Basic concepts about six psalms: briefly and succinctly about the main thing

What is the Six Psalms

Psalter was read during the all-night vigil . The liturgical circle was fully formed in the 7th century. It was then that those psalms were identified that are in the Book of Hours and read at the beginning of Matins. The Six Psalms includes even and odd psalms, sequentially selected from the entire Psalter:

• Ps.3;
• Ps.37;
• Ps.62;
• Ps.87;
• Ps.102;
• Ps.142

They symbolize the reading of the entire Psalter.

How and when the Six Psalms are read in church

The Six Psalms is the most important part of the daily liturgical circle, which is the connecting link between Vespers and Matins. Vespers symbolizes the Old Testament, and Matins symbolizes the New Testament. Accordingly, the Six Psalms connects the Old Testament and New Testament periods and symbolizes the coming of the Savior into the world.

The Six Psalms are preceded by the singing of angelic hymns, which the shepherds heard at the moment of the Savior’s birth:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.”

The Lord came into this world at night, so these psalms are read in the twilight. Only candles and lamps remain lit. At the same time, the candles symbolize the night stars of Bethlehem, and the main lamp accordingly recalls the Bethlehem guiding star.

The first three psalms are a period of universal expectation of the Savior. The exit of the priest to the solea at the end of the third psalm is the birth of Jesus Christ in the night. The absence of light in the temple also means that the God-man has not yet begun His messianic ministry, which He will begin after 30 years.

Why do they not cross themselves or bow while reading the Six Psalms?

This moment of the service is so important that the liturgical texts contain instructions on how to behave during the reading of these psalms.

1. The psalms are read “without struggling”, with the fear of God and reverence . The Church Charter says: “Thus we say the Six Psalms with attention and fear of God, as He Himself converses with Christ our God invisibly, and praying for our sins.”

That is, the reader must pronounce the words clearly, distinctly and slowly, listening to what is written.

1. The lights in the temple are extinguished . Only candles and lamps are left. Such twilight helps those praying to concentrate on themselves and tune in to prayer.
2. The psalms are read in complete silence . Walking around the temple is not allowed. All the parishioners stand like “candles”, without moving or being distracted by anything. At the same time, thoughts are focused on only one thing: the salvation of one’s soul.
3. No bows are made . You can be baptized without bowing. In the book of hours there is an indication:

“Glory, even now; Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to You, O God. Three times, without bowing."

Reading rules

As already mentioned at the very beginning, the Six Psalms requires a special approach to reading. Reading in the middle of the temple helps create the most solemn atmosphere. The same can be said about the lights being turned off and the candles being extinguished. The twilight should help the assembled believers to be immersed in what they are reading and prevent distraction by extraneous objects. Beginners may not immediately understand the essence of what is happening and are sometimes perplexed as to why all these manipulations are being carried out. Gradually, the hidden meaning of all these actions will also reach them.

According to the rules, when reading the Six Psalms, special reverence should be expressed - there is no need to make unnecessary movements, whisper, not to mention conversation. It is believed that the Six Psalms should be read as prayers, and not as kathismas.

Home reading of the Six Psalms is allowed, and it is also possible to listen to it on audio media.

What are the similarities between the Six Psalms and the Last Judgment?

The Holy Fathers, in particular Sts. Paisiy Svyatogorets and Lev Optinsky recommended not to be baptized at all at this time. If we consider this liturgical moment as a reminder of the Last Judgment, then in the sign of the cross, according to St. Paisia, there is no longer a need.

Fresco of the Last Judgment in the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir.

Because at the Second Coming, Christ will no longer come to humbly be crucified for our sins, but to judge us.

- Geronda, why don’t we sit down for the Six Psalms?

- Because it symbolizes the Last Judgment. Therefore, it is good if, while reading the Six Psalms, the mind goes to the hour of the Last Judgment. The Six Psalms takes six to seven minutes. After the first article, we do not even get baptized, because Christ will not come now to be crucified, but will appear to the world as a Judge.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Six Psalms

The psalmist David wrote his spiritual poems throughout almost his entire life. They contain prayer appeals to the Almighty during times of sorrow, misfortune, adversity, persecution, and suffering. And some of them express a feeling of repentance and gratitude.

