VESPERS
Sunday 4 Mode
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Come, let us worship and fall down before the King, our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ the King, our God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, the King and our God.
[Opening Psalm]
[Psalm 104 KJV/103 Septuagint]
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
[And again]
The sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night. O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Glory to you, O God. (x3)
***
[appointed Kathisma of the Psalter]
***
[Lord, I cry]
[Psalm 141 KJV/140 Septuagint]
LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; make haste unto me, O Lord. LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Make haste unto me, O Lord.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Make haste unto me, O Lord.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
[Psalm 142 KJV/141 Septuagint]
I CRIED unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
[For 10 Verses, or Stichera]
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name:
[Mode 4]
We glorify Thy Resurrection on the third day, O Christ God,
by always honoring Thy life-creating Cross;
by it Thou hast renewed the corrupted nature of
man, O almighty One.
By it Thou hast renewed our entrance to heaven,
for Thou art good and the Lover of man.
the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
[Mode 4]
Thou didst loose the Tree’s verdict of disobedience, O Savior,
by being voluntarily nailed to the tree of the Cross.
By descending to hell, O almighty God,
Thou didst break the bonds of death.
Therefore, we adore Thy Resurrection from the dead, singing in joy:
“Glory to Thee, O all-powerful Lord!”
[For 8 Verses]
[Psalm 130 KJV/129 Septuagint]
OUT of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
[Mode 4]
Thou didst smash the gates of hell, O Lord,
and by Thy death Thou didst demolish the kingdom of death.
Thou didst deliver the race of men from corruption,
granting the world life, incorruption and great mercy.
Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
[Mode 4]
Come, O people,
let us sing of the Savior’s Resurrection on the third day!
By it, we have been freed from the unbreakable bonds of hell.
By it, we have received life and incorruption.
Save us by Thy Resurrection!
O Life-creating and almighty Savior, glory to Thee!
[For 6 Verses]
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee,
[Mode 4]
Angels and mortals hymn your Rising on the third day, O Saviour, through which the ends of the inhabited world were filled with light, and we were all redeemed from the slavery of the foe, as we cry: O life-giving, all-powerful Saviour, save us by your Resurrection, only lover of mankind.
that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
[Mode 4]
You shattered the gates of brass and smashed their bars, Christ God, and you raised the fallen human race; therefore with one voice we cry: Lord risen from the dead, glory to you!
[For 4 Verses]
Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy,
[Mode 4]
O Lord, your birth from your Father is without time and eternal; your incarnation from a Virgin is inexpressible for humans and beyond explanation; and your descent into Hell is fearful for the devil and his angels; for having trampled on death you rose on the third day, granting mankind incorruption and your great mercy.
and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
[1st Sticheron of a saint]
[Psalm 130 KJV/129 Septuagint]
O PRAISE the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
[2nd Sticheron of a saint]
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.
[3d Sticheron of a saint]
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
[Glory Stichera of a saint, if any]
Both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
[Mode 4 Theotokion – Dogmatikon]
How can we not wonder
at thy mystical childbearing, O exalted Mother?
For without receiving the touch of man,
thou gavest birth to a Son in the flesh, O immaculate Virgin.
The Son born of the Father before eternity
was born of thee at the fullness of time, O honored Lady.
He underwent no mingling, no change, no division,
but preserved the fullness of each nature.
Entreat Him, O Lady and Virgin and Mother,
to save the souls of those who, in the Orthodox manner, confess thee
to be the Theotokos.
***
O gladsome Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father, O Jesus Christ. Now that we have come to the setting of the sun and see the evening light, we sing the praise of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is right at all times to hymn you with holy voices, Son of God, giver of life. Therefore the world glorifies you.
[Prokeimenon of the evening]
[On certain great feasts there follow Readings from the Old or New Testament.]
***
Grant, Lord, to keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen.
Let your mercy, Lord be upon us, as we have hoped in you.
Blessed are you, Lord: teach me your statutes.
Blessed are you, Master: make me understand your statutes.
Blessed are you, Holy One: enlighten me with your statutes.
Lord, your mercy is for ever; do not scorn the work of your hands. To you praise is due, to you song is due, to you glory is due, to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
***
[Aposticha]
[Tone 4 for the Resurrection]
By ascending the Cross, O Lord,
Thou hast annulled our ancestral curse.
By descending to hell, Thou hast freed the eternal prisoners,
granting incorruption to the human race.
Therefore in songs we glorify Thy life-creating and saving Resurrection.
The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty!
By hanging upon the tree, O only powerful Lord,
Thou didst shake all of creation.
By being laid in the tomb Thou hast raised those who dwelt in the tombs,
granting life and incorruption to the human race.
Therefore in songs we glorify Thy rising on the third day.
For He has established the world, so that it shall never be moved.
The lawless people, O Christ,
handed Thee over to Pilate, condemned to be crucified,
thus proving themselves ungrateful before their Benefactor.
But voluntarily Thou didst endure burial,
rising by Thy own power on the third day as God,
granting us life everlasting and great mercy.
Holiness befits Thy house, O Lord, forevermore!
With tears the women reached Thy tomb,
searching for Thee, but not finding Thee.
They wept with wailing and lamented:
“Woe to us! Our Savior, King of all,
how wast Thou stolen?
What place can hold Thy life-bearing body?”
An Angel replied to them:
“Do not weep, but go and proclaim that the Lord is risen,
granting us joy as the only compassionate One!”
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
[Glory Stichera of a saint, if any]
Both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
[Resurrectional (Sunday) Theotokion when there is a Glory of a saint, of the same Mode as the Mode of the Glory of a saint above]
[Song of Symeon who Received God (Luke 2,29)]
Now, Master, you let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your Salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a Light to bring revelation to the nations, and the Glory of your people Israel.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (x 3)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (x3)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
[Resurrectional (Sunday) Apolytikion, Mode 4]
When the women Disciples of the Lord
learned from the Angel the joyous message of thy Resurrection,
they cast away the ancestral curse
and elatedly told the Apostles:
“Death is overthrown!
Christ God is risen,
granting the world great mercy!”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
[Apolytikion of a saint]
Both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen
[Resurrectional (Sunday) Dismissal Theotokion of the same Mode as the Apolytikion of a saint at the Glory above]
***
Greater in honour than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word; truly the Mother of God, we magnify you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen
Lord, have mercy. (x3)
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, of Saint N. [whose memory we celebrate] and all the saints, Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Liturgical texts for this service represent modified versions of translations provided at http://www.anastasis.org.uk/vespers.htm and http://oca.org/liturgics/service-texts