Cry of repentance

In the work of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk “Lamentation of Repentance” quotes the Holy Scripture. The text is a heartfelt cry of the soul, repenting of its sins and crying out to God for mercy, healing and salvation. The author (the one praying) describes the severity of sins, inner sorrow, the feeling of being abandoned by God and attacks by enemies, but at the same time trusts in the mercy and unchanging love of the Lord. Inspire my words, O Lord, understand my title. Hear the voice of my prayer, my King and my God, as I will pray to You, O Lord. Tomorrow hear my voice, tomorrow I will appear to You, and you will see me (Ps. 5:2-4). Chorus: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me. Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are crushed. And my soul was greatly troubled; and You, Lord, how long? Turn, O Lord, deliver my soul; save me for the sake of Thy mercy. For there is nothing to remember You in death; in hell, who will confess to You? (Ps. 6:2–6.) Arise, O Lord, my God, let Thy hand be exalted; do not forget Thy poor to the end (Ps. 9:33). You, Lord, have preserved us and kept us from this generation and forever (Ps. 11:8). Look, hear me, O Lord my God, enlighten my eyes, lest I fall asleep into death, lest my enemy say: Be strong against him. Those who are cold will rejoice as long as I move. I have trusted in Your mercy. My heart will rejoice in Your salvation, I will sing to the Lord, who has done good to me, and I will sing to the name of the Lord Most High (Ps. 12:4-7). Make my steps in Your paths, so that my steps may not move (Ps. 16:5). Surprise Your mercy, save those who trust in You from those who resist Your right hand. Save me, O Lord, like the apple of your eye, covering me in the shelter of Your wing, from the face of the wicked, who have made me angry. Defeat my soul; you have shut up your fat, your lips have spoken pride. Those who cast me out have now passed me by, casting their eyes upon the earth. Having embraced me, like a lion ready to catch, and like a skinman, dwell in the secret. Arise, O Lord, before me, and stifle them, deliver my soul from the wicked, Thy weapon from the enemy of Thy hand (Ps. 16:7-14). Who understands the Fall? Cleanse me from my secrets, and spare your servant from strangers (Ps. 18:13). You live in the Holy Place, praise of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You, you trusted and I delivered. I cried out to You, and was saved; I trusted in You, and was not ashamed (Ps. 21:4-6). Do not depart from me, for sorrow is near, for you cannot help me (Ps. 21:12). Lord, do not remove Your help from me, attend to my intercession. Deliver my soul from the weapon, and my only begotten from the hand of the dog. Save me from the mouth of lions and from the horns of the unicorn my humility (Ps. 21:20–22). Remember Your mercies, O Lord, and Your mercies, as they have been since the ages. Do not remember the sin of my youth and my ignorance; according to Your mercy, remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord (Ps. 25:6-7). The sorrows of my heart have increased, deliver me from my needs. See my humility and my work, and forgive all my sins. See how my enemies have multiplied (Ps. 24:17–19). Save my soul and deliver me, so that I will not be ashamed, because I trusted in You (Ps. 24:20). Hear, O Lord, my voice to which I cried: have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord. I will seek Your face, O Lord, I will seek Your face. Turn not Thy face away from me, and do not turn aside in anger from Thy servant; Be my helper, do not reject me, and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior. For my father and mother have abandoned me, but the Lord will receive me. Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me into the souls of those who are afflicted by me: for I have risen up as a witness of unrighteousness, and have lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good of the Lord on the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord (Ps. 26:7-14). In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, that I may never be ashamed: by Thy righteousness deliver me and save me. Incline Your ear to me, hasten to take me away: make me God the Protector and the house of refuge to save me. For Thou art my power and my refuge, and for Thy name’s sake instruct me and nourish me. Deliver me from this snare, which you have hidden from me: for You are my Protector, O Lord. In Thy hand I will offer my spirit: Thou hast delivered me, O Lord God of truth. You hated those who kept vanities in vain; I have trusted in the Lord. I will rejoice and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have looked upon my humility, and You have saved my soul from need (Ps. 30:1-8). To You, O Lord, I will cry, O my God, that you may not be silent from me, so that you may not keep silence from me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit. Hear, O Lord, the voice of my prayer; we always pray to You, always lift up my hands to Your holy church. Do not bring me with sinners, and do not destroy me with those who do injustice, who speak peace with their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts (Ps. 27:1-3). Make Thy face shine upon Thy servant, save me by Thy mercy. Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I called Thee (Ps. 30:17–18). You are my refuge from sorrow, holding me: my joy, deliver me from those who have passed me by (Ps. 31:7). For my iniquities have exceeded my head, for a heavy burden has weighed down upon me. My wounds have grown stale and rotten because of my madness. I suffered and sloshed to the end, walking around mourning all day (Ps. 37:5-7). Lord, all my desire is before You, and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart is troubled, my strength has left me, and the light of my eyes, and she is not with me (Ps. 37:10-11). Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation (Ps. 37:22). The evil one has taken possession of me, which has no number, my iniquities have befallen me, and I have not been able to see, multiplying more than the hair of my head, and forsake my heart. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, come to my aid. Let those who seek to take my soul be ashamed and put to shame, and let those who wish me evil turn back and be ashamed. May those who say: better, better, accept their bitterness. Let all who seek You, O Lord, rejoice and rejoice in You, and let them say: May the Lord be magnified in those who love Your salvation. But I am poor and wretched, the Lord will take care of me. Thou art my Helper and my Protector, O my God, do not become stubborn (Ps. 39:13–18). Hear us, O God, our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and those who are in the sea far off (Ps. 64:6). God, be gracious to us and bless us, make Your face shine upon us and have mercy on us (Ps. 67:2). Save me, O God, as water came down to my soul. The coal-burner is in a time of depth, and there is no constancy. I sank into the depths of the sea, and the storm drowned me (Ps. 68:2–3). Hear me, Lord, for Thy mercy is good: according to the multitude of Thy mercies, look upon me. Do not turn Your face away from Your servant, for I am grieving; hear me soon. Take in my soul and deliver it (Ps. 68:17–19). Do not reject me in my old age; when my strength fails, do not forsake me. As if they had decided to defeat me, and those who were seeking my soul conferred together, saying: God has left him to eat, marry and have him, for there is no deliverance. My God, do not depart from me, my God, come to my help. Let those who slander my soul be ashamed and disappear, and let those who seek evil against me be clothed with shame and shame (Ps. 71:9-13). What is there in heaven? And what did You want on earth? My heart and my flesh are gone, O God of my heart, and my portion, O God, forever (Ps. 72:25-26). May the humble and disgraced, the poor and the wretched not return and praise Your name. Arise, O God, judge Thy right, remember Thy reproach, which has come from the fool all day long. Do not forget the voice of Your prayer book; I will take away the pride of those who hate You (Ps. 74:21-23). Do not remember our first iniquities: may Your mercies soon precede us, O Lord, as we are so poor. Help us, O God, our Savior, for glory for Thy name's sake, O Lord, deliver us, and cleanse our sins for Thy name's sake (Ps. 78:8-9). Raise up Your power and come to save us. God, turn to us and make Your face shine, and we will be saved (Ps. 79:3-4). Thou hast favored, O Lord, Thy land, Thou hast returned the captivity of Jacob, Thou hast forsaken the iniquities of Thy people, Thou hast covered all their sins. Thou hast tamed all Thy wrath, Thou hast returned from the wrath of Thy wrath. Bring us back, O God of our salvation, and turn away Your wrath from us. Food forever are you angry with us? Or will You sweep away Your wrath from generation to generation? God, You, turn, revive us, and Your people will rejoice in You. Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy, and grant us Thy salvation. I will hear what the Lord God says about me: as He speaks peace against His people and against His saints, and against those who turn their hearts to Him (Ps. 84:2-9). O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried before You by day and by night: Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my prayer. For my soul is filled with evil, and my belly is drawing near to hell (Ps. 87:2–3). Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and wretched (Ps. 85:1). Who knows the power of Your wrath, and through Your fear destroys Your wrath? Thy right hand tell me this, and my heart is bound in wisdom. Turn, Lord, how long? And beg for Thy servants (Ps. 89:11-13). Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Do not turn Your face away from me; Even if I mourn a day, incline Your ear to me; Even if it’s daylight I call on You, hear me soon. As if my days had vanished, like smoke, and my bones had dried up (Ps. 102:2-4). 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 (Ps. 119:18–19). 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 (Ps. 119:28-29). Let me understand the path of Your justifications, and I will mock at Your wonders (Ps. 119:27). 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. And may Thy mercy come upon me, O Lord, and Thy salvation according to Thy word (Ps. 119:34–37, 41). I prayed to Your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to Your word. Fill the earth with Your mercy, O Lord; teach me Your justification (Ps. 119:58, 64). Teach me goodness and punishment and reason, as in Your commandment we believe (Ps. 119:66). Thou art good, O Lord, and by Thy goodness teach me by Thy justification (Ps. 119:68). Thy hands made me, and created me: give me understanding, and I will learn Thy commandment (Ps. 119:73). Let Thy mercy comfort me according to Thy word to Thy servant. Let Your compassions come to me, and I will live, for Your law is my teaching (Ps. 119:76–77). May my heart be blameless in Your justifications, so that I will not be ashamed (Ps. 119:80). I am Yours, save me, for I have sought Your justification (Ps. 119:94). 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 (Ps. 119:116–117). 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 (Ps. 119:132–135). 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. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to Thy mercy, live me according to Thy destiny (Ps. 119:145–146, 149). May my prayer come closer to 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 You, and Your fate will help me. I have gone astray, like a lost sheep: seek Thy servant, for I have not forgotten Thy commandments (Ps. 119:169–176). I lift up my eyes to You, who dwell in heaven (Ps. 122:1). Return, O Lord, our captivity, like the floods of the south (Ps. 126:4). From the depths I cried to You, Lord, Lord, hear my voice. May Your ears be attentive to the voice of my prayer. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For You have purification (Ps. 129:1-3). Remember, Lord, David and all his meekness (Ps. 132:1). Lord, I have called to You, hear me: listen to the voice of my prayer, sometimes I will cry to You. May my prayer be corrected as the incense before You, the lifting of my hand, the evening sacrifice. Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth, and a guard over my mouth. Do not turn my heart into the words of wickedness, do not bear the guilt of sins with people who practice iniquity (Ps. 141:1-4). Keep me from the snare that I have made, and from the temptation of those who practice iniquity (Ps. 140:9). With my voice I cried to the Lord, with my voice I prayed to the Lord. I will pour out my prayer before Him, I will declare my sorrow before Him (Ps. 141:2-3). Lord, hear my prayer, inspire my prayer in Thy truth, hear me in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant, for every living person will not be justified before You. Like the enemy drove my soul, he humbled my belly to eat, he planted me to eat in dark, like dead centuries. And my spirit is depressed within me, my heart is troubled within me. I have remembered the days of old, I have learned in all Your works, I have learned Your hand in all creation. My hands have lifted up to You, my soul, like a waterless land to You. Hear me soon, Lord, my spirit has disappeared; do not turn Your face away from me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit. I hear Thy mercy upon me in the morning, for I trust in Thee. Tell me, Lord, the way, I will go, as if I have taken my soul to You. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Your Good Spirit will guide me to the right land. For Thy name's sake, Lord, live for me; By Thy righteousness Thou hast delivered my soul from sorrow. And consume Your mercy by my enemies, and destroy all my cold souls; For I am Your servant (Ps. 142). Hear, O Lord, cleanse, O Lord, attend, O Lord, and create, and do not be obdurate for Your sake (Dan. 9:19).