Introduction
We begin matins with the same opening prayers we use at all the other services. See Readers Daily Vespers, for more information about these prayers. At the end of the call to worship are two additional passages from Scripture. The first, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men! is from Luke 2:14; the second, O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise, is from Psalm 51:15.
Next, pray the morning Psalm. In monastic practice, these six Psalms are prayed every day, and there being six, they fall nicely on Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, if you are unable to be in church, you might wish to pray all six of them, or perhaps you might choose one or a couple, such as Psalm 63 or 103.
The Intercessions are described in more detail in the Introduction to Readers Daily Vespers.
God Is the Lord, is taken from Psalm 118. Chant the first refrain and the first verse; then, if you know the melody for the tone of the week, sing the rest of the refrains and chant the verses between them. If you don't know the melody for the tone of the week, you may sing the melody for a tone you know; or you may simply chant all the verses and refrains.
Sing the daily troparion if you know the melody. See the Introduction to Readers Daily Vespers for more information about the troparia. Under Sunday is the note Refer to Supplementary Prayers. At that point, sing the troparion in the tone of the week. The words to the eight troparia and kontakia are in the Supplementary Prayers section, for those who wish to pray this service on Sunday. I omitted them from matins so that they wouldn't overly complicate daily prayers.
Like the prokeimenon at vespers, the Prokeimenon of the Day,leads into a Scripture reading ‑ here the daily or matins Gospel. The daily Gospel is the passage from the Gospel assigned for the Divine Liturgy for that day. For certain feast days there may be more than one. The Resurrectional (that is, Sunday) Gospel is one of a set of twelve Gospel passages that are read on a rotating basis; all these matins Gospels retell a post‑Resurrection appearance of Christ.
Sometimes, especially on feasts, there are specific matins Gospel lessons appointed. You can get a copy of the lectionary from various places: your parish may give away a calendar with saints' holy days and Scripture readings marked. The Bible and the Holy Fathers is built around the daily readings, and The Orthodox Study Bible has a listing of the lectionary in its appendices (both of these books are in the Bibliography).
There are some minor differences between the daily readings among the canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States, so ask your priest about it. See the Introduction to Readers Daily Vespers for more information about how to pray the prokeimenon.
Chant Psalm 51 every day.
The Canon of Biblical Odes offers a treasure of biblical song that the Church has mined for her hymnography throughout her entire history. The ten Scripture passages presented here are used as a basis for meditation in much of the Church's festal poetry. For more information, see your parish priest or The Lenten Triodion or The Festal Menaion (in the Bibliography).
Chant the scriptural ode for the day. The Song of Isaiah on Thursday is, as the Scripture reference indicates, taken from the Septuagint. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament that was widely used at the time of Christ and during the time that the New Testament was being composed. Over the centuries, Western Christians turned to Hebrew texts compiled after the writing of the New Testament and away from these Greek translations (the reasons are complicated and outside the scope of this book), but Eastern Christians continued to use the Septuagint as their Old Testament.
The Septuagint has some additional books not included in what are called the Hebrew Scriptures, and in some of the prophecies common to both versions, such as this one from Isaiah, the difference is substantial. The Prayer of Azariah and The Song of the Three Holy Youths are both from a section that is part of the Book of Daniel in the Septuagint.
Between the Odes 6 and 7 (for Friday and Saturday) fall the Kontakia. Chant or sing the appropriate kontakion for each day. The kontakion follows Ode 6 in official matins texts, when several odes are included. For home matins, we chant the ode appointed for the day, then Ode 9 (The Magnificat, and The Song of Zechariah); include the kontakion as it falls among the odes prayed on that day, as follows:
Monday through Friday ‑ Ode for the day, kontakion, Ode 9.
Saturday ‑ Kontakion, The Prayer of Azariah (Ode 7), Ode 9.
Sunday ‑ The Song of Moses (Ode 1), Kontakion of the Resurrection in the tone of the week (see a liturgical calendar or ask your priest for the tone of the week), The Song of the Three Holy Youths (Ode 8), and Ode 9.
