The Six Psalms
Read at Matins
(There should be no moving about and no sitting during the reading of the Six Psalms.)
G lory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men. Thrice . (With the sign of the Cross and a bow from the waist each time.)
O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Thy praise. Twice .
Psalm 3
O Lord, why are they multiplied that
afflict me? Many rise up against me. Many say unto my soul: There is no
salvation for him in his God. But Thou, O Lord, art my helper, my glory, and
the lifter up of my head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me
out of His holy mountain. I laid me down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord will
help me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that set themselves
against me round about. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for Thou hast smitten
all who without cause are mine enemies; the teeth of sinners hast Thou broken.
Salvation is of the Lord, and Thy blessing is upon Thy people.
I laid me down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord will help me.
Psalm 37
O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger,
nor chasten me in Thy wrath. For Thine arrows are fastened in me, and Thou hast
laid Thy hand heavily upon me. There is no healing in my flesh in the face of
Thy wrath; and there is no peace in my bones in the face of my sins. For mine
iniquities are risen higher than my head; as a heavy burden have they pressed
heavily upon me. My bruises are become noisome and corrupt in the face of my
folly. I have been wretched and utterly bowed down until the end; all the day
long I went with downcast face. For my loins are filled with mockings, and there is no healing in my flesh. I am
afflicted and humbled exceedingly, I have roared from the groaning of my heart.
0 Lord, before Thee is all my desire, and my groaning is not hid from Thee. My
heart is troubled, my strength hath failed me; and the light of mine eyes, even
this is not with me. My friends and my neighbours
drew nigh over against me and stood, and my nearest of kin stood afar off. And
they that sought after my soul used violence; and they that sought evils for me
spake vain things, and craftinesses all the day long
did they meditate. But as for me, like a deaf man I heard them not, and was as
a speechless man that openeth not his mouth. And I
became as a man that heareth not, and that hath in his mouth no reproofs. For
in Thee have I hoped, O Lord; Thou wilt hearken unto me, O Lord my God. For I
said: Let never mine enemies rejoice over me; yea, when my feet were shaken,
those men spake boastful words against me. For I am ready for scourges, and my
sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity, and I will
take heed concerning my sin. But mine enemies live and are made stronger than
I, and they that hated me unjustly are multiplied. They that render me evil for
good slandered me, because I pursued goodness. Forsake me not, O Lord my God,
depart not from me. Be attentive unto my help, O Lord of my salvation.
F orsake me not, O Lord my God, depart not from me. Be attentive unto my help, O Lord of my salvation.
Psalm 62
O God, my God, unto Thee I rise early
at dawn. My soul hath thirsted for Thee; how often hath my flesh longed after
Thee in a land barren and untrodden and unwatered. So
in the sanctuary have I appeared before Thee to see Thy power and Thy glory.
For Thy mercy is better than lives; my lips shall praise Thee. So shall I bless
Thee in my life, and in Thy name will I lift up my hands. As with marrow and
fatness let my soul be filled, and with lips of rejoicing shall my mouth praise
Thee. If I remembered Thee on my bed, at the dawn I meditated on Thee. For Thou
art become my helper; in the shelter of Thy wings will I rejoice. My soul hath
cleaved after Thee, Thy right hand hath been quick to help me. But as for
these, in vain have they sought after my soul; they shall go into the
nethermost parts of the earth, they shall be surrendered unto the edge of the
sword; portions for foxes shall they be. But the king shall be glad in God,
everyone shall be praised that sweareth by Him; for
the mouth of them is stopped that speak unjust things.
A t the dawn I meditated on Thee. For Thou art become my helper; in
the shelter of Thy wings will I rejoice.
M y soul hath cleaved after Thee, Thy right hand hath been quick to help me.
G lory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
A lleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to Thee, O God. Thrice . (Without bows, with the sign of the Cross only.)
L ord. have mercy. Thrice.
