Psalm of David 88 in Russian and Church Slavonic languages

Text of prayer Psalm 88

In Orthodoxy, the Church Slavonic version of the prayer is used, as well as the Russian one. The translation into Church Slavonic is traditional and is used primarily in church services. The Russian adapted text can be read at home to fully understand the meaning of the chant.

In Church Slavonic with accents

In Russian

References

1. Psalm 88:10-18
2. Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David Archived 2016-01-30 at the Wayback Machine.
3. Psalm 88:18 (NIV)
4. The Artscroll Tehillim page 329
5. Kirkpatrick, A.F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: With Introduction and Notes
   . Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: University Press. item 839. Received February 28, 2019.
6. ICEL (1976). Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours
   . Catholic Book Publishing Corporation 1052–1053.
7. Hochspringen B. Klaus Seibold, The Prayer of the Sick in the Old Testament (1973), p. 169.
8. Willi Sterk, poems (1920).
9. Hochspringen B. Klaus Seibold, The Prayer of the Sick in the Old Testament (1973), 169
10. Rudolf Kittel, Psalms (1921)
11. Emil Kautch, Scriptures of the Old Testament II (4 1923), 113 ff.
12. Hochspringen B. Klaus Seibold, The Prayer of the Sick in the Old Testament (1973), 169
13. Nile. Commentary on the Psalms. Vol. 3. 1871. Reprint. London: Forgotten Books, 2013. 90-1.

Why do they read Psalm 88?

The prayer is most suitable for reading at home, so it is read in Russian when the support of the Almighty is needed in a difficult situation. In most cases, it is read in order to glorify God and His miracles. This is how faith grows stronger, and the Lord becomes more favorable to our worldly desires. It is important to perform the ritual of prayer in front of the icon by candlelight. For the prayer to reach the Creator, read it mentally and out loud. By staying humble, you will get the result you expect.

If the prayer is performed in a church during a service, then the Church Slavonic language is used.

A comment

Scroll of Psalms
It is often believed that a Psalm is a sick psalm

.[7][8] The illness that afflicted the psalmist could have been leprosy or some other unclean disease.[9][10] Others see a general disaster rather than a specific disease.[11][12]

On the contrary, Hermann Gunkel argues that this psalm contains accusations against the psalmist regarding the sins mentioned.

Neal and Littledale find that it “stands apart in the whole Psalter because of the unrelenting despondency, the hopeless sadness of its tone. Even the saddest of the others and Lamentations themselves admit of some variations of tone, some tensions of hope; here there is only darkness to the end."[13]

Interpretation

The chant was written during difficult times for Jerusalem. The psalmist is at a loss and does not know what to do. He turns to the Lord in the hope that He will show him the way. The prayer consists of three parts. In the first part (1-19) the author addresses God, in the second (20-46) the Creator addresses the Israelis, in the third the author calls on the Almighty not to forget about His people and remember the miracles with which He bestowed them.

A detailed analysis of the work will help you fully understand the meaning of the chant.

• Verse 1. It all begins with an introductory note, where it is clear who the author of the work is.
• Verse 2-5. The author recalls the vows of King David, who made them to God in the hope that his people would live in happiness and prosperity. In difficult times for everyone, the author never ceases to hope that the world can still be saved by the grace of the Lord.
• Verse 6-15. The verses mainly describe the image of the Lord in allegorical and metaphorical content. The author believes in His power.
• Verse 16-19. Here the psalmist mentions that faith in the Most High rests on God's chosen people. They believe in Him and gather at the first call.
• Verse 20-21. The past of King David is recalled, when he was still a shepherd and through the prophet Nathan received his destiny.
• Verse 22-30. David was the chosen one of the Lord. His promise that the king’s power would extend even after death must be kept.
• Verse 31-38. This is where the Lord comes in and speaks to the Israelites. He reports that David's vows live as long as his descendants fulfill their obligations to Him. If they stop praising the strength and might of God, then the wrath of the Most High will spread to everyone.
• Verse 39-46. These verses contain lamentation. Jerusalem was devastated and many people died. And this is because the Lord rejected the descendant of David for not keeping the agreement.
• Verse 47-53. The love of God is important to the psalmist and he begs Him to change anger to mercy, again pay attention to the grandson of David and renew the old oath.

