by nature Sinless, and for our sakes except for sin, having been a Man, hear this painful prayer of mine at this hour, for I am poor and wretched because of good deeds, and my heart is troubled within me. For you weigh, the Highest King, Lord of heaven and earth, for all my youth I lived in sins and followed the lusts of my flesh, all the laughter was a demon, all the devil followed, I will take out in the time of pleasures wallow, darkened by thoughts from infancy, even Until now, I never wanted to do Your holy will, but I was captivated by the passions that plagued me, I was filled with laughter and reproach by the demon, not even thinking in my mind like the unbearable anger of a hedgehog at the sinners of Your rebuke, and the lying fiery Gehenna. As if from here I fell into despair, and as though I had no feeling of conversion, I was empty and naked from Your friendship. What kind of sin have you not committed? What deed has the demon not done? What cold and prodigal deed have you not accomplished with advantage and diligence? The mind has been desecrated by the memories of the flesh, the body has been desecrated by the confusion, the spirit has been desecrated by the combination of defilements, I have loved all the pleasures of my damned flesh to serve and work with sin. And who else will not weep for me, the accursed one? Who will not weep for me, condemned? I am the only one, O Lord, who has provoked Your wrath, I am the only one who has kindled Your anger against me, I am the only one who has created evil before You, having surpassed and conquered all sinners from the ages, who have sinned incomparably and unforgivenly. But since you are the Most Merciful, the Compassionate One, the Lover of Mankind, and waiting for human conversion, I bring myself before Thy terrible and unbearable judgment, and as if I touched Your most pure feet, I cry to Thee from the depths of my soul: cleanse, Lord, forgive, Benefactor, have mercy on my infirmity , bow to my bewilderment, listen to my prayer and do not silence my tears, accept me who repents, and convert the erring one, who turns around and prays, forgive me. You have not ordained repentance for the righteous, you have not ordained forgiveness for those who do not sin, but you have ordained repentance for me, a sinner, for the same things I did in Your indignation, naked and naked before You, O Lord of the Heart, confess my sins: for I cannot look up and see the height Heavenly, from the severity of my sins we dance. Enlighten the eyes of my heart and give me tenderness for repentance, and contrition of heart for correction, so that with good hope and true assurance I will go to the world there, praising and blessing I will take out Your all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever, amen.
According to the 11th Kathisma
Shine in our hearts, O Lord who loves mankind, of Your imperishable knowledge of God, and open our mental eyes, in the understanding of Your gospel sermons, put fear in us and in Your blessed commandments, so that all carnal lusts may be overcome, we will pass through spiritual life, all that is for Your good pleasure. both wise and active. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and we send up glory to You, with Your Originless Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 12th Kathisma
Lord my God, One Good and Humane, One Merciful and Meek, One True and Righteous, One Generous and Merciful our God: may Thy power come upon me, Thy sinful and indecent servant, and may He strengthen my temple with the Gospel of Thy Divine teaching, Master and O Lover of Mankind, O Lover of Bliss, O Lover of Compassion, enlighten my wombs and all souls with Thy will. Cleanse me from all malice and sin: keep me undefiled and blameless from every inspiration and action of the devil, and grant me, according to Your goodness, Your understanding, Your wisdom, and in Your desires to live, To fear Your fear, to do what is pleasing to You until my last sighs, because by Your inscrutable mercy You have preserved my body and soul, and my mind and thoughts, and have not been tempted by any opposing network of the temple. My Lord, Lord, cover me with Your compassion, and do not forsake me, a sinner, and an unclean, and an unworthy servant of Yours: for You are my Protector, Lord, and I sing about You, and we send up glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy One. To the Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 13th Kathisma
Holy Lord, Who liveth in the highest, and with Thy all-seeing eye look down upon all creation. We bow our necks to You, soul and body, and we pray to You, Holy of Holies: stretch out Your invisible hand from Your holy dwelling, and bless us all: and if we have sinned against You, willingly or unwillingly, for God is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive us, and grant us peace and blessings. Yours. For it is Thine to have mercy and to save, our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 14th Kathisma
We thank Thee, O Lord God of our salvation, for Thou hast done everything for the good deeds of our life, for Thou hast given us rest in the past night time, and raised us up from our beds, and placed us in the worship of Thy honorable and glorious name. We also pray to You, Lord: give us grace and strength, so that we may be worthy of You to sing wisely and pray unceasingly: and I will look to You, the Savior and Benefactor of our souls, with fear and trembling, our salvation working. Hear now and have mercy, O Compassionate One, on us: crush under our feet the invisible warriors and enemies: accept according to the strength of our thanksgiving: give us grace and strength to open our mouths, and teach us by Your justification. As if we would not pray as we should, except You, Lord, guide us with Your Holy Spirit. If you have sinned even before the present hour, in word, or deed, or thought, willfully or involuntarily, relax, forgive, forgive. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For You have purification, You have deliverance. You are the only Holy One, the Mighty Helper, and the Protector of our life, and we bless You forever, amen.
According to the 15th Kathisma
Master Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Helper, I am in Your hands, help me, do not leave me to sin against You, for I am lost, do not leave me to follow the will of my flesh, do not despise me, Lord, for I am weak. You weigh what is useful to me, do not leave me to perish in my sins, do not forsake me, Lord, do not depart from me, as I have come running to You, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Heal my soul, as those who have sinned by You, save me for the sake of Your mercy, as before You we are all who suffer, and I have no other refuge but You, Lord. Let all those who rise up against me and seek my soul be ashamed to consume it, for You are the only Mighty One, O Lord, in all, and Yours is the glory forever and ever, Amen.
According to the 16th Kathisma
Holy Lord, Living in the Highest, and with Your all-seeing eye look upon all creation, We bow to You, soul and body, and we pray to You, Holy of Holies: stretch out Your invisible hand from Your holy dwelling, and bless us all, and forgive us every sin, voluntary and involuntary, in word or deed. Grant us, Lord, tenderness, grant spiritual tears from the soul, for the cleansing of many of our sins, grant Your great mercy to Your world and to us, Your unworthy servants. For blessed and glorified is Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 17th Kathisma
Master, Lord Almighty and Creator of all, the Father of generosity and mercy, God, who created man from the earth, and showed him in Your image and likeness, so that Your magnificent name may be glorified on earth, and that which was uprooted by the transgression of Your commandments, again creating something better him in Thy Christ, and raised up to Heaven: I thank Thee, for Thou hast increased Thy greatness upon me, and Thou hast not betrayed me to the end as my enemy, to cast me out into the abyss of hell by those who seek me, and left me below to perish through my iniquities. Now, O most merciful and most merciful Lord, do not want the death of a sinner, but wait for conversion, and accept: He who has corrected the downtrodden, who has healed the contrite, turn me to repentance, and correct the overthrown, and heal the contrite: remember Thy mercies, and even Thy since the ages incomprehensible goodness and my immeasurable forget the iniquities that I have committed in deed, word, and thought: resolve the blindness of my heart, and give me tears of tenderness to cleanse the filth of my thoughts. Hear, O Lord, listen, O Lover of mankind, cleanse, O Compassionate One, and free my accursed soul from the torment of the reigning passions within me. And let no one keep me from sin, let the demon fighter be able to attack me, let him lead me to his desire, but by Thy mighty hand, having snatched me away from His dominion, Thou reign in me, O Good and Humane-loving Lord, and of all Thy being, and May I live otherwise according to Your good will. And grant me with the indescribable goodness of my heart, purification of the heart, guarding of the mouth, rightness of actions, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, silence of my spiritual strength, spiritual joy, true love, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, self-control, and fill me with all good fruits, by the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And do not bring me to the end of my days, delight my uncorrected and unprepared soul below, but complete me with Your perfection, and thus bring me to the present life, as if I had passed through the beginnings and powers of darkness without restraint, by Your grace I will see and I, unapproachable to Your glory, unspeakable kindness, with all Your saints, in them be sanctified, and glorified is Your all-honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 18th Kathisma
Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. Владыко Господи Иисусе Христе, Сыне Бога Живаго, помилуй мя, грешнаго, нищаго, обнаженнаго, лениваго, нерадиваго, прекословнаго, окаяннаго, блудника, прелюбодея, малакия, мужеложника, сквернаго, блуднаго, неблагодарнаго, немилостиваго, жестокаго, пияницу, сожженнаго совестию, безличнаго , daring, unrequited, unworthy of Your love for mankind, and worthy of all torment, and Gehenna, and torment. And not for the sake of my many sins, do you inflict torment on the Redeemer; but have mercy on me, for I am weak, both in soul, and in flesh, and in mind, and in thought, and through your destinies save me, Thy unworthy servant, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos, and of all the saints who have pleased You from the ages: for blessed art Thou in forever and ever, amen.
According to the 19th Kathisma
Master Christ God, Who healed my passions with Your Passion and healed my ulcers with Your ulcers, grant to me, who have sinned much against You, tears of tenderness, dissolve my body from the smell of Your life-giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honest Blood from sorrow, with which I was given a drink by the enemy. . Raise my mind to You, which has been drawn down below, and lift me from the abyss of destruction, as I am not the imam of repentance, not the imam of tenderness, not the imam of comforting tears, leading children to their inheritance. My mind has been darkened by worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even love for You, but, Master Lord Jesus Christ, Treasure of the Good, grant me complete repentance, and a heart laboring to seek Yours, grant me grace Yours, and renew in me the eyes of Your image. Forsaken Thee, do not forsake me, go out to seek me, lead me to Thy pasture, and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock, educate me with them from the grain of Thy Divine mysteries, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, amen.
According to the 20th Kathisma
Lord Jesus Christ my God, have mercy on me, a sinner, and forgive me, Thy unworthy servant, for those who have sinned throughout my whole life, and even to this day, and even if I have sinned like a man, my voluntary and involuntary sins, in deed and word, I think with my mind and thoughts, with admiration and inattention, and much of my laziness and negligence. If I have sworn by Your name, or have sworn falsely, or have blasphemed my thoughts, or have reproached anyone, or slandered, or been saddened, or in wicked anger, or stolen, or committed fornication, or lied, or secretly poisoned, or a friend approached me and despised him, or my brother who was insulted and bitter, or who stood by me in prayer and psalmody, my wicked mind went around the crafty one, or I enjoyed myself more than foolishly, or I laughed madly, or I spoke blasphemously, or I was vain, or proud, or I saw vain kindness and was deceived by it. , or ridiculous mocked me. If I was negligent in my prayers, or did not keep the commandments of my spiritual father, or idle talk, or did other evil things, I remember all these deeds, which I remember below. Have mercy, O Lord, and forgive me everything, so that I may sleep and rest in peace, singing, blessing, and glorifying Thee, with Thy Beginning Father and with Thy Most Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Psalter. Kathisma 17 - you can watch a video with subtitles, reading in Church Slavonic, text in different fonts and read the interpretation.

Psalter. Kathisma 17. Patristic interpretation.

Psalter. Kathisma 17. Psalm 118

The divine David experienced many changes in his life: he put his enemies to flight and escaped from his enemies, sometimes he was exposed to sorrows and misfortunes, and sometimes he had joys in life, and sometimes he walked the path pleasing to God, and sometimes he stumbled on it.

And he collected all these life upheavals in this psalm, mentioning in it the unwritten prayers that he offered daily to God. This psalm is most perfect, because it leads the virtuous to perfection, awakens those living in absentmindedness to diligence, inspires those who are discouraged, corrects the careless and, in a word, gives all kinds of healing against various human infirmities.

In the highest sense, the Prophet depicts here the life of the saints: exploits, sorrows, struggles, uprisings of demons that induce countless sinful thoughts... and what the saints use to win victories: the law, the words of God, patience, help from above, and, moreover, rewards, crowns, and rewards for your efforts.

The sayings of the psalm are simple in form, but not simple in content. Blessed Augustine testifies that for a long time he could not begin to interpret this psalm, being amazed by its depth. He said that other psalms contain moral lessons; but those are like stars scattered across the sky; and this one is like the sun, shedding abundant light at noon.

The Holy Church, wanting us to more deeply assimilate the meaning of this psalm, ordered its reading at the daily midnight office, when thought, refreshed by sleep, is able to perceive more vividly and penetrate deeper.

The psalm differs from others in the number of verses, and in the fact that each of the 176 verses says something about the law of God, calling it only by different names: commandments, justifications, testimonies, words, fates, ways, advice, paths and others.

And in so many poems (which is surprising!) - everything is about the same subject, there are no weak sayings and no completely identical repetitions. There are verses similar to one another, but each of them indicates a special feature of the law, or some shade of the same feature.

The psalm is composed according to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, each of which contains 8 verses, and each of these verses of the “octagon” begins with the same letter: 22 (letters) x 8 (verses) = 176 verses. Poems are not parables, but prayerful appeals to God: each verse is a prayer, and all about one thing - about fulfilling the will of the Lord, about how to live.

Blessed Augustine, once thinking about such a wonderful construction of the psalm, suddenly saw a beautiful tree with 22 branches, each of which had 8 small branches and sweet drops flowed from all these branches.

The saint was surprised at such a wonderful vision of a beautiful tree and realized that it was a wondrous image of this sweet psalm (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Cyril, Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, Theodoret, Theophanes).

