"Reading the Psalter." Azovskov Timofey Parfilovich
Psalm 26, 50, 90 are revered among Christians as the most effective protection in dangerous situations. They are also pronounced during illnesses and other misfortunes. Tested by many generations. The holy teachers of antiquity, and confessors of the past century, and ordinary lay people, including our contemporaries, wrote about the help of these psalms... And the power of the psalms lies in the content of these ancient divinely inspired texts.
Prayer
Psalm to David, before the anointing, the Lord is my enlightenment and my savior, whom will I fear?
The Lord is the protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes you come close to me with malice, even if you destroy my flesh, those who insult me and my enemies, you become weak and fall. Even if a regiment rises up against me, my heart will not fear: even if it rises up to fight against me, I will trust in him. Once I have asked from the Lord, I will require that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, behold the beauty of the Lord and visit His holy temple.
For He hid me in His village in the day of my ashes, He covered me in the secret of His village, He lifted me up on a rock. And now, behold, I have lifted up my head against my enemies: I have died and devoured in His village a sacrifice of praise and shouting: I will sing and make praise to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, my voice, when I have cried, have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord, I will seek Your face, O Lord, I will seek Your face.
Do not turn Your face away from me and do not turn aside with anger from Your servant: be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior.
For my father and mother abandoned me, but the Lord receives me. Establish the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake.
Do not betray me to the souls of those who afflict me: for I have stood up as a witness of unrighteousness, and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good Lord on earth among the living.
Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.
Psalm 26 in Russian (Synodal translation)
Prayer
The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life: whom shall I fear? If evildoers, my opponents and my enemies come upon me to devour my flesh, then they themselves will stumble and fall. If a regiment takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear; if war arises against me, then I will hope. I asked one thing from the Lord, this only I seek, that I might abide in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to contemplate the beauty of the Lord and visit His [holy] temple, for He would have hidden me in His tabernacle on the day of trouble, He would have hidden me in secret places. the place of His habitation, He would lift me up onto a rock.
Then my head would be lifted above the enemies surrounding me; and I would offer sacrifices of praise in His tabernacle, and would begin to sing and make melody before the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I cry, have mercy on me and listen to me. My heart speaks from You: “Seek My face”; and I will seek Your face, O Lord.
Hide not Your face from me; do not reject Your servant in anger. You were my helper; do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will receive me.
Teach me, O Lord, Thy way and guide me on the path of righteousness, for the sake of my enemies; Do not hand me over to the mercy of my enemies, for false witnesses have risen up against me and breathe malice.
But I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Trust in the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened, and trust in the Lord.
Psalm 50 in Church Slavonic
Psalm 26
History of writing
The Psalms were written by King David. Every word is published in the book of Psalms. The texts of Psalms 26, 50 and 90 were written in Hebrew, but have long been translated into all possible languages of the world.
Hymn 26 was composed during the reign of the king, when numerous wars were fought and peace was so rare. No one could be sure what would happen tomorrow and David’s only hope was the Lord.
Text of Psalm 26
In Church Slavonic with accents
Psalm to David, before the anointing 1 The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? Lord, Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? 2 Sometimes you come close to me with malice, even if you take away my flesh, insulting me, and defeating me, you become weak and fall. 3 Even if an army besieges itself against me, my heart will not fear; if it rises up to fight against me, I will trust in Him. 4 I have asked one thing of the Lord, and this I will require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. 5 Because He hid me in His village in the day of my evil, He covered me in the secret of His village, He lifted me up on a rock. 6 And now, behold, I have lifted up my head against my enemies: I have died and devoured in His village a sacrifice of praise and shouting, I will sing and sing praises to the Lord. 7 Hear, O Lord, my voice, whereby I cried: have mercy on me, and hear me. 8 My heart says unto you, I will seek the Lord. I will seek Your face, O Lord, I will seek Your face. 9 Turn not Thy face away from me, nor turn away Thy servant with wrath: be my helper, do not deny me, nor forsake me, O God of my Savior. 10 Because my father and my mother abandoned me, but the Lord will receive me. 11 Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me in the right path for my enemy’s sake. 12 Do not betray me to the souls of those who afflict me, for I have stood up as a witness of unrighteousness and lied untruthfully to myself. 13 I believe to see the good of the Lord on the land of the living. 14 Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.
In Russian
Psalm of David. Before the anointing. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: whom shall I fear? 2 If evildoers, my adversaries, and my enemies come against me to devour my flesh, they themselves will stumble and fall. 3 If an army takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear; if war arises against me, then I will trust in Him. 4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, this only do I seek, that I may abide in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to contemplate the beauty of the Lord, and to visit His holy temple, 5 For He would have hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of trouble, He would have hid me in the secret place the place of His habitation, He would lift me up onto a rock. 6 Then my head would be lifted up above the enemies around me; and I would offer sacrifices of praise in His tabernacle, and would begin to sing and make melody before the Lord. 7 Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I cry, have mercy on me and give ear to me. 8 My heart says from You: seek My face; and I will seek Your face, O Lord. 9 Hide not Your face from me; do not reject Your servant in anger. You were my helper; do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will receive me. 11 Teach me, O Lord, your way, and guide me in the path of righteousness, for the sake of my enemies; 12 Do not deliver me up to the mercy of my enemies, for false witnesses have risen up against me and breathe out malice. 13 But I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Trust in the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened, and trust in the Lord.