Commentary on one hundred and fifty psalms. Explanation of Psalm 88.

Blazh. Theodorite of Cyrus († 457)

INTERPRETATION OF THE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PSALMS.

Explanation of Psalm 88.

(1). The Mind of Atham the Israelite. Blessed David, seeing that temples were built in honor of falsely named gods, and that no honor was given to the only ark of God, vowed to create a divine temple. God, having manifested this firm intention of his, rewards for this wonderful vow, and gives a promise from his loins to prepare for himself a verbal Temple, and through Him to bring about the salvation of all people, and to grant him an endless kingdom. These promises he spoke to David through the Prophet Nathan; and this is clearly shown to us by the history of the book of Chronicles. And in the second book of Kings, Nathan said to David: And the Lord will tell you that you have built a house for Him (2 Sam. 7:11). The history of Acts also mentions this; for blessed Peter, turning his speech to the Jews, among many other things, also said this: David is a prophet, and knowing that God swears to him by an oath, from the fruit of his loins, to raise up Christ according to the flesh, and to set Him on his throne, foreseeing the verb about the resurrection of Christ , for His soul did not remain in hell, nor did His flesh see destruction (Acts 2:30-31). God gave these promises to Patriarch Abraham; for he said to him: through your seed the nations of the earth will be blessed (Gen. 22:18). The Divine Paul, interpreting this, said this: But he spoke a vow to Abraham, and to his seed: He does not say, “A seed is many, but is one, and to your seed, who is Christ” (Gal. 3:16). The descendants of the Patriarchs, delving into these promises, and seeing that they themselves have become captives, forced to live in a foreign country, and the royal city is deserted, and the kingdom has faded away, remind the God of all things about His promises, and put forward on Wednesday, then the Patriarch Abraham, then the son and his grandson, reminding God of the covenants, and sometimes of blessed David and the promise that was made to him. So the blessed martyrs Ananias, Azarias, and Misail, praying to God in the cave, brought Abraham, Isaac and Israel to memory. Therefore, prophetic grace wrote this psalm for their benefit, teaching how they should appease God and acquire His love for mankind. That is why it is said in the inscription: reason; because it is mainly those who need to be admonished, so as not to complain to them about anything indecent, but to expect divine mercy. And Etham was one of those who were entrusted with the role of those who sing in the temple and sing hymns to God.

(2). I will sing of Thy mercy, O Lord, forever: to generation and generation I will proclaim Thy truth with my mouth. Asking for God's mercy, they sing songs of mercy, and wanting to see the truth of the promises given to David, they promise to teach every generation.

(3). Thou hast spoken before, mercy shall be created for ever: Thy truth shall be prepared in heaven. This is the word of God spoken to David, which will preserve the mercy of the seed forever; Therefore, those who pray are reminded of this promise. You, they say, said that you will increase, and not decrease, mercy. For the word: will be created, is used instead of: will increase. Symmachus translated: it will be confirmed, that is, You promised to confirm the truth of words with deeds.

(4). I have made a covenant with My chosen ones, I have sworn to My servant David: (5) I will prepare Your seed forever, and will build Your throne for generations and generations. And these words are placed in connection with the word: you are the ad: that is, you made these covenants with the elect. And the Prophet calls Abraham, Isaac and Israel the chosen ones. Besides them, it is said, You also swore to David that You would keep his seed unperishing, and that His throne would prosper in every way. Thus, having presented the promises of God, and not seeing their fulfillment in practice, even disasters do not force those praying to say anything indecent, but with hymns they honor the Ruler of all.