The importance of these psalms is emphasized by the structure of the service. They are the central place in the all-night vigil and are read throughout the year, with the exception of Easter week.

The Psalms express the idea of ​​universal expectation of the Messiah. They are read with humility and hope that the Savior will come to save humanity from the devil and spiritual death.

Classification

The psalms from the Six Psalms can be roughly divided into the following categories.

By value:

• Spiritual and moral . They are a model of petitionary, repentant and grateful prayers, as well as the basis of spiritual and moral education.
• Messianic . King David is a prophet who, in his creations, spoke about future events in the world history of mankind: about the coming of the Savior to the world and His messianic ministry. In addition, some psalms speak of the last days of the world during the Second Coming of Christ.

Blessed Augustine said that “it is impossible to pronounce individual prophecies about Christ and the Church given in the Psalter - there are too many of them; If you take some, you can omit the more important ones.”

By tone:

• Joyful.
• Sad.

The even-numbered psalms are sad, and the odd-numbered psalms are filled with hope and joy. This amazing feature of the psalms speaks of a certain pattern. It reminds us of the impermanence in our lives, where joys and sorrows, spiritual growth and spiritual decline replace each other. All this gives hope, even in difficult life moments, to remember that sadness will certainly be replaced by joy.

By content:

• Prayer (3, 37, 87, 142). David cried out to the Lord during numerous persecutions, particularly from Saul and his son Absalom. The persecution of David by his son began after his double fall: murder and adultery. David repented and perceived his adversity as a well-deserved punishment from the Lord. At the same time, there is no grumbling, there is only a plea for mercy and firm trust in God.

Thanks (62, 102).

These verses of gratitude were written by David in old age, when the Lord helped him get rid of all his enemies.

By time of day:

• About the day.
• About the night.

In the Six Psalms there is a mention of night darkness and daylight. Just as day always comes after night, so after the Old Testament the New Testament will certainly come. In other words, the born Jesus Christ will lead all who believe in Him from the darkness of sin to the Light of life.

The Six Psalms and the life of a man after God's own heart, David

The author of five songs, with the exception of the 87th, is King David. The Lord looked upon a beautiful blond boy who was tending sheep and blessed him to reign over Israel. The path of the young man was not easy when the former king Saul was still alive; David had to endure persecution, danger, sorrow and hardship before ascending to the throne, but even there temptations and betrayal of his own son still awaited him.

Psalmist and prophet David

In the most difficult moments of his life, when his life hung by a thread, David did not doubt for a minute the Lord’s support and mercy. In all his days, the king found something to thank and praise the Creator for.

Researchers do not have a consensus about the 62nd song of the psalmist. Some attribute the time of its writing to the time of persecution by Saul, others see in this psalm lamentation from persecution by Absalom. In all his songs, King David repents of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, he humbly accepts all persecution and testing as punishment from the Lord, while humbly asking for mercy.

David had the opportunity several times to kill his persecutors, but he could not break the law, for Saul was the anointed king, Absalom was his own son. At the end of his life’s journey, the prophet David sang a song of gratitude to the Creator in Psalm 102 for his help and mercy, protection and support.

Several themes can be seen in the Six Psalms of the Psalmists:

• confidence that the Lord hears, which is why the word “Hear” sounds;
• a complaint against persecutors, enemies who endanger life;
• worthy acceptance of the Creator’s anger and rage for sins; in His judgment the righteous person sees help and protection with complete repentance for his actions.
• songs of gratitude for the mercy and mercy of the Almighty.

Interpretation of the Six Psalms

These selected psalms, in which the Son incarnate speaks to the Father, deserve thoughtful interpretation. For this we turn to the holy fathers and teachers of our Church .

Psalm 3

Saint Gregory says the following:

“The third psalm foreshadows the temptation coming to you from the enemy, so that you, already anointed to the kingdom for faith and co-reigning with the true Anointed One, intends to overthrow you from this dignity not by someone external, but by someone who comes from you.

For the enemy does not have power over us borrowed from the outside, and we are not overthrown from our dignity by anyone else, unless we ourselves, through severe torment, become the fathers of evil offspring...”