At The Magnificat, sing the refrain between verses or at the beginning and end.
At The Praises, chant the appropriate Psalm for the day. On Sunday, you may decide to chant all three or simply choose one.
Read the Lesser Doxology and the daily matins prayers. The prayer that begins, O Lord, grant that we may meet the coming day in peace . . ., is commonly attributed to Metropolitan Filaret of Moscow (19th century). The prayer that begins, Most holy God, we pray and beseech You, give each of us a pure heart . . ., is an ancient morning prayer from the book Praying with the Orthodox Tradition, listed in the bibliography.
During Lent, just before the Dismissal, pray the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian. Then pray the Dismissal as at vespers.
Readers Daily Matins
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory to You, our God. Glory to You.
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth: You are everywhere filling all things; Treasury of blessings and Giver of Life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One!
Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have mercy on us.
Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have mercy on us.
Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal! Have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us!
O Lord, cleanse us from our sins!
O Master, pardon our transgressions!
O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your Names sake.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Come, let us worship God, our King!
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God!
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men! O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
Morning Psalms
Monday Psalm 3
Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, There is no help for him in God. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One Who lifts up my head. cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Ilay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people.
Tuesday Psalm 38
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, Nor is there any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my kinsmen stand afar off. Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long. But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; and I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response. For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they magnify themselves against me. For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; and those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
Wednesday Psalm 63
O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.
Thursday Psalm 88
O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave. I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength, Adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand. You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. You have put away my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut up, and I cannot get out; My eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to You I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth up; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; they engulfed me altogether. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.
Friday Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to childrens children, To such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules overall. Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Saturday Psalm 143
Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness. Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Answer me speedily, O Lord; my spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; in You I take shelter. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. Revive me, O Lord, for Your names sake! For Your righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble. In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.
After The Psalm
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Commemoration Of The Living
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who for the sake of Your eternal mercy and lovingkindness became man, and suffered crucifixion and death for the salvation of all; Who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sit on the right hand of the Father, where You hear the prayers of all who call upon You humbly and with their whole heart: incline Your ear to us, and hearken to the prayer which Your unworthy servants offer as a spiritual sacrifice for all Your people.
Remember first of all Your Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which You have purchased with Your precious blood. Strengthen it, multiply it, keep it in peace, and do not allow the gates of hell to stand against it. Heal the schisms of the churches, stop the raging of the heathen, root out and cleanse all heresies, destroying them by the power of Your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy, O Lord, upon our president, and all in civil authority, and save them, together with the armed forces of our country. Give them peace and continual victory over injustice and evil in all places. May they keep Your holy Church secure, that all Your people may live calm and ordered lives in Your sight, in true faith and prayer, with godly deeds.
Have mercy, O Lord, upon the Orthodox patriarchs and metropolitans, the archbishops and bishops, the priests and deacons, and the whole order of Your Churchs clergy. Save them whom You have established to feed Your flock, and by their prayers have mercy on us sinners, and save us.
Have mercy, O Lord, on our spiritual fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children, and save them, and by their holy prayers forgive us our transgressions.
Have mercy, O Lord, on our parents, and save them, together with our brothers and sisters, our children, our relatives and our friends. Grant them Your blessing both here and in the life to come.
Have mercy, O Lord, on the old and the young, the needy, the orphans and widows, and all who are in sickness and sorrow, distress and affliction, oppression and captivity, in prison and confinement. Save them, together with Your servants who are under persecution for Your sake and for the sake of the Orthodox faith.Remember them, visit them, strengthen and comfort them, and by Your power grant them speedy relief, freedom and deliverance.
Have mercy, O Lord, on all who travel, and save all those who are sent on duty: our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children, all our loved ones and all Orthodox Christians.
Have mercy, O Lord, on our enemies: save all those who envy us, wish us evil or deal unjustly with us. May they not perish because of us sinners. Enlighten, O Lord, with the truth of Your holy wisdom all who have gone astray from the Orthodox faith, led by destructive heresies, and unite them once more to Your Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. (Add Specific Prayer Requests For The Living.)