Reading rules
Psalm 26 is used to protect yourself and your family from evil forces. The text of the prayer can be read:
- If there is a threat to life and health;
- If you need peace of mind;
- If there are difficulties and temptations on the way;
- In case of danger emanating from enemies.
Many temple ministers advise reading Psalm 26 forty times. The prayer is read every day for a month.
Prayer
In the end, a psalm to David, the prophet Nathan always goes to him, and always goes to Bathsheba and the wife of Ur. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions, cleanse my iniquity.
Most of all, wash me from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin: for I know my iniquity, and my sin is against me. For You alone have I sinned and done evil before You: so that You may be justified in Your words and overcome, and never judge Ty. Behold, in iniquity I was conceived, and in sin my mother gave birth to me.
Behold, You have loved the truth, You have shown Your unknown and secret wisdom to me. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be as clean as 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 iniquities.
Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew the spirit of truth in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
Give me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked your way, and the wicked 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 desired sacrifices, you would have given them away: 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, O Lord, with Your favor, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built: then You will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the heap and the burnt offering: then they will lay it on Your altar Taurus.
Psalm 50 in Russian (Synodal translation)
How to read prayers
At home, the psalms are read in Russian. If a believer is in serious danger, physical destruction, it is necessary to protect himself by reading protective prayers.
When reading all the psalms, a prayer to the Mother of God is read at the beginning, at the end and between them. It is advisable to repeat the entire rule three times.
Reading protective psalms requires privacy. It is necessary to step aside, if possible, to stand in front of the icon of the Mother of God. Pronounce the words quietly, meaningfully, and take a short break if necessary.
Questions for the priest
What is the best way to learn the text in Russian, since the psalms are large in volume?
To do this, you can read prayers and memorize them from the Psalter. Or download them online and repeat until all the words are remembered.
Prayer
To the head of the choir. Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after David entered Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, blot out my iniquities.
Wash me often from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I am aware of my iniquities, and my sin is always before me. You, You alone, have I sinned and done evil in Your sight, so that You are righteous in Your judgment and pure in Your judgment.
Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sin. Behold, You have loved the truth in your heart and have shown me [Your] wisdom within me.
Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness, and the bones broken by You will rejoice.
Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation and strengthen me with the sovereign Spirit.
I will teach the wicked Your ways, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will praise Your righteousness.
God! Open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise: for You do not desire sacrifice, I would give it; You do not favor burnt offerings.
A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a contrite and humble heart, O God.
Bless, [Lord,] Zion according to Your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem: then the sacrifices of righteousness, the heave-hoist and the burnt offering will be acceptable to You; Then they will place bullocks on Your altar.
Psalm 90 in Church Slavonic
Psalm 50
History of writing
Song 50 was written not for the sake of protection, but for the sake of forgiveness. David deeply repented of his sins and asked for the mercy of the Lord. If history is to be believed, the king committed adultery. He really liked the commander's wife, but this did not stop David. As a result, the woman became pregnant and the king tried to hide his sin. There was a rumor that it was the king who ordered the death of the commander, the beauty’s husband. You can hide a lot from people, but not from the Lord. The heavens were angry. A war began between David’s own children, blood flowed, and there were murders. Therefore, only with a special word, Psalm 50, could David beg God’s forgiveness. The text of the prayer was written by the king himself.
Text of Psalm 50
In Church Slavonic with accents
1 In the end, a psalm to David, always bring Nathan the prophet to him, 2 always going down to Bathsheba, the wife of Uri, 3 Have mercy on me, O God, according to the greatness of Your mercy, and according to the multitude of Your bounty. cleanse my iniquity. 4 Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 5 For I know my iniquity, and bear away my sin before me. 6 I have sinned against You alone, and I have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and overcome, and never judge You. 7 Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. 8 For thou hast loved the truth, thou hast revealed to me thy unknown and secret wisdom. 9 Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 10 Give joy and gladness to my hearing; humble bones will rejoice. 11 Turn away Your face from my sins, and cleanse all my iniquities. 12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. 13 Do not turn me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 14 Give me the joy of Your salvation, and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. 15 I will teach the wicked your way, and wickedness will turn to you. 16 Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation; my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. 17 O Lord, my lips are opened, and my mouth declares Your praise. 18 For even if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given burnt offerings without being pleased. 19 The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a contrite and humble heart, God will not despise. 20 Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. 21 Then you will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the wave offering, and the burnt offering: then they will lay the bull on your altar.
