My heart has loved You, Lord, and therefore I miss You and seek You tearfully.
You decorated the sky with stars, the air with clouds, the earth with seas, rivers and green gardens where birds sing, but my soul loved You and does not want to look at this world, although it is beautiful.
My soul desires only You, Lord. I cannot forget your quiet and meek gaze, and I tearfully pray to you: Come and dwell, and cleanse me from my sins. You see from the height of Your holy glory how my soul misses You. Do not forsake me, Your servant; Hear me cry out like the Prophet David: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy.”
[To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.] As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. {Maschil...: or, A Psalm giving instruction of the sons, etc} {panteth: Heb. brayeth}
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where {is} thy God?
When I remember these {things}, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and {why} art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him {for} the help of his countenance. {cast: Heb. bowed} {praise: or, give thanks} {for the...: or, his presence is salvation}
O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. {the hill...: or, the little hill}
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
{Yet} the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song {shall be} with me, {and} my prayer unto the God of my life.
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
{As} with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where {is} thy God? {sword: or, killing}
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, {who is} the health of my countenance, and my God.
[To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.] How amiable {are} thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! {for the sons: or, of the sons}
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, {even} thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
Blessed {are} they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
Blessed {is} the man whose strength {is} in thee; in whose heart {are} the ways {of them}.
{Who} passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. {Baca...: or, mulberry trees make him a well, etc} {filleth: Heb. covereth}
They go from strength to strength, {every one of them} in Zion appeareth before God. {strength to...: or, company to company}
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
For a day in thy courts {is} better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. {I had...: Heb. I would choose rather to sit at the threshold}
For the LORD God {is} a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good {thing} will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts, blessed {is} the man that trusteth in thee.
Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest {thyself} with light as {with} a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
{Who} laid the foundations of the earth, {that} it should not be removed for ever. {Who...: Heb. He hath founded the earth upon her bases}
Thou coveredst it with the deep as {with} a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. {They go up...: or, The mountains ascend, the valleys descend}
Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
He sendeth the springs into the valleys, {which} run among the hills. {He: Heb. Who} {run: Heb. walk}
They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. {quench: Heb. break}
By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, {which} sing among the branches. {sing: Heb. give a voice}
He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
And wine {that} maketh glad the heart of man, {and} oil to make {his} face to shine, and bread {which} strengtheneth man's heart. {oil...: Heb. to make his face shine with oil, or, more than oil}
The trees of the LORD are full {of sap}; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
Where the birds make their nests: {as for} the stork, the fir trees {are} her house.
The high hills {are} a refuge for the wild goats; {and} the rocks for the conies.
He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep {forth}. {beasts...: Heb. beasts thereof do trample on the forest}
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
{So is} this great and wide sea, wherein {are} things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
There go the ships: {there is} that leviathan, {whom} thou hast made to play therein. {made: Heb. formed}
These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give {them} their meat in due season.
{That} thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. {endure: Heb. be}
He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
[{A Psalm} of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.] I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise {shall} continually {be} in my mouth. {Abimelech: or, Achish}
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear {thereof}, and be glad.
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. {were lightened: or, they flowed unto him}
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard {him}, and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
O taste and see that the LORD {is} good: blessed {is} the man {that} trusteth in him.
O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for {there is} no want to them that fear him.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good {thing}.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man {is he that} desireth life, {and} loveth {many} days, that he may see good?
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD {are} upon the righteous, and his ears {are open} unto their cry.
The face of the LORD {is} against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
{The righteous} cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD {is} nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. {unto...: Heb. to the broken of heart} {of a contrite...: Heb. contrite of spirit}
Many {are} the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. {desolate: or, guilty}
The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. {desolate: or, guilty}
Zealous Intercessor, Compassionate Mother of the Lord, I resort to You, the accursed one and the most sinful man above all. Hear the voice of my prayer and hear my cry and groaning. For my iniquity has exceeded my head, and I, like a ship in the depths, am plunging into the sea of my sins. But You, All-Good and Merciful Lady, do not despise me, desperate and perishing in sins. Have mercy on me, who repent of my evil deeds, and turn my lost, damned soul to the right path. On You, my Lady Theotokos, I place all my hope. Thou, Mother of God, preserve and keep me under Thy roof, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Most Blessed Mother of Christ God, our Savior, joy to all who mourn, visiting the sick, the weak, protection and intercessor, widows and orphans patroness, all-reliable comforter of sad mothers, weak babies in the fortress, and for all the helpless, always ready help and a faithful refuge! To you, O All-Merciful One, was given from the Almighty grace to intercede for everyone and deliver them from sorrows and illnesses, for you yourself endured fierce sorrows and illnesses, looking at the free suffering of Your beloved Son and Him on the Cross, we see, when we see the weapon predicted by Simeon, Your heart will pass through: also Ubo, O Mother of children, Hear the voice of our prayer, comfort us in the sorrow of those who exist, as a faithful intercessor for joy.