G lory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Psalm 87
O Lord God of my salvation, by day
have I cried and by night before Thee. Let my prayer come before Thee, bow down
Thine ear unto my supplication. For filled with evils is my soul, and my life
unto hades hath drawn nigh. I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I
am become as a man without help, free among the dead. Like the bodies of the
slain that sleep in the grave, whom Thou rememberest
no more, and they are cut off from Thy hand. They laid me in the lowest pit, in
darkness and in the shadow of death. Against me is Thine anger made strong, and
all Thy billows hast Thou brought upon me. Thou hast removed my friends afar
from me; they have made me an abomination unto themselves. I have been
delivered up, and have not come forth; mine eyes are grown weak from poverty. I
have cried unto Thee, O Lord, the whole day long; I have stretched out my hands
unto Thee. Nay, for the dead wilt Thou work wonders? Or shall physicians raise
them up that they may give thanks unto Thee? Nay, shall any in the grave tell
of Thy mercy, and of Thy truth in Thy destruction? Nay, shall Thy wonders be
known in that darkness, and Thy righteousness in that land that is forgotten?
But as for me, unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried; and in the morning shall my
prayer come before Thee. Wherefore, O Lord, dost Thou cast off my soul and turnest Thy face away from me? A poor man am I, and in
troubles from my youth; yea, having been exalted, I was humbled and brought to
distress. Thy furies have passed upon me, and Thy terrors have sorely troubled
me. They came round about me like water, all the day long they compassed me
about together. Thou hast removed afar from me friend and neighbour,
and mine acquaintances because of my misery.
O Lord God of my salvation, by day have I cried and by night before
Thee.
L et my prayer come before Thee, bow down Thine ear unto my supplication.
Psalm 102
B less 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 that He hath done for thee, Who is gracious unto all thine iniquities,
Who healeth all thine infirmities, Who redeemeth thy life from corruption, Who crowneth
thee with mercy and compassion, Who fulfilleth thy
desire with good things; thy youth shall be renewed as the eagle's. The Lord performeth deeds of mercy, and executeth
judgment for all them that are wronged. He hath made His ways known unto Moses,
unto the sons of Israel the things that He hath willed. Compassionate and
merciful is the Lord, longsuffering and plenteous in mercy; not unto the end
will He be angered, neither unto eternity will He be wroth.
Not according to our iniquities hath He dealt with us, neither according to our
sins hath He rewarded us. For according to the height of heaven from the earth,
the Lord hath made His mercy to prevail over them that fear Him. As far as the
east is from the west, so far hath He removed our iniquities from us. Like as a
father hath compassion upon his sons, so hath the Lord had compassion upon them
that fear Him; for He knoweth whereof we are made, He
hath remembered that we are dust. As for man, his days are as the grass; as a
flower of the field, so shall he blossom forth. For when the wind is passed
over it, then it shall be gone, and no longer will it know the place thereof.
But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity, even unto eternity, upon them that
fear Him. And His righteousness is upon sons of sons, upon them that keep His
testament and remember His commandments to do them. The Lord in heaven hath
prepared His throne, and His kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the Lord, all ye His angels, mighty in strength, that perform His word,
to hear the voice of His words. Bless the Lord, all ye His hosts, His ministers
that do His will. Bless the Lord, all ye His works, in every place of His
dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
I n every place of His dominion, bless the Lord, O my soul.
Psalm 142
O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear unto
my supplication in Thy truth; hearken unto me in Thy righteousness. And enter
not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be
justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath humbled my life down
to the earth. He hath sat me in darkness as those that have been long dead, and
my spirit within me is become despondent; within me my heart is troubled. I
remembered days of old, I meditated on all Thy works, I pondered on the
creations of Thy hands. I stretched forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth
after thee like a waterless land. Quickly hear me, O Lord; my spirit hath
fainted away. Turn not Thy face away from me, lest I be like unto them that go
down into the pit. Cause me to hear Thy mercy in the morning; for in Thee have
I put my hope. cause me to know, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for
unto Thee have I lifted up my soul. Rescue me from mine enemies, O Lord; unto
Thee have I fled for refuge. Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Thy
good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness; for Thy name's sake, O
Lord, shalt Thou quicken me. In Thy righteousness shalt Thou bring my soul out
of affliction, and in Thy mercy shalt Thou utterly destroy mine enemies. And
Thou shalt cut off all them that afflict my soul, for I am Thy servant.
H earken unto me, O Lord, in Thy
righteousness, and enter not into judgment with Thy servant.
H earken unto me, O Lord, in Thy
righteousness, and enter not into judgment with Thy servant.
T hy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness.
G lory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
A lleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to
Thee, O God. Thrice . (With the sign of the Cross and Bows from the
waist.)