In Russian
1 For execution. Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, 2 after he had gone in to Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. 3 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your compassions blot out my iniquities. 4 Wash me often from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, 5 for I acknowledge my iniquities, and my sin is always before me. 6 You, You alone, have I sinned and done evil in Your sight, so that You are righteous in Your judgment and pure in Your judgment. 7 Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother bore me in sin. 8 Behold, You have loved the truth in your heart and have shown me [Your] wisdom within me. 9 Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 10 Let me hear joy and gladness, and the bones broken by You will rejoice. 11 Turn away Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 12 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 13 Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. 14 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the sovereign Spirit. 15 I will teach the wicked your ways, and the wicked will turn to you. 16 Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will praise Your righteousness. 17 Lord! Open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise: 18 For You do not desire sacrifice, I would give it; You do not favor burnt offerings. 19 The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a contrite and humble heart, O God. 20 Do good, [Lord], according to Your good pleasure, Zion; Build up the walls of Jerusalem: 21 Then the sacrifices of righteousness, the heave offering and the burnt offering, will be acceptable to You; Then they will place bullocks on Your altar.
Why read?
Psalm 50 is read for forgiveness of sins and bad deeds. They say that after reading a song of praise, the soul ceases to be sad, anxiety and resentment go away.
Prayer
The praise of the song of David is not written in Hebrews. He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the blood of the heavenly God, says the Lord: You are my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.
For He will deliver you from the net of the trap and from the words of rebellion: His splash will overshadow you, and under His wing you trust: His truth will prevail over you with weapons.
Do not fear from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the things that pass in the darkness, from the gristle and demon of the midday.
Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come near you: behold your eyes and see the reward of sinners.
For you, O Lord, are my hope: You have made the Most High your refuge. No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body: as His angel commanded you about you, to keep you in all your ways.
They will take you up in their arms, but never dash your foot against a stone: you will step on the asp and the basilisk, and you will cross over the lion and the serpent.
For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, because I have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will destroy him and glorify him: I will fulfill him with long days and show him My salvation.
Psalm 90 in Russian (synodal translation)
Prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”
Every Christian knows that in difficult times he can turn to the Mother of God and be heard. The Mother of Jesus Christ considers all people to be her children and tries to help everyone.
Prayer text
The prayer “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice” is short, but at the same time very powerful.
In Church Slavonic with accents
In Russian
Reading rules
The prayer to the Mother of God is read:
- when a person strives to take the righteous path and needs support;
- from dangers;
- from curses, to remove black energy from yourself (we also recommend prayers for removing all curses);
- to cure a serious illness;
- with strong feelings about family and friends.
During the day, the text of the prayer is read 150 times, for which they take a rosary and touch it after each reading. This allows you not to be distracted from the meaning of words by calculations.
WE RECOMMEND: A strong prayer for a man’s love.
Prayer
He who lives under the roof of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty, rests, says to the Lord: “My refuge and my defense, my God, in whom I trust!”
He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive plague, He will cover you with His feathers, and you will be safe under His wings; shield and fence - His truth.
You will not be afraid of the terrors in the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that walks in the darkness, the plague that devastates at noon.
A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you: you will only look with your eyes and see the retribution of the wicked.
For you said: “The Lord is my hope”; You have chosen the Most High as your refuge; no evil will befall you, and no plague will come near your dwelling; for He will command His angels about you - to guard you in all your ways: they will carry you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone; you will step on the asp and basilisk; You will trample on the lion and the dragon.
“Because he loved Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he has known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow; I will deliver him and glorify him, I will satisfy him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.”
Psalm 90
History of writing
Psalm 90 was also written for a reason. Suddenly the king was overtaken by a serious illness. The doctors all unanimously said that this was a terrible pestilence. Everyone was looking for the best way to cure David of his illness. But the attempts were in vain, every day he grew weaker. Many people already thought about burying the king, but one day everything changed. David was healed by reciting his prayer.
Text of Psalm 90
In Church Slavonic with accents
Praise to the songs of David, not inscribed among the Jews 1 He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the blood of the Heavenly God. 2 Saying of the Lord: Thou art my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. 3 For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap, and from the words of rebellion, 4 His blanket will overshadow you, and under His krill you will trust: His truth will surround you as a weapon. 5 Thou shalt not fear from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, 6 from the things that pass in the darkness, from the tangle, and from the demon of the midday. 7 Thousands will fall from Your country, and darkness will be at Your right hand, but it will not come near You, 8 but look at Your eyes, and see the reward of sinners. 9 For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High Your refuge. 10 Evil will not come to You, and no wound will come near Your body, 11 For His Angel commanded You concerning You, to keep You in all Your ways. 12 They will lift you up in their arms, lest they dash your foot against a stone, 13 tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross over the lion and the serpent. 14 For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, because I have known My name. 15 He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will wear him out, and I will glorify him, 16 I will fulfill him with the length of days, and I will show him My salvation.
In Russian
Song of praise of David. Not inscribed among the Jews. 1 He who dwells under the roof of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty, rests, 2 says to the Lord: “My refuge and my defense, my God, in whom I trust!” 3 He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive plague, 4 He will hide you behind His shoulders, and under His wings you will hope - His truth will surround you like a weapon. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, 6 the plague that stalks in the darkness, the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you: 8 only you will look with your eyes and see the retribution of the wicked. 9 For you have said, “The Lord is my hope”; You have chosen the Most High as your refuge; 10 No evil will befall you, and no plague will come near your dwelling; 11 For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways: 12 in their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone; 13 You will tread on the asp and basilisk; You will trample on the lion and the dragon. 14 “Because he loved Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he has known My name. 15 He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow; I will deliver him and glorify him, 16 I will satisfy him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.”