Commemoration Of The Departed
Remember, O Lord, those who have departed this life: all Orthodox patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops and all who served You in the priesthood and ministry of the Church and in the monastic order, and grant them rest with Your saints in Your eternal kingdom.
Remember, O Lord, the souls of Your servants now fallen asleep: our parents, family and friends. Forgive them all their sins, committed knowingly or unknowingly; grant them Your kingdom, a portion in Your eternal blessing and the enjoyment of Your unending life.
Remember, O Lord, all who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and of eternal life: our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children, all our loved ones and Orthodox Christians throughout the world. Place them with Your saints before the light of Your countenance and have mercy on us, for You are good and love mankind. (Add Specific Prayer Requests For The Departed.)
God Is The Lord
Refrain: God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!
Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever.
Refrain
Verse: All nations surrounded me; in the Name of the Lord, I withstood them.
Refrain
Verse: I shall not die, but live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
Refrain
Verse: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lords doing and is marvelous in our eyes.
Refrain
Troparia
Sunday
Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone of the Week)
Refer to Supplementary Prayers.
Monday
St. Michael and All Angels (Tone Four)
O Commander of the heavenly hosts, We who are unworthy beseech you ceaselessly That you would encompass us with the shelter of your prayers And cover us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory. We fall down before you crying out: Protect us from all harm, O Prince of the powers on high!
Tuesday
Forerunner And Baptist John (Tone Two)
The memory of the righteous is worthy of praise, But you, O Forerunner, are well pleased by the Lords own witness. You were revealed as greater than the prophets, For you baptized in the waters Him whom they foretold. Therefore, having fought and suffered for the Truth, You proclaimed to those in the tombs the Gospel of the incarnate God, Who takes away the sins of the world and grants us great mercy.
Wednesday
Holy And Life‑Giving Cross (Tone One)
O Lord, save Your people, And bless Your inheritance. Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians Over their adversaries. And by virtue of Your Cross, Preserve Your habitation.
Thursday
Holy Apostles And St. Nicholas (Tone Three)
O holy Apostles, Intercede with our merciful God To grant our souls forgiveness of our sins!
Friday
Holy And Life‑Giving Cross (Tone One)
O Lord, save Your people, And bless Your inheritance. Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians Over their adversaries. And by virtue of Your Cross, Preserve Your habitation.
Saturday
The Theotokos, All Saints, The Faithful Departed (Tone Two)
Apostles, martyrs, and prophets, Holy hierarchs, saints and righteous, Having fought the good fight and kept the Faith, You have boldness toward the Savior. Intercede for us with Him for He is good, and pray that He may save our souls.
Prokeimenon Of The Day
Sunday
Matins Prokeimenon (Tone Of The Week)
Refer To Supplementary Prayers.
Monday
Prokeimenon From Psalm 104 (Tone 4)
Prokeimenon: He makes his angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire! Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great!
Tuesday
Prokeimenon From Psalm 64 (Tone 7)
Prokeimenon: The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. Verse: Hear my voice, O God, when I pray to You.
Wednesday
Prokeimenon From The Magnificat (Tone 3)
Prokeimenon: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Verse: For He has regarded the lowly state of His handmaiden; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
Thursday
Prokeimenon From Psalm 19 (Tone 8)
Prokeimenon: Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the end of the universe!
Verse: The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.
Friday
Prokeimenon From Psalm 99 (Tone 7)
Prokeimenon: Extol the Lord our God; * worship at His footstool, for it is holy! Verse: The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
Saturday
Prokeimenon From Psalm 32 (Tone 8)
Prokeimenon: Be glad in the Lord * and rejoice, O you righteous!
Verse: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Let Every Breath Praise
The Lord Let every breath praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary! Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Let every breath praise the Lord!
The Daily Gospel
The reading is from the Gospel according to (name of Gospel lesson) Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You!
The Gospel for the day is read.
Glory to You, O Lord, glory to You!