(6). Let the heavens confess Your wonders, Lord, for Your truth is in the Church of the Saints. Theodotion translated: and Thy faith in the Church of the Saints. You should be praised by everyone, especially those living in heaven, who see Your wonders in more detail and know the certainty of your promises. Blessed Paul also mentions this heavenly Church, saying: Come now to this mountain, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem: and to the Church of the firstborn in heaven, which are written (Heb. 12:22-23).

(7). For who in the clouds can be equal to the Lord? become like the Lord in the sons of God? Symmachus translated this way: who in Ether will be opposed to the Lord, who will be compared with the Lord in the sons of God? And the Prophet calls the gods sons of God, just as the sons of men call men. And he calls them gods not as real gods, but as those revered as gods by infidels. Therefore he says: You are superior to those in heaven, You are incomparably higher than everyone, and not a single creature can compare with You (this exposes the deceit of those idolized by people); Your power is constant and indestructible. He expresses himself similarly in another place, saying: and our Lord is god over all (Psalm 134:5). The prophets make this comparison not out of ignorance of the excessiveness of the difference, but by offering a teaching commensurate with the weakness of the unbelievers.

(8). We glorify God in the Council of Saints, great and terrible above all those around Him. Because he mentioned unreal gods, the wicked were unaware of the truly existing God; By the way, he said about the Saints, by whom the true God is praised, and for whom He is terrible, because they draw close to Him and know His ineffable power. Here he called the host of Saints the Council of Saints.

(9). Lord God of hosts, who is like You? Thou art mighty, Lord, and Thy truth is all around Thee. Those who pray often mention the truth, wanting to see the falsity of the promises, and say to God: which of the creatures can compare with You, Master? You are the Lord and God of hosts. Your power fully corresponds to Your will, everything with You is true and firm. Then the Prophet sets forth signs of strength.

(10). You rule over the power of the sea; you calm the indignation of its waves. (eleven). Thou hast humbled the proud, like a wound; with the arm of Thy strength Thou hast squandered Thy enemies. That is, You are the Creator and Ruler of all, It is not difficult for You to stir up the sea and create silence. Having mentioned the sea, he also mentions what was in the sea. For he calls Pharaoh proud, and enemies the Egyptians, whom he delivered to the sea, but saved by his people. But the death of the teachers of pride is also predicted: for the Lord will crush them with the evil army in holy baptism.

(12). The heavens are Yours, and the earth is Yours: You founded the universe and its fulfillment. You are the Creator and Creator not only of the sea and the whole earth, but also of the highest heavens; for Your work is not only what is visible, but also higher than it, the sky.

(13). You created the north and the sea. Theodotion translated it this way: You created the north and the south; that is, both the winds and the very countries of the universe are Your creations. The Prophet did not just mention these two countries: but, since the Egyptians live to the south of Jerusalem, and the Assyrians to the north, crushing the insolence of the Egyptians, he granted them freedom; then it is not difficult for You, says the Prophet, to crush the Assyrians, like the Egyptians.

Tabor and Hermon will rejoice in Your name. This meant the Prophet the whole land of promise; because these are the mountains of the promised land. Instead of: will rejoice, Aquila translated: they will praise, and Symmachus: they will bless: the Prophet understood that it is not the mountains that do this, but the people living on the mountains, or near them.

(14). Your muscle is with dominion [1]. It is your nature to act powerfully in everything; for the word: muscle the Prophet used instead of: action and the word dominion instead of: strength: for Aquila, instead of: with dominion, said: with strength.

Let Thy hand be strengthened, and Thy right hand exalted. And Symmachus translated this: Your hand is invincible, Your right hand is high. We have said many times that the word: hand of the Prophet means action, and the word: right hand means good action. Therefore, those praying, having a need for special action, mentioned both; because they both desire to see their enemies overthrown, and they themselves desire to achieve salvation. That is why they call the hand invincible, and the right hand high, as being able to punish those and free them. This is also shown in the added words.