1 Blessed are the blameless ones who walk in the law of the Lord.

A person who is blameless has a heart free from reproaches for sins. The path is what real life is called. This path is difficult and dangerous. Saint Macarius depicts this path as running among thorns and swamps, where poisonous reptiles and snakes hide, and stakes and swords are stuck in places. How much attention, tension, labor, struggle is required here...

Everyone desires and seeks bliss, but not everyone understands what it is and how to achieve it. It is achieved by walking immaculately in the law of the Lord (Athanasius, Theodoret, Macarius V., Augustine, Theophan).

2 Blessed are those who experience His witness; they will seek Him with all their hearts.

What a wonderful order! No one can comprehend the correct test of the divine Scripture unless he first walks immaculately in the path of Christ through active behavior. For with a pure soul one must experience His testimonies.

He who does not divide his thoughts between God and the worries of everyday life, but devotes himself entirely to God, seeks God with all his heart. The Prophet here calls for unceasing prayer day and night (Chrysostom, Cassian, Theodoret).

3 For those who do not do iniquity walk in His ways.

Translated from Hebrew: such people no longer commit iniquity, but walk in His ways.

4 Thou hast commanded that Thy commandments should be kept strictly.

With this verse begins a divinely thought and prayerful appeal to God. The Prophet urges not only to keep the commandments of God, but to keep them earnestly, that is, with all zeal (Chrysostom, Theophan).

5 That my ways may be corrected, Thy justifications may be preserved.

The power of the verse is in the appeal: so that - oh if only! This is the same as: Lord, help, strengthen, send down Your grace. David urges us not to rely on ourselves, but to seek God’s grace and help. For as long as anyone lives in negligence, he feels strong...

When, having become exhausted, he does not achieve success in the spiritual, then with humility he resorts to God’s help through much prayer (Chrysostom, Theophan, Athanasius).

6 Then I will not be ashamed, even if I regard all Your commandments.

David says that one must fix one’s gaze (gaze) on the commandments, focus exclusively on the commandments, and this means the complete destruction of sin both in deed and in thought.

He who fulfills the commandments of God draws courage and boldness from his conscience; the Lord fulfills that petition, and he will not be ashamed on the day of the Lord’s judgment trial before his conscience, God, angels, saints... (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophanes).

7 Let us confess to You the uprightness of our hearts, ever to teach us the destinies of Your righteousness.

The beginning of salvation is the confession of previous sins in the rightness of the heart, i.e. with all my heart and with all my soul. And fulfilling the commandments of God enlightens the mind and a person acquires spiritual reasoning (Athanasius, Theodoret, Anthimus, Theophanes).

8 I will keep Your excuses: do not leave me until the end.

God sometimes leaves at special discretion for the benefit, so that the ascetic reaches the highest perfection. So, for example, Job, the prophet Elijah and other righteous people were abandoned. And one who is left until the end is already a lost person, for example: Saul, Absalom, Judas. There are abandonments when the Lord reduces His grace for human conceit: this is why disorder begins within and disorder outside...

It is necessary to confess your powerlessness, endure and humbly pray to the Lord (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

9 In this way the youngest will correct his path; always keep Your words.

The Prophet David asks: how can a young man preserve the years of his youth in order? And he answers: by always remembering the words of God. For the thought of the divine law purifies and protects.

How can we acquire this soul-saving grace, this true mind of God? – The Holy Spirit answers: by preserving the commandments of God (Athanasius, Plato, Maxim the Greek).

10 With all my heart I seek You: do not turn me away from Your commandments.

In ancient times, the heart was the name given to the entire inner life. Do not reject, i.e. take not away Thy grace, O Lord, without whose assistance it is impossible to fulfill Thy commandments (Theophanes).

11 I have hidden Your words in my heart, lest I sin against You.

It is dangerous to speak not only what is false, but also what is true (divine), when someone announces what should not be proclaimed at all. Pearls must not be cast before swine, nor holy things given to dogs ( Matt. 7, 6). When the Lord grants you to read and learn a word from the Scriptures, take care that it does not pass by (in vain); but learn from it with your mind, imprint it on your heart and keep it indelibly in your memory (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret, Ephraim).

12 Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy righteousness.

With gratitude he blesses God for being worthy of the intimate knowledge of the Divine mysteries and asks to grant him an even more faithful and higher understanding of His commandments (Athanasius).

13 With my mouth I have declared all the destinies of Your mouth.

Offers a lesson on what kind of speeches should be made in mutual interviews with each other. Being a king and busy in everything governing the people, constantly surrounded by high society, he is not ashamed to proclaim the destinies of the mouth of God. The acts of Christ the Savior and the holy apostles, the fate of the Church and the fate of God's Providence, the lives of holy and glorious men - these are the subjects of Christian conversations.

Our speeches always leave a mark on the speaker and the listener. These are the seeds of thoughts. And idle talk devastates the soul, insults the Holy Spirit living in us (Theophanes).

14 In the way of Thy testimonies we have enjoyed ourselves, as in all riches.

Shows that there is wealth according to God. For nothing could captivate him in this life: neither gold, nor dignity, nor power; instead of all this, meetings became a desired pleasure and treasure (Athanasius).

15 I will mock Your commandments, and understand Your ways.

From this we learn that the ways of God can only be understood by diligent teaching in the words of God, for the word “I will mock” indicates a diligent study of them (Theodoret, Theophanes).

16 I will learn from Your justifications; I will not forget Your words.

Even for Anthony’s first students, it was a rule to memorize individual psalms and reread them by heart on the road or in their cells. Similar things are contained in the fathers’ books about the unceasing Jesus Prayer. And in the time of Basil the Great, children memorized psalms and parables.

So now it is difficult for someone living in the world to achieve peace of thoughts from the great multitude of surrounding evil, which, remaining in the memory, constantly crowds into his attention and brings painful sorrow.

Therefore, the fathers offer prophetic instruction: to memorize certain passages of Scripture. Then the soul is, as it were, saturated with the memorized words of God, discards shameful thoughts and is filled with remembrance of divine things (Theophanes).

17 Reward Your servant, live me, and I will keep Your words.

Such prayer is possible only for the righteous, because those who have an unclean conscience will not provoke the Judge to retribution; but whoever is aware of the purity of his thoughts can rightfully ask for the enlightenment of his mind in order to know the wonderful works of God.

And so that the words do not seem proud, they have some basis; for He did not say: Reward me, but reward Your servant, i.e. to the one who is Your servant, Master, and serves You (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).

18 Open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law.

When you sit down to read or listen to someone reading, first pray to God, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! Open the ears and eyes of my heart, so that I may hear Your words and do Your will. I hope, my God, that You will enlighten my heart.” “Always pray to God that He will enlighten your mind and reveal to you the power of His words.”

Many, relying on their own understanding, fell into error and claimed to be wise. bullshit ( Rome. 1, 22). Since the time of Adam's crime, some kind of veil of death has fallen over the human soul and prevents it from seeing the truth of things. It is removed by the illumination of the Holy Spirit from the souls of the faithful and truly worthy. For this reason there was the coming of Christ (Ephraim, Macarius V.).

19 I am a stranger on earth, do not hide Your commandments from me.

We are not residents on earth, but strangers (wanderers), for having spent life for a short time, we move on to another life... But others are proud of earthly blessings, as permanent and lasting, forgetting the transience of life; but a wise husband does not become attached to real blessings, but prays to God not to leave him in ignorance of God’s commandments (Theodoret).

20 My soul love to desire Your destiny at all times.

Many desire the judgments of God and strive for the Kingdom of Heaven, but not constantly: their love for the divine alternates with serving carnal passions. David is constantly yearning for this love: for all time (Chrysostom).

21 Thou hast rebuked the proud: curse them that turn aside from Thy commandments.

Let us be afraid, brethren, lest a curse from the Holy Spirit come upon us; Let us take care that, calling others damned, we ourselves do not suffer this through our own deviation from the commandments through the enemies of God. We are dishonest, even though no one has dishonored us, and we are cursed, because we shy away from accepting dishonor for our sins.

The damned soul is the one who, knowing his unclean deeds, does not gratefully tolerate dishonor, but deceiving his conscience, easily accepts evil thoughts from demons.

You, however, follow the path of patience, complacently endure continuous losses in property, give thanks for dishonor, confessing that you justly suffer for your sins (Chrysostom, Abba Zosima).

22 Take away from me diarrhea and humiliation, for I have sought Your testimonies.

Our sins are worth reproach; why also sinners on the day of Resurrection will rise to reproach and eternal shame, as Daniel says. Therefore, whoever, after committing sins, brings worthy repentance can say to God: do not recognize me as worthy of reproach and humiliation (Didim, Hesychius).

23 For the princes are gray and slander me: but Thy servant mocketh Thy justifications.

Let the evil be angry, and you do your thing: fear God and keep His commandments ( Ecc. 12, 13). But on the other hand, the same justifications testify that there is no person without sin. For if not now, then something has been done before that requires due retribution; this is what came in the guise of falsehood.

The mercy of God arranged it this way in order to subject you to purifying suffering here and to save you from punishment in eternity. And courage for those who endure sorrow and adversity comes as they are mocked, i.e. deepening into the justifications of God, in which they find consolation for themselves (Theophanes).

24 For Thy testimonies are my teaching, and Thy counsels my justifications.

While the heart is weak and cannot bear the bitterness that occurs during external and internal battles, it is enough to occupy the mind with the study of the Scriptures in order to firmly bind one’s (wrathful) thoughts with the thought of the wonderful guidance of God and prevent them (Isaac).

25 My soul cleaves to the earth: live me according to Your word.

This is the voice of a repentant, feeling the attack of carnal earthly desires. Under the earth we mean everything material and carnal and love for it. Clinging to the earthly is the death of the spirit. Live me is a prayer for the influx of grace-filled forces against earthly attractions and habits (Ambrose, Augustine).

26 Thou hast declared my ways, and Thou hast heard me: teach me by Thy justification.

I have proclaimed my ways - (I) confessed my sins, and you heard me - (You) forgive them to me; Teach me by Your justification - show me, Lord, what should I do so as not to make a mistake? (Chrysostom, Hilary).

27 Let me understand the way of Your justifications, and I will mock at Your wonders.

We need divine understanding in order to succeed in virtue: to practice mercy towards people without vanity, not to seek human praise, to live in chastity. We must pray to the Lord that He will instruct us to walk this path truly and heartily; for strength does not lie in the external course of affairs, but in the internal dispositions of the heart (Theodoret, Theophanes).

28 My soul slumbers from despondency: strengthen me in Your words.

The constant attack of sin weakens the power of thoughts and leads the ascetic to indifference; a relaxed soul falls into despondency, into this destructive sleep of the soul; when the desire for everything is lost due to boredom and languor. Such a person, due to the relaxation of spiritual energy, either loiters or moves from place to place.

Just as one who is dozing is drawn to sleep, so one who is spiritually weakened is drawn to sin. And truly, it is not the body, but the soul that sleeps at this time. What to do? - confirm me in Your words - and this teaches that it is impossible to drive out the spirit of despondency except by teaching in divine words.

We must be sober and watchful according to the word of Christ: watch and pray ( Matt. 26, 41). First of all, pray and force yourself to do the same.

Delve into the meaning and depth of the Divine and God-inspired Scriptures, since the word of God disperses despondency (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Ambrose, Cassian, Theophanes, Hesychius, Athanasius, Theodore).

29 Leave the path of unrighteousness from me, and have mercy on me with Your law.

The path of unrighteousness is the path of sin. I am a damned (poor) man: who will deliver me from the body of this death? ( Rome. 7, 24) – The grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Hilary).

30 I have chosen the path of truth, and I have not forgotten Your destiny.

The path of truth is chosen (loved) by the one who does not utter lies with his lips, but speaks and does everything openly. And equally, the one who, in every action, remembers and places before his eyes the judgments and commandments of God - he can say: and I have not forgotten Your destinies (Eusebius).

31 I cleave to Thy testimony, O Lord, do not put me to shame.

The heart cannot be without affection: this is its nature. By detaching itself from one, it clings to the other. God can remove from us everything that serves to our shame and disgrace, if we can conscientiously say: cling to Thy testimonies, and with these words we express our excessive disposition towards the words of God.

Incline your ear more often to spiritual words, and your mind will move away from unclean thoughts (Theodoret, Hilary, Theophanes, Thalassius).

32 The path of Your commandments flowed when You enlarged my heart.

(I rushed on the path) of Your commandments, when You enlarged my heart. From here it follows that both are needed: because the grace of God is not given to those who do not have zeal for good, and a person cannot perform virtues without help from above. Our heart expands through temptations and sorrows, which lead to trust in God, and the worries of everyday life oppress Him (Theodoret, Mark the Ascetic).

33 Lay down for me, O Lord, the way of Your justifications, and I will seek and take away.

Lay down the law, i.e. teach, definitely show me what I should do. Know that Christ lays down the path of procession for the saints. We see a prototype of this in the transition of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. He preceded them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire.

The pillar was the legislator of the path; God spoke to them from the pillar. This pillar was a type of Christ. Let us also surrender our path to the guidance of the Savior, so that His commandments will be the law of our path (Ambrose, Theophan).

34 Give me understanding, and I will try Your law, and I will keep it with all my heart.

And the Lord commanded us to test the Scriptures; but those who try need illumination from above, both in order to find what they are looking for and in order to preserve what they have found. Testing (studying) the words of God teaches the knowledge of God (Theodoret, Thalassius).

