«ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ποῦ φύγω;» (Ψαλμ. ΡΛΘ᾽ 7)  “Where could I go from Your Spirit, οr flee from Your face?” (Ps 138:7)   Psalm 138 is a remarkable portrait of the deep awareness the Holy Prophet-King David had of God’s presence in his life. David was well acquainted with every corner of the land of Israel. As a young shepherd, he would wander through the mountains, he spent much of his youth hiding from King Saul in the forests and the caves, and he fought many battles in the plains and deserts [...]

Psalm 103 Ο Προοιμιακός (Introductory Psalm read at Vespers)   The start of the Psalm provides us with a description of God’s Creation, and through it, revealing His might and glory. We read of clouds, winds, waters and mountains, all highlighting God’s glory and contrasting small humanity against His greatness and magnitude. But that is not the only image the Psalm projects. Subsequent verses provide a softer image of the Lord’s greatness through all the beautiful elements of Creation such as grasses, springs and trees. There are birds singing and an “earth that is satisfied with the fruit of your [...]

Psalm 50   Psalm 50 (English Bibles, 51) is the only Psalm prescribed to be recited in its entirety during every celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Whether in the Liturgy of St Basil or St John Chrysostom, it is the prayer of a murderer and adulterer that the Priest must pray when the congregation commences chanting the Cherubic Hymn in preparation for the Great Entrance of the Holy Gifts. It is a Psalm in which, using the words of that great sinner David, one prays for God’s Holy Spirit, mercy and forgiveness. It is this strong sense of the presence [...]

«ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου ἠγαλλιάσαντο ἐπὶ Θεὸν ζῶντα» (Ψαλμ. ΠΓ᾽ 3) “My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God” (Ps 84:3) It is said that David composed this Psalm in the desert beyond the Jordan. He was there because he was being pursued by his son Absalom after having been betrayed by his counsellor Ahithophel. We therefore have David searching for God in the desert. It was adopted later by pilgrims travelling to Jerusalem, so it has become the par excellence Psalm of pilgrimage. The Psalm speaks of an immediate relationship with the Lord. [...]

Psalm 135 Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ Give Thanks to the Lord Because the line “for His mercy endured forever” appears in each of its twenty-six verses, this Psalm, along with Psalm 134, is known in Orthodox worship as the polyeleion or “manifold mercy”. It starts with three introductory verses, as St Jerome states: 'Give thanks to the Lord of lords' refers to the Son. The 'God of Gods' to the Father. We give thanks, therefore to the Father and to the Son.’ After these verses that call for the praise of God, one may distinguish three stanzas in this Psalm. Stanza [...]