(15). Truth and doom are the preparation of Thy throne: mercy and truth will come before Thy face. Begging God to judge the Babylonians, they ask to pronounce a truthful verdict on the latter, and to send them mercy and prove the truth of the promise. That is why they said that the throne from which one judges is adorned with righteousness and judgment, and that mercy and truth precede God; because the promise was given many generations ago.

(16). Blessed are the people who lead the cry. An exclamation, as we have said many times, is the cry of those who have won victory. Since they, being defeated, were taken into slavery, they will please those who won. The prophetic word foretells that the people throughout the land and sea will offer up a mysterious cry to God and sing a song of victory. The following words agree with this meaning of the speech.

Lord, in the light of Your face they will walk: (17). And in Your name they will rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they will be exalted. With an exclamation they will proclaim victory over their enemies, and will lift up a victorious song to You, the Victorious One, illuminated by Your coming, receiving light from You, constantly tasting joy, succeeding in the truth established by the law, and through And having become high and glorious.

(18). For You are the praise of their strength. They will be magnified in your strength; because they took it from You.

And in Your righteousness our horn will be exalted. But we also have this hope, and we expect Your help; because with it we become conquerors of our enemies. And the Prophet called a fortress and power a horn, borrowing a figure of speech from horned animals, which are armed with horns and use them to defend themselves from attackers.

(19). For the Lord is the intercession of our holy King of Israel. We feed on this hope, having You as king, living under Your providence.

(20). Then You spoke in the vision of Your son. Symmachus translated this: then You spoke in vision to Your sons. For we know Your promises, given through the Prophets; and they were called seers and seers.

And you said: I put help on the mighty, I lifted up the chosen one from among My people: (21). I found My servant David, and anointed him with My holy oil. You, says the Prophet, testified about Your servant David, and having found that he was strong in his progress in virtue, You made him worthy of Your help, and chose him, and anointed him, and made him king.

(22). For My hand will protect him, and My arm will strengthen him. You said that you would give him strength and make him a participant in your care for him.

(23). The enemy will not have time to attack him, and the son of iniquity will not try to embitter him. You promised that You would make the machinations of his enemies vain, and You would give him victory over those who tried to harm him.

(24). I will cut off his enemies from his face, and I will defeat those who hate him. (25). And My truth and My mercy are with him, and his horn will be exalted in My name. You gave a promise to overthrow all his enemies, to constantly show him Your love for humanity, and to make him glorious and famous.

(26). And I will place his hand on the seas, and his right hand on the rivers. I will give him dominion over sea and land; for in the word: rivers the Prophet meant dry land.

(27). He will call upon Me: Thou art my Father, my God, and the intercessor of my salvation: (28). And I will make him the firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. All this was not fulfilled either under David or under the glorious Solomon; because neither Solomon nor David mastered the sea, and was not called the firstborn of God, and did not take power over all the kings; and this is how Aquila translated: the highest of the kings of the earth, and Symmachus: the highest of the kings of the earth. If these sayings are not fitting for either David or Solomon, the promise of God is not false; Then the Jews are blind when they do not want to worship the One who is from David according to the flesh, Who has dominion over earth and sea, and above all kings, so that some worship Him voluntarily, while others, daring to contradict, are convicted of weakness by Him, and, having used thousands of means , is not able to overcome the laws laid down by Him. Blessed Paul also calls Him the firstborn: as if he were the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29); and: firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18); and: the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15). And the Master himself, after the resurrection, said to Mary: go to my brethren and people: I will ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God (John 20:17). For just as He is the only begotten, since He is God: because He was born alone of the Father; the firstborn, as far as man is concerned; because, since he has brothers who have believed, he calls God His Father, since God, and He calls Him His God, since man. Therefore the prophecy was fulfilled in Him; what is added testifies to this.