The psalm was written during the oppression of David by Absalom. If we draw a parallel with our soul, then all of us, being in distress, can trust in the mercy of God.

“I lie down, sleep and get up, for the Lord protects me.” (Ps. 3:6).

Psalm 37

The 37th psalm occupies second place in the six psalms.

With the words of this psalm, every believer repents before God of his sinfulness with a confession of complete submission and devotion to His will (v. 16). The person here expresses a desire in the coming day to make amends for the bad deeds he has done before (Article 19), says Professor A.P. Lopukhin

This is the most emotional psalm. David is exhausted from his illnesses. By that time, he was struck by a terrible disease that caused unbearable torment. The psalmist understands that he is suffering deserved punishment from God. He screams in pain and cries out to God to get rid of it, because his body is covered with ulcers so deep that even his bones are affected.

Prophet David. 1727–1728. Moscow. 96 × 40 cm. Wood, tempera. From the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg

Researchers are of the opinion that it was some kind of unknown disease. Because if the king had been stricken with leprosy, the public would have found out about it and would have revolted. Rather, this disease was associated with the “loins”, i.e. deprived David of his ability to bear children.

“For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no room in my flesh.” (Ps. 37:8).

Psalm 62

Waking up early in the morning, David's soul grieves that he cannot attend services in the tabernacle, cannot praise God in Jerusalem. He longs to return from exile and sing prayers of gratitude to God.

The psalmist is ready to give everything in order to live under the mercy of the Lord.

“For Your mercy is better than life. My lips will praise You” (Ps. 63:4).

By mercy we mean the grace of God and His good deeds.

Psalm 87

This psalm differs from others in its greatest sorrow. The author is Heman , a contemporary of David, his closest comrade-in-arms, accompanying him everywhere.

Heman describes David's unbearable suffering, both physical and spiritual. Persecuted by his own son Absalom... A martyr, whose body is broken by a terrible disease, and whose soul is pricked by conscience for committing grave sins. These sufferings were aggravated by the grief of loss: their common child with Bathsheba, born in adultery, died.

The difficult lines of the psalm show that David is on the verge of despair. He becomes exhausted and compares himself to a person who is dying.

“I have become equal with those who go down to the grave; I have become like a man without strength” (Ps. 87:5).

The psalmist’s sins were so vile that all his relatives and acquaintances turned away from him. Everyone despises and hates him.

“My eye is weary of sorrow” - the psalmist’s eyes hurt from tears and sobs and are tired of looking for salvation from God.

Why, O Lord, dost thou tear away my soul, and hide thy face from me? Ps.87:15.

“Why don’t you, Lord, hear me and fulfill my requests?”,

Praying to the Lord , David remembers that he has suffered “from his youth” from Saul, and now from Absalom. The psalm ends on this sad note.

Interpretation of the psalms (six psalms)

Psalm 3

Reading this song under the image of a righteous man who is being persecuted by the enemy, we see the soul of a Christian attacked by demons and passions. Demonic attacks try:

• firstly, to evoke in a Christian a feeling of carelessness and arrogance for the future;
• from behind they do not allow one to forget the past and accept the sacrifice of Christ;
• on the right they fill with vanity;
• on the left they push into sin.

In Psalm 3, David encourages us not to forget God's mercy.

The enemy’s task is to trap the righteous, to tear him away from the Savior’s protection, but the Christian calls on the Lord and receives help by God’s grace.

Psalm 37

The devil, under the guise of an unrighteous man, attacks Christians, but when reading the psalm, we say that we will not be afraid of demonic attacks even if trials come in the form of moral sorrows and physical illnesses.

Despite the intensification of attacks from enemies, gossip, and slander, the righteous man does not justify himself, he admits his sins, and comes in repentance before the Savior in prayer and appeal to God. A prayer of repentance is a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord.

Psalm 62

This song mentions the Judean desert, symbolizing desolation and extreme need. Moses was in the desert for 40 days, Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, and then temptation came from the devil. The desert and trials under the protection of God strengthen faith and give strength to overcome all difficulties.

