History of writing
The holy fathers and theologians of modern times and past centuries left behind works devoted to the interpretation of the Psalms and other books of the Bible. According to Professor Alexander Pavlovich Lopukhin, this text was compiled by the prophet David even before he was anointed as king. The professor explains this by the very content of the psalm. Psalm 8 is part of the first kathisma.
In the text, the author described the greatness of the Lord in nature, which implies the psalmist David’s prolonged observation of it and its phenomena. But public service, the persecution of Saul, wars, and worries about governing the state distracted King David’s attention from this. Therefore, the writing of the text can be dated back to the time when young David lived in his father’s house. He was a shepherd, tending flocks and had the opportunity to spend a long time in nature and observe its beauty and harmony, which the Lord created.
Psalm 8 refers to thanksgiving
The following conclusions can be drawn from the text caption:
- The psalm must be sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument, which was equipped with holes similar to those provided in a grindstone.
- Perhaps the psalm should be sung on the instrument of Gath during the grape harvest.
Interpretation of the text
According to Professor A.P. Lopukhin, the text contains words of gratitude and praise addressed to God. This is praise to the Creator for all the benefits that He generously bestows on people, for the ingenious structure of the Universe. The psalmist expresses his reverence for the Lord. God is praised by “heaven” - the holy Angels, and “earth” - people. The psalm describes the present time for the author, as well as prophecies about the end of the ages.
In the interpretation compiled by Saint Athanasius the Great, the inscription “to the end” is deciphered as an indication that the prophecy contained in the text must be fulfilled at the end of the ages.
According to the saint, in Psalm 8 the author speaks of Christ and the church after His incarnation, since He is called the vine, and the faithful - birth. If the Jews try to explain the meaning of these words as a story about man as a whole, then in this case it must be taken into account that everything was subjugated to man, since “He was made man in the image of God.” In ancient times, there was only one “foreground” - the altar in the temple. But since the pagans were called and converted, there have been many sharpening stones. They can be called churches that reap the harvest of those who are successful in godly living.
In the text, the author described the greatness of the Lord in nature
Kathisma 1 Psalm 1
Psalm 1
In the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Bibles, this psalm is not inscribed with the name of David. The psalm does not contain indications by which one could identify either the writer of the psalm or the time and circumstances of its origin. The content generally talks about the fate of the righteous and the wicked, which is why this psalm can be considered as an introduction to the entire Psalter, which is most concerned with depicting the fate of the righteous and the wicked.
In many ancient Greek manuscripts, when the book. Acts cites a passage from the present second psalm: “Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee” (Ps. II: 7 see Acts XIII: 33), then he says that it is in the first psalm (en tw protw yalmw). The latter indicates that the real first and second psalms once constituted one, the first psalm, which is why the writer of the latter was the same person as the writer of the real second psalm, and it was written for the same reason as the last, i.e., in the time of David, by David, on the occasion his wars with the Syrian-Ammonites (see Psalm 2).
Whoever does not act wickedly, but always follows the Law of God, is blessed as a tree planted by the water (1-3). The wicked will be rejected by God (4-6).
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of the wicked,
1. “Blessed” is synonymous with the expression “happy.” By the latter we must understand both external earthly well-being (verse 3), and reward at God’s judgment, that is, spiritual, heavenly bliss. “Husband”, part instead of the whole (metonymy) - generally a person. “Wicked” - internally disconnected from God, having and spiritually living in moods that disagree with the sublime commandments of the law: “sinful” - strengthening his bad inner mood in corresponding external actions, “corrupter” (Heb. letsim, Greek. loimnw - scoffer) - not only one who acts personally evil, but also one who mocks the righteous way of life. “Does not walk, does not stand, does not sit” - three degrees of deviation towards evil, whether in the form of an internal, although dominant, but not constant attraction to it (“does not walk”), or in strengthening evil in oneself through external actions (“Does not walk”). it’s not worth it”), or in complete evasion towards it, reaching the point of external struggle with divine teaching and the propaganda of one’s views.
2 but his will is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night!
2. Characteristics of the righteous from the positive side. - “His will is in the law of the Lord.” — “Will” is the mood, the attraction of the righteous to the “law of the Lord,” not only to that expressed in the ten words of Moses, but to the entire Divine revelation. “Meditate day and night” - always coordinate your behavior with this revelation, which requires constant remembrance of it (see Deut. VI: 6-7).
3 And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in everything he does, he will succeed.
3. The consequence of the internal assimilation of the law by the righteous and life according to it will be his external well-being and success in business. Just as a tree growing near water constantly has moisture for its development, and therefore becomes fruitful, so the righteous person “succeeds in everything he does,” since God protects him.