Reading rules
There is another name for Psalm 90 – “Living Help”. The hymn of praise must be read slowly. For successful action, read three times. After each time there is a pause, the reader reads the sign of the cross three times.
Brief interpretation of Psalms 26,90
The 26th Psalm was composed by St. David in those days when he was not yet the ruler of Israel, but was already anointed to reign by the perspicacious Samuel. Saul, who was sitting on the throne at that time, sought his death, and the righteous psalmist was forced to hide, leaving his fate in the Hands of God. That is why in this psalm the future king expresses great gratitude to the Lord and hopes for His Help. Appealing to the Creator, he claims that a person cannot have a better hope for salvation than the intercession and protection of the Almighty Creator. David begs not to leave him, assuring that he wants to live pleasing to God and contemplate the beauty of the Lord until his last days.
Psalm 90 was composed as a praise to the Lord after the deliverance of the Jewish people from the pestilence. The psalm is also called David's song of praise. The essence of this creation is the absolute confidence that the Lord will not leave none of those who trust in Him without protection and consolation: He will protect His people both from the influence of dark forces and from earthly dangers.
Psalms 26, 50, 90 - content and interpretation
Psalm 26
Psalm 26 was written by David during a critical period in his life. He was not yet a full-fledged king, but had already been anointed to the kingdom by the prophet Samuel. Young David played the harp in the palace of King Saul, who was then king. The people already liked the young man, having become known as a brave warrior and a talented musician. The king disliked David as a potential rival in the struggle for power. Even though he married his daughter to him. Saul repeatedly attempted to kill the young man. He was forced to hide from persecution until the death of the king.
During the persecution, David felt under the reliable protection of God's providence. He composed this psalm to express love, trust in God, and a plea for His intercession. David in the psalm mentions forced separation from his neighbors. But at the same time he says that with God’s protection he is not afraid of any enemies. He asks the Almighty to help him live righteously, visit the Temple and contemplate the Lord's beauty until the end of his days.
Psalm 50
The 50th Psalm was already composed by King David as a confessional prayer to God after committing two serious sins. The first is fornication with a married woman; the second is the murder of her husband. Convicted of these crimes by the prophet Nathan, David realized the severity of his sins and how he offended God with them. In the psalm, the king pours out his tears of repentance and hope in the immeasurable mercy of God. David acknowledges the severity of his sins, regrets that he succumbed to the influence of original sin, and submits to God's righteous judgment.
The author prays to the Almighty for consolation and much-desired spiritual renewal. At the same time, he poetically says that a soul filled with grace is whiter than snow. David also recalls that he was given great honor as a prophet: God enlightened him and revealed His wisdom through him. The king asks God to cleanse him and allow him to continue his prophetic ministry. Psalm 50 shows in detail the condition of the repentant sinner. Therefore, he serves as an example for us of deep humility and sincere contrition, which David calls our main and necessary sacrifice to God for the salvation of the soul. For this reason, Psalm 50 is also called “penitential.”
Psalm 90
Psalm 90 was written by King David as gratitude and praise to God after the miraculous deliverance of the Israeli people from the plague. Therefore, in the Greek Psalter this psalm is called “David’s Song of Praise.” The meaning of Psalm 90 can be conveyed as follows: God will not leave anyone who believes and trusts in Him without consolation and his help. The Almighty will protect those who know and love Him from any danger.
The psalm mentions both the influence of dark forces and material threats as examples of danger: enemies, wild animals, diseases. The main idea of the psalm is repeated in the form of a dialogue between two persons. In the solemn finale, all of the above is confirmed by God himself.
About Psalm 50
The psalm was composed by the royal prophet as a prayer of confession, in which David poured out his heart after committing the gravest sins: fornication with a woman who has a husband and the murder of her husband. Convicted by the seer Nathan, the ruler of Israel realized the full filth of his deeds and the insult that he inflicted on his Great Creator. In the psalm, the king sheds sorrowful tears of repentance and trusts in God’s Mercy, completely submitting to His Righteous Judgment. About a soul purified by tears of repentance, he poetically says that it becomes “whiter than snow.”
The 50th psalm is considered repentant , since this creation is an example of genuine humility and sincere heartfelt contrition, which, according to David, are the main and most necessary sacrifice to the Creator.
Russian Chrysostom Innocent of Kherson instructed:
“The repentant 50th Psalm of King David is written so powerfully, such a feeling of repentance is embedded in it, that even now, when someone reads it, the enemy of the human race trembles and trembles, unable to bear its strength.”
About the established tradition and reading order
It is known that in ancient times not a single divine service was complete without solemn psalmody. Nowadays, a church tradition has developed to recite the words of the psalms at certain moments in the services.
- Thus, the 26th Psalm is read at the 1st hour of Epiphany and at the time of tonsure into the ryassophore.
- The sacred lines of the 50th Psalm are lifted up at the central moment of the Divine Liturgy - at the moment of the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Savior, as well as during the censing before the Great Entrance, in the rite of confession and requiem. The text of this psalm is included in the morning rule and in the Follow-up to Holy Communion.