The desert is a repentant place where purification comes through awareness of sinfulness, bringing us closer to the Savior.

The human soul without the Lord is a desert, an empty, cold land, scorched by the sun during the day, without water and food. Only after going through the path of complete emptiness does the human soul open up to accept God’s words, does it develop a thirst for God’s life, a thirst for God and His mercy. The psalmist affirms that the Lord's mercy is greater than human life.

Psalm 87

This is the saddest song of the entire Six Psalms, written at a time when the psalmist realized his rejection and plight. The time has come that despair has come from the realization of abandonment not only by people, but also by the Almighty, without whose hand a person feels dead.

Psalm 87 was composed during a period of great despondency and sorrow.

The threatening danger paints pictures of death and burial, and at this time prayer turns into a cry for help, when one desire comes - to humble yourself under the hand of the Lord, so that He does not turn His face away from the sinner.

Psalm 102

The song of joy and affirmation of the Lord's mercy sounds in Psalm 102. Suffering has cleansed the soul. The Creator accepted the sinner’s appeal and filled his soul with a song of praise. Purified from sins, trials, and suffering, the soul soars into Heaven like a young eagle soaring in the air. With God, the inner self is freed from the power of evil forces. The soul emerges like the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity, and a hymn of thanks literally breaks out from the liberated heart.

This psalm emphasizes that the Creator’s love is long-suffering, His mercy exalts over judgment. In the words of the psalmist there is a call to glorify the Lord not only to people, but also to every creature on earth.

Psalm 142

Life and death, ups and downs, joy and sadness, white and black stripes replace each other in the whirlwind of life.

Just now the psalmist lived in praise and joy, but here comes the attack again. Betrayal and trials. The Christian soul cannot remain in a relaxed state. As soon as she calms down in carelessness, demons and passions are right there. In this message we see not a recruit, but a battle-hardened warrior who is able to assess the strength of the enemy and the state of danger. Remembering the days of trials, problems and sorrow, the psalmist this time runs into the arms of the Lord and prays to Him to show him the right way out of the problem.

In Psalm 142, David asks the Lord for help, mercy and protection

From the first minute a problem arises, an experienced Christian does not rely on his own strength or outside help. At the very first moment of danger, he stands up in prayerful worship, putting everything under the protection of God.

It is a great gift to be able to place yourself under God’s control and be confident in a positive outcome from the first minute.

David claims that the Good Holy Spirit guides us on the right path. Recognizing oneself as a slave of the Creator, putting all situations under his control is the only way out leading to victory.

The six psalms are the six steps of the ladder leading to spiritual victory. Ascent to the Creator cannot be easy. This requires strong faith and will, a courageous soul, and then the moment of true freedom in Christ will come.

Psalm 102

The main theme of Psalm 102 is God's providence in human life . This is the king's song of thanksgiving for all His great benefits.

“The Lord is generous and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.”

(Ps. 102:8)

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is [the Lord’s] mercy toward those who fear Him.”

(Ps. 103:11).

God's mercy is incomparable. Despite the terrible fall from sin, God forgives the psalmist and gives His material and spiritual blessings. He delivers the repentant sinner from sins , mental torment, spiritual and physical death.

Sinner's repentance

The wrath of the Lord is replaced by mercy. Just as a father cannot be angry with his children for long, so “the Lord has mercy on those who fear Him.”

Psalm 3

Lord, why have you multiplied the cold! many people rise up against me; Many say to my soul: there is no salvation for him in his God. But you. Lord, you are my intercessor, my glory and lift up my head. With my voice I cried to the Lord, and He heard me from His holy mountain. I fell asleep and fell asleep, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me. I will not be afraid of the people around me who attack me. Arise, Lord, save me, my God, for Thou hast struck down all those who are at enmity with me in vain; You crushed the teeth of sinners. Salvation is the Lord's, and Your blessing is upon Your people. I fell asleep and fell asleep, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me.

Psalm 142

This psalm is the last in the sixth psalm. Having strengthened a person in the hope of receiving salvation (Ps. 102), the Church on behalf of the believers prays to God to show him the path of activity (8th article), teach him to do His will and honor him with the “land of righteousness,” reflects A.P. Lopukhin.