4 Not so are the wicked, [not so]: but they are like dust swept away by the wind [from the face of the earth]. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
4-6. This is not the case of the wicked. They are like “dust”. Dust, chaff, easily blown away by the wind; their external position is unstable and fragile. Since the wicked are penetrated and do not live according to the commandments of God, they cannot “stand in judgment” before Him and cannot be where the righteous will be gathered (“in the assembly”), since the Lord “knows” (in the sense of cares, loves), and therefore rewards the behavior (“path” - activity, its direction) of the righteous, and destroys the wicked. These verses do not indicate exactly what God's judgment is - whether on earth, during a person's life, or after his death. But in both cases the same meaning remains - the Lord will reward only the righteous.
The history of the Jewish people presents many facts showing that even during earthly life, when the Lord is a judge of man, He punishes the wicked. But since man’s existence is not limited to the earth, the final judgment on him will be carried out on the last day, that is, at the Last Judgment (cf. Matthew III:12; 1 Cor VI:2).
When and how to read the psalm
A person cannot quickly learn pure prayer. This could be the work of a lifetime. The main thing is not to despair and not to stop praying and reading.
The Monk Barsanuphius of Optina, in response to the desire of one person to leave reading the Psalter due to the difficulty of understanding, said that demons understand what is written and run away. This means that by reading the Psalter we drive away demons from ourselves.
It is important to read the psalms in Church Slavonic. You should not use the Russian translation. You can also use psalms written in Church Slavonic, but in Russian letters. It is impossible to accept the renovationism imposed by the modern clergy, the trampling of the dogmas and canons of the church.
Psalm 8 is recommended to be read by Christians who are wounded by demons or wicked people. The text of the psalm can be learned by heart or read from a book. It complements the prayer rule, but the daily reading of kathismas is not canceled.
Author's advice
It is important to read the psalms in Church Slavonic
Text of Psalm 8 in Russian
1 To the director of the choir. On the gun of Gath. Psalm of David.
2 Lord our God! how majestic is Your name throughout the whole earth! Your glory extends above the heavens!
3 From the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast made praise for the sake of Thy enemies, in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.
4 When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, at the moon and the stars that You have set,
5 What is man, that You are mindful of him, and the son of man, that You visit him?
6 Thou hast made him little less than the angels: thou hast crowned him with glory and honor;
7 You have made him ruler over the works of your hands; He laid everything under his feet:
8 sheep and all oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
9 birds of the air and fish of the sea, everything that passes on the paths of the sea.
10 Lord our God! How majestic is Your name throughout the whole earth!
In addition to reading prayers of repentance and petition, it is important not to forget to praise and thank the Lord. According to the teaching of the holy fathers, repentance and glorification are equivalent.
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Prayers for the outcome of the soul
Following the separation of the soul from the body of every true believer
Through the prayers of the saints, our father, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us ( read three times, with the sign of the cross and a bow from the waist
).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord have mercy ( three times
).
Glory, even now.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done, as it is
Heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Lord have mercy ( 12 times
).
Glory, even now.
Come, let us worship our King God ( bow
).
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ, our King God ( bow
).
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God ( bow
).
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin: for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You: so that You may be justified in Your words and overcome, and never judge You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, Thou hast loved the truth, Thou hast revealed to me Thy unknown and secret wisdom. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Give joy and gladness to my hearing: the bones of the humble will rejoice. Turn away Your face from my sins and cleanse all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not turn me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked your way, and wickedness will turn to you. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation: my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had wanted sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart God will not despise. Bless Zion with Your favor, O Lord, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built: then You will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering: then they will lay the bullocks on Your altar.
Canon to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the Most Holy Theotokos, tone 6
Song 1
Irmos:
As Israel walked on dry land, with footsteps in the abyss, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sang a victorious song to God, crying out.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me
[1].
Come, gather together, all who have lived piously in life, and weep for the souls alienated from the glory of God, and who have worked as a cold demon with all diligence.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Now all my life has passed away like smoke, and other angels have appeared, messages from God, seeking my damned soul unmercifully.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Behold, a multitude of wicked spirits appeared, holding the record of my sins, and they called me dearly, seeking my shamelessly humble soul.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Others to whom I will cry; who will accept my cry from illness and my heart’s sighing; Only You, Most Immaculate Pure, are the Hope of Christians and all sinners.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Drops like rain, my angry and weak days, becoming impoverished by summer circulation, are gradually disappearing, Lady, save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
With Your compassion and Your many bounties, O Lady, I bow, naturally, at this terrible hour, appear to me, the Invincible Helper.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The fear that now holds my soul is great: the trembling is inscrutable and painful, it will never leave my body, O Most Pure One, even comfort me.
Glory:
Known Refuge to the sinful and the humble, inform me of Your mercy, O Pure One, and deliver the hands of demons, as if many psychos had surrounded me.
And now:
Now is the time for help, now is the time
Your intercession, behold, Lady, the time, for which day and night I have attacks of warmth and pray to You.
