Psalter. Kathisma 18 | Female version | Eastern Orthodox Prayerbook and Psalter


Be it known how one should read the Psalter privately.
If a priest: Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
If a layman: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art in all places and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Gracious Lord.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Penitential Troparia, Tone 6
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, / for, finding no excuse for ourselves, / we sinners offer this prayer to Thee as Master: / have mercy on us.
Glory: The sacred celebration of Thy prophet, O Lord, / has made the Church like unto heaven: / with men the angels rejoice. / Through his prayers, O Christ God, / guide our life in peace, / that we may sing unto Thee: Alleluia.
Now and ever: The countless multitude of my transgressions, O Theotokos — / unto Thee have I fled, O Pure One, needing salvation. / Look with mercy upon my weak soul / and intercede with Thy Son and our God / to grant me forgiveness of the grievous sins I have committed, / O only Blessed One.
Lord, have mercy. (40 times) And make as many prostrations as you wish.
Prayer to the Holy Life-Creating Trinity
O All-Holy Trinity, God and Creator of the whole world! Help and guide my heart to begin with understanding and to end with good deeds this divinely inspired book, which the Holy Spirit spoke through the mouth of David, and which I, unworthy, now intend to read. But knowing my ignorance, I fall down before Thee, and pray and ask for Thy help: O Lord, guide my mind and strengthen my heart to care not about the words of the mouth, but to rejoice in the meaning of what is spoken, and to prepare for the fulfillment of good deeds — what I learn and what I say — so that, enlightened by good deeds, at Thy Judgment I may be deemed worthy to stand at Thy right hand with all Thine elect. And now, O Master, bless, that having sighed from the heart, I may also sing with my tongue, saying thus:
Come, let us worship God, our King.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Then stand for a little while, until all your senses are quieted. Then make the beginning not in haste, without laziness, with compunction and a contrite heart. Say the words: “Blessed is the man…” softly and thoughtfully, with attention, and not hurrying, so that you may also understand with your mind what is spoken.

Psalm 119

In mine affliction I cried to the Lord, and he hearkened to me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from unjust lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What should be given to thee, and what should be added to thee, for thy crafty tongue? Sharpened weapons of the mighty, with coals of the desert. Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged; I have tabernacled among the tents of Kedar. My soul has long been a sojourner; I was peaceable among them that hated peace; when I spoke to them, they warred against me without a cause.

Psalm 120

I lifted up mine eyes to the mountains, whence my help shall come. My help shall come from the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth. Let not thy foot be moved; and let not thy keeper slumber. Behold, he that keeps Israel shall not slumber nor sleep. The Lord shall keep thee: the Lord is thy shelter upon thy right hand. The sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night. May the Lord preserve thee from all evil: the Lord shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall keep thy coming in, and thy going out, from henceforth and even for ever.

Psalm 121

I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet stood in thy courts, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city whose fellowship is complete. For thither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones for judgment, even thrones for the house of David. Pray now for the peace of Jerusalem: and let there be prosperity to them that love thee. Let peace, I pray, be within thine host, and prosperity in thy palaces. For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I have indeed spoken peace concerning thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have diligently sought thy good.

Psalm 122

Unto thee who dwellest in heaven have I lifted up mine eyes. Behold, as the eyes of servants are directed to the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maidservant to the hands of her mistress; so our eyes are directed to the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. Have pity upon us, O Lord, have pity upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Yea, our soul has been exceedingly filled with it: let the reproach be to them that are at ease, and contempt to the proud.

Psalm 123

If it had not been that the Lord was among us, let Israel now say; if it had not been that the Lord was among us, when men rose up against us; verily they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us: verily the water would have drowned us, our soul would have gone under the torrent. Yea, our soul would have gone under the overwhelming water. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us for a prey to their teeth. Our soul has been delivered as a sparrow from the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are delivered. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. (three times)

Lord, have mercy. (three times)

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


Save, O Lord, and have mercy upon: my spiritual father , my parents , my relatives, supervisors, teachers, and benefactors , and all Orthodox Christians. (bow)
Deliver them from every affliction, wrath, and need, (bow)
and from every sickness of soul and body. (bow)
Forgive them every transgression, voluntary and involuntary, (bow)
and do what is profitable for our souls. (bow)

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

Psalm 124

They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion: he that dwells in Jerusalem shall never be moved. The mountains are round about her, and so the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth and even for ever. For the Lord will not allow the rod of sinners to be upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous should stretch forth their hands to iniquity. Do good, O Lord, to them that are good, and to them that are upright in heart. But them that turn aside to crooked ways the Lord will lead away with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

Psalm 125

When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion, we became as comforted ones. Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation: then would they say among the Gentiles, The Lord has done great things among them. The Lord has done great things for us, we became joyful. Turn, O Lord, our captivity, as the steams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. They went on and wept as they cast their seeds; but they shall surely come with exultation, bringing their sheaves with them.