There are such difficult moments in David’s life when he understands that his enemies can lead him to death. At the same time, the psalmist prays to the Lord that He will not allow this to happen.

At such moments, David remembers the many blessings of God towards the Jewish people. God loves repentant sinners and will not allow them to perish.

The psalmist asks to show him the true path and teach him to fulfill the holy will of God.

Psalm 62

The psalmist wrote this song of praise to God during a time of sorrow and need, when he was forced to hide in the waterless Judean desert from King Saul, who was trying to kill him.

Morning - “I perform morning prayer (worship).”

Vozhadá - “thirsted.”

Tebe - “You”.

Kohl - “how, how much.”

Many times - “many times.” If You are abundant - here in the poetic text of the psalm the word “thirst” is omitted.

Neprohodne - “impassable”. The holy psalmist David was forced to hide from King Saul in the impassable and waterless Judean desert. It is to this that he compares life without God.

Tako - “so.”

In the holy - “in the sanctuary.” The psalmist prays in the deserted desert as earnestly as he once prayed in the sanctuary (Tabernacle of the Covenant).

Zhivot - “life”. For Your mercy is better than life, because Your mercy is better than life.

Praise - they will praise (dual number, since lips “lips” is a noun in the dual number).

Fat is fat. The color is oil. An image of the abundance of God's gifts.

My lips will praise You with lips of joy - “my lips will praise You with lips of joy.” We can assume that we are talking about a smile here.

Morning - morning watch (the period until the next changing of the city guard; the night was divided into four watches).

I learned from Thee - in the Hebrew original of the psalm: “I thought about You.”

My soul cleaves to You - my soul cleaves to You.

Accepted - “accepted”.

Tii - “those”.

Lisovoy - foxes. These inhabitants of the Judean desert often ate the remains of dead animals and people.

Prayer

SIX PSALMY We begin the Six Psalms, listening with all silence and tenderness: the brother who has done this, with reverence and fear of God, says:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men. (Three times) Lord, my lips are opened, and my mouth declares Your praise. (Twice)

Psalm 3 Lord, why have you multiplied the cold of the world? Many people rise up against me, many people say to my soul: there is no salvation for him in his God. But you, Lord, are my Protector, my glory, and lift up my head. With my voice I cried to the Lord, and He heard me from His holy mountain. I fell asleep, and smelled, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me.

I will not be afraid of those people around who attack me. Arise, Lord, save me, my God, for You have struck down all those who were at enmity with me in vain: You have crushed the teeth of sinners. Salvation is the Lord, and Your blessing is upon Your people.

I fell asleep, and smelled, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me.

Psalm 37 Lord, do not rebuke me with Your wrath; punish me with Your wrath. For Thy arrows are in me, and Thou hast strengthened Thy hand upon me. There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath, there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sin. For my iniquity has exceeded my head, for a heavy burden weighs upon me. My wounds have grown stale and rotten from the face of my madness. I suffered and sloshed to the end, walking around complaining all day. For my soul is filled with reproach, and there is no healing in my flesh. I would become embittered and humbled to death, roaring from the sighing of my heart.

Lord, before You all my desire and my sighing will not be hidden from You. My heart is troubled, leave me my strength, and the light of my eyes, and that one shall not be with me. My friends and my sincere ones are close to me and stasha, and my neighbors are farther away from me, stasha and needy, those who seek my soul, and those who seek evil for me, the verb of vainness and the flatterers, I study all day long. . But I am deaf and do not hear, and I am dumb and do not open my mouth. And as a man he would not hear, nor would he have reproach in his mouth. For in You, Lord, I trust, You will hear, O Lord my God.

For I said: Let my enemies never rejoice over me: and never let my feet move, your great glory comes upon me. As if I am ready for wounds, and my illness is before me. For I will proclaim my iniquity and take care of my sin. But my enemies live and become stronger than me, and those who hate me without righteousness increase in number. Those who reward me with evil, repaying the slander of me, persecute the goodness. Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation. Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation.

