Chapter 4

The First Hour

O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. O come, let us worship and fall down before the Very Christ, our King and our God. {Three reverences. )

Psalm v.

Ponder my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God : for unto thee will I make my prayer. My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord ; early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness ; neither shall any evil dwell with thee. Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight ; for thou hatest all them that work vanity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies : the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man. But as for me, I will come into thine house, even upon the multitude of thy mercy ; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies ; make thy way plain before my face. For there is no faithfulness in his mouth; their inward parts are very wickedness. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God ; let them perish through their own imaginations ; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness ; for they have rebelled against thee. And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice : they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them ; they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee ; for thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous, and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him, as with a shield.

Psalm xc. Lord, thou hast been our refuge, from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, thou art God from everlasting, and world without end. Thou turnest man to destruction ; again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday ; seeing that is past as a watch in the night. As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep; and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green, and groweth up ; but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered. For we consume away in thy displeasure, and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation. Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee ; and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For when thou art angry all our days are gone : we bring

* See Appendix B, III.

our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told. The days of our age are threescore years and ten ; and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow ; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. But who regardeth the power of thy wrath ? for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure. So teach us s to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last, and be gracious unto thy servants. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon : so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us; and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity. Show thy servants thy work, and their children thy glory. And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us : prosper thou the work of our hands upon us ; O prosper thou our handy-work.

Psalm ci.

My song shall be of mercy and judgment ; unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. O let me have understanding in the way of godliness ! When wilt thou come unto me? I will walk in my house with a perfect heart. I will take no wicked thing in hand ; I hate the sins of unfaithfulness ; there shall no such cleave unto me. A f roward heart shall depart from me ; I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy. Whoso hath also a proud look and high stomach, I will not suffer him. Mine eyes look upon such as are faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me. Whoso leadeth a godly life, he shall be my servant. There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house ; he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the land ; that I may root out all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

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 thee, O God. {Thrice; three reverences.)

Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Then the Hymn (Trop&r)for the Day, in the proper Tone, is read.*

Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogorbditehcri).

What shall we call thee, O thou who art full of grace ? Heaven, for from thee shone forth the Sun of Righteousness ; Paradise, for thou hast budded forth the Flower of Immortality ; Virgin, for thou hast remained undefiled : Pure Mother, for thou hast held in thy holy embrace thy Son, who is God of all. Beseech thou him that he will save our souls.

* For the Hymns in the Eight tones, see Appendix A.

But if it be during Great Fast (Lent), we say the Hymn ( Tropdr) in Tone VI,

Then: O hearken thou betimes unto the voice of my calling, my King and my God.

Verse {Stikh) i : Ponder my words, O Lord : consider my meditation.

Verse 2 : For unto thee will I make my prayer.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

And again the Hymn to the Birth-giver of God: What shall we call thee :

Order my steps in thy word, and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men, and so shall I keep thy commandments. Show the light of thy countenance upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.

Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.

O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice,)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O all-holy Trinity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. {Thrice,)

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 :

Priest 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.

If it be not the Great Fast (Lentl the Collect-Hymn (Kmddk) of the Tone, or of the Saint for the Day, or of the approaching Feast, is then read,

But if it be the Great Fast, or if there be no special Collect-Hymn, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, the following Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Bogordditchen) shall be read:

With heart and lips let us continually magnify the glorious Mother of God, more holy than the Angels, confessing her to be the true Birth-giver of God, who did, in very truth, bring forth God incarnate, and who unceasingly doth intercede for our souls. But on Wednesday and Friday the following shall be read: Speedily prevent, ere he lead us into captivity, the enemy which * For Collect-Hymns for the Twelve Great Feasts, see the Special Services.

blasphemeth thee and constraineth us, O Christ our God : Overcome by thy Cross those who war against us, that they may know what power hath the faith of Orthodox believers ; through the intercessions of the Birth-giver -of God, O thou who alone lovest mankind.

On Saturday the following shall bf said:

Unto thee, O Lord, the Author of Creation, the universe doth offer the God-bearing martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. By whose supplications, through the Birth-giver of God, do thou preserve in peace profound thy Church, which is thine estate, O most merciful One.

Lord, have mercy. {Forty times,)

Thou who, at all times, and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion ; who lovest the just and showest mercy to those who are hardened in sin ; who callest all men to repentance through the promise of good things to come : Do thou, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to thy commandments. Sanctify our souls ; purify our bodies; set aright our minds; and deliver us from all calamity, wrath and distress. Compass us round about with thy holy Angels ; that, guided and guarded by their host, we may attain unto the unity of the faith, and unto the comprehension of thine ineffable glory. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

Glory to the Father, And to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without defilement barest God the Word, true Birth-giver of God, we magnify thee.

In the Name of the Lord bless, Father.

Priest. God be bountiful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us.

And if it be the Great Fast, we make three great reverences to the earthy reciting the prescribed

Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian.

O Lord and Master of my life, grant not unto me a spirit of slothfulness, of discouragement, of lust of power, of vain babbling. {Reverenced)

But vouchsafe unto thy servant the spirit of continence, of meekness, of patience, and of love {Reverence.)

Yea, O Lord and King, grant that I may perceive my own transgressions, and judge not my brother. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen. {Reverence. Then twelve lesser reverences^ saying at each : Q God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the whole Prayer is repeated; with one great reverence in conclusion.)

O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us. {Thrice.)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O all-holy Trihity, have mercy upon us. O Lord, wash away our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy Name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. {Thrice.)

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 :

Priest 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.

Reader, Amen. Lord, have mercy. {Twelve times.)

And this Prayer :

O Christ, the true Light, whicJh illumineth and sanctifieth every man who cometh into th^ world ! Let the light of thy countenance be showed upon us, that in it we may behold the light ineffable ; and guide our footsteps aright, to the keeping of thy commandments ; through the intercessions of thine all-pure Mother, and of all the Saints. Amen.

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. ( Thrice,) Bless.

Priest, Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon us.

Hymn to the Birth-giver of God {Bogorbditchen).

We, thy servants, in that we have been delivered from calamities, do offer unto thee, O Birth-giver of God, who as victorious Chieftain warrest for us, songs of triumph and thanksgiving : Do thou also, in that thou hast might invincible, free us from all assaults, that we may cry unto thee : Hail, O Bride unwedded !

Priest, Glory to thee, O Lord, our hope ; glory to thee.

Choir. 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. {Thrice.) Bless.

Benediction.

Priest. May Christ, our true God, through the prayers of his allpure Mother ; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles {and of