Our Lord God, rich in mercy and incomprehensible in generosity, is alone by nature without sin, and for our sake, except for sin, having become a man, hear at this hour my painful prayer, as I am poor and wretched because of good deeds, and my heart is troubled within me. Weigh you, the Most High King, Lord of heaven and earth, for all my youth I lived in sins and followed the lusts of my flesh, all the laughter was a demon, all the devil’s followers, I will take out in time. roll around with sweets, darkened by thoughts from infancy, even to this day, never wanting to do Your holy will, but completely captivated by the passions that haunt me, laughter and reproach I was a demon, not even thinking in my mind about the unbearable anger at the sinners of Your rebuke, and the fiery hell that lies. As from here I fell into despair, and as though I had no feeling of conversion, I was empty and naked even from Your friendship. What kind of sin have you not committed? What deeds have the demons not done? What evil and prodigal act is not done with advantage and diligence?
I have desecrated my mind with carnal memories, I have desecrated my body with confusion, I have desecrated my spirit with adversity, I have loved all my damned flesh to serve and work with sin. And who else will not weep for me, wretched one? Who will not weep for me, the condemned? For I alone, O Lord, have inflamed Your wrath, I alone have kindled Your wrath against me, I am the only one who has done evil before You, having surpassed and conquered all sinners from all eternity, incomparably sinful and unforgiven. But since you are much merciful, compassionate, O Lover of mankind, and waiting for human conversion, behold, I bring myself before your terrible and intolerable judgment, and as the most pure Touch your feet, from the depths of my soul I cry to You: cleanse, Lord, forgive, Benefactor, have mercy on my weakness, bow down to my bewilderment, listen to my prayer and do not silence my tears, Accept me who repents, and convert the erring one, embrace the one who converts and forgive the one who prays.
You have not ordained repentance for the righteous, nor have You ordained forgiveness for those who do not sin, but You have ordained repentance for me, a sinner, for what I have done in Your indignation, naked and exposed before You. I stand, O Lord of Hearts, confessing my sins: for I cannot look up and see the heights of Heaven, but from the severity of my sins I dance. Enlighten the eyes of my heart and give me tenderness for repentance, and contrition of heart for correction, so that with good hope and true confidence, I will go to the other world, praising and blessing I will take out Your all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages, amen. Lord our God, rich in mercy and incomprehensible in compassion, One by nature sinless and for our sake became a man without sin! Hear at this hour this my contrite prayer, for I am poor and poor in good deeds, and my heart within me has become confused.
For You know, Almighty King, Lord of heaven and earth, that I wasted all my youth in sins and, following the desires of my flesh, I became a laughing stock for the demons, I followed the devil, always wallowing in the mire of sweets. For, darkened by thoughts from infancy even to this day, I never had the desire to do Your holy will, but completely captivated by the passions that raped me, I became a laughing stock and a mockery for the demons, not at all keeping in my mind the thought of Your unbearable, terrible wrath on sinners and the fiery hell prepared for them. So, having therefore fallen into despair and never coming to a sense of conversion, I suffered deprivation and lost friendship with You. For what kind of sin have I not committed? What demonic work have you not done? What shameful and immoral act have I not committed with abundance and zeal? I have stained my mind with carnal memories, I have polluted my body with shameful intercourse, I have defiled my spirit with consent to evil, I have taught every member of my unfortunate body to serve and work in sins. And who now will not weep for me, the unfortunate one? Who will not weep for me, the condemned?
For I alone, Lord, angered Your wrath, I alone kindled Your anger against me, I alone did evil before You, surpassing and defeating all sinners from the ages, having sinned incomparably more and unforgivably. But since You, O Lover of Mankind, are abundantly merciful, compassionate and await the conversion of man, behold, I throw myself before Your terrible and unbearable judgment seat, and as if touching Your most pure feet, I cry to You from the depths of my soul: “Cleanse, Lord, forgive, Unforgiving, have mercy on my weakness, bow to my bewilderment, heed my prayer and do not remain silent, Seeing my tears, accept me, the repentant one, and bring back the lost one, embrace the one returning and pray for forgiveness.” For You did not ordain repentance for the righteous, nor did You ordain forgiveness for those who do not sin, but You, a sinner, ordained repentance for what I aroused Your indignation. Naked and naked I stand before You, Lord, Knower of the Heart, confessing my sins, for I cannot look and see the height of heaven, bending under the weight of my sins.
Enlighten the eyes of my heart and grant me tenderness for repentance and contrition of heart for correction, so that with good hope and true confidence I may go to the world there, praising and blessing unceasingly Your all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kathisma 11th
Psalm 77
Asaph's mind.
For guidance, Asaph, 77.