Psalm 62 O God, my God, for You in the morning, my soul thirsts for You, since my flesh is abundant in You, in a land that is empty and impenetrable and without water. Thus I have appeared to You in the Holy One, to see Your power and Your glory. For Thy mercy is better than life, my lips praise Thee. Thus I will bless You in my belly, in Your name I will lift up my hands. For with fatness and ointment may my soul be filled, and my lips may praise You with lips of joy.

As soon as I commemorated Thee on my bed, I learned from Thee in the morning. For You were my Helper, and in Your blood I will rejoice. My soul cleaves to You, but Your right hand accepts me less. They, seeking my soul in vain, will descend into the underworld of the earth, surrender into the hands of weapons, and become parts of the fox. The king will rejoice in God, everyone who swears by Him will boast, for he has stopped the mouth of those who speak unrighteously.

We studied in the morning in Ty. For You were my Helper, and in Your blood I will rejoice. My soul cleaves to You, but Your right hand accepts me less.

Glory, and now: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you God. (Three times, without bowing) Lord, have mercy. (Thrice) Glory, and now:

Psalm 87 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried before You by day and by night. Let my prayer come before You: incline Your ear to my prayer, for my soul is filled with evil, and my life is drawing near to hell. He was used with those who descended into the pit, like a man without help, freedom in the dead, like the plagues sleeping in the tomb, which you did not remember, and you rejected them from your hand. bysha.

Placing me in the pit of the grave, in the darkness and the shadow of death. Thy wrath was established upon me, and thou broughtest all Thy waves upon me. You removed those who knew me from me, making me an abomination to yourself: I was betrayed and did not depart. My eyes are exhausted from poverty, I have cried out to You, Lord, all day long, I have lifted up my hands to You. Does eating the dead work miracles? Or will the doctors be resurrected and confess to You? Who will tell the story of Your mercy in the grave, and Your truth in destruction? Will Thy wonders be known in darkness, and Thy righteousness in the forgotten land?

And I cried to You, Lord, and in the morning my prayer will precede You. How much, Lord, dost thou deny my soul, and turn thy face away from me? I am poor and in labor from my youth; He was exalted, humbled, and faint. Thy wrath has come upon me, Thy terrors have troubled me, they have flown over me like water, and have overcome me all day long. You removed from me both a sincere friend and my acquaintances from passions. O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried before You by day and by night. Let my prayer come before You: incline Your ear to my prayer.

Psalm 102 Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His rewards, who cleanses all your iniquities, heals all your ailments, delivers your life from corruption, crowns you with mercy and bounty, fulfilling Your desire is good: your youth will be renewed like an eagle. Show mercy, Lord, and the fate of all those who are offended.

He told Moses His ways, His desires to the sons of Israel: The Lord is generous and merciful, long-suffering and abundantly merciful. He is not completely angry, he is at enmity forever, he did not create for us to eat because of our iniquity, but because of our sin he gave us food to eat. As the height of the heavens from the earth, the Lord established His mercy on those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, he has removed our iniquities from us. Just as a father gives generously to his sons, the Lord gives generously to those who fear Him. As He knew our creation, I will remember Him as the dust of us. Man, like the grass of his days, like the flower of the field, so he will bloom, like the spirit has passed through him, and he will not be, and no one will know his place.

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness is on the sons of sons, who keep His covenant and remember His commandments to do. The Lord has prepared His Throne in Heaven, and His Kingdom possesses all. Bless the Lord, all His angels, who are mighty in strength, who do His word, so that they may hear the voice of His words. Bless the Lord, all His Powers, His servants, who do His will. Bless the Lord, all His works, in every place of His dominion; bless the Lord, my soul.

In every place of His dominion, bless the Lord, my soul.

Psalm 142 , hearing my prayer, inspire my prayer in your Istin, hear me in your right and do not go to court with your work, you will not be justified before all alive. For the enemy drove away my soul, humbled my life to eat, and planted me to eat in the dark, like the dead ages. And my spirit is sad within me, my heart is troubled within me. I have remembered the days of old, I have learned in all Your works, I have learned Your hand in all creation. I lift up my hands to You, my soul, like a waterless land to You. Hear me quickly, Lord, my spirit has disappeared, do not turn Your face away from me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit.