- And the 90th Psalm is read at the service of the 6th hour, dedicated to the Crucifixion of the Savior, as well as at Great Compline. His words are heard during funeral services and memorial services.
Psalm 50 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy”
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy, and according to the multitude of your compassions, cleanse my iniquity...” This psalm is included in the daily morning prayer rule for the laity and in church liturgical texts. Lines from it were included in the Follow-up to Holy Communion. Its main message is repentant. King David wrote it, bitterly regretting the evil committed. Everyone, to one degree or another, is familiar with this feeling when what has been done can no longer be corrected and one can only hope for God’s forgiveness and mercy. Read more
Rule of Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly (Sidorenko)
Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly is a disciple of the pious elders of the Glinsk Hermitage. His ascetic path was not easy. He was a holy fool, a novice at the monastery, and a desert dweller. As a result of these exploits, he acquired the gift of wisdom and became a mentor for many of Christ's sheep.
The schema-archimandrite instructed his spiritual children to say the 26th, 50th and 90th psalms every morning when leaving home. At the beginning, at the end and between them, say the greeting “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary.”
The priest explained:
“After this, no trouble will touch you! Read these psalms, and Christ and the Mother of God will grant you their mercies.”
Add to reading “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”
The basis of this Greatness are quotes from the Gospel of Luke: the appeal of the Archangel Gabriel to the Most Pure Mother of God:
“The angel came to Her and said: Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women" (Luke 1:28) and the magnification of the Mother of God by the righteous Elizabeth: "Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and exclaimed with a loud voice and said: Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb!" (Luke 1:42)
Interesting fact
According to historians, the combination of these Gospel fragments into a common prayer could have been performed by St. Cyril of Alexandria, a teacher of the Church who labored in the 5th century. In Catholicism, since the 11th century, this Majesty has been known as “Ave Maria”.
In Rus', this prayer received sacred meaning around the 17th century. It was repeated many times by those who wanted to intensify their feat of prayer and by those who appealed to the Most Pure Virgin for consolation or wanted to thank Her for her help. This happened, among other things, under the influence of the “Blessed Star” manuscript, which was widespread in those days and copied by hand, in 15 chapters of which the miracles that occurred from this prayer were told.
Archpriest Oleg Kruchinin explains: “for example, there was a story about a certain monk who laughed at prayer and was deprived of his mind. And the bishop, who did not recognize this prayer, saw himself drowning in a dream. After he repented, the dream repeated, but the Mother of God saved him from drowning. Such stories were easily remembered by the people and served for spiritual education.”
Many elders spoke about the power of this prayer. Among them are Saints Seraphim of Sarov and Parthenius of Kiev, Elder Iliodor of Glina . And the holy martyrdom to Seraphim Zvezdinsky , who wrote to his spiritual children from exile:
“Protect yourself more often and more diligently, my dear children, with this indestructible wall. With this prayer we will not perish, we will not burn in fire, we will not drown in the sea. If Satan, who hates us, stops us on our path and knocks us down, then, sending the Archangel’s Greeting, we will rise up, those who are sick in soul will be healed, those polluted by sin will be cleansed and made white.”
Archpriest Oleg Kruchinin explains:
“Reading “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary,” we become like the angels singing the praises of the Mother of God, and when we say “the fruit of your womb,” we mean Jesus Christ. Therefore, we enter into prayerful communication with Them and are under Their heavenly protection.”
“It won’t break with a bomb” - from the book by S. Nilus
Once talking with the Optina Elder John (Salov) , the writer S.A. Nilus and his wife received instructions:
“If the enemy shoots his arrows at you, do not be afraid! None of them will affect you. Just take my advice as a rule. Show obedience. Read the 26th and 90th Psalms every day, morning and evening, before your regular prayer.
And in front of them is the Great Arkhangelsk Rejoicing, that is, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary.” If you do this, neither fire will burn you nor water will drown you. I’ll tell you even more - it won’t be torn apart by a bomb!”
As the years passed, the elder’s prediction was fulfilled with accuracy. During the Civil War, a couple traveling in a tarantass came under fire. A bomb exploded near them, but they weren't even hit.
Venerable Elder Ambrose of Optina
Spiritual instructions of the Optina monks
The Monk Barsanuphius of Optina instructed:
“Read the Psalter every day, even a little, and the Lord will not leave you with His mercy, He will always be your Helper and Comforter. It is also good to read Psalms 90 and 50 daily; Psalm 90, “Alive in the Help of the Most High,” is useful to read three times a day: morning, noon and evening. At noon a person is especially attacked by a prodigal demon, and this same psalm drives him far away.”
The Monk Ambrose of Optina wrote to the children being cared for:
“When you feel fear and an enemy attack, it will be useful, following the example of the ancient fathers, to pronounce (so that only your ears can hear) with your lips psalm words, for example: “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear?” And the entire 26th Psalm... Memorize and read often “Alive in the Help of the Most High.”