(29). I will keep My mercy for him forever, and My covenant is faithful to him: (30). And I will set his seed for ever and ever, and his throne as the day of heaven. Therefore, let the Jews show that the throne of David continues to this day, which God promised to preserve forever; let them show his seed, adorned with royal power. If they are unable to show either one or the other, despite all their extreme shamelessness; then one of two things remains, either to call the promise of God false, or, recognizing the promise as true, to allow the evidence of the deeds themselves; because Christ, who is of David according to the flesh, is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high: far better than the angels, far more glorious than their inheritance is the name. To whom did the angel say: Thou art my Son, this day I begat Thee (Heb. 1:3-5). Blessed David said about him: sit at My right hand, until I will make Your enemies Your footstool (Psalm 109:1). Therefore, in the Lord Christ the seed of David abides forever and his throne continues. This is how blessed Isaiah prophesied; for having said: A Son was born unto us, and was given unto us, His rulership is upon His frame: and His name is called the great council Angel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Ruler, Prince of Peace, Father of the age to come, after a few words he added: on the throne David and his kingdom will be corrected from now on and forever (Isa. 9: 6-7). Thus is the prophetic word, foretelling this about the Lord Christ; is expressed about the kings who were before His coming.

(31). If his sons forsake My law, and do not go into My judgments: (32). Unless My righteousnesses are profaned, and My commandments are not kept: (33). I will visit them with the rod of iniquity, and with the stripes of their iniquity: (34). But I will not destroy My mercy from him, nor will I destroy it in My truth. If, says God, those who descended from David commit thousands of iniquities; then I will subject them to punishment, but I will keep the promise given to David firm; But I will not destroy My mercy from him, that is, from David, and I will not destroy it in My truth. Instead of: I will not harm Symmachus translated: I will not transgress, and Aquila: I will not lie.

(35). I will profane My covenant, and those who proceed from My mouth I will not reject. I will not lie in My promises, I will not break My covenants, but I will prove the truth of the promises.

(36). I have sworn one oath about My Holy One, lest I lie to David. Having made the promise given to him firm, I will bring it to fulfillment. For the word: swearing is used instead of: confirmed, as those who make promises usually confirm them with an oath.

(37). His seed will endure forever, and his throne will be like the sun before Me (38). And as the moon is perfect forever: and the witness in heaven is faithful. Instead of the word: witness Symmachus used: testified. And in the seventy-first psalm, blessed David foretold about the Lord Christ: His name abides before the sun (Psalm 71:17); and: He will remain with the sun, and before the moon, the generations of generations (Psalm 71:5). Since the sun, by rising and setting, produces day and night, serves to measure time: then God was pleased to use the sun to signify the indestructibility of the throne; and He promised that He would preserve the seed forever; He who promised and testified remains in heaven, and the words spoken by Him are true and faithful. So the Jews, having spoken about the promises that had been made to David, mourned the misfortune that had befallen them.

(39). But You rejected and humiliated, You were indignant at Your anointed: (40). Thou hast ruined the covenant of Thy servant. Symmachus translated this: but You yourself rejected and condemned, being angry with Your anointed One, you cursed the covenant of Your servant. You yourself, who promised to do this, rejected the descendants of David, made them humiliated, delivered them into slavery, crushed the kingdom of David, and broke the covenants made with Your servant. For the Prophet here calls the kingdom anointed. Two of the descendants of David, Jeconiah and Zedekiah, were taken captive; They ended David's kingdom, because Zerubbabel, who assumed power after the captivity, was a ruler of the people, not a king.

You have desecrated his shrine on earth. The prophet calls the temple, which David intended to build, a shrine, which Solomon built after David. He says about him that he was defiled by the invasion of the Babylonians, and became like a blooming blade of grass; because the destroyed one turned into ruins and was leveled with the ground.

(41). Thou hast destroyed all his strongholds. Deprived him of all protection.

