Master Lord Almighty and Creator of all, the Father is generous and God is merciful, creating man from the earth, and showing him in Your image and likeness, so that Your magnificent name may be glorified in earth, and was uprooted by the transgression of Thy commandments, having created it for the better in Thy Christ, and raised it to heaven: I thank Thee, for Thou hast multiplied Thy greatness upon me, and you did not ultimately betray me to my enemies, so that the seekers would cast me out into the pit of hell; you left me below to perish through my iniquities. Now, O most merciful and loving Lord, do not desire the death of the sinner, but expect and accept conversion: correct the downtrodden, heal the broken, convert and change to repentance, and correct the downtrodden, and heal the contrite: remember Your generosity, and even from time immemorial Your incomprehensible goodness and my immeasurable forget iniquity, even in deed and in words and in thoughts: resolve the blindness of my heart, and give me tears of tenderness to cleanse the filth of my thoughts.
Hear, O Lord, listen, O Lover of mankind, cleanse, O Compassionate One, and free my cursed soul from the torment of the reigning passions within me. And let no one hold me back from sin, let the demon who fights against me, let him lead me to his own desire, but by Thy mighty hand, who has snatched me away from his dominion, Thou reign in me, Good and Humane-loving Lord, and let me live everything else according to Your good will. And grant me, with indescribable goodness, purification of the heart, guardianship of the mouth, righteousness of actions, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, silence of my spiritual strength, spiritual joy, love true, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, self-control, and fill me with all good fruits through the gift of Your Holy Spirit.
And do not bring me to the end of my days, nor delight my uncorrected and unprepared soul, but complete me with Your perfection, and thus bring me to the present life, as if Having passed without restraint the beginning and power of darkness, by Your grace I will see and I will see Your unapproachable glory, unspeakable kindness, with all Your saints, in them I will be sanctified and glorified Your all-honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages, amen. Sovereign Lord, Almighty and Creator of the whole world, Father of compassion and God of mercy, who created man from the earth and endowed him with Your image and likeness, so that in him Your majestic name would be glorified on earth; rejected for the transgression of Your commandments, recreated him again for even better things in Your Christ, and brought him to heaven! I thank You that You increased Your greatness on me, and did not completely betray me to my enemies, who seek to cast me into the abyss of hell, and did not allow me to perish among my iniquities.
Now, O Lord, most merciful and loving of good, who does not desire the death of the sinner, but who expects and accepts his conversion, who raises the downtrodden, who heals the contrite, turn me to repentance, and raise up the prostrate, and heal the contrite! Remember Your compassion and Your incomprehensible goodness from the ages and forget my immeasurable iniquities that I committed in deed, word, and thought. Destroy the blindness of my heart, and grant me tears of tenderness to cleanse my mind from filth. Hear, O Lord, listen, Lover of humanity, cleanse, O Merciful One, and free my unfortunate soul from the torment of the passions that reign in me. And may sin no longer hold me back, and may the hostile demon not overcome me, and may he not bend me to his will. But You, who delivered me with Your strong hand from his dominion, Good and Humane-loving Lord, reign in me and be pleased that I belong entirely to You and live in the future according to Your will.
And grant me, according to Your ineffable goodness, purification of the heart, guarded lips, straightforwardness of actions, humble thoughts, peace of thoughts, peace of mind, spiritual joy, true love, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, strong self-control, and fill me with all good fruits, according to the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And do not bring me only to half of my days, and do not steal my soul defective and unready, but fill me with Your perfection. And so lead me out of this life, so that, having unhinderedly passed the rulers and rulers of darkness, by Thy grace, I, too, may see Thy unapproachable glory, inexpressible beauty, together with all Thy saints, in whom Thy all-sacred and majestic name is holy and glorified, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kathisma 18th
Psalm 119
Song of degrees.
Song of Ascent, 119.
When I was in sorrow, I called to the Lord and heard me. Lord, deliver my soul from the walls of unrighteousness and from the tongue of flattery. What will be given to you, or what will be added to your flattering tongue? The arrows of the mighty are subtle, with desert coals. Woe to me, for my coming continues, I have moved from the village of Kedar. My soul has wandered many times, and be at peace with those who hate the world: when I spoke to them, I fought against me.
I cried out to the Lord in my sorrow, and He heard me. Lord, deliver my soul from the lips of the unrighteous, from the lying man! What will befall him, and what will his lying tongue bring upon him? Sharp arrows of the strong, fiery. Alas for me, my wanderings continue, I settled in the tents of Kedar; My soul has wandered much; with those who hated the world I was at peace. When I spoke to them, they rebelled against me without my guilt.
Psalm 120
Song of degrees.
Song of Ascent, 120.
I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help will come. My help comes from the Lord, who created heaven and earth. Do not let your feet fall into confusion, the one who guards you will fall asleep, the one who guards you will not sleep, the one who guards Israel will fall asleep. The Lord will protect you, the Lord will cover your hand on your right hand. During the days the sun will not burn you; the moon will not burn you at night. The Lord will preserve you from all evil, the Lord will preserve your soul. The Lord will preserve your coming in and your going out from now on and forever.
I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains of the Lord, from where my help will come. My help will come from the Lord, who created heaven and earth! He will not let your steps falter, O Israel, and your Guardian will not slumber; No, the Guardian of Israel will not slumber or fall asleep! The Lord will protect you, the Lord will be a covering over your right hand. The sun will not scorch you during the day, and the moon will not harm you at night. The Lord will preserve you from all evil, the Lord will preserve your soul; The Lord will guard your every entrance and your exit from now on and forever!
Psalm 121
Song of degrees.
Song of Ascent, 121.
We rejoiced at those who said to me: Let us go to the house of the Lord. Our feet are standing in your courts, Jerusalem. Jerusalem was built like a city, and its communion is together. There the tribes went up, the tribe of the Lord, the testimony of Israel, confess in the name of the Lord, for there they sat on thrones for judgment, thrones in the house of David. Ask also about the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for those who love you. May peace be in your strength and abundance in your pillars. For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors, peace be with you. To the house, for the sake of the Lord our God, I seek your good. I rejoiced when they said to me: “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Our feet have stood in your courts, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is being built again, and houses in the city are crowded. For there, according to the revelation that Israel received, the tribes of the tribe of the Lord's people entered to glorify His name. For there are thrones set up for judgment, thrones in the house of David. Ask for peace in Jerusalem, and may there be an abundance of good things for those who love You, O God! May there be peace in your stronghold, abundance in your palaces!
For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors I said: “Peace be with you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I have desired good things for you.
Psalm 122
Song of degrees.
Song of Ascent, 122.