35 Guide me in the path of Your commandments, as I have desired.

The path is the thorny path that many righteous people walked before us. For we must imitate Christ and take up the cross and follow Him (Athanasius).

36 Incline my heart to Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Look around and you will see: everyone’s main concern is about having; and the more someone has, the more he wants to have. This disease is called greed or covetousness.

Having mastered a person, this passion occupies all the forces of his soul so that there is no time to even think about God and His holy will. The prophet asks God to turn his heart away from such trouble, knowing that everything that interests the flesh is harmful to the soul (Ambrose, Augustine, Theophan).

37 Turn away my eyes from seeing vanity: live me in Your way.

Our terrible traitor is a distracted eye, and we suffer considerable abuse from him. Human eyes are windows into the heart: whatever the eyes see enters the heart. The prophet asks God not to allow sin to enter his heart through these windows, because the liberation of the eyes kills the soul.

And vanity is everything that is done not out of need and benefit, but to delight one’s feelings. The world is chock full of such things and events. This is a hustle without any use or benefit. The prophet asks to turn your eyes away from such vanity, because it, despite all its emptiness, is attractive (Efrem, Pimen, Theophanes).

38 Make Thy servant Thy word to fear.

Instill in me Thy fear, which does not allow me to serve the lusts of the flesh, carnal wisdom, enmity against God ( Rome. 8, 7). He asks for that fear due to which he is afraid to offend his Beloved (Chrysostom, Augustine).

39 With them is my reproach, even the nepschev: for Thy fate is good.

When they revile you for the sake of Christ, this reproach does not apply to you, but to Christ; and when they reproach you for your sins, then you can pronounce these prophetic words: take away my reproach (which was the result of sin), the nepshchevah (whom I fear): for your judgments are just: reproaches follow sins.

Remission of sins is given immediately as you repent, but cleansing the soul from sins requires a lot of work (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Hilary, Theophan).

40 Behold, I have desired Your commandments: live me in Your righteousness.

The prophet focused on devotion to the will of God. And this hope comes at the end, when all one’s means and efforts are exhausted. By Your righteousness, O Lord, revive me: help (me) to fulfill what You command: grant Yourself what You command.

For You have determined that without Me you can do nothing ( In. 15.5) (Augustine, Feofan).

41 And let Thy mercy, O Lord, come upon me, Thy salvation according to Thy word.
42 And I answer those who reproach my word, because I have trusted in Your words.

The goal of God's mercy is our salvation; therefore it is proper to pray first for the mercy on which our salvation depends. He who has acquired mercy also has boldness against those who revile and rebel against him (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Athanasius, Theodore, Hilary).

43 And do not take away from my lips the words that are truly true, because I trusted in Your destiny.
44 And I will keep Your law forever and ever.

The one who prays needs nothing more than this. And if anyone falls into any sin, the word of truth is taken away from him not only from his lips, but also from his heart. For truth is precious, as Christ Himself said: I am the truth and the life ( In. 14, 6) (Epiphanius, Chrysostom, Anthimus).

45 And I walked in breadth, because I sought Your commandments.
46 And speak of Thy testimonies before the kings, and do not be ashamed.

This is a fearless testimony to the truth of God. Even if before the kings, then there is nothing to say about others. Living according to the commandments of the Lord produces boldness: an example of which is David himself.

Before the Fall he conversed very freely with Saul; after the fall - even running away from his son, who rebelled against him, he walked, bowing to the ground and with his head covered (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

47 And I learned in Your commandments, which I loved dearly.
48 And I lifted up my hands to Thy commandments, which I loved, and mocked at Thy justifications.

David also combined doing the commandments with teaching, showing his ardent love for them by constantly mocking, i.e. delved into them (Chrysostom).

49 Remember Your words to Your servant, whose hope You have given me.
50 So comfort me in my humility, for Your word lives on me.

When God gave the law, He promised His mercy to those who kept it, and threatened punishment to the criminals (see. Ref. 20, 6). So, he asks that God remember His promises, on which He commanded us to place our trust. For it was hope that consoled me in all my troubles.

To the extent that the word of God increases in the human soul, comprehended and accepted by it, to the same extent the ability to live virtuously increases (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).

51 Pride has transgressed the law to the fullest, but I have not deviated from Your law.
52 I have remembered Your destiny from eternity, O Lord, and have been comforted.

The Gordians not only broke the law, but also incited others to do so, imitating those living under the law and laughing at them. David shows how he defeated the power of evil in the proud: we did not deviate from the law, we remembered fate and were consoled (Theophanes, Nameless).

53 I have received sorrow from sinners who forsake Your law.

We must grieve over our brethren who sin, because they are like that, and nurture in ourselves the same dispositions that this divine hymnist had: for for a sinner, worshiping God is a ridiculous custom; and for the God-fearing, lawlessness is terrible because he foresees a terrible punishment.

The righteous person grieves not only for his own sins, but also for those that are committed before his eyes. When a righteous person’s own life needs correction, he cries and grieves in order to completely atone for his sin; but when he sees the sins of others, then, leaving his own sin, he begins to mourn the sins of others (Athanasius, Nameless, Chrysostom).

54 Peta bahhu Thy justification for me, in the place of my coming.

What is held in the heart is what is usually sung about; and what is sung is better imprinted on the feelings. The place of arrival is real life. All the saints considered this life to be a journey, having a fatherland in heaven, and therefore they sang in this life the justifications of God (Ambrose, Chrysostom).

55 I have remembered Your name in the night, O Lord, and kept Your law.

David wet his bed with tears every night: he got up in the night and confessed to the Lord, - and you think all night long to give yourself up to a sound sleep! Then you should most of all pray and fear sin and ask for His help. For the darkness of the night is the kindler of sin. The witness is your own conscience!

When the body becomes heated by sleep and food, then the alertness of the mind weakens and evil spirits disturb the soul with all sorts of unclean thoughts. At this time, the memory of God is especially necessary: ​​it encourages and enlivens the mind and drives away nasty thoughts. The face of the saints is always awake at night, praying and chanting God (Ambrose, Chrysostom, Theodoret).

56 This was done to me, as I sought the justification of Your demands.

The memory of God strengthened in the Prophet from night vigils and helped him fulfill divine justifications (Chrysostom).

57 Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have decided to keep Thy law.

In the Old Testament, the Lord was the part and lot of the priests and Levites. For the sons of Levi he says that there is no portion among their brethren; for part of them I am the Lord (cf. Number 18, 20).

David here says: despising everything else, both abundance and wealth, I only have a part of You and try to keep Your commandments. These words can be spoken by those who, like the Levites, have no desire for worldly things (Theodoret).

58 I prayed to Your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to Your word.

These words teach us that when we pray to God, we must stand before Him as if we were directly before His face: placing all our hopes for mercy on Him. For the One whom we ask Himself knows in what way to show us mercy.

So a prudent patient will say to the doctor: heal me as you know, as art requires. For He often brings about salvation through admonition, and punishment is the work of His love for mankind; as doctors say: the opposite is cured by the opposite (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

59 I have thought about Thy ways, and brought back my nose to Thy witness.

The Prophet remembers how he acted and gives a lesson on how we should act. He thought about his every step and considered it in such a way that he was always in accordance with the testimonies of God (Hilary).

60 We have prepared ourselves and are not dismayed to keep Your commandments.

A reasonable person always expects to encounter sorrow, if not today, then tomorrow, and is not embarrassed. He curbs his anger with silence and even reproaches himself. There are many obstacles to those who wish to please God: for the Creator tests souls with both peace and sorrow. But this helps the faithful and courageous to salvation (Barsanuphius V., Macarius V., Abba Zosimas).

61 The sinner has already obligated himself to me, and has not forgotten Your law.

Snake - there is a chain of evil thoughts with which demons try to cast off the face of God (Athanasius).

62 At midnight I rose to confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness.

It is not enough to pray during the day - you have to get up at midnight. The Lord Himself spent nights in prayer in order to motivate you to prayer by His example. Previously the Prophet said: I remembered Your name in the night (see v. 55), but now he says: I rose at midnight, to teach you not only at night, but also at midnight to get up to pray.

You can remember God at night and not get up; You can get up and not stand for prayer, but the Prophet got up for prayer, because at this time we must primarily pray to God and mourn our sins, since at that time many temptations come to us... and the mind, overcome by sleep, loses its wakefulness.

We also need to get up at this time because the Bridegroom comes at night. The Holy Fathers attribute to this feat very great significance in spiritual progress. The king, bound by many worries during the day, talked alone with God at night, and, offering sincere and fervent prayers, received what he wanted.

So, we, private people, will imitate him - the king, leading an easy and calm life - the one who, clothed with purple and a crown, surpassed the monks in (strict) life (Ambrose, Isaac, Chrysostom).

63 I am a partaker of all those who fear You and keep Your commandments.

So the Holy Spirit says this about Himself (Pimen).

64 Fill the earth with Thy mercy, O Lord: teach me Thy righteousness.

When you see many sinners, the wicked, those who speak lies on high, and think about God’s long-suffering towards such iniquities, that even after such serious crimes God commands His sun to shine on the evil and the good and to rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, then you will certainly say these words (Eusebius, Theodoret).

65 Thou hast done kindness to Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word.

Do not be insensitive to the good deeds of God, because you would not have been freed from sin and would not have been numbered among the servants of the Lord if some divine grace had not been to blame (Athanasius).

66 Teach me kindness, and discipline, and wisdom, as in Thy commandments of faith.

The Prophet knows that punishment is useful, and that the Lord, imposing it on people, is guided by philanthropy, which is why he asks for it. For punishment brings reason (knowledge). If Saint David, being a Prophet, had the need to pray for the granting of these qualities to him, then how much more should we care about acquiring them.

Goodness is love for God and neighbor for God’s sake, through self-reproach and apology for others. The one who is punished is everyone who is instructed in the fear of God. Reason is the correct understanding of the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Sacraments; for all nations read the Holy Gospel, but understand it differently.

The Orthodox Church alone accepts all Holy Scripture, old and new, in full, while non-Orthodox ones accept it by choice (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Augustine, Ambrose of Optina).

67 Let me not even humble myself first, since I have sinned: for this reason I have preserved Your word.

A person humbles himself when he carefully considers his sin. Until the Lord humbles a person with misfortunes, he wanders and sins; admonished by disasters, he humbles himself and begins to keep the commandments of God (Chrysostom, Gregory the Theologian, Theodoret).

68 Thou art good, O Lord, and by Thy goodness teach me by Thy justification.

It is the job of the righteous to accept everything sent from Divine Providence with pleasure, even if something very difficult was sent, he says: good art thou, Lord; and from the Lord Himself he asks for knowledge of justifications. And he said: goodness, because God also has severity (Hesychius).

69 The iniquity of the proud has multiplied against me, and with all my heart I will test Your commandments.

The harder someone works for the Lord, the more he stirs up enemies against himself. For the righteous with his right life exposes their wicked life. And if you are reproached in the name of Christ, you are blessed: for the Glory and Spirit of God rests upon you ( 1 Peter 4, 14) (Ambrose).

70 Their hearts are as if they were milky; I have learned Your law.

Just as milk hardens when it turns into cheese, so the heart of the proud becomes hardened because of their iniquities. Uta, thicken, widen: and forsake God who created him, and depart from God his Savior ( Deut. 32, 15). For the heart of the proud is fattened, but the heart of the saints is refined. Therefore, do not be embarrassed when you are given over to cruel and grievous temptations that humble you in life and teach you to mortify and enslave the body, and to walk in the strait and narrow path (Athanasius).

71 It is good for me, for Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn by Thy justification.

Prosperity is not useful to us: it makes us lazy, proud, and the devil attacks us more strongly. It produces more evil than disaster. Therefore, the Prophet gives thanks to the harsh measures of the Doctor, as having brought him health. For there is nothing worse than pride.

This is why there are temptations and sorrows, why there are sufferings and illnesses, and many unfortunate circumstances are sent to curb the soul, which is easily arrogant and reaches the point of pride.

If even now, when such labors lie upon us, we sin incessantly, then why would we not dare if God left us with pleasures and also in inaction? “For all evil,” says Scripture, “was taught by idleness ( Sire. 33, 28).

This saying is confirmed by daily events. Therefore, it is salutary not only for evil, but also for good people to be subjected to humiliation and suffering. Sorrows encourage the saints to be humble and meek, for no one can be considered worthy of knowing the justifications of God without first being humble and oppressed by many tribulations.

That is why the sacred singer, finding pleasure in sorrows, which he calls here humility, favored weaknesses and needs, so that by enduring them he would be rewarded with the knowledge of God’s justifications (Chrysostom, Cyril).

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.

It is good because it gives peace to the spirit. Through the law of the Gospel, the Lord cleanses the soul, preparing for Himself a dwelling in it. And perishable wealth is thousands of gold and silver, i.e. all the treasures of the world irritate the lust of greed and the thirst for enrichment (Cyril, Feofan).

73 Thy hands made me, and ye created me: give me understanding, and I will learn Thy commandment.

What kind of honor has been given to man by God?! When everything else is arranged by His word, the body of man is said to be made by Him Himself.