Psalm 26 “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior”
“The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear?..” The text of this psalm is very life-affirming. He calls to trust the Lord and walk through life without fear, following the commandments of God. Written long before Christ came into the world, it is in tune with the gospel instruction: “Do not be afraid, only believe!” And it is not surprising that many believers resort to this very prayer in the face of danger, in cases of uncertainty, or in a situation where they need to act decisively. Read more
Brief information about the Psalter
The word "Psalter" originally meant an ancient musical instrument like the harp. In the church understanding, this is a collection of prayer chants that were used during worship back in Old Testament times. On the basis of many of them, the prayers of the New Testament Church were compiled. The Psalter is also called the Book of Psalms of David, since it is believed that most of them were compiled by this Old Testament ascetic under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Handwritten psalter. 17th century
Some of the psalms were composed by the wise Solomon , Moses the Seer of God , the sons of Korah, and other Old Testament authors.
The book is divided into 20 kathismas, each of which, in turn, is divided into 3 glories. You are allowed to sit while reading the kathisma, and stand up during the doxology.
What are psalms
Psalms are prayer songs from the Psalter (one of the books of the Old Testament). In total, the Psalter contains 150 psalms. The author of the majority is considered to be the Hebrew king and prophet David, who lived and reigned a thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ. But there are psalms, the composition of which is attributed to Moses and those close to King David. Psalms 26, 50, 90 are among the most famous. They are revered by believers as the most effective in prayer. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Psalter
Why read the psalms
Patristic Tradition speaks of the reading of the psalms as an unusually effective weapon against the devil. By immersing themselves in their essence, Christians cultivate devotion to the Creator and strengthen themselves in confrontation with evil spirits and the temptations they cause.
Psalms are said under different circumstances. Sometimes, even being “on the edge of the abyss.”
St. Basil the Great taught:
“The Book of Psalms is a treasury of good teachings and carefully seeks out what is beneficial to everyone. She also heals old wounds of the soul, and quickly brings healing to the recently wounded. He restores the sick and supports the undamaged. In general, he destroys as much as possible the passions that exist in human life.”
St. John Chrysostom testified:
“If you have fallen into temptation, you will find abundant consolation in the psalms. If you sin, you will find thousands of ready-made medicines here. Whether you fall into poverty or some kind of misfortune, the psalms will show you many havens.” St. Ambrose of Optina instructed: “You will see through experience how great the power of God-inspired psalm words is, which scorch and drive away mental enemies like flame. And prayer is always stronger with psalm words than with our own.”
Archpriest Mikhail Makhov says:
“Reading the Psalter gives a lot. This is one of the great books. In monasteries they read it between services and at night, in Chikhachevo (in the St. Nicholas Monastery) they read it between lectures, for some kind of “cleansing of space”, for protection.”
Interesting fact
The Book of Psalms is highly revered by the Jews. Since ancient times, they have realized that these sacred texts have tremendous power. The Jews claim that for 28 centuries the book of Tehilim (Psalms) has been protecting their people from suffering and leading them out of the most hopeless situations. In their opinion, everyone who is constrained by circumstances or experiencing difficulties is obliged to read this book daily and as concentratedly as possible.
How to read correctly
The clergy say the following about the rules when reading these sacred texts.
Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov instructed:
“At home, in your cell, you can make up absolutely any rule for reading the psalms. This is not forbidden. You can read the psalms in the order that suits you. Because some psalms may be difficult to understand or may not correspond to the state of mind in which a person is currently located. Strict order is acceptable only for church services that have a certain structure. At home there is complete freedom in this. It’s also good to coordinate this with your personal confessor, then there will be no confusion in your heart.”
Archpriest Andrey Tkachev :
“The private reading of the Psalter is a very simple question. If you have time (it doesn’t have to be the same every day), after calming all your feelings, open the Psalter to the next kathisma you are reading, or to the one you want to read, and, having made the initial prayer, read the text slowly and clearly.
Having reached glory, you can remember the living and the dead: in the first glory - the living, in the second - the dead. You can just read without remembering. If you suddenly need to take a break, it’s okay: next time, start reading from where you left off. After reading the Psalter to the end, then start reading it again. Some psalms that touch the soul can be learned by heart.”
Tatyana Rasnovskaya
Advice from St. Church Fathers
One day a monk asked St. Arseny the Great, what to do if you don’t understand what the psalms say. The elder advised him to continue reading in such cases, assuring him that “the demons understand everything and run away.”
In a similar way he responded to spiritual children and others. Ambrose of Optina, saying:
“You don’t understand, but the demons understand perfectly well and run away. Read without understanding yet, but someday you will begin to understand.”
St. John Chrysostom advised singing psalms while doing any craft, and if there is no desire or strength to do it out loud, then pronounce them mentally.
Elder Jerome of Aegina instructed:
“You must love the Psalter and read at least two psalms every day. When temptations come to you, begin to read the Psalter with attention and love and you will feel a change within yourself.”
Monk Trofim, one of the three Optina new martyrs who died on Easter morning on April 18, 1993 and was highly revered by the people, advised one parishioner he knew:
“Read the Psalter. Sometimes the sky is cloudy, and my soul is gloomy. And if you start reading, suddenly the sun will shine through, and there will be such joy in your soul. I experienced it myself, believe me!”
