Psalter. The first psalm of King David Psalm 1 in Russian
The beginning of the first kathisma and psalm No. 1 listen:
https://azbyka.ru/audio/audio1/Svjashhennoe_pisanie/psaltir_tsl_mohov/002.%20%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BC%D0%B0%201 .%20%D0%9F%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BC%201.mp3KATHISMA 1
| Psalm 1
Psalm to David, not inscribed among Jews |
Psalm 1
Psalm of David, not inscribed among the Jews. |
| 1 Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, and in the way of sinners, neither sitteth in the seats of the destroyers, | 1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the wicked, |
| 2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he shall learn day and night. | 2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night! |
| 3 And it shall be like a tree planted by the coming out of the waters, which shall yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not fall off, and all that he does shall prosper. | 3 And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in everything he does, he will succeed. |
| 4 Not like wickedness, not like this, but like dust that the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth. | 4 Not so - the wicked, not so: but they are like dust swept away by the wind from the face of the earth. |
| 5 For this reason the wicked will not rise again for judgment, below the sinner for the council of the righteous. | 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. |
| 6 For the Lord preaches the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked shall perish. | 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. |
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EXPLANATION AND BRIEF INTERPRETATION OF PSALM 1
The first psalm depicts the blessed state of the righteous in contrast to the disastrous state of the wicked; blessedness is the basis and beginning of the teaching about the moral life of people, and it is communicated only to righteous people, that is, those who willingly fulfill the law of the Lord.
Ps.1:1 Blessed is the man who does not follow the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the path of sinners, and does not sit in the seats of the destroyers.
Here the word “husband” must be understood as “person”, and not just a man.
According to the teachings of St. Afanasia advice of the wicked - this is “a meeting, or gathering, of wicked people,” and according to St. Basil the Great, to council of the wicked One can attribute wicked thoughts from which an ungodly deed begins.
Don't go, don't stop, don't sit, - means: whoever has not gone, does not walk and does not stop. Those. blessed is the one who does not share the thoughts and feelings of wicked people and maintains purity of thoughts; and if he is drawn into evil, he does not stand in it, does not become ossified; Blessed is he who does not participate in the meetings of the destroyers of faith and morals, who abstains from agreement and complicity with the wicked.
Ps.1:2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he will learn day and night.
The piety of a believer is based on the unwavering fulfillment of the will of God.
Ps.1:3 And it will be like a tree planted by the rising waters, which will yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf will not fall off, and everything that it does will prosper.
These words are practically the same as the words of God spoken through the prophet Jeremiah (chapter 17 of Jeremiah’s prophecies), who denounced the wickedness of the Jews: "Blessed is the man like(which) He trusts in the Lord, and he will be like a tree planted by the waters, and he will put down his roots for good; he will not fear when the heat comes.(heat, drought) and the stalk will be green on it, and in times of lack of rain it will not be afraid and will not stop producing fruit.”
Ps.1:4 Not like wickedness, not like this, but like dust, which the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth.
Pious people, unlike the wicked, do everything with the hope of God’s help, therefore the grace of God is poured out on them, and these labors are always successful. What about wicked deprived of God's grace-filled assistance and therefore like dust swept away by the wind from the face of the earth, these deeds are destroyed and do not bear fruit. They, through the long-suffering of God, often enjoy all the blessings of this world; and meanwhile, as it is written in the book of Job, they say to God: “Get away from us, we do not want to know Your ways! What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? and what is the use of resorting to Him?” Being atheists, they live in sin and indulge in all vices, all shameful passions ( Rome. 1:24–32). Being themselves evil and insane, they persecute believers ( In. 16:23).
Ps.1:5 For this reason, the wicked will not rise to judgment, below the sinner to the council of the righteous.
Translated from Hebrew: The wicked will not stand in judgment, will not stand because they are like the dust of the earth, are not confirmed by faith in Christ and are already condemned, according to the word of the Savior Himself: “Whoever does not have faith will be condemned”(Mark 16:16).
