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ON MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK

AT THE TRITHEKTI

Troparion of the Prophecy. Tone 3.

Your altars, O Lord of powers, * my King and my God.

Verse: How beloved are your dwellings, O Lord of powers!

[37,33-38 & 38,1-6]

Thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not enter this city, nor shoot an arrow against it, nor come before it with a shield, nor cast up a siege ramp against it. But by the way that he came, by the same he shall return; and he shall not enter this city. Thus says the Lord: For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. Then an Angel of the Lord went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. When morning dawned, they were all dead. Then King Senachereim of Assyria turned and departed, and dwelt in Nineve. As he was worshipping in the house of his tutelary god Nasarach, his sons Adramelech and Sarasar struck him down with swords, and escaped into the land of Armenia. His son Asordan succeeded him. [38,1] It came to pass at that time that Ezekias became sick and was at the point of death. And the prophet Isaias, son of Amos, came to him, and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die. You will not live.’ Then Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you in truth with a true heart, and have done what is pleasing in your sight’. And Ezekias wept bitterly. Then the word of the Lord came to Isaias: Go and say to Ezekias, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David: I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. See, I am adding fifteen years to your time. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and defend this city.’

Lord, show us your mercy, * and grant us your salvation.

Verse: You were well pleased with your land, O Lord, you turned away the captivity of Jacob.

AT VESPERS

Guide me, Lord, in your way, * and I shall walk in your truth.

Verse: Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear me.

[13,12-18]

The Lord loves the gates of Sion * more than all the tabernacles of Jacob.

Verse: His foundations are in the holy mountains.

[14,27-35 & 15,1-4]

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, it makes one avoid the snares of death. The glory of a king is a multitude of people; without people a prince is ruined. One who is long suffering has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper is mightily senseless. One whose spirit is meek is a physician of the heart, but a sensitive heart makes the bones rot. Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who honour him take pity on the needy. The ungodly will be driven away by their evil-doing, but one who trusts in his own integrity is righteous. Wisdom takes her rest in the good heart of a man, but it is not known in the heart of fools. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sins diminish tribes. An understanding servant has the king’s favour, while by his good behaviour he removes disgrace. [15,1] Anger slays even wise men, but a submissive answer turns away wrath, while a grievous word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise knows what is good, but the mouth of fools declares wickedness. The eyes of the Lord in every place keep watch on the wicked and the good. A tongue which heals is a tree of life, and one who watches over it will be filled with spirit.

ON TUESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK

AT THE TRITHEKTI

Troparion of the Prophecy. Tone 3.

I am poor * and in toils since my youth.

Verse: Lord God of my salvation I have cried to you by day.

[40,18-31]

The heavens will declare your wonders, * and your truth in the church of the saints.

Verse: I will sing of your mercies, Lord, to generation and generation.

AT VESPERS

[Most unusually this Prokeimenon consists of the first and last verses of the psalm.]

Lord, you have been our refuge * from generation to generation.

Verse: And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us, and direct the works of our hands.

[15,1-15]

And the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision saying, ‘Fear not, Abram, I am shielding you. Your reward will be exceedingly great.’ But Abram said, ‘Master, Lord, what will you give me? I am departing childless, while the son of Masek my home-born female slave, this Eliezer of Damascus <will inherit>‘. And Abram said, ‘Since you have given me no seed my home-born slave will inherit from me.’ And the voice of the Lord came to him immediately, saying, ‘He will not inherit, but one who will come forth from you, he will inherit from you’. And he led him outside and said to him, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars, if you can count them up’. And he said, ‘So shall your seed be’. And Abram believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. And he said to him, ‘I am God who brought you out of the land of the Chaldeans so as to give you this land as your inheritance.’ But he said, ‘Master Lord, how will I know that I will inherit it?’ And he said to him, ‘Take me a three year old heifer and a three year old she-goat and a three year old ram and a dove and a pigeon.’ He took all these and split them down the middle and set them opposite one another, but the birds he did not split. But birds came down on the divided parts and Abram sat [The LXX seems to have understood the Hebrew verb to have been ysb rather than nsb. In an unpointed text, which is of course what the LXX translator would have had, there would in this context be no difference in the spelling of the Hebrew.] with them. About sunset a trance fell on Abram, and behold, a great darkness fell on him, and it was said to Abram, ‘You will surely know that your seed will be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they will enslave them and ill treat them and humiliate them for four hundred years. But the nation whom ever they will be slave to I will judge. But after these things they will come out here with much baggage. But you will go to your fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.’