Psalm 51
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight ‑ that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast 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 Your salvation, and uphold me with Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart ‑ these, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
The Canon Of Biblical Odes
Sunday Ode 1 The Song Of Moses (Exodus 15:1‑18)
I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my fathers God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name. Pharaohs chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath which consumed them like stubble. And with the blast of Your nostrils the waters were gathered together; the floods stood upright like a heap; and the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like You O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out Your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation. The people will hear and be afraid; sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Palestine. Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling will take hold of them; all the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away. Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of Your arm they will be as still as a stone, till Your people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over whom You have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which You have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, Which your hands have established. The Lord shall reign forever and ever.
Monday Ode 2 The Song Of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1‑43)
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass. For I proclaim the name of the Lord: ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He. They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their blemish: a perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus deal with the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you? Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you: When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lords portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, So the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him. He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him to draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock; Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs; and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the choicest wheat; and you drank wine, the blood of the grapes. But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are covered with fat; then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you. And when the Lord saw it, He spurned them, because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters. And He said: I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faith. They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; they have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in My anger, and shall burn to the lowest hell; it shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows upon them. They shall be wasted with hunger, devoured by pestilence and bitter destruction; I will also send against them the teeth of beasts, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword shall destroy outside; there shall be terror within for the young man and virgin, the nursing child with the man of gray hairs. I would have said, I will dash them in pieces, I will make the memory of them to cease from among men, Had I not feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should misunderstand, lest they should say, Our hand is high; and it is not the Lord who has done all this. For they are a nation void of counsel, nor is there any understanding in them. Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had surrendered them? For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of serpents, and the cruel venom of cobras. Is this not laid up in store with Me, sealed up among My treasures? Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them. For the Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, bond or free. He willsay: Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge? Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge. Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand. For I lift My hand to heaven, and say, As I live forever, If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay those who hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the heads of the leaders of the enemy. Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.
Tuesday Ode 3 The Song Of Hannah (I Samuel 2: 1 ‑10)
And Hannah prayed and said: My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. There is none holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, and she who has many children has become feeble. The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lords, and He has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; from heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.
Wednesday Ode 4 The Song Of Habbakuk(Habbakuk 3:2‑19)
O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, and there His power was hidden. Before Him went pestilence, and fever followed at His feet. He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. O Lord, were You displeased with the rivers, was Your anger against the rivers, was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation? Your bow was made quite ready; oaths were sworn over Your arrows. You divided the earth with rivers. The mountains saw You and trembled; the overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows they went, at the shining of Your glittering spear. You marched through the land in indignation; you trampled the nations in anger. You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare from foundation to neck. You thrust through with his own arrows the head of his villages. They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me; their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret. You walked through the sea with Your horses, through the heap of great waters. When I heard, my body trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered my bones; and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. When He comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops. Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls ‑ Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; he will make my feet like deers feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.
Thursday Ode 5 The Song Of Isaiah (Isaiah 26:9‑21 , Septuagint)
My spirit seeks Thee very early in the morning, O God, for Thy commandments are a light on the earth: learn righteousness, ye that dwell upon the earth. For the ungodly one is put down: no one who will not learn righteousness on the earth shall be able to do the truth: let the ungodly be taken away, that he see not the glory of the Lord. O Lord, Thine arm is exalted, yet they knew it not: but when they know they shall be ashamed: jealousy shall seize upon an untaught nation, and now fire shall devour the adversaries. O Lord our God, give us peace: for Thou hast rendered to us all things. O Lord our God, take possession of us: O Lord, we know not any other beside Thee: we name Thy name. But the dead shall not see life, neither shall physicians by any means raise them up: therefore Thou hast brought wrath upon them, and slain them, and hast taken away every male of them. Bring more evils upon them, O Lord; Bring more evils on the glorious ones of the earth. Lord, in affliction I remembered Thee; Thy chastening was to us with small affliction. And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, and cries out in her pain; so have we been to Thy beloved. We have conceived, O Lord, because of Thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the breath of Thy salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth: we shall not fall, but all that dwell upon the land shall fall. The dead shall rise, and they that are in the tombs shall be raised, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew from Thee is healing to them: but the land of the ungodly shall perish. Go, my people, enter into thy closets, shut thy door, hide thyself for a little season, until the anger of the Lord have passed away. For behold, the Lord is bringing wrath from His holy place upon the dwellers on the earth: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall not cover her slain.
