God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our sorrow! Comfort everyone who is grieving, saddened, despairing, or overwhelmed by the spirit of despondency. After all, every person was created by Thy hands, wise by wisdom, exalted by Thy right hand, glorified by Thy goodness... But now we are visited by Thy Fatherly punishment, short-term sorrows! “You compassionately punish those you love, and show mercy generously and look upon their tears!” So, having punished, have mercy and quench our sorrow; turn sorrow into joy and dissolve our sorrow with joy; Surprise us with Thy mercy, O Lord, wondrous in counsels, Incomprehensible in destinies, Lord, and blessed in Thy works forever, amen.
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The Lord is the destruction of my despondency and the revival of my boldness. Everything is Lord for me. Oh, truly this Lord, glory to You! Glory to Thee, the Father Life, the Son Life, the Holy Soul Life - the Simple Being - God, who always delivers us from spiritual death, caused by passions to our souls. Glory to You, Trinitarian Master, for from one invocation of Your name you enlighten the dark face of our soul and body and bestow Your peace, which surpasses all earthly and sensual good and all understanding.
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[{A Psalm} of David.] The LORD {is} my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD {is} the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, {even} mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. {came...: Heb. approached against me}
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this {will} I {be} confident.
One {thing} have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. {the beauty: or, the delight}
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. {joy: Heb. shouting}
Hear, O LORD, {when} I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
{When thou saidst}, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. {When...: or, My heart said unto thee, Let my face seek thy face, etc}
Hide not thy face {far} from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. {take...: Heb. gather me}
Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. {a plain...: Heb. a way of plainness} {mine...: Heb. those which observe me}
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
{I had fainted}, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
[{A Psalm} of David.] Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; {so} shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. {verily: Heb. in truth, or, stableness}
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring {it} to pass. {Commit...: Heb. Roll thy way upon}
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. {Rest in: Heb. Be silent to}
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while, and the wicked {shall} not {be}: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it {shall} not {be}.
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. {plotteth: or, practiseth}
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, {and} to slay such as be of upright conversation. {such...: Heb. the upright of way}
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
A little that a righteous man hath {is} better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD {shall be} as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. {the fat: Heb. the preciousness}
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
For {such as be} blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and {they that be} cursed of him shall be cut off.
The steps of a {good} man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. {ordered: or, established}
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth {him with} his hand.
I have been young, and {now} am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
{He is} ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed {is} blessed. {ever: Heb. all the day}
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
The law of his God {is} in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. {steps: or, goings}
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see {it}.
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. {a green...: or, a green tree that groweth in his own soil}
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he {was} not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect {man}, and behold the upright: for the end of {that} man {is} peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous {is} of the LORD: {he is} their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.] I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. {I waited...: Heb. In waiting I waited}
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, {and} established my goings. {an...: Heb. a pit of noise}
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, {even} praise unto our God: many shall see {it}, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Blessed {is} that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Many, O LORD my God, {are} thy wonderful works {which} thou hast done, and thy thoughts {which are} to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: {if} I would declare and speak {of them}, they are more than can be numbered. {they cannot...: or, none can order them unto thee}
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. {opened: Heb. digged}
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book {it is} written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law {is} within my heart. {within...: Heb. in the midst of my bowels}
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. {falleth: Heb. forsaketh}
Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
But I {am} poor and needy; {yet} the Lord thinketh upon me: thou {art} my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
[To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, {A Psalm} of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?] Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. {chief...: or, overseer} {Maschil: or, of instruction}
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
Behold, God {is} mine helper: the Lord {is} with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. {mine...: Heb. those that observe me}
I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for {it is} good.
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen {his desire} upon mine enemies.
[A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.] Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. {of: or, for}
Hide not thy face from me in the day {when} I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day {when} I call answer me speedily.
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. {like...: or, (as some read) into smoke}
My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. {skin: or, flesh}
I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; {and} they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
My days {are} like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
Thou shalt arise, {and} have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; {those...: Heb. the children of death}
To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. {weakened: Heb. afflicted}
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years {are} throughout all generations.
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens {are} the work of thy hands.
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: {endure: Heb. stand}
But thou {art} the same, and thy years shall have no end.
The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
Oh, all-praised saint and saint of Christ, our Father Tikhon!
Having lived like an angel on earth, you appeared like a good angel and in your wondrous glorification: we believe with all our souls and thoughts, as you, our compassionate helper and prayer leader, are yours Unfalse intercessions and grace, abundantly bestowed upon you from the Lord, will always contribute to our salvation.
Accept, blessed servant of Christ, even at this hour our unworthy prayer: free us through your intercession from the vanity and superstition that surrounds us, the unbelief and evil of man; Try, quickly represent us, with your favorable intercession to beg the Lord, that He may add His great and rich mercy to us, sinners and unworthy His servants (names), and heal With His grace, may the unhealed sores and scabs of our corrupted souls and bodies dissolve our petrified hearts with tears of tenderness and contrition for our many sins, and may He deliver us from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna; May He grant to all His faithful people in this present world peace and silence, health and salvation and good haste in everything, so that a quiet and silent life will live in all piety and purity, let us be honored with the Angels and with all the saints to glorify and sing the all-holy name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
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Hope to all the ends of the earth, Most Pure Virgin, Lady Theotokos, our consolation!
Do not disdain us sinners, for we trust in Your mercy: extinguish the sinful flame burning in us and water our parched hearts with repentance; Cleanse our minds from sinful thoughts, accept the prayers offered to You from the soul and heart with sighs.