One who dwells in the help of the Most High, * will encamp under the protection of the God of heaven.

Verse: Will say to the Lord: You are my helper and my refuge; my God and I will trust in him.

[15,7-19]

The lips of the wise are bound by discretion, but the hearts of fools are not safe. The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the Lord, but the prayers of the upright are acceptable with him. An abomination to the Lord are the ways of the ungodly, but he loves those who pursue righteousness. The instruction of the innocent is known by those who pass by, but those who hate reproofs come to their end disgracefully. Hell and destruction are manifest to the Lord, how then shall not human hearts be also? An uninstructed person will not love those who rebuke him, but he will not converse with the wise. When the heart is glad the face is cheerful, but when it is in sorrows the face is sad. An upright heart seeks discretion, but the mouth of the uninstructed will know evils. The eyes of the evil look for evils all the time, but the good are always still. Better a small portion with fear of the Lord, than great treasures with no fear. Better entertainment of vegetables with friendship and grace than a spread of calves with enmity. An irate person prepares fights, but a long suffering one calms even a fight that is imminent. A long suffering person extinguishes quarrels, but an ungodly one rather stirs them up. The ways of the idle are strewn with thorns, but those of the hardworking are smoothed.

ON WEDNESDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK

AT THE TRITHEKTI

Troparion of the Prophecy. Tone 1.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, * and to sing to your name, O Most High.

Verse: To declare your love in the morning, and your truth each day.
[The LXX in fact has ‘in the night’, but in the liturgical use of this verse ‘night is often replaced by ‘day’ .]

[41,4-14]

The Lord is king, * he has robed himself in majesty.

Verse: The Lord has robed and girded himself with power.

AT VESPERS

The Lord is a God of vengeance, * the God of vengeance has spoken boldly.

Verse: Be exalted, you who judge the earth, give the proud their due reward.

[17,1-9]

Prokeimenon in the 6th Tone. Psalm 95.
[For some reason Psalm 94 is omitted from the series of Prokeimena.]

Sing to the Lord a new song, * sing to the Lord all the earth.

Verse: Sing to the Lord, bless his name; day after day proclaim his salvation.

[15,20-34 & 16,3-9]
[The reading is in fact continuous, but the arrangement of the verses differs widely between the MT and the LXX at this point.]

A wise son gives his father joy, but a foolish son sneers at his mother. The paths of the senseless lack intelligence, but a prudent man walks straight. Those who do not honour councils postpone thoughts, but counsel dwells in the hearts of those who take counsel. The wicked will in no way obey it, nor will he say anything appropriate or for the common good. The thoughts of the wise are ways of life, that turning aside he may be saved from Hell. The Lord pulls down the houses of scorners, but establishes the border of widows. An unjust thought is an abomination to the Lord, but the sayings of the pure are reverenced. One who receives bribes destroys himself, but the person who hates to take bribes will be saved. Sins are purged away by almsgiving and faithful dealings, [The pious baronet notes that this most unprotestant verse is not in the Hebrew, ‘nor any such doctrine’! The verse occurs as 16:6 in the Hebrew in a somewhat different form.] but by fear of the Lord everyone turns from evil. The hearts of the righteous meditate faithfulness, but the mouth of the ungodly gives wicked answers. The ways of just men are acceptable to the Lord, while through them even enemies become friends. God goes far away from the ungodly, but hearkens to prayers of the just. Better a small income with justice than large receipts with injustice. Let the heart of a man consider what is just, that his steps may be set right by God. An eye that sees rightly rejoices the heart, while a good reputation fattens the bones. One who rejects instruction hates himself, but one who guards reproofs loves his own soul. Fear of God is instruction and wisdom, and the beginning of glory will answer it. All the works of the humble are manifest with God, while the ungodly will perish in an evil day. Everyone who is proud hearted is unclean with God, and one who strikes hands with hand will not be held guiltless. The beginning of a good way is to do what is just, it is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrificing sacrifices. One who seeks the Lord will find knowledge with justice, while those who seek him rightly will find peace. All the works of the Lord are done with justice, but the ungodly is kept for an evil day.