Song 3
Irmos:
There is no one holy like You, O Lord my God, who has lifted up the horn of Your faithful, O Great One, and established us on the rock of Your confession.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
My good friends and knowledge, why don’t you cry; Why don’t you cry, like sometimes your beloved friend and brother, but now God and all of you are strange.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
My beloved brethren, my actions are judged by the righteous standard, pray to Christ of all Gods to be merciful to me.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Remembering my beloved, who has friendship for you, pray to Christ to look upon me, ill-fated, bereft of life and tormented.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Incline Your ear to me, O Mother of my God, from the height of Your many glory, O Good One, hear the last groaning, and give me your hand.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
From afar this day, the Lady, having foreseen, and having come, I thought always, with warm tears I prayed not to forget me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
My thoughts are roaring and they are looking to seize and tear me to pieces with the mountaineer, whose teeth, Pure, and crush their jaws and save me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
I have lost my senses of speech, my tongue has been tied, and my voice has been closed; in a contrite heart I pray to Thee, my Savior, save me.
Glory:
Incline Your ear to me, Christ my Mother God, from the height of the great glory of Your Good One, and hear the final groaning, and lend my hand.
And now:
Do not turn away Your many bounties from me, do not close Your humane womb, O Pure One; but stand before me now and at the hour of judgment remember me.
Lord have mercy ( three times
).
Glory, even now.
Sedalen, voice 8th
My days were troubled and wicked, and my summer was laboriously rested and perished in much vanity. The time of harvest is near, and the sickle is near, but the soul-stricken one is going around the thief, diligently digging up my spiritual temple. But, O Prepetaya, strive to remove and deliver me from that sedition and entrapment.
Song 4
Irmos:
Christ is my strength, God and Lord, the honest Church sings divinely, crying out, with pure meaning, celebrating in the Lord.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Woe to me the prodigal, alas to me the accursed: as I stretch out my hand to my friend, and shed tears from my eyes, but no one has mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
The deed has come for me to be all-destroying, and look with my eyes to God’s bright
As an angel, I cry: leave me to live a little, but no one will listen to me.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Weep for me, for me the congregations of Angels weep, and all men who love Christ: it is merciless, for my soul is being separated from my body.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Mistress, Mistress, now have mercy on the perplexed soul, and the only one looking to Your protection, and do not despise, O Good One, I am given over to be a demon.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Repentance of sin, now put down the stream of tears, O Good One, who accept the contrition of my heart: in You I affirm my hope, O Good One, when, as a terrible thing, you deliver me from fiery torment, as grace itself You are the source, Mother of God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Unshameful and infallible to all who are in need, Refuge, Most Immaculate Lady, You be mine
Intercessor in the hour of testing.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Stretching out Your most pure and most honorable hands, like a sacred dove to a krill, cover me under the roof and canopy of those, O Lady.
Glory:
The airy prince of the rapist, the tormentor, the champion of terrible paths and the vain tester of these words, grant me permission to pass without restraint from the earth.
And now:
Behold, O Lady, you will put away the fear that you feared; Behold, a great feat has embraced me; in it be my Helper, the Hope of my salvation.
Song 5
Irmos: With Thy God's light, O Blessed One, illumine the souls of those who are in the morning with love, I pray, lead Thee, the Word of God, the True God from the darkness of sin.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Shine a smart light on me, so that I can see
You, Christ, are little by little, for I will not see You: a cloud of demons suddenly attacks me, and the darkness of my cold deeds covers me.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Save yourself, all of you, beloved, with compassion for me, who was ill-fated and all-perverse: for all of you, if with one voice you quickly proclaimed to my Lord, the darkness delivered me quickly.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Save yourself, Great Prince of God Michael, Chief of the Angels: for I will not call on anyone to help me: for my lips are silent and my tongue is tied.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Save yourself too, you unfiltered pure one
Mother of my Christ and God: because of Thy image, because of my sins I will not see the accursed one: for my light has gone out, and night has covered me.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Do not forget me, O Good One, turn away Your face from me, Your servant, but hear me, as I grieve, and take in my soul, and deliver this.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Those who are my relatives in the flesh, and my brothers and sisters in spirit, and friends of custom and knowledge, weep, sigh, lament, for now I am separated from you.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Nowadays, deliver in no way and help truly no one. Help me, Lady, so that not like a man helpless, I will be shut up in the hands of my enemy.
Glory:
Having entered, my holy Angels, present yourself to the judgment of Christ, bow your knees, cry out to Him in tears: have mercy, O Creator of all, the work of Your hands, O Good One, and do not deny it.
And now:
Having venerated the Lady and Most Pure Mother of my God, pray that He will kneel with you and bow Him to mercy: For Mother of Being and Nourisher, He will be heard.
Song 6
Irmos:
The sea of life, raised in vain by misfortunes and storms, has flowed into Your quiet refuge, crying out to You: lift up my belly from aphids, O Most Merciful One.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Incline your ear, my brothers, to me, and meekly hear the tender words of the little message, and do not disobey, and accept all rewards from the Lord.
Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.
Behold, now my soul is separated from my cursed body by illness: you will not bury my body in the ground, for it is not worthy: but having taken it out, cast it down like a dog.
. In the event of the death of the sick person(s), during the reading of the canon, we continue the canon with the refrain: Rest, O Lord, the soul of Thy departed servant (Thy departed servant).