Psalm 126

Except the Lord build the house, they that build labour in vain: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman watches in vain. It is vain for you to rise early: ye rise up after resting, ye that eat the bread of grief; while he gives sleep to his beloved. Behold, the inheritance of the Lord, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are the children of those who were outcasts. Blessed is the man who shall satisfy his desire with them: they shall not be ashamed when they shall speak to their enemies in the gates.

Psalm 127

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord; who walk in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine on the sides of thy house: thy children as young olive-plants round about thy table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that fears the Lord. May the Lord bless thee out of Sion; and mayest thou see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. And mayest thou see thy children’s children. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 128

Many a time have they warred against me from my youth, let Israel now say: Many a time have they warred against me from my youth: and yet they prevailed not against me. The sinners wrought upon my back: they prolonged their iniquity. The righteous Lord has cut asunder the necks of sinners. Let all that hate Sion be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass of the house-tops, which withers before it is plucked up. Wherewith the reaper fills not his hand, nor he that makes up the sheaves, his bosom. Neither do they that go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. (three times)

Lord, have mercy. (three times)

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


Remember, O Lord, the souls of Thy departed servants: my parents , my relatives and benefactors , and all Orthodox Christians. (bow)
And forgive them every transgression, voluntary and involuntary, (bow)
and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven. (bow)

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

Psalm 129

Out of the depths have I cried to thee, O Lord. O Lord, hearken to my voice; let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? For with thee is forgiveness: for thy name’s sake have I waited for thee, O Lord, my soul has waited for thy word. My soul has hoped in the Lord; from the morning watch till night. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Psalm 130

O Lord, my heart is not exalted, neither have mine eyes been haughtily raised: neither have I exercised myself in great matters, nor in things too wonderful for me. I shall have sinned if I have not been humble, but have exulted my soul: according to the relation of a weaned child to his mother, so wilt thou recompense my soul. Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

Psalm 131

Lord, remember David, and all his meekness: how he sware to the Lord, and vowed to the God of Jacob, saying, I will not go into the tabernacle of my house; I will not go up to the couch of my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids, nor rest to my temples, until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Behold, we heard of it in Ephratha; we found it in the fields of the wood. Let us enter into his tabernacles: let us worship at the place where his feet stood. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thine holiness. Thy priests shall clothe themselves with righteousness; and thy saints shall exult. For the sake of thy servant David turn not away the face of thine anointed. The Lord sware in truth to David, and he will not annul it, saying, Of the fruit of thy body will I set a king upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant, and these my testimonies which I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon thy throne for ever. For the Lord has elected Sion, he has chosen her for a habitation for himself, saying, This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have chosen it. I will surely bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall greatly exult. There will I cause to spring up a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with a shame; but upon himself shall my holiness flourish.

Psalm 132

See now! what is so good, or what so pleasant, as for brethren to dwell together? It is as ointment on the head, that ran down to the beard, even the beard of Aaron; that ran down to the fringe of his clothing. As the dew of Aermon, that comes down on the mountains of Sion: for there, the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for ever.

Psalm 133

Behold now, bless ye the Lord, all the servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Lift up your hands by night in the sanctuaries, and bless the Lord. May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Sion.

Glory:


Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Before my condemnation, / O my Lord and Master, / grant me conversion and correction from my many sins; / grant me spiritual contrition, / that I may cry unto Thee: / “O merciful Lover of mankind, / my God, save me!”

Glory: Having become like the irrational beasts, / I, the prodigal, have been made equal to them. / Grant me conversion, O Christ, / that I may receive great mercy from Thee.

Now and ever: Turn not Thy face away, O Lady, / from me who pray to Thee; / but as the merciful Mother of the compassionate God, / hasten before the end to grant me conversion, / that, saved by Thine intercession, I may hymn Thee / as my salvation and sure hope, O my Lady.

Lord, have mercy. (40 times) and the prayer:

Prayer

O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy fury, nor chasten me in Thy wrath. O Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner: poor, naked, slothful, negligent, disobedient, wretched, a fornicator, an adulterer, corrupt, depraved, defiled, wandering, ungrateful, unmerciful, hardhearted, with a seared conscience, misshapen, having neither boldness nor excuse, unworthy of Thy love for mankind and deserving of every punishment, of Gehenna and torment. Yet because of the multitude of my many transgressions, O Deliverer, subject me not to a multitude of torments, but have mercy on me, for I am weak in soul and body, in mind and thought. Save me, Thine unworthy servant, in ways known unto Thee, through the prayers of our most pure Lady Theotokos and of all the saints who have pleased Thee from ages past, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.