Wicked, sinners will be convicted, the righteous and pious after the resurrection will follow into the Kingdom of God, or - what is the same - to eternal life as the Savior Himself says: “Amen, amen, I say to you, that if you hear my word and believe him who sent me, you will have eternal life, and will not come into judgment, but will pass from death to life.”(John 5:24).
Ps.1:6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will perish.
This means that the Omniscient and Righteous Judge has everything known. He knows everything even before the trial and therefore has no need for either evidence or denunciation.
Under by This does not mean the road we walk on, but our deeds, thoughts and intentions, and therefore these words of the psalm: the way of the wicked will perish mean that the deeds, plans, machinations of the wicked, and with them they themselves will die.
Blessed are all those who looking for Lord God with all their hearts, who delight in the law of God and meditate on it day and night(Ps. 11:1, 1:2) who listen to the Word of God and act on it. Blessed are all those upon whom, on the day of judgment, the blessing of the Heavenly Father will extend, spoken by the mouth of the Son of God: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
1 Psalm of David.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seat of the wicked, 2 but his will is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night! 3 And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in everything he does, he will succeed. 4 Not so - the wicked; but they are like dust blown by the wind. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
2 Psalm of David.
Why do peoples rebel, and nations plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed. 3 “Let us break their bonds, and cast away their fetters from us.” 4 He who dwells in heaven will laugh; the Lord will mock him. 5 Then He will say to them in His anger and with His fury will cause them to be dismayed: 6 “I have anointed My King over Zion, My holy mountain; 7 I will proclaim the decree: The Lord said to Me: You are My Son; today have I begotten You; 8 ask of Me, And I will give the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession; 9 You will crush them with a rod of iron, like a potter’s vessel.” 10 Therefore, understand, O kings; learn, judges of the earth! 11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Honor the Son, lest He be angry, and lest you perish on [your] journey, for His anger will soon kindle. Blessed are all who trust in Him.
3 Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
God! how my enemies have multiplied! Many rise up against me; many say to my soul, “There is no salvation in God.” 3 But You, O Lord, are a shield before me, my glory, and You lift up my head. 4 With my voice I cry to the Lord, and He hears me from His holy mountain. 5 I lie down, sleep, and get up, for the Lord protects me. 6 I will not be afraid of the people who have taken up arms against me on all sides. 7 Arise, Lord! save me, my God! for You strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation is from the Lord. Upon Your people is Your blessing.
4 To the director of the choir. On stringed [instruments]. Psalm of David.
When I cry, hear me, O God of my righteousness! In tight spaces, You gave me space. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 2 Sons of husbands! How long will my glory be in reproach? How long will you love vanity and seek lies? 3 Know that the Lord has set apart His holy one for Himself; The Lord hears when I call on Him. 4 When you are angry, do not sin: meditate in your hearts on your beds, and be calm; 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord. 6 Many say, “Who will show us good?” Show us the light of Your face, O Lord! 7 You filled my heart with joy from the time that their bread and wine multiplied. 8 I lie down calmly and sleep, for You, O Lord, alone allow me to live in safety.
5 To the director of the choir. On wind [instruments]. Psalm of David.
Hear, Lord, my words, understand my thoughts. 2 Hear the voice of my cry, my King and my God! for I pray to You. 3 Lord! Hear my voice early, early I will appear before You and wait, 4 for You are a God who does not love iniquity; The evil one will not dwell with You; 5 The wicked will not abide in Your sight: You hate all the workers of iniquity. 6 You will destroy those who tell lies; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and treacherous. 7 And I, according to the abundance of Your mercy, will enter Your house, I will worship Your holy temple in Your fear. 8 Lord! guide me in Your righteousness, for the sake of my enemies; level your path before me. 9 For there is no truth in their mouth: their heart is destruction, their throat is an open grave, they flatter with their tongue. 10 Condemn them, O God, that they may fall by their own devices; Because of the multitude of their wickedness, cast them away, for they have rebelled against You. 11 And all those who trust in You will rejoice, they will rejoice forever, and You will protect them; and those who love Your name will boast in You. 12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord; You crown him with favor like a shield.