This does not mean that God acted as if with his hands, since He is incorporeal and formless: spirit is God ( In. 4, 24); but that He showed special favor to this creation, having created it after His own image (cf. Life 1, 26) and endowing him with intelligence. The Prophet asks His Creator to grant him an understanding of the divine commandments (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

74 Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because they trust in Your words.

The righteous is pleasing only to the pious, tangibly known to them in the word of wisdom; for others it is difficult to even see him; because his life is not like the lives of others.

In each locality, those who are equally disposed know each other: “The pure is naturally disposed towards the pure and rejoices in him; the merciful is disposed towards the generous and rejoices with him; faster to faster, prayer book to prayer book.” Although they are not together in body, they are always inseparable in spirit. If someone happens to be in another area, there he will soon become acquainted with those who are unanimous (Athanasius, Ambrose).

75 I understood, Lord, that Thy destiny is righteous, and Thou hast truly humbled me.

Of the sad things that happen to us, nothing befalls us unjustly, but everything happens according to the righteous judgment of God. Some suffer for their own evil deeds, while others suffer for their neighbors.

We will accept the one who reproaches us as a God-sent accuser of the evil thoughts hidden in us. Nothing happens without God's knowledge; everything that happens happens according to His Judgment... (Mark the Ascetic, Chrysostom).

76 Be Thy mercy, that Thy servant may comfort me according to Thy word.

Many who have received consolation mistakenly believe that they acquired it through their prudence or their own intelligence. So, in order not to be mistaken with them, let Your mercy be my consolation (Athanasius).

77 May Thy compassions come to me, and I will live, for Thy law is my teaching.

Being deprived of divine favor, the Prophet imagines himself as a corpse and begs for God’s love for mankind to revive him, to revive him in the feeling of his heart (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

78 Let pride be ashamed, for I have committed unrighteousness against me; I will mock Your commandments.

He does not wish harm to his enemies, but prays for them. Shame serves for our correction and promotes salvation: having experienced this healing on himself, the Prophet wishes it for his enemies. If I mock, it means I will study diligently (Chrysostom, Theophan).

79 Let those who fear You and those who know Your testimonies convert me.

This verse was translated more clearly by another translator: may those who fear You - the prophets, apostles, saints, venerable and righteous servants of Yours - return me to the path of repentance and faith (Athanasius, Theodoret).

80 May my heart be blameless in Your justifications, so that I will not be ashamed.

This means the complete destruction of sin both in deed and in thought. Because those who wish to be worthy of sonhood must not only have an immaculate body, but also an immaculate soul (Makariy V.).

81 My soul disappears for Your salvation, I have trusted in Your words.

Disappears, i.e. strongly desires salvation through the study of divine words. He wants to study exactly the meaning of the Divine Scriptures and recognizes the search for meaning as a consolation and joy (Athanasius).

82 My eyes have perished in Thy word, saying, When Thou hast comforted me;

All the mysteries of God are revealed in the word of God, but are comprehended only when grace allows them to be comprehended. Suddenly the mind sees in the word something that it had not previously seen in it, although it had read and pondered it several times (Ambrose).

83 For I have become like fur on my face; I have not forgotten Your justifications.

Fur swells from heat and, swelling, increases in volume: on the side, i.e. in the cold it shrinks and hardens. So the body, by its nature, becomes pampered from luxury and rebels against the soul, but from ascetic life and from other graces of the Almighty it is suppressed and deadened to passions (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Mark the Ascetic).

84 How many are the days of Thy servant; when you bring judgment upon me from those who persecute me;

The days of our life are few; and we are also haunted by bad thoughts, carnal passions, worldly worries, all kinds of persecutors, first of all, the devil and spirits of evil. Although man appears to be our persecutor, the first persecutor is not man, but the devil, whom man only imitates (Chrysostom).

85 The transgressors have told me mockery, but not like Thy law, O Lord.

Mockery is verbosity. There cannot be a strong, healthy or saving word in the soul of a lawbreaker, because he lives lawlessly. Many try to speak, but since they do not live well and lawfully, they speak verbosely and empty words.

Many strive to explain the divine Scripture, but not all speak well. For rarely does anyone have a gift from God for this (Cyril).

86 All Your commandments are true: having persecuted me unrighteously, help me.

Through reverent prayer the Prophet revives his courage. He who does not endure persecution has not yet begun to live truly, piously in Christ Jesus (Ambrose).

87 I have not yet passed away upon the earth: I have not forsaken Thy commandments.

Great is the wickedness and power of the enemies: but the commandments teach not to avenge oneself and not to repay evil for evil, but to ask for God’s help and to submit offenses to His judgment (Chrysostom).

88 Live me according to Thy mercy, and I will preserve the testimonies of Thy mouth.

The Prophet decorated this word with humility. For he does not ask for life as a reward for his righteousness, but as a gift of mercy, promising for this to keep the commandments of God. This petition is marked by devotion to the will of God, which is the essence of prayer (Chrysostom, Theophan).

89 For ever, O Lord, Thy word abideth in Heaven.
90 Thy truth endureth unto generation and generation: Thou hast founded the earth, and it endureth.

David is speaking prophetically here. By the word abiding forever, we mean the only begotten Son of God, who is the Truth (cf. In. 14, 6). The earth was founded by this same Truth. Lies reign in all nations; the truth is only in the Church, for believers constitute one race (Basily V., Cyril, Athanasius, Theodore, Ambrose).

91 The day endures through Your discipline, for all kinds of work are done by You.

Everything that exists was created by God and serves Him, and nothing happens by chance. Everything moves according to the laws of God’s mercy and truth, wisely and expediently (Epiphanius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

92 For had it not been for Thy law, my teaching, then I would have perished in my humility.

This can be said to every pious person who falls into disaster: for humility here refers to the time of temptations and sorrows, the battle of evil thoughts and the attacks of opposing forces (Athanasius, Theodoret).

93 I will never forget Your justifications, for You have revived me in them.

Happy is the one who lifts this voice to God with complete truth. For a sinner cannot say: I will never forget Your justifications, as a transgressor of God’s commandments (Chrysostom).

94 I am Thine, save me, for I have sought the justification of Thy demands.

Not everyone can use these words: for the slave of sin lies if he calls himself God: for whoever is overcome, to this he also works ( 2 Peter 2, 19). God Himself calls those who faithfully do His will His faithful servants, slaves, friends, sons and daughters by grace (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

95 Waiting for the sinner to destroy me, I understood Your testimonies.

By understanding Your Commandments and thinking about You, says the Prophet, I invalidated the plans of sinners against me (Athanasius).

96 I have seen the end of every end; Your commandment is wide.

Everything human has an end; The commandment of the Lord is broad and inexhaustible and limitless: for its final limit is perfect likeness to God: therefore ye shall be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect ( Matt. 5, 48).

He who begins to walk according to the commandments enters the boundless expanse where the will of God reigns (Chrysostom, Climacus, Theophanes).

97 Since I have loved Your law, O Lord, I am my instruction all day long.

He who loves something willingly desires it and constantly thinks about it. Just as the Prophet loved the Law, he is constantly occupied with it: he is not distracted by other activities and the vanity of this age, but all day, i.e. all the time of his life he exercises himself in fulfilling the requirements of the Law (Hilary, Didymus).

98 Thou hast made me wiser than mine enemy, according to Thy commandment, even as I am in my age.

David attributes everything to divine grace. Devotion to the commandments drives away blindness from the eyes of the mind and makes a person wise against the machinations of enemies, visible and invisible (Chrysostom, Theophan).

99 More than all those who taught me, I understood that Your testimonies are my teaching.

Although Christ said that a student is not higher than a teacher and a slave is not higher than his master ( OK. 6, 40; Matt. 10, 24), but this was said by the Savior after He, having explained himself in advance, said definitely: do not call anyone on earth a teacher for you: for you have one Teacher, who is in heaven (see. Matt. 23, 78).

So, in relation to this particular Teacher, the student is not higher than Him, and many of the teachers designated here are not like that, but those over whom the student often becomes not only higher, but also more intelligent, through the most diligent exercise in the word of God (Eusebius).

100 Moreover, the elder understood that I have sought Your commandments.

Why did grace enlighten David so much that he understood the works of God more than an elder? - Because he exacted the commandments of God. Grace replenishes maturity and the wisdom of old age becomes the property of those who are not old in years, for the age of old age means living undefiled ( Prem. 4, 9).

From an early age, David made it a law of his life to please God by diligently fulfilling His commandments, knowing that wisdom does not enter an evil soul ( Prem. 1, 14) (Ambrose).

101 I have forbidden my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy words.

Deviation from evil ways is external labor, and internal labor must also be added to it—restraining the mental feet from the evil mental paths.

The main thing: avoidance of evil thoughts. If you hasten to replace evil thoughts with good ones, then your task will be 100 times easier (Theophanes).

102 I have not deviated from Your judgments, as You have laid down laws for me.

The judgments of God are commandments, strong faith in the constantly vigilant all-seeing Providence of God, which determines all the incidents of our lives. The immediate and direct will of God is the chance for good that is before your eyes (Theophanes).

103 If Your words are sweeter to my throat than honey to my lips.

The sweetness of the word of Scripture is compared to honey only because we have nothing sweeter than it; and not because this was the only measure of it. The prophet uses a weak comparison to express his pleasure derived from fulfilling the commandments of God.

Honey is sweet only for the throat, and then goes into the belly and is cast down: the words of God delight both the heart and the soul. There is nothing more pleasant than divine teaching. Where there is spiritual teaching, there is humility, honesty, and modesty; there husband and wife, and children are united in harmony and love by the bonds of virtue, there is Christ in the middle (Chrysostom).

104 I understood from Your commandments: for this reason I hated every way of unrighteousness.

Having understood the divine commandments, David felt disgust for every kind of evil, which is a sure sign of purification of the heart. The wound does not heal until all the pus is drained; so the wound of the soul festers while sympathy for sin breaks through in it (Vasily V., Chrysostom, Barsanuphius V., Theophanes).

105 The lamp of my feet is Your law, and the light of my paths.

One must continuously practice the words of God and use the Holy Scriptures as a kind of lamp (Cyril).

106 I swore and appointed them to preserve the fate of Your righteousness.

He called the firm decision of the soul an oath: he decided to endure all kinds of calamities with gratitude, confessing that God brings everything with His righteous judgment. And since the Lord said: I do not do My will, but the will of the Father who sent Me ( In. 6, 38), then any decision of one’s own will is not reliable (Vasily V., Chrysostom, Theodoret).

107 I humble myself to the core: Lord, live me according to Your word.

Because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble ( Proverbs 3, 34). Humility to the extreme (to the extreme) is confession of sins. God’s word promises to revive those who repent, since God shows us mercy and love for mankind after confessing our sins: Confess, he says, to the Lord, for it is good, for His mercy endures forever ( Ps. 135, 1) (Theodorit, Apollinaris).

108 Be pleased with the freedom of my lips, O Lord, and teach me Thy destinies.

Virtue must be arbitrary (voluntary) and free from any coercion: such was David’s, who prayed to God that he would be pleased to accept only his arbitrary deeds: God loves the giver willingly (God loves the giver). 2 Cor. 9, 7) (Kirill).

109 I will take my soul into Your hand, and I will not forget Your law.

When we surrender our souls into the hands of God in order to receive food, life, honor and glory from them, then we will not be subjected to the slightest oblivion of God, but we will always remember Him, and nothing in life will lead us into anger or irritation at our attackers (Theodore).

110 The sinners have laid a net for me, and from Thy commandments I have not gone astray.

Lawless people and demons weave all kinds of intrigues, but I decided to follow the path of Your commandments without temptation (Theodoret).

111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for this is the joy of my heart.

Likewise, the testimony of God made the hearts of the apostles rejoice when they left the cathedral, rejoicing that they were worthy to accept reproach for the name of Jesus (Apollinaris).

112 I incline my heart to create Your justifications forever for reward.

The Lord Almighty Himself says: turn to Me, and I will turn to you, and I will pour out My blessing upon you ( Small 3, 7). The Prophet bowed his heart with the hope of reward, knowing that the more someone works here, the more joy he will receive there (Theophanes).

113 I have hated the lawbreakers, but I have loved Your law.

Just as he who loves light hates darkness, so he who loves the law of God hates law-breaking thoughts and actions. Such is the praise of the saints. And whoever remembers evil is a transgressor (Chrysostom, Isaiah).

114 Thou art my Helper and my Protector: I trust in Thy words.

The prophet does not ask: be you my helper, but he confesses that God is already his helper and intercessor (Chrysostom).

115 Turn away from me, you wicked ones, and I will test the commandments of my God.
116 Intercede for me according to Your word, and I will live: and do not disgrace me because of my hope.
117 Help me, and I will be saved, and I will learn from Your justifications.

He speaks about those evil ones with whom our heart is filled: for from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, false witness, blasphemy: these are the things that defile a person ( Matt. 15, 19, 20).

It is to these thoughts that he says: turn away from me; and then calls on God for help, so that the evil forces are driven away by God's wave from his soul. For while we are here, we need His constant help.

And if you want your enemies to leave you idle, do not stop your conversation with God. True prayer will never give offense (Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

118 Thou hast brought to naught all those who depart from Thy justifications: for their thoughts are unrighteous.

This is the end that awaits those who reject the law of God: they are destroyed. Sober your heart from weakening thoughts, for it is not only God who punishes deeds, but also the thoughts of the heart, cherished in secret (Athanasius, Theophan).

