Morning and Evening Prayers

Time: 6:30am and 11:00pm for 20 minutes each time

Begin by lighting a candle, and making three prostrations and then stand quietly to collect
yourself in your heart.

Begin with:
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory to You our God, Glory to You.

Prayer to Holy Spirit

Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things,
Treasury of Goodness and Giver of life: come and abide in us. Cleanse us from every
stain of sin and save our souls, O Gracious Lord.

Trisagion Prayer
Holy God. Holy Mighty. Holy Immortal Have mercy on us. (3x)
Glory to the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the
ages of ages. Amen
All Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our
transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for the glory of Your Name.
Lord, have mercy. (3x)
Glory to the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the
ages of ages. Amen

The Lord's Prayer

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 evil. For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.

Seasonal Variation
At differing times of the year we replace "Heavenly King..." with the following:
From Pascha to the Ascension: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by
death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! (3 times)
From Ascension to its leavetaking: You have ascended in glory, Christ our God, granting
joy to your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing, they were
assured that You are the Son of God, the redeemer of the world.
On the Saturday before Pentecost we omit "Heavenly King..." and go directly from
"Glory to you , our God, glory to You!" to the Trisagion Prayers.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 3 - Monday
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

O Lord, how many are my foes!

Many are rising against me;
Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

My glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the Lord,
And he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

I lay down and slept;

I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
You break the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to the Lord;

Your blessing be on your people! Selah

This Psalm originally referred to David himself, for the expression "Many are they who
rise up against me" speaks of those who had previously belonged to the faithful, but were
now rebelling against him. The psalm refers also to humanity in general, which has
sinned and was delivered to spiritual enemies, yet is ultimately saved by God. "I awoke"
refers to our resurrection; "arise, O Lord” refers to Christ's Resurrection.
Psalm 38 - Tuesday
A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,

Nor discipline me in your wrath!
For your arrows have sunk into me,
And your hand has come down on me.

There is no soundness in my flesh

Because of your indignation;
There is no 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 stink and fester

Because of my foolishness,
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
All the day I go about mourning.
For my sides are filled with burning,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

O Lord, all my longing is before you;

My sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
And the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
And my nearest kin stand far off.

Those who seek my life lay their snares;

Those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
And meditate treachery all day long.

But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,

Like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
I have become like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no rebukes.

But for you, O Lord, do I wait;

It is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
Who boast against me when my foot slips!”

*For I am ready to fall,

And my pain is ever before me.
I confess my iniquity;
I am sorry for my sin.
But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
And many are those who hate me wrongfully.
Those who render me evil for good
Accuse me because I follow after good.

Do not forsake me, O Lord!

O my God, be not far from me!
Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

The psalmist remembers the sufferings which he endured because of his sins. He asks
God to deliver him from all calamities and misfortunes. But it is also seen as a psalm of
the Lord in His Passion, bearing the sins of the whole world. * The LXX renders v. 17 as
"I am ready for wounds, and My pain is with Me always."

Psalm 63 - Wednesday
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

My soul thirsts for you;
My flesh faints for you,
As in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
Beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
My lips will praise you.
In your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

And my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
When I remember you upon my bed,
And meditate on you in the watches of the night;
For you have been my help,
And in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
Your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek to destroy my life

Shall go down into the depths of the earth;
They shall be given over to the power of the sword;
They shall be a portion for jackals.
But the king shall rejoice in God;
For the mouths of liars will be stopped.

This is a psalm of the soul, which used to be empty of any good thing, but is now restored
through the grace of Christ.

Psalm 88 - Thurday
A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

O Lord, God of my salvation,

I cry 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 Sheol.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am a man who has no strength,
Like one set loose among the dead,
Like the slain that lie in the grave,
For they are cut off from your hand.
You have put me in the depths of the pit,
In the regions dark and deep.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
And you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah

You have caused my companions to shun me;

You have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
My eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
I spread out my hands to you.
Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
Or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
Are your wonders known in the darkness,
Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

But I, O Lord, cry to you;

In the morning my prayer comes before you.
O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
Your dreadful assaults destroy me.
They surround me like a flood all day long;
Yhey close in on me together.
You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
Darkness has become my only companion.

This is a psalm of the darkness of death of the Messiah, and questions how he is going to
give resurrection to the spirits now in hell.

Psalm 103 - Friday

Psalm Of David.

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 iniquity,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
Who satisfies you with good
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord works righteousness

And justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
His acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
Nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
Nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
So the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he nows how we are formed.
He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;

He flourishes like a flower of the field;
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear
him,
And his righteousness to children's children,
To those who keep his covenant
And remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
And his kingdom rules over all.