6 To the director of the choir. On eight string. Psalm of David.
God! Do not rebuke me in Your wrath, and do not punish me in Your anger. 2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are shaken; 3 And my soul is greatly troubled; How long are you, Lord? 4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my soul, save me for the sake of Your mercy, 5 for in death there is no remembrance of You: in the grave who will glorify You? 6 I am weary with my groanings: every night I wash my bed, I wet my bed with my tears. 7 My eye is withered through sorrow; it is worn out because of all my enemies. 8 Depart from me, all you who practice iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping, 9 the Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will accept my prayer. 10 Let all my enemies be put to shame and sorely defeated; may they return and be ashamed instantly.
7 The song of lamentation that David sang to the LORD for the cause of Hus, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Oh my God! in You I trust; save me from all my persecutors and deliver me; 2 Let him not, like a lion, tear out my soul, tormenting me when there is no deliverer. 3 Lord, my God! if I have done anything, if there is injustice in my hands, 4 if I have repaid with evil the one who was with me in the world - I, who saved even the one who without reason became my enemy - 5 then let the enemy persecute my soul and will overtake him, let him trample my life into the ground, and let him cast my glory into dust. 6 Arise, O Lord, in Thy wrath; move against the fury of my enemies, awaken for me to the judgment that You have commanded - 7 a host of people will stand around You; rise above it to a height. 8 The Lord judges the nations. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity within me. 9 Let the wickedness of the wicked cease, and strengthen the righteous, for You test the hearts and bellies, O righteous God! 10 My shield is in God, who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who punishes strictly every day, 12 if [someone] does not convert. He sharpens His sword, He bends His bow and guides it, 13 He prepares for it the vessels of death, He makes His arrows scorching. 14 Behold, [the wicked] conceived iniquity, was pregnant with malice, and gave birth to lies; 15 he dug a ditch, and dug it, and fell into the pit which he had prepared: 16 his anger shall be returned upon his head, and his wickedness shall fall upon his crown. 17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
8 To the director of the choir. On Gath [guns]. Psalm of David.
Lord our God! How majestic is Your name throughout the whole earth! Your glory extends above the heavens! 2 From the mouths of babes and sucklings You have made praise for the sake of Your enemies, in order to silence the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, at the moon and the stars that You have set, 4 what is man, that You remember him, and the son of man, that You visit him? 5 Thou hast made him little less than the angels: thou hast crowned him with glory and honor; 6 You have made him ruler over the works of your hands; He put everything under his feet: 7 sheep and all oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 birds of the air and fish of the sea, everything that passes on the paths of the sea. 9 Lord our God! How majestic is Your name throughout the whole earth!
9 To the director of the choir. After the death of Laben. Psalm of David.
2 I will praise [You], Lord, with all my heart, and proclaim all Your wonders. 3 I will rejoice and rejoice in You, I will sing to Your name, O Most High. 4 When my enemies are turned back, they will stumble and perish before You, 5 for You have executed my judgment and my litigation; You have sat on the throne, righteous Judge. 6 You were angry with the nations, you destroyed the wicked, you blotted out their name forever and ever. 7 The enemy has no weapons at all, and you have destroyed cities; their memory perished with them. 8 But the Lord abides forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment, 9 and He will judge the world with righteousness, He will execute judgment on the nations with righteousness. 10 And the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble; 11 And those who know Your name will trust in You, because You do not forsake those who seek You, O Lord. 12 Sing to the Lord who dwells in Zion; proclaim His works among the nations, 13 for He exacts blood; remembers them, does not forget the cry of the oppressed. 14 Have mercy on me, O Lord; look at my suffering from those who hate me, - You, who lift me up from the gates of death, 15 so that I may proclaim all Your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in Your salvation. 16 The nations fell into the pit that they had dug; in the net which they hid their foot was entangled. 17 The Lord was known by the judgment which He executed; the wicked is caught in the works of his own hands. 18 Let the wicked turn to hell, all the nations that forget God. 19 For the poor will not be forever forgotten, and the hope of the poor will not be completely lost. 20 Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, and let the nations be judged before Thy presence. 21 O Lord, bring fear upon them; let the nations know that they are human.