You put his fear firmly in place. Having previously hoped for the fortification of cities, he lost this hope and was overwhelmed with fear.

(42). I will plunder it on all the passing paths - the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Edomites, the Syrians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians.

To be reproached by your neighbor. He became the subject of ridicule and reproach for neighboring peoples.

(43). Thou hast exalted the right hand of those who afflict him. He made his enemies stronger than him.

Thou hast made all his enemies glad. He turned him into a laughing stock for those who disliked him.

(44). You turned away the help of his sword, and you did not stand up for him in battle. The weapons became useless for him, deprived of Your care for him.

(45). You ruined it from cleansing it. Symmachus translated it this way: he stopped his purity: because, having become a captive and living far from Your temple, he cannot cleanse himself with sprinkles.

You threw his throne to the ground. In the end he destroyed his kingdom.

(46). Thou hast diminished the days of his time. Having made a promise to preserve the kingdom forever, he limited it to a short time.

You poured cold on him. He endures reproaches and is filled with shame. For Zedekiah, after his eyes were gored, was given to the mill for the rest of the time; and Jeconiah himself was in slavery. Yet it is filled with shame and disgrace. So the prophetic word, having described disasters, commands us to ask and plead with tears.

(47). How long, Lord, do you turn away from the end? Will your wrath be kindled like a fire? And Symmachus translated: How long, O Lord, will You hide yourself until the end, and will Your fury burn like fire? That is, how long, Vladyka, will you not deign to look at our torment, will you not come and stop the disasters, and with the remembrance of our sins, like fire, will you kindle anger?

(48). Remember what my composition is. You are the Creator and Maker, and you know the extent of my strength.

Did you create food in vain, all the sons of men? It was not in vain and not in vain that You created men; but goodness ruled the creation; because He created us according to one goodness. Therefore, do not despise those condemned to endure so many evils.

(49). Who is the man who can live and not see death? deliver your soul from the hand of hell? The end of every person is death; because overcoming death itself is an impossible task. Therefore, give love to the living. Then the Prophet again reminds us of the promises.

(50). Where is the essence of Your ancient mercies, Lord, with them did You swear to David in Your truth? By the way, the Prophet everywhere gives evidence of the truth, prompting the Promised One to confirm the promises; and he begins to speak with a word about mercy, but he mentions mercy again and at the end, because there was a special need for it.

(51). Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants, who have kept many tongues in my bosom. Symmachus translated this: I have suffered in my bosom from very many nations; that is, do not despise me, reviled not by one people, but by thousands. For it is not the Assyrians and Babylonians who only mock me, but also everyone living nearby, who have always had hostility towards me. And they not only laugh at me, but their lips also move against You and utter blasphemous words, considering my slavery as Your weakness. For the Prophet made this clear in the addendum.

(52). I have reproached you with your enemies, Lord, and I have reproached you with the change of your Christ. Symmachus and Theodotion translated this: they blasphemed the traces of Thy Christ. And he called the traces of Christ the kings of that time, under whom there was a word about the kingdom of Christ.

The seventy called them change; because they became His ancestors in the flesh, and as if in some darkness they ruled the kingdom. Therefore, for the sake of Thy Christ, of Whom they are traces and changes, stop, O Lord, our reproaches.

(53). Blessed be the Lord forever: be, be. This is the song of good hope. For being convinced that they would receive what they asked, they offered up this song to God. And Akila makes this idea clearer by translating: Amen, Amen. For he said: You are faithful, and you inspire faith, that is, You are true and even very true; and therefore blessed forever: because you confirm your promises with deeds.

Note: [1] Μετὰ δυναστείας; according to glory translation: with strength.

Published according to the edition: Works of Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Kiersk. Part three. - M.: In the printing house of V. Gauthier, 1856. - P. 113-127. (Works of the Holy Fathers in Russian translation, published by the Moscow Theological Academy, volume 28.)