119 Those who transgress against all the sinners of the earth: for this reason I have loved Your testimony.

Those who transgressed nepschevah (I considered them criminals) all the wicked on earth, and knowing what harm comes from crime, I applied all my zeal to fulfilling the words of God.

For if the eyes of our souls were enlightened, then the souls of sinners would appear as dark shadows, arousing horror.

This is how the heavenly powers and saints of God always see them. By such darkness, demons recognize them as their own, and enter into them and commit the atrocities characteristic of them (Theodorit, Theophanes).

120 Nail my flesh with Thy fear: for I am afraid of Thy judgments.

If the fear of God does not control our lives, then it is impossible for sanctification to occur in the body. For just as the members of the body of those nailed to nails remain motionless and inactive, so those embraced in the soul by the fear of God avoid all passionate overwhelm by sin and purify their souls through prayer.

Where fear dwells, spiritual purity dwells. Here it is still necessary to nail our sinful passions to Christ. For under flesh and blood, of which the apostle says that they cannot inherit the kingdom of God ( 1 Cor. 15, 50), what should be understood is not this visible body (it was created by God), but the wisdom of the flesh, excited by the spirit of malice.

One must not only believe in Christ, but also suffer with Him. He who has seen God in governing the world and has revered the destinies of God can only nail the fear of God (wisdom) to the flesh. God controls the universe: He also controls the life of every person in all its details (Vasily V., Macarius V., Ignatius).

121 I have done justice and righteousness: do not betray me to those who offend me.

Having said this, blessed David learned to practice all the virtues and commandments... Who now has such purity of soul as to dare to apply these words to himself? (Chrysostom).

122 Consider Your servant for good, so that pride does not slander me.

Slander is hard, even if it is well rewarded. The wondrous Joseph and many others were subjected to it. And the Lord commands us to pray so as not to be tempted. And, moreover, slander of proud and strong people is especially difficult, because untruth, based on strength, brings great harm.

But slander does not cause pain to an innocent and God-devoted person, but strengthens the aspiration of his mental eyes towards God, for purity of conscience gives boldness to resort to God’s intercession in case of slander (Chrysostom, Theophanes).

123 My eyes perish for Thy salvation, and for the word of Thy righteousness.

The word disappearance means an increased desire for salvation. You see that those who are only taught by God the law are those who wish to serve Him, renouncing other ministries. It is to them that God instructs and imparts knowledge of Himself, so that they not only read, but also learn the meaning (of the law) (Apollinaris).

124 Deal with Thy servant according to Thy mercy, and teach me Thy justification.

This is a prayer for grace-filled help. David asks himself for admonition to know the commandments of God; for admonition is given by God and is kept with Him as in a treasury; since the prophet Isaiah says that the spirit of wisdom and understanding rests on Him ( Is. 11, 2) and other gifts rest on Him (Athanasius, Theodoret).

125 I am Thy servant: give me understanding, and I will hear Thy testimony.

By nature, all people are servants of God; but by disposition - those who sincerely accept His dominion are slaves. As a reward for slavery, he asks for intelligence, given by God by grace, about which it is said in Proverbs: the understanding of good things gives grace ( Proverbs 13, 16).

The Holy Fathers called the ability to clearly see for oneself and determine the will of God the gift of “reasoning thoughts.” What kind of guidance is there for us who are weak? - Ask the elders and tell you ( Deut. 32, 7) (Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

126 It is time for the Lord to do: I have destroyed Your law.

God is patient with human sins, but when he sees that wickedness increases, then he imposes punishment; Therefore, the Prophet says that it is time for You, Master, to rise up in defense of the offended, for the enemies have trampled on the law too much.

The words: time to create the Lord, without context, can be used before the beginning of any work dedicated to God, especially prayer. When approaching it, everyone can say to themselves: you have been doing the things of life, now is the time to begin the work of God, to do it for God. (These words are used in this sense in our service book before the beginning of the liturgy) (Theodoret, Theophanes).

127 For this reason I have loved Your commandments more than gold and topaz.

Topaz is a precious stone that has the color of gold, which is why David classified it as gold. But wisdom is better than precious stones; and everything else is unworthy of her. The prophet loves the commandments more than any wealth. This is the perfection of a Christian! (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).

128 For this reason I have been guided by all Your commandments; I have hated every way of unrighteousness.

Whoever wants to truly please God, to receive from Him the heavenly grace of the Spirit, to grow and be perfected in the Holy Spirit, must force himself to fulfill all the commandments of God and conquer his heart, even against his will... constantly praying and asking the Lord.

One must not cultivate virtue and vice together in oneself, but give birth to only the fruits of virtue, and the soul should not be in communion with two spirits: the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world (Makariy V.).

129 Wonderful is Thy testimony: for this cause am I to try my soul.

The commandments of God are worthy of wonder; they teach every kind of virtue and drive away every kind of evil. The witness is marvelous, since God is marvelous and His providence is incomprehensible. For the sake of testing my soul, that is, I began to intensively investigate. Scripture does not know scientific research in the form of naked knowledge: it is all about life and its structure (Chrysostom, Didymus, Theophanes).

130 The manifestation of Your words enlightens and instructs little children.

By babies we mean those who are infants of malice and simple in heart, who innocently accept the word of God and “do not torture” - why? As they hear, so they will follow (Chrysostom, Theophan).

131 My mouth was opened, and my spirit was drawn, because I desired Thy commandments.

This expression refers to the inner man: the mouth, i.e. the zeal of the soul attracts the grace of the Spirit. The understanding of divine words does not allow one to be deceived by pleasures or empty glory (Chrysostom, Ambrose, Athanasius).

132 Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love Your name.

Every person, being in sorrows and temptations, constantly needs the mercy of God. God's charity is the manifestation of divine grace to those who love His holy name and pray in meekness and lowliness of heart, for the Lord Himself says: to whom will I look, only to him who is meek and silent and trembles at My words ( Is. 66, 2) (Theodorite).

133 Direct my steps according to Thy word, and let not all iniquity possess me.

Feet, i.e. The thoughts of a faithful person who prays fervently are directed by the grace of God to the creation of virtues. More precisely, God Himself begins, He Himself accomplishes all good, and He Himself strengthens with His grace our will and desire for the desire for good; why Paul, in confirmation of this, says: Jesus Christ will complete this good work in you until the day of Christ ( Phil. 16),

and there is also God, who works in you to do what you will and to do for good pleasure ( Phil. 2, 13); and Solomon: The will of the Lord is prepared ( Proverbs 8, 35). And the Lord said: without Me you cannot do wicked things ( In. 15.5) (Theodoret, Eusebius).

134 Deliver me from the slander of men, and I will keep Your commandments.

There is no mental illness that would be more painful than slander; no one can despise it, except the one who, like Susanna, looks to God, Who alone can deliver from troubles, and reassure people, and comfort the soul with hope.

Yes, and the Lord Christ called those worthy of wonder and blessed who are reviled and slandered: blessed are you when they revile you and condemn you and say all kinds of evil things against you, who lie, for my sake Matt. 5, 11), at the same time he commands to watch and pray so as not to fall into misfortune (see. Matt. 26, 41) (Theodorite).

135 Make Thy face shine upon Thy servant, and teach me by Thy justification.

The Deity is incorporeal, simple and uncomplicated; but divine Scripture expresses itself about it in a rather corporeal and crude manner, applying it in words to human nature. So, the appearance of the face of God should be taken as the cessation of sad circumstances and the giving of blessings (Theodoret).

136 My eyes have seen the coming of the waters, but I have not kept Your law.

From the yearning of the heart, the eyes become watery. Tears of contrition are spiritual washing. The one who has cried is renewed. What brings such water out of the eyes of the penitent? – Love (Feofan).

137 Thou art righteous, O Lord, and Thy judges are righteous.

The Lord arranges everything justly and confirms His promises with deeds. The destinies of God are everything that happens in the universe. Everything that happens happens as a result of the judgment and decrees of God: one thing happens according to the will of God; the other is by His permission.

This conviction is the basis for the strength of moral life, deep inner peace, firmness in trouble and courage. These words, according to history, were uttered by the pious Emperor Mauritius during the beating of his wife and each of his children (before his eyes by the enemy) (Chrysostom, Ignatius, Theophanes, Didymus).

138 Thou hast commanded the truth of Thy testimony, and the truth greatly.

In his testimonies, the Lord set forth commands that were very righteous and true; because the law gives everyone their due: both the virtuous and the sinner (Theodoret).

139 Thy zeal has consumed me, for I have forgotten Thy words.

The Prophet mourns those who live in iniquity, and, seeing the Lawgiver in contempt, he is rightly indignant with jealousy, due to the trampling of the words of the Lord.

The divine Paul kept such jealousy within himself, as the Writer testifies that in Athens his spirit was embarrassed in him, seeing the idol full of the city ( Acts 17, 16) (Theodorite).

140 Thy word is kindled with great heat, and Thy servant loveth him.

How should we receive God's words? - That they are all tested, that in Scripture not a single syllable is thrown in vain; but that they are like kindled silver.

That is why the Savior teaches us not to despise a single tittle written in Scripture, saying: one jot, or one tittle, shall not pass from the law, until all shall be ( Matt. 5, 18) (Unnamed).

141 I am the youngest and humbled: I have not forgotten Your justifications.

This is what David says about himself in a sense of humility: “You vouchsafed so much grace to me, a young man, who was considered nothing by my parents, and made me both a prophet and a king. Therefore, with all zeal I desire to preserve Your justifications” (Theodoret).

142 Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and your law is truth.

He who fulfills the commandments of God has eternal life as a reward for his labors, but he who is submissive to human laws does not receive due honor from the legislators in this life (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

143 Sorrows and needs have come upon me: Your commandments are my teaching.

This is inevitable for a righteous person: such are the exploits of the saints, their victories. The commandments strengthen us to endure everything sad courageously and generously (Chrysostom).

144 The truth of Thy testimony endures forever: give me understanding, and I will live.

In all this, the Prophet seeks admonition from God - the most necessary gift of God. For the foolish or foolish does not enter into that blessed life; but we must ask for admonition from God, who gives to those who ask Him with all our souls (Didim).

145 I cried with all my heart: Hear me, O Lord, I will seek Your righteousness.

With all my heart – i.e. body, soul, and spirit with all zeal. This means spiritual order, and not a cry from the lips. The Lord sees and feels the pain of our hearts...

“He cries out to God with all his heart, even though he does not think of evil, and it is better for God to bow to a heartfelt cry than to a verbal one; just as Moses silently called to God, and God said to him: Why do you cry to Me? Ref. 14, 15) (Chrysostom, Climacus, Theodoret, Theophanes, Psalter with interpretation).

146 I cried to You, save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.

In the word save, he combines receiving everything that is necessary to preserve the testimonies of the Lord (Theophanes).

147 I went ahead in hopelessness and cried out: I have trusted in Your words.

In hopelessness – i.e. not at the usual hour. It is wonderful and strange that David, despite the fact that he was a king and immersed in countless worries, and on top of that he was undertaking military campaigns, not only offered prayers to God during the day, but also in the middle of the night, without waiting for the roosters to crow: so he loved his Master God; so earnestly asked Him for help; So he always trusted in the words of God: He will call to me, and I will hear Him ( Ps. 90, 15).

Preceding in hopelessness - anticipating the dawn, in darkness, in bad time, in the vagueness of circumstances. This time is accompanied by the most powerful attacks from mental enemies: because darkness itself contributes to their indecent actions. But David warned of this difficult time with a prayer to God (Chrysostom, Didymus, Athanasius).

148 Prepare my eyes for the morning, to learn from Your word.

Not only during the night, but also at dawn, before even the rising of the sun, David preceded the morning by teaching the words of God, although he was also a king. And we, being in poverty and having no care, spend the night tossing and turning on our beds, and do not even bring due praise to the Giver of blessings when the day comes (Theodoret).

149 Hear my voice, O Lord, according to Thy mercy: live me according to Thy destiny.

Possessing such great benefits, he prays for mercy, and by his example teaches us to pray for the same. We cannot know what is best for us. Therefore, it is reasonable to surrender everything to God’s discretion and humbly cry: live according to Your destiny.

Fate is God's providence for the salvation of man. And since everyone’s paths are unsearchable, it is appropriate to pray like this: “In the image of fate, save me” (Chrysostom, Theophan).

150 Those who persecute me with iniquity have drawn near; but they have departed from Thy law.

From these words we learn what the persecutors of the righteous will suffer. Thus, the scribes and Pharisees went straight to lawlessness, persecuting the apostles, to whom the Lord said: “Cast you aside, I am swept away, but reject Me, the One who sent Me is rejected ( OK. 10, 16), as it is said: the enemy will be your enemy, and I will resist your enemy ( Ref. 23, 22). That is why they moved away from the Law of the Gospel, not obeying the apostles (Chrysostom).

151 Thou art near, O Lord, and all Thy ways are the truth.

The Lord is near: in Him we live, and we move, and we are ( Acts 17, 28), as if you are everywhere and fulfill everything.