Bless the Lord, O you his angels,

You mighty ones who do his word,
Obeying the voice of his word!
His ministers, who do his will!
Bless the Lord, all his works,
In all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Within this psalm, the people of God are taught to praise Him for His great benevolence,
which is proclaimed by Christ's banishing of sin and by the glory of His Resurrection.

Psalm 143 - Saturday

A Psalm of David.

Hear my prayer, O Lord;

Give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
Enter not into judgment with your servant,
For no one living is righteous before you.

For the enemy has pursued my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
My heart within me is appalled.

I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
My soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

Answer me quickly, O Lord!

My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
Lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
For in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
For to you I lift up my soul.

Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!

I have fled to you for refuge.[a]
Teach me to do your will,
For you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
On a level path!

For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!

In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
And you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
For I am your servant.

This is the song of one afflicted, waiting in the darkness for the light. It is a prayer which
awaits the light of dawn, both physical and spiritual.
Evening Psalms - Alternate

Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside waters of rest.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
For his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff,
They comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

In the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life,
And I shall return to dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

Psalm 70
To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering.

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let them be put to shame and confusion
Who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
Who delight in my hurt!
Let them turn back because of their shame
Who say, “Aha, Aha!”

May all who seek you

Rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
Say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
Hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay!

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
And under his wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

Ten thousand at your right hand,
But it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.

For you, O Lord, are my refuge!

You have made the Most High your dwelling place
No evil shall be allowed to befall you,
No plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

To guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
The young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
And show him my salvation.”

Psalm 140
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

Preserve me from violent men,
Who plan evil things in their heart
And stir up wars continually.
They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's,
And under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

Preserve me from violent men,
Who have planned to trip up my feet.
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
And with cords they have spread a net;[a]
Beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

I say to the Lord, You are my God;

Give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further their[b] evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah

As for the head of those who surround me,

Let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire,
Into miry pits, no more to rise!
Let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And will execute justice for the needy.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
The upright shall dwell in your presence.

In The Morning
Commemorate the Living
Lord have mercy on: The leaders of the church, nation, spiritual fathers and mothers,
parents and relative, Old and young, needy, orphans, widows, those in sickness and
sorrow, those in captivity or confinement. Remember, strengthen and comfort them and
grant them speedy relief and freedom and deliverance. (Add other intercessory prayers.)
Commemorate the Departed
Remember Your servants who have fallen asleep: our grandparents, parents and family
members and friends. Forgive them all their sins committed knowingly or unknowingly
and grant them You Kingdom, a portion of Your eternal blessing and the enjoyment of
Your unending life.

Psalm 51
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he
had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me,[a] O God,

According to your steadfast love;
According to your abundant mercy
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
And done what is evil in your sight,
So that you may be justified in your words
And blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
And you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
Let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right[b] spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
And take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
And uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

And sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
And my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
Aou will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;

Build up the walls of Jerusalem;
Then will you delight in right sacrifices,
In burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
Then bulls will be offered on your altar.

In The Evening
The Creed
I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things
visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God;
begotten of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, True God from True God,
begotten, not made, of One Essence with the Father, through Whom all things were
made: Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from Heaven, and was
incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became Man: And was crucified
for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried: And He rose on the third day
according to the Scriptures: And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the
Father: He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His Kingdom
shall have no end: And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of the Life, Who
proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is equally worshipped and
glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets: And in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the Dead;
And the life of the Age to come. Amen.

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 take 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 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 for ever 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
for ever. 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.

Morning Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret

Lord, give me the strength to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely
on Your holy will. Reveal Your will to me every hour of the day. Bless my dealings with
all people. Teach me to treat all people who come to me throughout the day with peace of
soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide
my thoughts and feelings. In unexpected events, let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me
the physical strength to bear the labors of this day. Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray
in me. Amen.

Evening Prayer
O Lord, God our Father, if during this day I have sinned in word, deed or thought forgive
me in Your goodness and love. Grant me peaceful sleep; protect me from all evil and
awake me in the morning that I may glorify you, Your Son and Your Holy Spirit now and
forever and ever. Amen.

Have some personal dialogue with God.

Jesus Prayer - Repeat 100x.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner.

Reflect quietly on the tasks of the day and prepare yourself for the difficulties you might
face asking God to help you or in the evening reflect on the day and the difficulties you
encountered and how you dealt with them.

Dismissal Prayers

Confirm, O God, the holy Christian Faith unto ages of ages! Amen.

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.

During the Day

Remember to stop mid-morning, noon and mid-afternoon to say a simple prayer.
Repeat the Jesus Prayer in your mind whenever you can throughout the day.
Offer a prayer before and after each meal thanking God and asking for His blessing.
Longer Prayers for the 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 whole order of Your Church's 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 Christian 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 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
from the Christian 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, 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
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.