Friday Ode 6 The Song Of Jonah (Jonah 2:1‑9)
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fishs belly. And he said: I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple. The waters encompassed me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
Kontakia
Sunday
Kontakion Of The Resurrection (Tone Of The Week)
Refer To Supplementary Prayers.
Monday
St. Michael And All Angels (Tone Two)
You Princes and Leaders of the armies of God, Servants of the Divine Glory and guides of men, Ask whatever is good for us and for bountiful mercy, O Commander of the heavenly hosts.
Tuesday
Forerunner And Baptist John (Tone Two)
O Prophet of God and Forerunner of Grace, Your head has blossomed from the earth as a most sacred rose. We are ever being healed, For as of old, you preach repentance to the world.
Wednesday
Holy And Life‑Giving Cross (Tone Four)
As You were voluntarily crucified for our sake, Grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name. Make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power, Granting them victories over their adversaries, By bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Your weapon of peace.
Thursday
Holy Apostles And St. Nicholas (Tone Three)
You have taken, O Lord, the firm and divinely inspired preachers, the holy apostles, Into rest and the enjoyment of Your blessings. For You have accepted their labors and death above every burnt offering, O You Who alone know the secrets of our hearts.
Friday
Holy And Life‑Giving Cross (Tone Four)
As You were voluntarily crucified for our sake, Grant mercy to those who are called by Your name. Make all Orthodox Christians glad by Your power, Granting them victories over their adversaries, By bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Your weapon of peace.
Saturday
The Theotokos, All Saints, The Faithful Departed
With the saints give rest, O Christ, To the souls of Your servants Where sickness and sorrow are no more, Neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Saturday Ode 7 The Prayer Of Azariah (Song Of The Three Young Men 3‑22, 29‑34 ‑ Rsv)
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, and worthy of praise; and Thy name is glorified forever. For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done to us, and all Thy works are true and Thy ways right, and all Thy judgments are truth. Thou hast executed true judgments in all that Thou hast brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers, for in truth and justice Thou hast brought all this upon us because of our sins. For we have sinfully and lawlessly departed from Thee, and have sinned in all things and have not obeyed Thy commandments; We have not observed them or done them, as Thou hast commanded us that it might go well with us. So all that Thou hast brought upon us, and all that Thou hast done to us, Thou hast done in true judgment.
Thou hast given us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world. And now we cannot open our mouths; shame and disgrace have befallen Thy servants and worshipers. For Thy names sake do not give us up utterly, and do not break Thy covenant, And do not withdraw Thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham Thy beloved and for the sake of Isaac Thy servant and Israel Thy holy one, To whom Thou didst promise to make their descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the shore of the sea.
For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins. And at this time there is no prince, or prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, no place to make an offering before thee or to find mercy. Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted, as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls, and with tens of thousands of fat lambs; Such may our sacrifice be in Thy sight this day, and may we wholly follow Thee, for there will be no shame for those who trust in Thee.
And now with all our heart we follow Thee, we fear Thee and seek Thy face. Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in Thy forbearance and in Thy abundant mercy. Deliver us in accordance with Thy marvelous works, and give glory to Thy name, O Lord! Let all who do harm to Thy servants be put to shame; Let them be disgraced and deprived of all power and dominion, and let their strength be broken. Let them know that Thou art the Lord, the only God, glorious over the whole world.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, and to be praised and highly exalted forever; And blessed is Thy glorious, holy name and to be highly praised and highly exalted forever; Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy holy glory and to be extolled and highly glorified forever. Blessed art Thou, who sittest upon cherubim and lookest upon the deeps, and to be praised and highly exalted forever. Blessed art Thou upon the throne of Thy kingdom and to be extolled and highly exalted forever. Blessed art Thou in the firmament of heaven and to be sung and glorified forever.