I hear you show me Your mercy in the morning, for I have trusted in You. Tell me, Lord, I will go the other way, because I have taken my soul to You. Deliver me from my enemies, Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Your Good Spirit will guide me to rightness on earth. For Thy name's sake, Lord, live me, by Thy righteousness remove my soul from sorrow. And Your mercy will consume my enemies and destroy all my cold souls, for I am Your servant.

Hear me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant. Hear me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant. Your Good Spirit will guide me to rightness on earth.

Glory, and now: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you God. (Thrice)

Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ussuriysk

(translated by S.S. Averintsev)

The Six Psalms is the basis of the first part of Matins. It includes six selected psalms of King David: 3, 37, 62, 87, 102 and 142. The Six Psalms, as St. Barsanuphius of Optina wrote, is a symphony of spiritual experiences. This is the experience of a person, expressed in religious and poetic speech, seeking God, deprived of communication with Him and surrounded by the darkness of God’s abandonment (which symbolizes the lack of lighting in the temple at this moment of the evening service), but hoping for enlightenment and the mercy of God.

S.S. Averintsev is one of the best translators of the Holy Scriptures and patristic literature into Russian. His translation of “The Six Psalms” is not only accurate, but also poetically sublime. This allows us to convey both the meaning of the text and the deep spiritual mood that is inherent in sacred biblical poetry in general and most of all in the book of Psalms.

(Ps. 3): Lord, how those who oppress me have multiplied! Many rebel against me, many say to my soul: “There is no salvation for him in God.” But You, Lord, are my defense, You are my glory, You lift up my head. With my voice I cried out to the Lord, and He heard me from His holy mountain. I fell asleep, and slept, and arose, for the Lord protects me. I will not be afraid of the multitudes of people who surround me from everywhere. Arise, Lord! Save me, my God! You strike all my adversaries, you crush the teeth of sinners. From the Lord is salvation, and on Your people is Your blessing. I fell asleep, and slept, and arose, for the Lord protects me.

(Ps 37): Lord! Do not rebuke me in Your wrath, and do not punish me in Your anger; for Thy arrows have entered into me, and Thy hand is heavy upon me. There is no whole place in my flesh because of Your wrath, there is no peace in my bones because of my sins; for my iniquities have exceeded my head, like a heavy burden, weighing me down; My wounds stink and fester because of my madness. I am bent and drooping immensely, I walk all day, mourning, for my loins are full of illness, and there is no whole place in my flesh. I am faint and very contrite, I cry out because of the oppression of my heart. God! All my desire is before You, and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart trembles, my strength has left me, the light of my eyes has left me - and he is no longer with me. My friends, my comrades retreated from my misfortune, and my neighbors stood at a distance. But those who seek my soul lay snares, those who wish me harm prepare words of murder, they prepare forges all day long. But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; like a dumb man, I do not open my mouth; yea, I was like one who does not hear, and has no rebuke in his mouth. For in You, O Lord, I trust; You will hear, Lord, my God! And I said: Let not my enemies rejoice over me, and let them not boast before me when my foot stumbles! For I am ready for wounds, and my sorrow is always before me, I proclaim my iniquity and grieve over my sin. Meanwhile, my enemies live in great power, and those who hate me innocently have multiplied, repaying me with evil for good, and enmity against me because I seek good. Do not leave me, Lord, my God! Don't leave me! Hasten to help me, Lord of my salvation! Do not leave me, Lord, my God! Don't leave me! Hasten to help me, Lord of my salvation!

(Ps 62): O God, You are my God, I have sought You from the early dawn. My soul thirsted for You, my flesh yearned for You in the desert, dry and waterless land. Oh, to see You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory! For Your mercy is better than life, and my lips will praise You. I will bless You as long as my life lasts, with Your name I will lift up my hands as if my soul is satisfied with fat and oil, and my lips will praise You with a voice of joy, when I remember You on my bed, in the morning I will think about You; for You are my Helper, and under the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul clings to You, and Your right hand holds me. And those who ensnare my soul will go down to the underworld of the earth, they will be given over to the power of the sword, and they will fall prey to the jackals. The king will rejoice in God, everyone who swears by Him will be glorified, for the lips of those who speak lies will be stopped. In the morning I will think about You, for You are my Helper, and under the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul clings to You, and Your right hand holds me.