Be an intercessor for us to Your Son and God and turn away His anger with Your motherly prayers.
Heal mental and physical ulcers, Lady Lady, quench the illnesses of souls and bodies, calm the storm of evil attacks of the enemy, take away the burden of our sins, and do not leave us until the end perish, and comfort our hearts crushed by sorrow, may we glorify Thee until our last breath.
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Oh, Most Holy Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Blessed Mother of this city and holy church, the Patroness of all who are in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses, faithful to the Representative and Intercessor!
Accept this prayer song from us, Thy unworthy servants, offered to You, and like the sinner of old, every day many times before Thy honorable icon who prayed, You did not despise, but You gave him the unexpected joy of repentance and You bowed down Your Son with many and zealous petitions to Him for the forgiveness of this sinner and the lost, so even now despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, and pray to Thy Son and our God, and to all of us, who with faith and tenderness worship before Thy celibate image, grant an unexpected gift for each require joy: a sinner mired in the depths of evil and passions - all-effective admonition, repentance and salvation; to those in sorrow and sorrow - consolation; to those who find themselves in troubles and embitterment - complete abundance of these; for the cowardly and unreliable - hope and patience; To those who live in joy and abundance - unceasing thanksgiving to God the Benefactor; to the needy - mercy; for those who are sick and long-term and abandoned by doctors - unexpected healing and strengthening; for those who were waiting for the mind from an illness - the return and renewal of the mind; departing into eternal and endless life - memory of death, tenderness and contrition for sins, a cheerful spirit and firm hope in the mercy of the Judge.
Oh, Most Holy Lady!
Have mercy on all who honor Your all-honorable name and show everyone Your all-powerful protection and intercession: in piety, purity and honest living, abide by their goodness until the end; create evil blessings; guide those who have gone astray to the right path; Make progress in every good work and that which is pleasing to Your Son; Destroy every evil and ungodly deed; in bewilderment and difficult and dangerous circumstances, to those who find invisible help and admonition sent down from Heaven, from temptations, temptations and death, save from all evil people and from visible enemies protect and preserve invisible ones; float to those who swim, travel to those who travel; Be the Nourisher for those who are in need and hunger; for those who do not have shelter and shelter, provide cover and refuge; Give clothing to the naked, intercession to the offended and unjustly persecuted; invisibly justify those who suffer slander, slander and blasphemy; expose the slanderers and blasphemers before everyone; Grant unforeseen reconciliation to those who are bitterly at enmity, and to all of us - love, peace, and piety, and health with long life.
Keep your marriage in love and like-mindedness; spouses, in the enmity and division of existence, die, unite me to each other and establish an indestructible union of love for them; Give speedy permission to mothers giving birth, raise babies, keep young ones chaste, open their minds to the perception of every useful teaching, the fear of God, abstinence and hard work. instruct; protect from domestic strife and enmity of the same blood with peace and love; Be the Mother of motherless orphans, turn them away from all vice and filthiness, and teach them all that is good and pleasing to God; bring forth the abysses of destruction; Be the Comforter and Helper of widows, be a rod of old age; Deliver us all from sudden death without repentance and grant us all a Christian death of our lives, painless, shameless, peaceful and a kind answer at the Last Judgment of Christ: having ceased in faith and repentance from this life with the Angels and created the lives of all the saints; those who died of sudden death, beg the mercy of Your Son, and for all those who have fallen who have no relatives, begging for the repose of Your Son, You Yourself be unceasing and warm Prayer Book and Intercessor: let everyone in Heaven and on earth lead You, as a steadfast and unashamed Representative of the Christian race, and, leading, glorify You and Your Son, with His Beginningless Father and His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
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Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, blessed Mother of Christ God, our Savior, joy to all who mourn, visiting the sick, protection and intercession of the weak, 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.
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Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the Highest Powers, Heaven and Earth Queen, our city and country, omnipotent Intercessor!
Accept this singing of praise and gratitude from us, unworthy of Your servants, and lift up our prayers to the Throne of God Your Son, may He be merciful to our unrighteousness and increase His grace to those who honor Your all-honorable name and with faith and love worship Your miraculous image.
We are not worthy of mercy from Him, unless You propitiate Him for us, Lady, for all that is possible for You from Him.
For this reason we resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor: hear us praying to You, cover us with Your all-powerful protection and ask God the Son Your shepherd is zeal and vigilance for souls, your ruler is wisdom and strength, your judge is truth and impartiality, your mentor is reason and humility, your husband is love and harmony, obedience to children, patience to those who are offended, fear of God to those who are offended, complacency to those who mourn, self-control to those who rejoice: to us all the spirit of understanding and godliness, the spirit of mercy and meekness, the spirit purity and truth.
Hey, Most Holy Lady, have mercy on Your weak people; Gather the scattered, guide those who have gone astray on the right path, support old age, bring up the youth with integrity, educate the young, and look upon us all with the care of Your merciful intercession; raise us up from the depths of sin and enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the vision of salvation; be merciful to us here and there, in the land of earthly coming and at the Last Judgment of Your Son; Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, our fathers and brothers created eternal life with the Angels and with all the saints.
For you are, Lady, the Glory of heaven and the Hope of earth, You, according to God, are our Hope and Intercessor of all who flow to You with faith.
We therefore pray to You and to You, as the Almighty Helper, to ourselves and to each other and our whole lives we commit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
1 Righteous John of Kronstadt. My life in Christ. Volume 1, 610. Volume 2, 949.
2 Translation by R.B.K.