22 Why, O Lord, do you stand afar off, hiding yourself in times of trouble? 23 In his pride the wicked persecute the poor: let them be caught in the tricks which they themselves devise. 24 For the wicked boasts in the lust of his soul; the self-interested man pleases himself. 25 In his arrogance the wicked despises the Lord: “he will not seek”; in all his thoughts: “There is no God!” 26 His ways are always destructive; Your judgments are far from him; he looks at all his enemies with disdain; 27 He says in his heart: “I will not be shaken; no evil will befall [me] from generation to generation”; 28 His mouth is full of curses, deceit and lies; under the tongue is its torment and destruction; 29 He sits in ambush outside the courtyard, killing the innocent in secret places; his eyes spy on the poor; 30 He lies in wait in a secret place, like a lion in his den; lies in wait to capture the poor; he grabs the poor man, dragging him into his net; 31 He bends, he bends down, and the poor fall into his strong claws; 32 He says in his heart: “God has forgotten, He has hidden His face, He will never see it.” 33 Arise, O Lord my God, lift up your hand, do not forget the oppressed. 34 Why does the wicked despise God, saying in his heart, “You will not require it”? 35 You see, for You look upon insults and oppression, to repay with Your hand. The poor man betrays himself to you; to the orphan you are a helper. 36 Break the arm of the wicked and evil, so that you will seek and not find his wickedness. 37 The Lord is king forever and ever; The pagans will disappear from His land. 38 Lord! You hear the desires of the humble; strengthen their heart; open your ear, 39 to give justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man may no longer be a terror on earth.
10 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David.
I trust in the Lord; How then do you say to my soul: “Fly away to your mountain [like] a bird”? 2 For behold, the wicked have drawn the bow, and have set their arrow to the string, to shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart. 3 When the foundations are destroyed, what will the righteous do? 4 The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord is His throne in heaven, His eyes can see; His eyelids try the sons of men. 5 The Lord tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the violent. 6 He will rain burning coals, fire and brimstone on the wicked; and the scorching wind is their portion from the cup; 7 For the Lord is righteous, loving righteousness; He sees His face as a righteous man.
11 To the director of the choir. On eight string. Psalm of David.
Save, Lord, for the righteous is no more, for there are none faithful among the sons of men. 2 Every man speaks a lie to his neighbor; flattering lips speak from a feigned heart. 3 The Lord will destroy all flattering lips, all arrogant tongues, 4 [those] who say, “With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are with us; who is our master?” 5 Because of the suffering of the poor and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise, says the Lord, and I will place in safety the one whom they want to catch. 6 The words of the Lord are pure words, silver purified from the earth in a furnace, refined seven times. 7 You, O Lord, will preserve them, keep them from this generation forever. 8 The wicked walk everywhere, while the lowliest of the sons of men have become exalted.
12 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David.
How long, O Lord, will you forget me completely, how long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long shall I formulate counsels in my soul, how long shall sorrow be in my heart day [and night]? How long will my enemy exalt himself over me? 3 Look, hear me, O Lord my God! Enlighten my eyes, may I not fall asleep [in the sleep] of death; 4 Let not my enemy say, “I have overcome him.” May my persecutors not rejoice if I waver. 5 But I trust in Your mercy; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation; 6 I will sing to the Lord, who has done good to me.
13 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David.
The madman said in his heart: “There is no God.” They became corrupt and committed vile deeds; there is no one who does good. 2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there was one who understood, one who sought God. 3 All have turned aside and become equally obscene; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Will not all those who practice iniquity, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call on the Lord, come to their senses? 5 There they will fear fear, for God is among the generation of the righteous. 6 You have laughed at the thought of the beggar, that the Lord is his hope. 7 “Who will give salvation to Israel from Zion!” When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people, then Jacob will rejoice and Israel will rejoice.