Sunday Ode 8 The Song Of The Three Holy Youths (Song Of The Three Young Men 35‑68 ‑ Rsv)
Bless the Lord, all works of the Lord, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever. Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever. Bless the Lord, all waters above the heaven, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, all powers, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, stars of heaven, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, all winds, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, dews and snows, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, nights and days, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, ice and cold, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, frosts and snows, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever. Let the earth bless the Lord; let it sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, all things that grow on the earth, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, you springs, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, you whales and all creatures that move in the waters, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, all birds of the air, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, all beasts and cattle, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, you sons of men, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, O Israel, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him forever.
Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, sing praise to Him and highly exalt Him for ever; for He has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the hand of death and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace; from the midst of the fire He has delivered us; Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. Bless Him, all who worship the Lord, the God of gods, sing praise to Him and gives thanks to Him, for His mercy endures forever.
Daily
Ode 9, Part 1 The Magnificat (Luke 1:46‑55)
Refrain: More honorable than the cherubim And more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim! Without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, we magnify you! My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.
Daily
Ode 9, Part 2 The Song Of Zechariah (Luke 1:68‑79)
Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
The Praises
Monday, Thursday Psalm 148
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light! Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which shall not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; Beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl; Kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; Both young men and maidens; old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven. And He has exalted the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints ‑ of the children of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise the Lord!
Tuesday, Friday PSALM 149
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two‑edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment ‑ this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!
Wednesday, Saturday Psalm 150
Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with high‑sounding cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
After The Psalm
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God!
Lesser Doxology
Glory to God, Who has shown us the Light! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men! We praise You! We bless You! We worship You! We glorify You and give thanks to You for Your great glory! O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty! O Lord, the Only‑Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit! O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us! You, Who take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer! You, Who sit on the right hand of God the Father, have mercy on us! For You alone are holy, and You alone are Lord. You alone, O Lord Jesus Christ, are most high in the glory of God the Father! Amen! I will give thanks to You every day and praise Your Name forever and ever. Lord, You have been our refuge from generation to generation! I said, Lord, have mercy on me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You! Lord, I flee to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. For with You is the fountain of Life, and in Your light shall we see light. Continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your Name forever. Amen. Let Your mercy be upon us, O Lord, even as we have set our hope on You. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes. Blessed are You, O Master; make me to understand Your commandments. Blessed are You, O Holy One; enlighten me with Your precepts. Your mercy endures forever, O Lord! Do not despise the works of Your hands! To You belongs worship, to You belongs praise, to You belongs glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Matins Prayers
O Lord, grant that we may meet the coming day in peace. Help us in all things to rely upon Your holy will. In each hour of the day, reveal Your will to us. Bless our dealings with all who surround us. Teach us to treat all that shall come to us throughout the day with peace of soul, and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all our deeds and words, guide our thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let us not forget that all are sent by You. Teach us to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give us the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day, with all that it shall bring. Direct our wills. Teach us to pray. Pray within us. Amen.
Most holy God, we pray and beseech You, give each of us a pure heart and a way of speaking that befits the faith we profess; grant us uprightness of purpose, powers of reasoning unhindered by passions, conduct that becomes those who fear You, and perfect knowledge of Your commandments; may we enjoy health in body and in spirit.
Grant us a life of peace, genuine faith and living hope, sincere charity and bountiful generosity, patience that knows no bounds and the light of Your truth to proclaim Your goodness to us, that for ever and in all things placing our trust only in You, we may abound in every good work, and that in Christ Your gifts may increase in every soul. For to You belong all glory, honor and majesty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Dismissal
Confirm, O God, the holy Orthodox Faith and Orthodox Christians unto ages of ages! Amen.
Most holy Theotokos, save us! More honorable than the cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim! Without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, we magnify you! Glory to You, O Christ, our God and our hope, glory to You! Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
This text is available in print in a book named "Daily Prayer for Orthodox Christians" published by St. Ignatius of Antioch Press