152 From the beginning I knew from Your testimonies that I founded the age.

From the beginning – i.e. From the first time the Prophet knew that the words of the Lord are firm and His commandments are constant. Royal and state laws change, but this does not happen with God’s laws; but just as heaven and earth endure forever, so do the commandments of God. Nothing can be added to them, and nothing can be taken away from them. The Lord also said: heaven and earth pass by, but My words will not pass by ( Matt. 24, 35) (Chrysostom).

153 See my humility and forgive me: for I have not forgotten Your law.

A blessed thing is humility before God. It is acquired by fulfilling God's commandments and enduring temptations. When we humble ourselves in this way, although we are subject to the malice of demons or hostility from evil people, we nevertheless have God as our deliverer, according to the word of the Apostle: Humble yourself before God, and he will exalt you ( Jacob 4, 10) (Eusebius).

154 Judge my judgment and deliver me: for Thy word live me.

When conscience denounces untruth, such a person is already self-condemned before God. But David has a clear conscience - from which boldness before God is born. Ascetics call a clear conscience the door of prayer, but they place their hope in the mercy of God (Theophanes).

155 Salvation is far from the sinner, for I have not sought Your justifications.

It is not salvation that sinners run away from, but they run away from salvation because they do not seek God’s justifications, which contain healing and compulsion to repentance.

So, not all sinners are far from salvation, but only those who do not seek God’s justification; although there is a lot of knowledge, there is no zeal for the divine commandments (Theodoret, Athanasius, Didim, Theophanes).

156 Thy bounties are many, O Lord, live me according to Thy destiny.

Relying on the wealth of generosity and philanthropy of the Lord, David asks for salvation. Live me according to Your destiny: or “save me according to Your destinies.” For no one will be saved except those who completely surrender themselves into the hands of God (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

157 There are many who drive me out and oppress me: we have not turned away from Your testimonies.

There is no time in which the righteous will not be persecuted, because everyone who wants to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted ( 2 Tim. 3, 12). And persecution occurs both externally from unrighteous people, and internally - from hostile forces, through one’s own passions and sins themselves, which bring suffering and sorrow.

But he who keeps the divine commandments of his Master does not value the insults of his persecutors (Nicetas, Didymus).

158 I have seen those who do not understand and have ceased to say that I have not kept Your words.

The righteous must grieve for every wicked person: thus Paul grieved for the Jews, the Lord mourned Jerusalem, the divine Jeremiah shed tears for the wickedness of the people.

For when someone sees the soul of those who sin, as if ulcerated and devoured by beasts, and covered, as it were, with pus and rottenness, then he feels the same trembling state for sinners as for saints. And such one truly melts away, like a candle from fire. This is true love for God (Vasily V., Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret, Theophanes).

159 See that I have loved Your commandments: Lord, live for me according to Your mercy.

By constantly reminding us of commandments, justifications, laws and revelations, the Prophet shows great love for them. Some keep the commandments with annoyance or under duress, but it is characteristic of the perfect to fulfill them with love (Chrysostom).

160 The beginning of Thy words is truth: and for ever the destiny of Thy righteousness.

This is the first commandment of God: to be true in everything: in deed, in word, and in thought; and therefore - in the exact confession of thoughts, wishes and desires (Cyril, Athanasius, Palamas).

161 The princes have driven me into oblivion: and at Thy words my heart feared.

David feared the commandments of God more than the rulers of this age - the spirits of wickedness ( Eph. 6, 12) and the evil people under their control. Therefore, although Saul and his entourage chased him through the desert, David was not afraid of all this, because his heart feared the words of God (Chrysostom, Theophan).

162 I will rejoice in Your words, for I have gained much gain.

The most faithful observance of the word is that which is done with joy. Therefore, the holy man, not only out of fear, obeyed the Divine words, but with great joy, which happens over acquired wealth. Here is a lesson for us, so that above any joy we put joy and joy in the commandments of God (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

163 I have hated and detested injustice, but I have loved Your law.

I hate lies and abhor them, because they were the cause of many and great sins. Troubles and sorrows appear as consequences of our sins. And whoever wants to love the law must abhor untruth, for only then can the benefits of the law be revealed (Basily V., Eusebius).

164 By day of the seven days we praise Thee about the destinies of Thy righteousness.

These words should not be definitely understood as if we praise God only 7 times, and not at every hour of the day; for this septenary is taken by the Jews to be multiple. After all, Saint David prayed at all times, i.e. incessantly. All this expresses the fiery love of the Prophet, for which he could not get enough of the divine chant.

Nor should we despise the established times of prayer, which are established out of necessity, for each time recalls specially one of the blessings given by God. If the king, a man immersed in countless worries and always entertained, called on God so many times a day, then what excuse or excuse can we have, leading such an idle life, that we do not pray so often?

It is impossible, in no way impossible, for a person who prays with the proper zeal and often calls on God to sin. God is not ashamed of a place: he seeks one thing - a warm heart and a chaste soul (Vasily V., Theodoret, Chrysostom).

165 There is peace for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them.

In order to acquire peace of mind, it is necessary to especially practice reading the New Testament and the Psalter. It is very beneficial to engage in reading the word of God in solitude and to read the entire Bible intelligently.

From this, the whole mind of the reader delves into the truths of the Divine Scripture and receives warmth from God, which in solitude produces tears: from them the person is completely warmed and filled with spiritual gifts, delighting the mind and heart more than any word (Seraphim).

166 I have loved Your salvation, O Lord, and Your commandments.

The hope of salvation gave rise to a love for the commandments. Just begin by fulfilling the commandments as much as you can in the hope (desire) of salvation. Do not feel sorry for yourself, but force yourself without pity and even with some cruelty towards yourself, and then such compulsion will be reborn into your inspiring love for saving commands (Ambrose).

167 My soul preserve Thy testimonies, and I love dearly.

He who keeps the commandments is nourished and delighted by the spiritual current emanating from the commandments themselves. Begin to keep the commandments and you will love them dearly. Just as a lover yearns when he does not see his beloved object for a long time, so does the soul that has loved the commandments yearn if it does not find an opportunity to fulfill them for a long time (Theophanes).

168 I will keep Your commandments and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You, O Lord.

The wise Sirach says that weakness to sin comes from the false confidence of those who sin that no one sees them... they do not understand that the eyes of the Lord are darker than the brightest sun, despising all the ways of men and looking in secret places ( Sire. 23, 25), therefore the holy ascetics taught to establish the memory of God in yourself first: that God is before you and before Him, all your ways are open: deeds, words and thoughts of the heart (Theophanes).

169 Let my prayer come near to You, O Lord: give me understanding according to Your word.

The prophet asks for understanding not human, but consisting in the knowledge of the words of God. A person who is in sins and attached to them cannot utter these words, for the Lord said through the Prophet: your sins separate between Me and you ( Is. 59, 2); This means that it is necessary, first of all, to renounce sins, and then it will be possible to say these words.

But a sinner cannot even use psalms, because it is written: Sing to the Lord, you who reverence Him ( Ps. 29.5), and not non-reverence (Chrysostom).

170 Let my petition come before You, O Lord: deliver me according to Your word.

You see what a strict order there is in divine words. First it is said: let him draw near; and then, what is more important: may my request be accepted; because rather than enter, you need to get closer; what was previously called prayer is here called petition. The Prophet resorts to such different words in order to soften the Lord in order to get rid of sins (Athanasius, Chrysostom).

171 My lips will burst forth with song, when Thou hast taught me Thy righteousness.

The inner (spiritual) person also has its own spiritual food. For words, like bread, have flesh, and when fed with them we can regurgitate a song from the mouth of the inner man. This spiritual regurgitation is not evidence of prayerful work alone, but a consequence of all the labors of a godly life, when the heart begins to approach purity (Nikita, Theophan).

172 My tongue proclaims Your words, for all Your commandments are true.

These are edifying words! They teach us how condemned those who engage in idle talk, who sing demonic songs, flatter and self-indulge people, gossip and make false reports are worthy of condemnation. Meanwhile, nothing else should leave our tongues except the words of God.

He who devotes his tongue to the study of God's words does not utter idle words. Doctors use language to determine the state of physical health, and speech reveals the state of mental health. What hurts someone’s soul is what he speaks about: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks ( Matt. 12, 34) (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theophanes).

173 May Thy hand be to save me, as I have willed Thy commandments.

The saving hand is a divine action. Whoever chooses the commandments of God, God undoubtedly assists him in his salvation (Chrysostom).

174 I have desired Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my teaching.

Our salvation is Jesus Christ. “As my eyes have seen Your Salvation,” said Simeon. It was this Savior that the Prophet desired. He who desires Christ the Savior must learn from His law (Athanasius).

175 My soul will live and praise Thee: and Thy destinies will help me.

David speaks about life in God: our real life is hidden with Christ in God ( Col. 3, 3). In the future life only the soul in its own sense will praise the Lord (Athanasius).

176 I have gone astray, like a lost sheep: seek Thy servant, for I have not forgotten Thy commandments.

This is a decent thing for anyone to say. And the Prophet, having said in what he has succeeded, again speaks of himself that he is the lost sheep, thereby maintaining his humility, and deliberately belittling and humiliating himself, so as not to be arrogant in accordance with the command of the Lord: when you have done everything, say: we are servants without keys ( OK. 17, 10).

Therefore, the conclusion of the entire psalm is crowned with humiliation of oneself (Chrysostom, Athanasius).

17th Kathisma (memorial), read on days of special remembrance of the dead (read daily for 40 days after death)

The meaning of the 17th Kathisma

During the entire forty days after the death of a person, his family and friends must read the Psalter. How many kathismas per day depends on the time and energy of the readers, but reading must certainly be daily. When the entire Psalter has been read, it is read first. Just don’t forget that after each “Glory...” you need to read a prayer request for the remembrance of the deceased (from “Following the departure of the soul from the body”). Many relatives and friends of the deceased, citing the fact that they do not have time or do not have the Psalter, or do not know how to read in Church Slavonic, entrust this reading to others (readers) for a fee or other remuneration. But the prayer will be stronger, sincere, purer if a relative or close person to the deceased himself asks God for mercy on the deceased.

On the third, ninth, and fortieth days one should read the 17th kathisma according to the deceased.

This kathisma depicts the bliss of those who walked in the law of the Lord, i.e. the bliss of righteous people who tried to live according to the commandments of God.

The meaning and significance of Psalm 118 are revealed in verse 19: “I am a stranger (stranger) on earth: do not hide Your commandments from me.” Explanatory Bible ed. A.P. Lopukhina gives this verse the following explanation: “Life on earth is a wandering, a journey made by a person to reach his fatherland and permanent, eternal residence. Obviously, the latter is not on earth, but beyond the grave. If so, then earthly life must be prepared to the afterlife and to it can only be led by an unmistakably chosen path on earth. How and where to find the last one? This path is indicated in the commandments of the Law. Whoever does not follow them is mistaken and will not reach the afterlife, that is, the afterlife, as a reward for "the labors incurred to achieve it. Here is a fairly clear teaching about the purpose of earthly existence, the immortality of the human soul and retribution after death."

***

• How to bury and remember your loved one? What to do if a loved one has died and you need to attend to the funeral? A detailed step-by-step algorithm of actions - Olga Bogdanova
• How to remember deceased relatives?(answer to question) - Maxim Stepanenko
• Drunken funerals are unacceptable!- Archpriest Sergius Bulgakov
• Orthodox Church and sectarians. Prayers for the dead- Archpriest Dmitry Vladykov
• Funeral service: does the deceased need food?- Alexander Moiseenkov
• Metropolitan Sergius of Stragorodsky on the funeral service for non-Orthodox people, suicides, drunkards and those of little faith- Church and time
• See also our section "Orthodox teaching on death"

***

Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

To the Heavenly King... Trisagion. Holy Trinity... Our Father...

Troparion: Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The honor of Thy prophet, O Lord, is a triumph, the heavens of the Church are shown, with men the angels rejoice: through his prayers, O Christ God, direct our belly in peace, that we may sing Thee: Alleluia.

And now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen. My many and many sins, Mother of God, I have come running to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul, and pray to Your Son and our God to grant me forgiveness for the cruel deeds, O Blessed One.

Lord have mercy. (Forty times)

And bows according to strength.