14 Psalm of David.
God! who can dwell in Your habitation? who can dwell on Your holy mountain? 2 He who walks uprightly and does righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart; 3 whoever does not slander with his tongue, does not do harm to his own sincere person, and does not accept reproach against his neighbor; 4 he in whose eyes the outcast is despised, but who glorifies those who fear the Lord; who swears, [even] to evil, and does not change; 5 who does not lend his money at interest and does not accept gifts against the innocent. He who does this will never be shaken.
15 Song of David.
Protect me, O God, for I trust in You. 2 I said to the Lord: You are my Lord; You don't need my blessings. 3 To the saints who are on earth, and to [Your] wondrous ones—to them is all my desire. 4 Let the sorrows of those who flow to a foreign [god] be multiplied; I will not pour out their bloody drink offerings, nor will I remember their names with my lips. 5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup. You hold my lot. 6 My lands have passed through beautiful [places], and my inheritance is pleasant to me. 7 I will bless the Lord, who gave me understanding; even at night my insides teach me. 8 I have always seen the Lord before me, for He is at my right hand; I will not hesitate. 9 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; even my flesh will rest in hope, 10 for You will not leave my soul in hell, nor will You allow Your holy one to see corruption. 11 You will show me the way of life: fullness of joy is before You, bliss is at Your right hand forever.
16 David's Prayer.
Hear, O Lord, the truth, listen to my cry, accept the prayer from the lips of the truthful. 2 Let judgment come to me from Your presence; let Thy eyes look upon righteousness. 3 You tried my heart, you visited me by night, you tempted me and found nothing; My lips do not depart from my thoughts. 4 In the affairs of men, according to the word of Your mouth, I have kept myself from the ways of the oppressor. 5 Establish my steps in Your ways, so that my feet do not falter. 6 I cry to You, for You will hear me, O God; incline Your ear to me, hear my words. 7 Show Your wondrous mercy, O Savior of those who trust [in You] from those who resist Your right hand. 8 Guard me like the apple of your eye; in the shadow of Your wings, hide me 9 from the face of the wicked who attack me, from the enemies of my soul who surround me: 10 they are shut up in their fatness, they speak arrogantly with their lips. 11 They surround us now at every step we take; they fixed their eyes to cast [me] to the ground; 12 They are like a lion thirsty for prey, like a skim sitting in hidden places. 13 Arise, O Lord, warn them, bring them down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by Thy sword, 14 from men by Thy hand, O Lord, from the people of the world, whose portion is in [this] life, whose bellies Thou fillest from Thy treasuries; their sons are satisfied and will leave the remainder to their children. 15 But I will look upon Your face in righteousness; Having awakened, I will be satisfied with Your image.
17 To the director of the choir. The servant of the Lord David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord, when the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
I love you, Lord, my strength! 2 The Lord is my rock and my refuge, my Deliverer, my God is my rock; in Him I trust; my shield, the horn of my salvation and my refuge. 3 I will call upon the venerable Lord, and I will be saved from my enemies. 4 The pangs of death have seized me, and the torrents of iniquity have made me afraid; 5 The chains of hell have surrounded me, and the snares of death have entangled me. 6 In my distress I called on the Lord and called to my God. And He heard my voice from His palace, and my cry came to His ears. 7 The earth shook and was shaken, the foundations of the mountains trembled and moved, for [God] was angry; 8 Smoke arose from His wrath, and from His mouth a consuming fire; hot coals [fell] from Him. 9 He bowed the heavens and came down, and darkness was under His feet. 10 And he mounted the Cherubim and flew, and was carried away on the wings of the wind. 11 And he made darkness his covering, the darkness of the waters, the clouds of the air, surrounding him. 12 Because of the brilliance before Him, His clouds, hail, and coals of fire fled away. 13 The Lord thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave His voice, hail and coals of fire. 14 He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, a multitude of lightnings, and scattered them. 15 And springs of water appeared, and the foundations of the world were revealed at Thy terrible [voice], O Lord, at the breath of the spirit of Thy wrath. 16 He stretched out [his hand] from on high and took me, and brought me out of many waters; 17 He delivered me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, who were stronger than me. 18 They rose up against me in the day of my trouble, but the Lord was my strength. 