Prokeimenon (Psalm 37), tone 4: For I am ready for wounds, / and my illness is before me.
Verse: Lord, do not rebuke me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath.
Prokeimenon (Psalm 37), tone 4: For I am ready for wounds, and My torments are always before Me.
Verse: In Your anger, O Lord, do not rebuke me and do not punish me in Your indignation!
Reading the prophecies of Isaiah (Is. 50:4–11).
The Lord gives me the language of teaching, so that I can understand, when it is proper to say the word: put me in the morning, put my ear in the morning, even if I hear. And the punishment of the Lord opens my ears, but I do not resist, nor oppose the word. My cloaks are blown into wounds and my cheeks are blown into blows, but my face is not turned away from the cold of spitting. And the Lord the Lord was my Helper: for this reason I was not ashamed, but set my face like a hard stone, and I understood that I would not be ashamed. The one who justified me is approaching from behind: who will hide with me? Let him resist me in earnest: and who shall sue me? Let him come closer to me. Behold, the Lord the Lord will help me: who will embitter me? Behold, all of you have promised a robe, and like a prayer you have taken away. Who among you fears the Lord? Let him listen to the voice of His servant: you who walk in darkness and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord, and be strong in God. Behold, you all kindle the fire, and strengthen the flame: walk by the light of your fire, and by the flame that you kindled: for my sake, this is for you, you will sleep in sorrow.
Reading the prophecy of Isaiah [50:4–11]
The Lord gives Me a language of instruction so that I know how to speak the word, every morning He guides, He directs My ear so that I listen. And the instruction of the Lord opens My ears, and I do not resist or contradict. I gave My back to wounds and My cheeks to slaps, but I did not turn My face away from shameful spitting. And the Lord, the Lord was My helper, so I was not ashamed, but I held My face like a hard stone, and I knew that I would not remain in shame, for He who Justifies Me is near. Who would want to compete with Me? Let him appear before Me. And who wants to sue Me? Let him come to Me. Behold the Lord, the Lord will help Me, who will destroy Me? Behold, you will all wear out like clothing, and like moths will eat you. How many of you fear the Lord? Let him listen to the voice of His Servant. You who walk in darkness and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord, and you will be established in God. Behold, you all kindle the fire and intensify the flame; walk in the heat of your fire and in the flame that you have kindled. This will be for you for My sake: you will die in sorrow.
Reading the Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans (Rom. 5:6–10).
Brothers, Christ is our weakling; in time I died for the wicked. For someone will die for the righteous, for someone who is good will dare to die. God makes His love in us, even though we are sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having now been justified by His Blood, we will be saved from wrath by Him. If we have been defeated, let us be reconciled to God through the death of His Son; and having been much more reconciled, we will be saved in His life.
Reading the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans [5:6–11]
For, moreover, Christ, while we were still weak, at the appointed time died for the ungodly. After all, hardly anyone will die for the righteous. Maybe someone dares to die for someone good. But God proves His love for us by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Therefore, being now justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved in His life. And not only this, but we glory in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.