Standing before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, you can, if you desire, ask for everything useful to us: for the sake of heartfelt faith and love We fall to You, as the Queen and Lady: hear, daughter, and see, and incline Your ear, hear our prayer and deliver us from the current troubles and sorrows: You are the Joy of all to the faithful, as you give peace and consolation. See our misfortune and sorrow: show us Your mercy, send comfort to our hearts wounded by sorrow, show and surprise us sinners with the wealth of mercy Yours, give us tears of repentance for the cleansing of our sins and the quenching of the wrath of God, so that with a pure heart, good conscience and undoubted hope we may resort to Your intercession and intercession.
Accept, our All-merciful Lady Theotokos, our fervent prayer offered to You, and do not reject us unworthy from Your mercy, but grant us deliverance from sorrow and illnesses, protect us from all slander of the enemy and human slander, be our constant helper all the days of our lives, as we are always under Your maternal protection Let us achieve our goals and preservation through Your intercession and prayers to Your Son and God our Savior, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His beginningless Father and By the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Oh, wonderful servant of God, Father Silouan! By the grace given to you by God, to pray tearfully for the entire universe - the dead, the living and the coming - do not keep silent for us to the Lord, who fervently come to you and tenderly ask for your intercession (names). Move, O all-blessed One, to prayer the Zealous Intercessor of the Christian race, the Most Blessed Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, who miraculously called you to be a faithful worker in Her earthly heliport, where God’s chosen one beseeches God for our sins, the merciful and long-suffering being of God, not to remember our untruths and iniquities, but for his ineffable goodness Our Lord Jesus Christ will spare us and save us according to His great mercy. To her, saint of God, with the Most Blessed Lady of the world - the Most Holy Abbess of Athos and the holy ascetics of Her earthly lot, ask the saints for the Most Holy Word of the Holy Woe to Athos and its God-loving desert dwellers will be preserved in the world from all the troubles and slander of the enemy.
Yes, the Angels deliver the saints from evils and are strengthened by the Holy Spirit in faith and brotherly love, until the end of the age about the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, creating prayers and saving for all They show the way, so that the earthly and heavenly Church may continually glorify the Creator and Father of Lights, enlightening and sanctifying the world in the eternal truth and goodness of God. Ask the peoples of the entire earth for a prosperous and peaceful life, the spirit of humility and brotherly love, good morals and salvation, the spirit of the fear of God. Let it not be malice and lawlessness that harden the hearts of men, which can destroy the love of God in men and cast them into hostility and fratricide, but in the power of Divine love and righteousness, as in Heaven and on earth, hallowed be the name of God, may His holy will be done among men, and may peace and the Kingdom of God reign on earth.
So also for your earthly Fatherland - the Russian lands, ask, saint of God, the longed-for peace and heavenly blessing, in the same way, with the all-powerful omophorion of the Mother of God covered, may he be delivered from famine, destruction, cowardice, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare, and from all enemies, visible and invisible, and thus by the most holy house of the Blessed Virgin Mary until the end of the age the Life-giving Cross will remain in him by the power and love of God; the inexhaustible one will be established. For all of us, who are immersed in the darkness of sins and warmth of repentance, who have no lower fear of God and who constantly insult the Lord who loves us immeasurably, ask, O all-blessed one, from our All-Bountiful God, May He, with His omnipotent divine grace, visit and revive our souls, and may He abolish all malice and worldly pride, despondency and negligence in our hearts.
We also pray for us, strengthened by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit and warmed by the love of God, in love for mankind and brotherly love, humility and prayerful crucification for each other and for everyone, in the righteousness of God will be established and in the grace-filled love of God will be strengthened in good manners, and the love of sons will come closer to Him. Yes, so, doing His all-holy will, in all piety and purity of temporary life, let us walk the path shamelessly and with all the saints of the Heavenly Kingdom and His Lamb marriage. To Him from all those on earth and in Heaven be glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father, the Most Holy and Good, and His Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
1 Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov). Elder Silouan of Athos.
2 Synodal translation.
3 Venerable Alexander of Svirsky. Prayers.