Come, let us bow... (Three times)

And psalms:

Psalm 118

Blessed be the blameless one in the way that walks in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who experience His witness, they will seek Him with all their hearts, for they who do no iniquity walk in His ways. Thou hast commanded that Thy commandments should be kept strictly. So that my ways may be corrected, preserve Your justifications. Then I will not be ashamed to always look upon all Your commandments. Let us confess to You in the righteousness of our hearts, and let us always learn the destinies of Your righteousness. I will keep Your excuses: do not leave me to the bitter end. How will the youngest one correct his path? Always keep Your words. With all my heart I seek You, do not turn me away from Your commandments. I hide Your words in my heart, lest I sin against You. Blessed are you. Lord, teach me by Your justification. My mouth proclaimed all the destinies of Your mouth. On the path of Thy testimonies we have enjoyed ourselves, as in all riches. I will mock Your commandments, and understand Your ways. I will learn from Your justifications; I will not forget Your words. Reward Your servant: live me, and I will keep Your words. Open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law. I am a stranger on earth: do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul love to desire Your destiny at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud: curses are those who turn away from Thy commandments. Take away from me diarrhea and humiliation, as I have sought Your testimonies. For the princes are gray and slander me, and Thy servant mocks Thy justifications. For Thy testimonies are my teaching, and Thy counsels my justifications. Cling to the earth, my soul, live according to Your word. Thou hast declared my ways, and Thou hast heard me: teach me by Thy justification. Let me understand the path of Your justifications, and I will mock at Your wonders. My soul has fallen asleep from despondency, strengthen me in Your words. Leave the path of unrighteousness from me, and have mercy on me with Your law. I have chosen the path of truth, and I have not forgotten Your destiny. I cleave to Thy testimony, O Lord, do not disgrace me. The path of Your commandments flowed when You enlarged my heart. Lay down for me, O Lord, the way of Your justifications, and I will seek and take away. Give me understanding, and I will try Your law, and I will keep it with all my heart. Guide me on the path of Your commandments, as I have desired. Incline my heart to Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from seeing vanity; live me in Your way. Make Thy servant Thy word to fear. Take away my reproach, the hedgehog, for Thy fate is good. Behold, I have desired Your commandment, live me in Your righteousness. And let Thy mercy, O Lord, come upon me, Thy salvation according to Thy word, and I will answer those who reproach me with the word, because I have trusted in Thy words. And do not take away from my lips the words that are truly true, for I trusted in Your fate. And I will keep Your law forever and ever. And we walked in breadth, seeking Thy commandments, and speaking of Thy testimonies before the kings, and were not ashamed. And I learned in Thy commandments, which I have loved dearly: and I lifted up my hands to Thy commandments, which I have loved, and mocked at Thy justifications. Remember Thy words to Thy servant, whose hope Thou hast given me. So console me in my humility, for Your word lives on me. Pride has transgressed the law to the extreme, but we have not deviated from Your law. I have remembered Your destiny from eternity, O Lord, and have been comforted. I have received sorrow from sinners who forsake Thy law. Peta beat me to Your justifications at the place of my coming. I will remember Your name in the night, O Lord, and keep Your law. This will come to me, as I seek justification for Your demands. Thou art my part, O Lord: I have decided to preserve Thy law. I prayed to Your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to Your word. I have thought about Your ways, and returned my nose to Your witness. Let us prepare ourselves and not be embarrassed to keep Your commandments. The sinner has already committed himself to me, and has not forgotten Your law. At midnight I rose to confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness. I am a partaker of all those who fear You and keep Your commandments. Fill the earth with Thy mercy, O Lord; teach me with Thy justification. Thou hast done kindness to Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word. Teach me kindness and punishment and reason, as in Thy commandments of faith. Before we even humble ourselves, I have sinned, for this reason I have preserved Your word. Thou art good, O Lord, and by Thy goodness teach me by Thy justification. The iniquity of the proud has multiplied against me, but with all my heart I will test Your commandments. Their hearts are as soft as milk, but they have learned Your law. It is good for me, for Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn by Thy justification. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.

Kathisma is divided into 3 “Glories”, on each “Glory” read:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God (Three times).

Lord have mercy ( Three times).

Prayer request for the deceased ( See at the end of kathisma).

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

Thy hands create me and create me; give me understanding and I will learn your commandment. Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because they trust in Your words. I understood, Lord, that Thy destiny is true, and Thou hast truly humbled me. Be Thy mercy, may Thy servant comfort me according to Thy word. May Thy bounties come to me, and I will live, for Thy law is my teaching. Let pride be ashamed, for I have committed unrighteousness against me; but I will mock Your commandments.

May those who fear You and those who see Your testimonies convert me. May my heart be blameless in Your justifications, so that I will not be ashamed. My soul disappears for Your salvation, I trust in Your words. My eyes have disappeared into Your word, saying: When will You comfort me? Once upon a time, like fur on the throne, I have not forgotten Your justifications. How long is the day of Your servant? When will you bring judgment on me from those who persecute me? The lawbreakers have told me mockery, but not like Thy law, O Lord. All Your commandments are true; Having persecuted me unrighteously, help me. I have not yet died on earth, and I have not forsaken Your commandments. Live for me according to Your mercy, and I will preserve the information of Your mouth. For ever, O Lord, Your word remains in Heaven. Thy truth forever and ever. You founded the earth and it remains. The day endures by Thy commandment: for all kinds of work are done by Thee. As if it were not for Your law, my teaching, then I would have perished in my humility. I will never forget Your justifications, for You have revived me in them.

I am Yours, save me: for I seek Your justification. Waiting for a sinner to destroy me, I understood Your testimony. I have seen the end of every death; Your commandment is wide. Since I have loved Your law, O Lord, I have my teaching all day long. Thou hast made me wiser than my enemy through Thy commandment, even as I am forever. More than all those who taught me, I understood that Your testimonies are my teaching. Moreover, the elder understood that I have sought Your commandments. I have forbidden my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy words. I have not deviated from Your judgments, as You have laid down laws for me. How sweet is Your word to my throat: more than honey to my mouth. I understood from Your commandments: for this reason I hated every way of unrighteousness. The lamp of my feet is Your law, I am the light of my paths. I swore and set them to preserve the fate of Your righteousness. Humble yourself to the core, Lord, live me according to Your word. Grant me the freedom of my lips, O Lord, and teach me Your destinies. I will take my soul into Your hand, and I will not forget Your law. The sinners have laid a net for me, and from Your commandments they will not go astray. I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for the joy of my heart is the essence. Incline my heart, create Your justifications forever for reward. I have hated the lawbreakers, but I have loved Your law. You are my Helper and My Protector, I trust in Your words. Turn away from me, you wicked ones, and I will test the commandments of my God. Intercede for me according to Your word, and I will live, and do not disgrace me because of my hope. Help me, and I will be saved, and I will learn from Your justifications. Thou hast brought to naught all those who depart from Thy justifications, for their thoughts are unrighteous. You who transgress against all the sinners of the earth, for this reason I have loved Your testimony. Nail my flesh with Thy fear: for I am afraid of Thy judgments. Having done justice and justice, do not betray me to those who offend me. Consider Thy servant for good, so that pride does not slander me. My eyes disappear for Thy salvation and for the word of Thy righteousness: deal with Thy servant according to Thy mercy, and teach me by Thy justification. I am Thy servant: give me understanding, and I will hear Thy testimony. It is time for the Lord to do: I have destroyed Your law. For this reason I have loved Your commandments more than gold and topaz. For this reason, I was guided by all Your commandments, and I hated every path of unrighteousness. Wonderful is Thy testimony: for this reason I am tested, my soul. The manifestation of Your words enlightens and instructs little ones. My mouth was opened, and my spirit was drawn, as I commanded Thy desires.

Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love Your name. Direct my steps according to Thy word, and let not all iniquity possess me. Deliver me from human slander, and I will keep Your commandments. Make Thy face shine upon Thy servant, and teach me Thy justification. My eyes have known the source of the waters: Thou hast not kept Thy law. Thou art righteous, O Lord, and Thy rulers judge. Thou hast commanded the truth of Thy testimony, and the truth greatly. Thy jealousy has consumed me; for I have forgotten Thy words. Thy word is kindled with great heat, and Thy servant is loved. I am the youngest and humbled: I have not forgotten Thy justifications. Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your law is truth. Sorrows and needs have found me: Your commandments are my teaching. The truth of Your testimony endures forever: give me understanding, and I will live. I cried with all my heart, hear me, O Lord, I will seek Your justification. I called upon You, save me, and I will preserve Your testimonies. I preceded you in hopelessness and cried out, trusting in Your words. Prepare my eyes for the morning, to learn from Your words. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to Thy mercy: live for me according to Thy destiny. He who persecutes me with iniquity has drawn near; but I have departed from Your law. Thou art near, O Lord, and all Thy ways are the truth. From the beginning I knew from Your testimonies that I founded the age. See my humility and forgive me, for I have not forgotten Your law. Judge my judgment, and deliver me: live me by Thy word. Salvation is far from the sinner, for they have not sought Your justifications. Thy bounty is many, O Lord, live me according to Thy destiny. There are many who drive me out and afflict me: I have not turned away from Your testimonies. I have seen those who do not understand and have ceased to say: for I have not kept Your words. See that I have loved Your commandments: Lord, live for me according to Your mercy. The beginning of Thy words is truth, and the whole destiny of Thy righteousness endures forever. The princes have driven me to hell: and because of Thy words my heart feared. I will rejoice in Your words, for I have gained much gain. I have hated and detested injustice: but I have loved Your law. During the seventh day we praise Thee about the destinies of Thy righteousness. There is peace for many who love Your law, and there is no temptation for them. I have longed for Your salvation, O Lord, and I have loved Your commandments. Preserve Your testimonies, my soul, and I will love you dearly. I will keep Your commandments and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You, O Lord. Let my prayer draw near before You, O Lord: give me understanding according to Your word. May my petition come before You, O Lord; deliver me according to Your word. My lips will burst forth with song, when Thou teachest me Thy justification. My tongue proclaims Your words, for all Your commandments are true. May Thy hand be to save me, as I have willed Thy commandments. I have desired Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my teaching. My soul will live and praise Thee: and Thy destinies will help me. I have gone astray, like a lost sheep: seek Thy servant, for I have not forgotten Thy commandments.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, thank you God. (Thrice)

Lord have mercy ( Three times).

Prayer request for the deceased

Remember, O Lord, our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternally departed servant, our brother (name), and as the Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming iniquities, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things prepared for those who love Thee: even if Thou sin, yet do not depart from Thee, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Thy God in the Trinity of the glorified faith, and the One in the Trinity and Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to the same, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as you are Generous, give rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

According to the 17th Kathisma:

Trisagion, according to Our Father...

And troparia, tone 2

Those who have sinned against You, O Savior, like the prodigal son: accept me, Father, who repents, and have mercy on me, O God.

Glory: I call to You, Christ the Savior, with the publican’s voice: cleanse me as she did, and have mercy on me, O God.

And now: Mother of God, do not despise me, demanding Your intercession: for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.

Lord have mercy ( 40 times).

Prayer

Sovereign Lord Almighty and Creator of all, the Father of generosity and mercy, God, who created man from the earth, and showed him in Your image and likeness, so that Your magnificent name may be glorified on earth, and it was uprooted by the transgression of Your commandments, and again created for the better him in Thy Christ and raised to Heaven: I thank Thee, for Thou hast increased Thy greatness upon me, and Thou hast not betrayed me to the end as my enemy, to tear me out to those who seek me into the abyss of hell, and left me below to perish through my iniquities. Now, O most merciful and loving Lord, do not want the death of a sinner, but expect and accept conversion: Who have corrected the downtrodden, who have healed the contrite, turn me to repentance, and correct the overthrown, and heal the contrite: remember Thy mercies, and even Thy incomprehensible ones from all eternity goodness and my immeasurable forget the iniquities that I have committed in deed, word, and thought: resolve the blindness of my heart, and give me tears of tenderness to cleanse the filth of my thoughts. Hear, O Lord, listen, O Lover of mankind, cleanse, O Compassionate One, and free my accursed soul from the torment of the reigning passions within me. And let no one contain me from sin: let the demon fighter be able to attack me, let him lead me lower to his desire, but by Thy sovereign hand, his dominion, snatching me away, Thou reign in me, Good and Humane-loving Lord, and of all Thy being and life I do the rest according to Your good will. And grant me with the indescribable goodness of my heart, cleansing of my heart, guarding my lips, rightness of actions, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, silence of my spiritual strength, spiritual joy, true love, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, self-control, and fill me with all good fruits. Your Holy Spirit. And do not bring me to the end of my days, delight my uncorrected and unprepared soul below: but complete me with Your perfection, and thus bring me to the present life, as if I had unchecked the beginnings and powers of darkness, I will see by Your grace and I, unapproachable to Your glory, unspeakable kindness, with all Your saints, in whom Thy all-honorable and magnificent name, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is sanctified and glorified, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Friends, the day is coming when believers especially remember the dead: loved ones, friends, neighbors, parishioners from their church, enemies, finally. In general, everyone:Orthodox and unbaptized. Only the closest people pray for the unbaptized and suicides with special prayers. It is also good to give alms for them. This can be done even by strangers who are not indifferent to such a suicide.
I will not talk now about how much our prayer is needed by the dead: someone knows, others will be able to read about this in the next posts of my diary (I quote little by little from the very interesting work of Hieromonk Seraphim Rose “The Soul after Death”, in which these questions will be considered in detail); still others can buy the corresponding book at any temple and study it on their own. I will only say that Orthodox Christians pray for the dead, of course, not only on specially designated days. It’s just that on days like these we need to pray more for the dead.

So I bring to your attention an excerpt from the Psalter (there is a part in the Bible with that name), accompanied by special prayers. This passage is called the 17th Kathisma by the Orthodox. The 17th kathisma is precisely read on days of special remembrance of the dead (like the coming day). Another 17th kathisma is read by caring relatives within 40 days after the death of a person, so that it is easier for him to get to God. It will be beautiful if you have the patience to read the 17th kathisma this Saturday for deceased relatives and friends.

17th Kathisma (memorial)

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Troparion: Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Your venerable prophet, O Lord, is a triumph, the heavens are showing the Church, the angels are rejoicing with men: through His prayers, O Christ God, direct our belly in peace, that we may sing: Alleluia.