19 He brought me out to a large place and delivered me, for He delights in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, He rewarded me according to the purity of my hands, 21 for I kept the ways of the Lord and was not wicked before my God; 22 For all His commandments are before me, and I have not departed from His statutes. 23 I was blameless before Him, and took heed lest I sin; 24 And the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the integrity of my hands in His sight. 25 You deal mercifully with the merciful, sincerely with the sincere, 26 with the pure with integrity, and with the evil one according to his wickedness, 27 for You save the oppressed people, but You bring down haughty eyes. 28 You kindle my lamp, O Lord; My God enlightens my darkness. 29 With You I defeat the army, with my God I ascend the wall. 30 God! -His way is blameless, the word of the Lord is pure; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord, and who is a defense besides our God? 32 God girdles me with strength and makes a sure way for me; 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and sets me on my high places; 34 He teaches my hands to fight, and my arms break the bronze bow. 35 You have given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me, and Your mercy makes me great. 36 You widen my step under me, and my feet do not falter. 37 I pursue my enemies and overtake them, and I do not return until I have destroyed them; 38 I smite them, and they cannot rise up; they fall under my feet, 39 for thou hast girded me with strength for war, and has cast down under my feet those who rise up against me; 40 You have turned the rear of my enemies to me, and I destroy those who hate me: 41 they cry, but there is no one to save; to the Lord, but He does not heed them; 42 I scatter them like dust before the wind, and trample them down like the dirt of the streets. 43 You delivered me from the rebellion of the people, you made me the head of the foreigners; a people whom I did not know serves me; 44 Because of one rumor about me, they obey me; foreigners caress me; 45 The foreigners turn pale and tremble in their fortifications. 46 As the Lord lives and blessed is my protector! Exalted be the God of my salvation, 47 the God who avenges me and subdues the nations for me, 48 and delivers me from my enemies! You raised me above those who rebelled against me and delivered me from the cruel man. 49 Therefore I will praise You, O Lord, among the foreigners, and I will sing praises to Your name, 50 Who majestically saves the king and shows mercy to Your anointed David and to his descendants forever.
18 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. 2 Day imparts speech to day, and night reveals knowledge to night. 3 There is no tongue, and no speech, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their sound goes through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. He has made a dwelling place for the sun in them, 5 and it comes out like a bridegroom from his bridal chamber, rejoicing like a giant to run the race: 6 From the end of the heavens is his departure, and his march to their end, and nothing is hidden from his warmth. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, strengthening the soul; The revelation of the Lord is true, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the Lord are righteous and make glad the heart; The commandment of the Lord is bright, it enlightens the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure and endures forever. The judgments of the Lord are true, all are righteous; 10 They are more desirable than gold and even much fine gold, sweeter than honey and drops of honeycomb; 11 And Your servant is protected by them; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his own faults? Cleanse me from [my] secrets, 13 and restrain Thy servant from the plots, so that they do not prevail over me. Then I will be blameless and pure from great corruption. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Savior!
19 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David.
May the Lord hear you in the day of sorrow, may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 Let him send you help from the Sanctuary and from Zion strengthen you. 3 Let him remember all your sacrifices, and make your burnt offering fat. 4 Let him give you according to your heart and fulfill all your intentions. 5 We will rejoice in your salvation and in the name of our God we will raise the standard. May the Lord fulfill all your requests. 6 Now I have come to know that the Lord saves His anointed, answering him from His holy heavens with the power of His saving right hand. 7 Some in chariots, some in horses, but we glory in the name of the Lord our God: 8 They wavered and fell, but we rose up and stand upright. 9 Lord! save the king and hear us when we cry [to You].
20 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David.