About help Psalm 90 in war and other miracles
Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) testifies:
“As a powerful weapon against demons, Psalm 90 has been tested by many generations of Christians.”
An ancient pious legend has been preserved that Admiral of the Imperial Navy Feodor Feodorovich Ushakov , glorified among the righteous, having participated in 40 naval battles, did not suffer a single defeat.
Icon of the saint of rights. warrior Admiral Feodor Ushakov
Not a single ship of the Russian squadron, each of which bore the name of a saint of God, was destroyed, and not a single sailor was captured by the enemy. Before the battle, the admiral admonished:
“Brothers! Read the 26th, 50th and 90th Psalms, and neither a bullet nor a saber will take you!”
These psalms, read by the sailors along with the prayer “May God rise again,” were that reliable protective shield that protected them from dangers.
The story of Archpriest Mikhail Makhov:
“We know that some psalms are considered protective. We have the psalm “Alive in the help of the Most High,” which is written on the back of icons or special belts. Believers wear these belts for protection and I have heard many interesting stories. My dad wore such a belt during the war. My grandmother secretly sewed it into his tunic pocket, because at the beginning of the war they did not allow soldiers to wear Christian signs; this became accepted only in 1942.
One veteran, three times holder of the Order of Military Glory, told me that he hid the psalm “Alive in Help” in his helmet. One day during a battle, a shell exploded near him and his helmet flew off his head, falling into the crater left by the previous shell. He crawled to get it, and at the moment when he was completely hidden in the crater, another shell exploded next to him. The comrade next to him died. This man believes that the psalm “Alive in Help” saved him that day.
Another story from Archpriest Mikhail Makhov:
“We had one grandfather. He was already over 80, and he was restoring our bell tower. Moreover, he was one of those who destroyed it at one time. He became a believer after the prayer “Alive in Help” saved him during the war. This prayer was hidden in his iron cigarette case, which lay in the breast pocket of his tunic. Once, during a battle, a shell fragment hit a cigarette case, but did not penetrate it, and the man remained alive.”
Story by L.P. Mozganov:
“From my mother, I only have a photograph and another piece of paper with the prayer “Alive in the help of the Most High.” My aunt wrapped this piece of paper with a prayer in a handkerchief and sewed it onto my sleeveless shirt. When she washed it, she tore off the handkerchief with a prayer, and then sewed it on again.
When I grew up, my aunt made me learn the prayer by heart. I grew up as a yard, street teenager, and my mother’s prayer, I believe, saved me more than once. Post-war children, we were very risky - we held grenades and carried cartridges. For example, I had a whole arsenal - it was considered chic; one from the yard died. There were serious fights - with brass knuckles, knives, but nothing, God had mercy. Prayer kept me...
When I was already an adult, this half-decayed piece of paper got touched somewhere. I searched and searched and forgot about it. And one day, years later, he himself was found - he fell out of the book. And I put it in my pocket. That day I went on a business trip to Orel, the three of us were traveling in a car, and at night there was an accident. My comrades died, but nothing happened to me..."
Story by N.A. Glushkova from the book “Wind Tenderness” by Maria Gorodova:
“In the fall of 1941, I was 7 years old, my sister Sonechka was 5. It so happened that we left for evacuation to Aktyubinsk only in the spring of 1942, so we spent the terrible autumn and winter of the first year of the war in Moscow. My mother, Alexandra Filippovna, a doctor, spent all her time in the hospital, and Sonechka and I stayed with my grandmother. My memories of the war are fragmentary. For some reason I don’t remember how the war began, but I remember well the feeling of hunger and how in the fall of 1941 I went with my grandmother to the fields to collect cabbage leaves.
The fields were located somewhere in the Sokol area. I remember very well the smell and taste of these leaves - we cleaned them of rot and ate them, frozen, and my grandmother cooked cabbage soup from them, very tasty. I remember how all autumn they talked about some Guderian: “Guderian approached Tula; Guderian is creeping towards Moscow...” For me, a child, this word - “Guderian” - was for some reason associated with some kind of huge snake - an adder, a basilisk, I saw such things in a book.
I remember how one day my grandmother and I were doing business in the center, and suddenly it started snowing, and the snow was black. And a woman passing by began to wail in a voice that broke into a squeal: “Lord, the end of the world has come!” I remember how my grandmother, angry, tightly grabbed my hand, said: “No one knows either the day or the hour. And even if an angel from heaven begins to announce the end of the world, let him be anathema.” Now I understand that these were words from the Gospel.
We quickly returned home. That day I learned the 90th Psalm “Alive in the help of the Most High...” Maybe from malnutrition, my memory was bad as a child, I had difficulty even learning the multiplication tables, but I memorized the prayer quickly. Grandma made Sonya and I repeat it until we learned it. From then on we prayed every evening. And one more thing: my grandmother strictly ordered us not to tell anyone about this. We went for cabbage leaves almost all autumn.
One day a neighbor said that Guderian came very close, he was in the Sokol metro area, right next to our cabbage fields. That evening we prayed for a long time, grandmother, I think, all night - as I see her now, kneeling in front of the icon. And at night the frost hit.