And now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen. My many and many sins, Mother of God, I ran to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul, and pray to Your Son and our God to grant me forgiveness for the cruel deeds, O Blessed One.

Lord have mercy. (Forty timesand bows according to strength).

Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.(Bow).

Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God. (Bow)

Psalm 118

Blessed are the blameless ones on the way, walking in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who experience His witness, they will seek Him with all their hearts, doing no iniquity, walking in His ways. Thou hast commanded that Thy commandments should be kept strictly. that my ways may be corrected, Thy justifications may be preserved. Then I will not be ashamed to always look upon all Your commandments. Let us confess to You in the righteousness of our hearts, ever to teach us the destinies of Your righteousness. I will preserve Your excuses: do not leave me until the end. In what way does the youngest follow his path? Always keep Your words. With all my heart I seek You, do not turn me away from Your commandments. I hide Your words in my heart, lest I sin against You. Blessed are you, Lord, teachme by Your justification. My mouth proclaimed all the destinies of Your mouth. On the path of Thy testimonies we have enjoyed ourselves, as in all riches. I will mock Your commandments, and understand Your ways. I will learn from Your justifications; I will not forget Your words. Reward Your servant: live me, and I will keep Your words. open my eyes, and I perceive the wonders of Your law. I am a stranger on earth: do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul love to desire Your destiny at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud: curses are those who turn away from Thy commandments. Take away from me diarrhea and humiliation, as I have sought Your testimonies. For the princes are gray and slander me, and Your servant mocks Your justifications. For Thy testimonies are my teaching, and Thy counsels my justifications. Cling to the earth, my soul, live according to Your word. Thou hast declared my ways, and Thou hast heard me: teach me by Thy justification. Let me understand the path of Your justifications, and I will mock at Your wonders. My soul is slumbering from despondency, confirm me in Your words. Leave the path of unrighteousness from me, and have mercy on me with Your law. I have chosen the path of truth, and I have not forgotten Your destiny. I cleave to Thy testimony, O Lord, do not disgrace me. The path of Your commandments flowed when You enlarged my heart. Lay down for me, O Lord, the way of Your justifications, and I will seek and take away. Give me understanding, and I will try Your law, and I will keep it with all my heart. Guide me on the path of Your commandments, as I have desired. Incline my heart to Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from seeing the sky; live me in Your way. Make Thy servant Thy word to fear. Take away my reproach, the hedgehog, for Thy fate is good. Behold, I have desired Your commandment, live me in Your righteousness. And let Thy mercy, O Lord, come upon me, Thy salvation according to Thy word, and I will answer those who reproach my word, because I have trusted in Thy words. And do not take away from my lips the words that are truly true, for I trusted in Your fate. And I will keep Your law forever and ever... And I will walk in breadth, seeking Your commandments, and speaking of Your testimonies before the kings, and not being ashamed. And byI have learned in Thy commandments, which I have loved dearly: and I have lifted up my hands to Thy commandments, which I have loved, and have mocked at Thy justifications. Remember Thy words to Thy servant, whose hope Thou hast given me. So console me in my humility, for Your word lives on me. Pride has transgressed the law to the fullest, but I have not deviated from Your law. I have remembered Your destiny from eternity, O Lord, and have been comforted. I have received sorrow from sinners who forsake Thy law. Peta beat me to Your justifications at the place of my coming. I will remember Your name in the night, O Lord, and keep Your law. This will come to me, as I seek justification for Your demands. Thou art my part, O Lord: I have decided to preserve Thy law. I prayed to Your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to Your word. I have thought about Your ways, And returned my nose to Your witness. Let us prepare ourselves and not be troubled to keep Thy commandments. The sinner has already committed himself to me, and has not forgotten Your law. At midnight I rose to confess to You about the destinies of Your righteousness. I am a partaker of all who fear You and keep Your commandments. Fill the earth with Thy mercy, O Lord; teach me with Thy justification. Thou hast done kindness to Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word. Teach me kindness and punishment and reason, as in Thy commandments of faith. Before I even humble myself, I have sinned, for this reason I have preserved Your word. Thou art good, O Lord, and by Thy goodness teach me by Thy justification. The iniquity of the proud has multiplied against me, but with all my heart I will test Your commandments. Their hearts are as soft as milk, but they have learned Your law. It is good for me, for You have humbled me, so that I may learn through Your justification. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.

(Thrice)

Lord have mercy.(Thrice)

Thy hands create me and create me; give me understanding and I will learn your commandment. Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because they trust in Your words. I understood, Lord, for the truth of Thy destiny, and Thou hast truly humbled me. Be Thy mercy, may Thy servant comfort me according to Thy word. May Thy compassions come to me, and I will live, for Thy law is my teaching. Let the pride be ashamed, for it is our unjust iniquity against me, but I will mock Your commandments. Let those who fear You and those who know Your testimonies convert me. May my heart be blameless in Your justifications, so that I will not be ashamed. My soul disappears for Your salvation, I trust in Your words. My eyes have disappeared into Your word, saying: When will You comfort me? Once upon a time, like fur on the throne, I have not forgotten Your justifications. How many days are there of Your servant? When will you bring judgment on me from those who persecute me? The lawbreakers have told me mockery, but not like Thy law, O Lord. All Your commandments are true; Having persecuted me unrighteously, help me. For a little while I have not passed away from the earth, and I have not forsaken Your commandments. Live for me according to Thy mercy, and I will preserve the testimonies of Thy mouth. For ever, O Lord, Your word remains in Heaven. Thy truth forever and ever. You founded the earth and it remains. The day endures by Thy commandment: for all kinds of work are done by Thee. As if it were not for Your law, my teaching, then I would have perished in my humility. I will never forget Your justifications, for You have revived me in them.

[Wednesday]

I am Yours, save me: for I seek Your justification.I am waiting for a sinner to destroy me, Your testimony has made me understand. I have seen the end of every death; Your commandment is wide. Since I have loved Your law, O Lord, I have my teaching all day long. Thou hast made me wiser more than by Thy commandment, as I am in my age. More than all those who taught me, I understood that Your testimonies are my teaching. More than a hundredThe prophet understood that I have sought Your commandments. I have forbidden my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy words. I have not deviated from Your judgments, as You have laid down laws for me. How sweet is Your word to my throat: more than honey to my mouth. I understood from Your commandments: for this reason I hated every way of unrighteousness. The lamp of my feet is Your law, and the light of my paths. I swore and set them to preserve the fate of Your righteousness. Humble yourself to the core, Lord, live me according to Your word. Free of my lips, please, O Lord, and teach me Your destinies. I will take my soul into Your hand, and I will not forget Your law. Sinners have laid a net for me, and from Your commandments I have not gone astray. I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for the joy of my heart is the essence. Incline my heart, create Your justifications forever for reward. I have hated the lawbreakers, but I have loved Your law. You are my helper and my protector; I trust in your words. Turn away from me, you wicked ones, and I will test the commandments of my God. Intercede for me according to Your word, and I will live, and do not disgrace me because of my hope. Help me, and I will be saved, and I will learn from Your justifications. Thou hast destroyed all those who depart from Thy justifications, for their thoughts are unrighteous. You who transgress against all the sinners of the earth, for this reason I have loved Your witness. Nail Thy fear into my flesh: for I am afraid of Thy judgments. Having co-created justice and righteousness, do not betray me to those who offend me. Consider Thy servant for good, so that pride does not slander me. My eyes disappear for Thy salvation and for the word of Thy righteousness: deal with Thy servant according to Thy mercy, and teach me by Thy justification. I am Thy servant: make me deceive, and I will know Thy testimony. It’s time to create the Lord Maiden: destroy Your law. For this reason I have loved Your commandments more than gold and topaz. For this reason, we have been guided to all Your commandments, and have hated every path of unrighteousness. Wonderful is Thy testimony: for this reason I am tested, my soul. The manifestation of Your words enlightens and instructs little ones. My mouth was opened, and my spirit was drawn, because I desired Thy commandments.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, O God.(Three times).

Lord have mercy.(Thrice)

Prayer request for the deceased.

Remember, O Lord, our God, in faith and hope, Thy eternally departed servant, our brother (name), and as the Good One and the Lover of Mankind, forgiving sins, and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins , deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the glorified God of You in the Trinity faith, and Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and have faith in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You are Generous, give rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But Thou art One besides all sin, and Thy righteousness is righteousness forever, and Thou art the One God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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

Look upon me and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love Your name. Direct my steps according to Thy word, and let not all iniquity possess me. Deliver me from human slander, and I will keep Your commandments. Make Thy face shine upon Thy servant, and teach me by Thy justification. My eyes have seen the coming of the waters: I have not yet kept Thy law. Thou art righteous, O Lord, and Thy judges rule. Thou hast commanded the truth of Thy testimony, and the truth greatly. Thy jealousy has consumed me: for I have forgotten Thy words. Thy word is kindled with great passion, and Thy servant loves him. The youngest I am and humiliated: I have not forgotten Thy justifications. Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your law is truth. Sorrows and needs have come upon me: Your commandments are my teaching. The truth of Thy witness forever: give me understanding,and I will live. I cried with all my heart, hear me, O Lord, I will seek Your justification. I called out to you, save me,and I will keep Your testimonies. I went ahead in hopelessness and cried out, trusting in Thy words. Let my eyes come before the morning, to learn from Thy words. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to Thy mercy: live for me according to Thy destiny. Those who persecute me with iniquity are approaching: from Your lawI left. Thou art near, O Lord, and all Thy ways are the truth. From the beginning I knew from Your testimonies that I founded the age. Judge my judgment, and deliver me: live me by Thy word. Salvation is far from the sinner, for I have not sought Your justifications. Thy bounty is many, O Lord, live me according to Thy destiny. There are many who drive me out and afflict me: I have not turned away from Your testimonies. I have seen those who do not understand and have ceased to say: because I have not kept Your words. See that I have loved Your commandments: Lord, live for me according to Your mercy. The beginning of Thy words is truth, and the whole destiny of Thy righteousness endures forever. O princes of ours, I am tune: and because of Thy words my heart feared. I will rejoice in Your words, for I have gained much gain. I have hated and detested injustice: but I have loved Your law. Every day we praise Thee about the destinies of Thy righteousness. There is peace for many who love Thy law, and there is no temptation for them. Teas

I have loved Your salvation, O Lord, and Your commandments. Protect my soul from Your fistulas, And I will love you dearly. I have kept Your commandments and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You, O Lord. Let my prayer come closer to You: Lord, give me understanding according to Your word. May my petition come before You, O Lord; deliver me according to Your word. My lips will vomit out singing, when Thou hast taught me Thy justification. My tongue proclaimeth Thy words, for all Thy commandments are truth. May Thy hand be to save me, as I have willed Thy commandments. I have desired Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my teaching. My soul will live and praise Thee: and Thy destinies will help me. I have gone astray, like a lost sheep: seek Thy servant, for I have not forgotten Thy commandments.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, thank you God.(Thrice)

Lord have mercy. (Thrice)

Prayer request for the deceased

Remember, O Lord our God, in faith and hope, your eternally departed servant, our brother. (Name), and since He is Good and a Lover of Mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forgive and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things, prepared for those who love Thee: otherwise and sin, but do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God in the Trinity of the glorified faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until your last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and have faith in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You are Generous, give rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity and love for mankind, and we send glory to You,To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

According to the 17th Kathisma

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and a bow from the waist).

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

Our Father, Who art in Heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Prayer

Master, Lord Almighty and Creator of all, Father of generosity and mercy, God, who created man from the earth, and showed him in Your image and likeness, so that Your magnificent name may be glorified on earth, and destroyed by the transgression of Your commandments, again for the better, having recreated it in Thy Christ and raised it to Heaven: I thank Thee, for Thou hast increased Thy greatness upon me, and Thou hast not betrayed me to the end as my enemy, to cast me out to those who seek me into the abyss of hell; Thou hast left me below to perish through iniquity mine. Now, O Omni-merciful and most merciful Lord, do not want the death of the sinner, but do seek and accept conversion: Who have corrected the downtrodden, who have healed the contrite, turn me to repentance, and correct the overthrown, and heal the contrite: remember Thy mercies, even from all eternity Your incomprehensible goodness and my immeasurable goodness, forget the iniquities that I have committed in deed, word, and thought: resolve the blinding of my heart, and give me tears of tenderness to cleanse the filth of my thoughts. Hear, O Lord, attend, O Lover of mankind, cleanse, O Compassionate One, and from tormentFree my damned soul from the reigning passions within me. And let no one contain me from sin: below may the demon fight against me, below may he lead me to his desireme, but by Thy mighty hand, His dominion has snatched me away, Thou reign in me, Good and Human-loving Lord, and of all Thy being, and for me to live otherwise according to Thy good will. And grant me, with the indescribable goodness of my heart, purification of my heart, guarding my lips, rightness of actions, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, silence of my spiritual strength, spiritual joy, true love, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, self-controlled abstinence, and all of me. Fill yourself with good fruits through the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And do not bring me to the end of my days, delight my uncorrected and unprepared soul below: but complete me with Your perfection, and lead me to this present life, as if I had passed through the beginnings and powers of darkness without restraint, I will see by Your grace and I am Your unapproachable glory, unspeakable kindness with all your saints, in whom sanctified and glorified your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, nowand ever and ever. Amen.