And the rest of the Office of the Presanctified.
In the Refectory we take wine. We sing Compline in our cells.

ON THURSDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK

AT THE TRITHEKTI

Troparion of the Prophecy. Tone 8.

The Lord is king, * let the earth be glad.

Verse: Let all his Angels worship him.

[42,5-16]

Thus says the Lord, who made the heaven and fixed it, who established the earth and the things in it and who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who tread it. I the Lord God called you in righteousness and I will take your hand and give you strength and I have given you as a covenant of a race, for a light of nations to open the eyes of the blind to lead out those who have been bound and those who sit on darkness from prison. I am the Lord God, this is my name; I will not give my glory to another nor my virtues to carved idols. See, the things from the beginning have come, and new things, which I am declaring, and which have been shown us [The Triodion follows the reading of Q, which is not recorded by Rahlfs. The other uncials have the correct reading.] before they are declared. Sing to the Lord a new hymn you his dominion; glorify his Name from the extremity of the earth, you who go down to the sea and sail it, you islands and you who inhabit them. Let the wilderness be glad and its villages, its hamlets and the inhabitants of Kedar. Those who inhabit the rock will rejoice, from the peaks of the mountains they will shout; they will give glory to God, they will declare his virtues to the islands. The Lord God of powers will come forth and crush war, he will rouse zeal and cry out against his enemies with strength. I have kept silent, shall I also keep be silent always and forbear I have endured like a woman in childbirth, I will amaze and wither at the same time. I will make mountains and hills and all their grass wither. I will make rivers into islands and dry up pools. And I will bring the blind by a way that they did not know, and I will make them tread paths of which they had no knowledge. I will turn darkness into light for them and their crooked places into straight. I will do these things and I will not desert them.

Sing to the Lord a new song, * for the Lord has done wondrous things.

Verse: Shout with joy to God all the earth, sing and rejoice and chant.

AT VESPERS

[This is one of the traditional Psalms for the Cross, which conveniently falls on a Friday. Or does this explain the omission of Psalm 94 earlier in the week? Probably not, since it would in that case have been the second Prokeimenon for this evening]

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool, * for he is holy.

Verse: The Lord is king, let the peoples rage; he is seated on the Cherubim, let the earth be shaken.

[18,20-33]

Shout with joy to the Lord * all the earth.

Verse: Serve the Lord with gladness, enter his presence with joy.

[16,17-33 & 17,1-17]

One who accepts instruction will be among good things, while one who guards reproofs will be made wise. One who guards his own ways will preserve his own soul, while one who loves his life will spare his mouth. Pride goes before destruction, folly before a fall. Better one who is meek spirited with humility than one who shares out spoils with scorners. One who has understanding in affairs will be a discoverer of good things, while one who trusts in God is blessed. People call the wise and understanding worthless, but they who are sweet in word will hear more. Understanding is a source of life to its possessors, but the instruction of fools is evil. The heart of the wise will discern things from his own mouth, while on his lips he will wear knowledge. Good words are honeycombs, its sweetness a healing of the soul. There are ways that seem right to a man, their ends however look on the depth of Hell. A man in labours labours for himself and forces out his own ruin, the perverse however wears ruin on his own mouth. A foolish man digs evils for himself, treasures up fire on his own lips. A perverse man spreads evils and will light a torch of guile with evils and he parts friends. A lawless man puts friends to the test and leads them by ways that are not good. One who fixes his eyes thinks on perverse things, while his lips define all evils. Such a one is a furnace of wickedness. Old age is a crown to boast of, it is found in ways of righteousness. Better a long suffering man than a strong one, one who governs his temper than one who captures a city. Everything comes into the lap of the unjust, everything that is just from the Lord. [17,1] Better a crust with peace than a house full of many good things and unjust sacrifices with conflict. A wise servant will hold sway over foolish masters, and will share portions among brothers. As silver and gold are tested in a furnace so are chosen hearts with the Lord. The wicked obeys the tongue of transgressors, but the just does not attend to lying lips. One who laughs at the poor provokes the one who made him, while one who rejoices at one who is destroyed will not be guiltless, but one who has pity will find mercy. Children’s children are a crown for the old, while their fathers are the children’s boast. The faithful has the whole world of money, but the unfaithful has not a farthing. Faithful lips will not suit a fool, nor lying lips the righteous. For those who use it instruction is a reward of graces, while wherever it turns it will prosper. One who conceals injustices seeks friendship; but one who hates to conceal them will separates friends and kinsfolk. A threat crushes the heart of the prudent, but a fool when flogged feels nothing. Every wicked person stirs up strife, but the Lord will send out against him a merciless messenger [Or ‘angel’]. Care will befall a man of sense, but fools will discuss evil things. Whoever rewards evils for good things, evils will not be removed from his house. A rule of justice gives authority to words, but conflict and strife precede want. One who judges the unjust to be just, but the just to be unjust is unclean and abominable to God. Why does the fool have money? For the senseless is unable to purchase wisdom. One who makes his house high is seeking ruin, while one who neglects to learn will fall into evils. At every moment have a friend, and let brothers be useful in times of need.

Note that if the Annunciation falls on this day the Office of the Great Canon is anticipated to Tuesday, that is Monday evening, but the Feast is not transferred.

ON FRIDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK

AT THE TRITHEKTI

Troparion of the Prophecy. Tone 5.

I will sing to you, O Lord, * of mercy and judgement.

Verse: I will chant and be wise on a blameless way.

[45,11-17]

Lord, hearken to my prayer, * and let my cry come to you.

Verse: Do not turn your face from me; in the day I am afflicted incline your ear to me; in the day when I call upon you hearken to me speedily.

AT VESPERS

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, * long suffering and of great mercy.

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.

[22,1-18]

How magnificent are your works, O Lord, * with wisdom you have made them all.

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Lord my God, you are greatly magnified, you have clothed yourself with praise and majesty.

[17,17b-28 & 18,1-5]

Let brothers be useful in time of need, for this they are born. A foolish man claps and rejoices at himself, like one who stands surety standing surety for his own friends. One who loves sin rejoices at conflicts, while the hard-hearted does not meet with the good. A man of changing tongue will fall into evils, while a foolish heart is a pain for the one who possesses it. A father is not made glad by a son without instruction, but a prudent son makes his mother glad. A glad heart creates good health, but the bones of a sorrowful man dry up. The ways of one who takes gifts in his bosom unjustly do not prosper, while the ungodly perverts ways of righteousness. The face of a wise man is intelligent, but the eyes of the fool go to the extremities of the earth. A foolish son is anger for his father and a grief for her who gave him birth. To punish a just man is not good, nor is it holy to plot against just princes. One who forbears to utter a harsh word is discreet, while a long suffering man is discreet. Wisdom will be imputed to a fool who asks for wisdom, while one who holds his peace will seem to be prudent. [18,1] A man who wishes to be parted from friends seeks excuses, but at every moment he will be subject to reproach. One who lacks sense has no need of wisdom, rather he is led by folly. Whenever the ungodly comes into a depth of evils he despises them, but dishonour and reproach come upon him. A word in a man’s heart is deep water, while a river and a source of life well up. It is not good to marvel at the face of the ungodly, nor holy to pervert what is just in giving judgement.

And the rest of the Office of the Presanctified. At Compline we sing the Canon for the dead of the prevailing Tone and likewise that of the Saint of the day in the Menaion.

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Archimandrite Ephrem ©

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This page was last updated on 10 February 2001