And Guderian’s technology stopped. I, a child, had a feeling that this happened because we - me, Sonechka and grandmother - were praying. “When you are in rebellion on your hands, not when you dash your foot on a stone, step on the asp and the basilisk, and cross the lion and the serpent.” And my grandmother was so enlightened and joyful in the morning...
She told us that on the day when Guderian stood near Moscow, there was a great holiday - the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then Psalm 90 helped me more than once.”
Anatoly Medyankin's story :
“I once had a chance to watch a documentary series about the First World War. There was one old man there who was already over 100 years old. He was the only Christian in his unit; all his comrades were unbelievers. He constantly read the 90th Psalm, although those around him laughed at him and asked in surprise why he needed this when it was the progressive twentieth century. As a result, everyone in his unit died, but he was the only one left alive and lived to be 100 years old.”
Special prayer protection and assistance
January 2022
January 1 Saturday Nativity Fast 35th day of St. Elijah of Muromets Holy Martyr Boniface Hieromartyr Hypatius of Pechersk, healer St. Joseph the Much-Sick, Pechersk
January 2 Sunday Advent Fast 36th day Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer
January 3 Monday Nativity Fast 37th day of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia Martyr Blessed Princess Juliana of Vyazemskaya and Novotorzhskaya and Holy Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia
January 4 Tuesday Nativity Fast 38th day of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Pattern Maker
January 5 Wednesday Nativity Fast 39 Day of the Holy Ten Cretan Martyrs: Theodulus, Sathorninus, Euporus, Gelasia, Eunikiana, Zotikos, Pompius, Agathopus, Basilides and Evarestes
January 6 Thursday Advent Fast 40th day Christmas Eve of the Venerable Martyr Eugenia and with her the martyrs Protus, Jacinthos and Claudia of the Venerable Nicholas, monk
January 7 Friday Christmas Christmastide 1 day
January 8 Saturday Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos Hieromartyr Euthymius, Bishop of Sardis Christmastide 2nd day
January 9, Sunday of the First Martyr of the Apostle Stephen of the 70th, Archdeacon St. Theodore the Inscribed, Confessor Christmastide 3rd day
January 10 Monday of the Holy Martyr Nicodemus (Kononov), Bishop of Belgorod 20,000 martyrs, in Nicomedia in the Church of the Burned Apostle of the 70 Nikanor Christmastide 4th day
January 11 Martyrs Tuesday 14,000 infants killed for Christ by Herod in Bethlehem Christmastide 5th day
January 12 Wednesday St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow Apostle of the 70 Timon, Bishop of Bostria Martyr Anisia of Thessaloniki (Thessalonian) Hieromartyr Zotik the Orphan-giver, presbyter Christmastide 6th day
January 13 Thursday Dedication of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ to the Venerable Melania the Roman Christmastide Day 7
January 14 Friday Circumcision of the Lord St. Basil the Great Christmastide 8th day
January 15 Saturday Forefeast of the Epiphany of St. Seraphim of Sarov (repose, second discovery of relics) of the Holy Prophet Malachi St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome Holy Righteous Juliana Lazarevskaya (Murom) Christmastide 9th day
January 16 Sunday of the Holy Martyr Gordiya Christmastide 10th day
January 17 Monday Council of the 70 Apostles of St. Eustathius I, Archbishop of Serbia Venerable Theoktistus Christmastide 11th day
January 18 Tuesday Epiphany Christmas Eve! Prophet Micah Christmastide 12th day
January 19 Wednesday Epiphany
January 20 Thursday Afterfeast of Epiphany Council of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John
January 21 Friday St. Emilian the Venerable George the Chozebite St. Gregory the Wonderworker and Gregory the Recluse of Pechersk St. Domnika of Constantinople Hieromartyr Isidore of Yuriev (Derpt), presbyter and with him the 72 martyrs who suffered
January 22, Saturday of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, wonderworker, Martyr Polyeuctus, Venerable Eustratius, wonderworker
January 23, Sunday of St. Gregory of Nyssa, Bishop St. Theophan the Recluse of Vyshensk, St. Markian of Constantinople, Presbyter Hieromartyr Anatoly, Metropolitan of Odessa St. Dometian, Bishop of Melitino St. Paul of Komel (Obnorsky)
January 24 Monday of St. Michael of Klopsky, Novgorod St. Theodosius the Great, general lives of the chief
January 25, Tuesday of the Martyr Tatiana of Rome and with her in Rome the victims of St. Sava I, Archbishop of Serbia, Venerable Martinian of Belozersky
January 26 Wednesday Venerable Irinarch of Rostov Venerable Eleazar of Anzer Martyrs Hermilus and Stratonik
January 27 Thursday of Equal to the Apostles Nina, enlightener of Georgia
January 28 Friday of St. Paul of Thebes St. John Kushchnik
January 29 Saturday of Righteous Maxim of Totemsky, presbyter Worship of the honorable chains of the Apostle Peter Hieromartyr John Pettaya
January 30 Sunday of St. Anthony the Great St. Anthony of Dym
January 31 Monday Saints Athanasius the Great and Cyril, Archbishops of Alexandria Reverends Cyril and Mary, parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh
