Chapter 6

The Sixth Hour

mercy upon me, a sinner. And by the judgments which thou hast established, save me, thine unworthy servant. For blessed art thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

THE SIXTH 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 liv.

Save me, O God, for thy Name’s sake, and avenge me in thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God, and hearken unto the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me; and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul Behold, God is my helper ; the Lord is with them that uphold my soul He shall reward evil unto mine enemies : destroy thou them in thy truth. An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O Lord ; because it is so comfortable. For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble, and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

Psalm lv.

Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my petition. Take heed unto me, and hear me, how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed. The enemy crieth so, and the ungodly cometh on so fast ; for they are minded to do me some mischief, so maliciously are they set against me. My heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove ! for then would I flee away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I get me away far off, and remain in the wilderness. I would make haste to escape, because of the stormy wind and tempest. Destroy their tongues, O Lord, and divide them, for I have spied unrighteousness and strife in the city. Day and night they go about within the walls thereof : mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is therein ; deceit and guile go not out of their streets. For it is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonour ; for then I could have borne it : neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me ; for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him : but it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and mine own familiar friend. We took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God as friends. Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into hell ; for wickedness is in their dwellings,

* See Appendix B, III.

and among them. As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly ; and he shall hear my voice. It is he that hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me ; for there were many with me. Yea, even God, that endureth forever, shall hear me, and bring them down ; for they will not turn, nor fear God. He laid his hands upon such as be at peace with him, and he brake his covenant. The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war in his heart ; his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very swords. O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish thee, and shall not suffer the righteous to fall forever. And as for them, thou, O God, shalt bring them into the pit of destruction. The blood-thirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days : nevertheless, my trust shall be in thee, O Lord.

Psalm xci.

Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong hold ; my God, in him will I trust. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers ; his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand ; but it shall not come nigh thee Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the ungodly. For thou, Lord, art my hope ; thou hast set thine house of defence very high. There shall no evil happen unto thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder : the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him ; I will set him up, because he hath known my Name. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him ; yea, I am with him in trouble ; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

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

Alelluia, alleluia, alleluia; glory to thee> O Lord. (Thrice,)

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

And the Hymn for the Day ( Trop&r). *

* For Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A ; for the Great Feasts, see the Special Services.

But if it be the Great Fast (Lent), we recite the following Hymn, in Tone III. :

O thou who, on the sixth day and Hour didst nail to the Cross the sin which Adam, through presumption, committed in Paradise : Tear asunder also the handwriting of our iniquities, O Christ our God, and save us.

Verse {Stikh) i : Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my petition.

Verse 2 : As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me.

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

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

Seeing that we have no boldness, because of the multitude of our sins, do thou, O Virgin Birth-giver of God, fervently entreat him who was born of thee: for the prayer of a Mother availeth much to the good will of the Lord. Despise not the supplications of sinners, O allpure One ; for merciful and mighty to save is he who graciously deigned to suffer for us.

With thy bounties speedily prevent us, O Lord, for we have grievously sinned; help us, O God our Saviour, for the glory of thy Name. O Lord, deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy Name’s sake.

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.

Then the Collect-Hymn (Konddk) of the Day or of the Tone.*

But if it be the Great Fast, we say these Hymns (Troparl), in Tone II. :

Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth, O Christ our God. Thou didst stretch out thine all-pure hands upon the Cross ; thou hast gathered together all the nations, who cry aloud unto thee : Glory to thee, O Lord.

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

* For Collect-Hymns in the Eight Tones, see Appendix A; for the Great Feasts, tee the Special Services.

We bow down in reverence before thy holy Image, O Good One, entreating forgiveness for our transgressions, O Christ our God ; for of thine own good will thou didst graciously deign to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that thou mightest deliver from the works of the enemy those whom thou hadst fashioned. Wherefore we cry aloud unto thee in thanksgiving : With joy thou didst fill all things, O our Saviour, when thou didst come to save the world.

And then immediately, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday : Now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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

Vouchsafe unto us thy mercy, O Birth-giver of God, thou who art a Fount of tender compassion. Look upon the people who have sinned ; manifest, as always, thy power. For trusting in thee we cry unto thee : Hail ! as did aforetime Gabriel, Chief of the Bodiless Powers.

On Wednesday and Friday :

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

Cross-Hymn to the Birth-giver of God (Krestobogorbditehen).

Exceedingly blessed art thou, O Virgin Birth-giver of God, and we sing thy praise : for by the Cross of thy Son was Hell overthrown and Death was slain ; and we who were dead have risen again, and have mercifully been deemed worthy of life, and have received Paradise, which was our delight of old. For which cause, with thanksgiving we magnify Christ our God, in that he is mighty and in that he alone loveth mankind.

Lord, have mercy. {Twelve 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, 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.

Lord, have mercy. {Forty times.)

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

And if it be a Fast, we make three great reverences to the very earth and say 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. (Reverence^

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 : O God, cleanse thou me, a sinner. Then the whole Prayer is repeated; with one great reverence in conclusion.)

Thai this Prayer of St. Basil the Great.

O God and Lord of hosts, and Maker of all things created, who through the tender-hearted compassion of thine incomparable mercy didst send down thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the redemption of our race, and by his precious Cross didst destroy the handwriting of our sins, and didst thereby triumph over the Origin and Powers of darkness : Do thou, the same Lord, who lovest mankind, accept also these thanksgivings and fervent prayers of us sinners. And deliver us from every harmful and gloomy transgression, and from all enemies, both visible and invisible, who seek after us to destroy us. Nail our flesh to the fear of thee, and incline not our hearts to words or thoughts of guile : but wound our souls with the love of thee ; that looking ever unto thee, and guided by thee in the light, beholding thee, the Light Ineffable and Everlasting, we may ascribe unto thee ceaseless praise and thanksgiving : unto the Father who hath no beginning, together with thine Only-begotten Son, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Generally the Divine Liturgy beginneth here. But if it be the Great Fast (Lents, after this is read the Ninth Hour ; and the Ninth Hour, when iifolloweth the Sixth Hour, beginneth thus :

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

O all-holy Trinity, . . .