(Glory, even now.) Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, God (Three times) Lord, have mercy (Three times). (Glory, now.)

(Ps 87): O Lord, God of my salvation! Day and night I cry before You. May my prayer come before Your face; incline Your ear to my prayer; for my soul is filled with troubles, and my life has come to hell. I am numbered among those who go down to the grave, I have become like a faint man, left among the dead, like those killed in the tomb, whom You will remember no more, and whom Your hand has cast away. You brought me down into the pit of the grave, into darkness and the shadow of death; Thy wrath is heavy upon me, and all Thy waves are brought upon me. You have removed my neighbors from me, you have made me an abomination to them, you have imprisoned me, I cannot go free. My eyes are weary with grief; I cried to You, Lord, all day long, I stretched out my hands to You. Or do You work miracles on the dead? Or will the dead rise and praise You? Or will Your mercy be proclaimed in the grave, and Your faithfulness in a place of corruption? Or will Thy wonders be known in darkness, and Thy righteousness in the land of oblivion? But I cry to You, Lord, and in the morning my prayer is before You. Why, Lord, do you reject my soul, turn away your face from me? I am poor, and in sorrows from my youth, I bear the burden of Your horrors and am exhausted. Thy wrath has passed over me, Thy terrors have troubled me, every day they surround me like water, they surround me all together. You have removed my friend and companion from me, and my neighbors are not visible as if in darkness. O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry before You day and night. Let my prayer be heard before Your face; incline Your ear to my prayer.

(Ps 103): Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, His holy name; bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His gifts. He forgives all your iniquities, heals all your ailments, delivers your life from corruption, crowns you with mercy and bounty, satisfies your desires with good things; like the eagle, your youth will be renewed. The Lord shows mercy and protects the rights of all those oppressed. He revealed His ways to Moses, and His deeds to the children of Israel. The Lord is generous and merciful, long-suffering and abundantly merciful, he is not completely angry, and he is not at enmity forever; He did not deal with us according to our iniquities, nor did He reward us according to our sins. How high are the heavens above the earth, how strong is His mercy toward those who fear Him, how far is the east from the west, He has removed our iniquities from us. As a father has mercy on his sons, so the Lord has mercy on those who fear Him. For He knows our composition, He remembers that we are dust. Man—his days are like grass, like the flower of the field, they fade away; it blows over him, and he is not, and his place is not known to him. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to those who fear Him, and His righteousness is upon the sons of sons, who keep His covenant, remembering His commandments to do them. The Lord has erected His throne in Heaven, and His Kingdom embraces everything. Bless the Lord, all you His angels, mighty in power, who do His word, listening to the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all His hosts, all His servants who do His will. Bless the Lord, all His works! In every place of His dominion, bless the Lord, my soul! In every place of His dominion, bless the Lord, my soul!

(Ps 142): Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my prayer in Your truth, hear me in Your righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no one living will be justified before You. For the enemy oppresses my soul, he has trampled my life into the ground, he has cast me into darkness, like those who died in ancient days. And my spirit is sad within me, my heart is troubled within me. I remember the days of old, I meditate on all Your deeds, I consider the works of Your hand, I stretch out my hands to You; my soul is a waterless land and thirsts for You. Hear me soon, Lord! my spirit faints. Do not turn Your face away from me, lest I become like those who go down to the grave. Reveal to me Your mercy in the morning, for I trust in You; Show me the path that I should go, for I lift up my soul to You. Deliver me from my enemies, Lord! I come running to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your Good Spirit lead me to the land of righteousness. For the sake of Your name, Lord, give me life; For the sake of Your righteousness, bring my soul out of sorrow; and in Thy mercy destroy my enemies, and destroy all who oppress my soul, for I am Thy servant. Hear me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant. Hear me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, and do not enter into judgment with Thy servant. May Your Good Spirit lead me to the land of righteousness.

(Glory, even now.) Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee God. (Three times)