God! The king rejoices in Your power and rejoices immensely in Your salvation. 2 You gave him what his heart desired, and you did not reject the request of his lips, 3 for you met him with the blessings of kindness, placing a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked You for life; You gave him longevity for ever and ever. 5 Great is his glory in Thy salvation; You have placed upon him honor and greatness. 6 You have placed blessings on him forever, you have made him glad with the joy of your countenance, 7 for the king trusts in the Lord, and in the goodness of the Most High he will not be shaken. 8 Your hand will find all your enemies, your right hand will find those who hate you. 9 In the time of Your wrath You will make them like a fiery furnace; in His wrath the Lord will destroy them, and the fire will consume them. 10 You will destroy their fruit from the earth and their seed from among the sons of men, 11 for they undertook evil against you, they formed plans, but they could not [carry them out]. 12 You will target them; you will shoot arrows from your bows at them. 13 Be exalted, O Lord, in Your power: we will sing and glorify Your power.
21 To the director of the choir. When dawn appears. Psalm of David.
My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me? The words of my cry are far from saving me. 2 My God! I cry during the day, and You do not listen to me, at night, and there is no peace for me. 3 But You, O Holy One, live in the midst of the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them; 5 They cried to You and were saved; They trusted in You and did not remain in shame. 6 But I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach among men and a contempt among the people. 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me, saying with their lips, nodding their heads: 8 “He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him, let him save him, if he pleases him.” 9 But You brought me out of the womb, You placed hope in me at my mother’s breasts. 10 To You I was left from the womb; From my mother's womb You are my God. 11 Do not move away from me, for sorrow is near and there is no helper. 12 Many bulls surrounded me; the fat ones of Bashan surrounded me, 13 they opened their mouths against me, like a lion hungry and roaring. 14 I am poured out like water; all my bones crumbled; my heart became like wax and melted in the midst of my insides. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue clung to my throat, and You brought me down to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; a crowd of evildoers has surrounded me; they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 You could count all my bones; and they look and make a spectacle out of me; 18 They divide my garments among themselves and cast lots for my clothing. 19 But Thou, O Lord, do not depart from me; my strength! hasten to my aid; 20 Deliver my soul from the sword and my lonely from the dogs; 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion and from the horns of the unicorns; when you hear, [deliver] me. 22 I will proclaim Your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise You. 23 You who fear the Lord! praise Him. All the seed of Jacob! glorify Him. Let all the seed of Israel revere Him, 24 for He did not despise or despise the sorrow of the sufferer, nor hide His face from him, but heard him when he called to Him. 25 In You is my praise in the great congregation; I will pay my vows to those who fear Him. 26 Let the poor eat and be satisfied; let those who seek Him praise the Lord; May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the nations of the nations will worship before You, 28 for the Lord is the kingdom, and He is Ruler over the nations. 29 All the rich lands will eat and worship; All who go down into the dust and cannot save their lives will bow before Him. 30 [My] descendants will serve Him, and will be called the Lord's forever: 31 They will come and proclaim His righteousness to the people who are born, what the Lord has done.
22 Psalm of David.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I will lack for nothing: 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters, 3 He strengthens my soul, He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff - they calm me. 5 You prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies; anointed my head with oil; my cup is overflowing. 6 So may goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord many days.
23 Psalm of David.
The earth is the Lord's, and the things that fill it, the world and everything that lives in it, 2 for he founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers. 3 Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place? 4 He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain or sworn falsely, 5 [he] will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob! 7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in! 8 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in! 10 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.
24 Psalm of David.
To You, Lord, I lift up my soul. 2 My God! I have trusted in You, lest I be put to shame, lest my enemies triumph over me, 3 Let not all who trust in Thee be put to shame; let them that do wrong in vain be put to shame. 4 Show me, O Lord, Your ways and teach me Your paths. 5 Guide me into Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I hope in You every day. 6 Remember Your compassions, O Lord, and Your mercies, for they have been from everlasting. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my crimes; by Thy mercy remember me, for the sake of Thy goodness, O Lord! 8 The Lord is good and righteous, therefore He guides sinners in the way, 9 He guides the meek to righteousness, and teaches the meek His ways. 10 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. 11 For Thy name's sake, O Lord, forgive my sin, for it is great. 12 Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will show him the path to choose. 13 His soul will remain in goodness, and his seed will inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the Lord is to those who fear Him, and He reveals His covenant to them. 15 My eyes are always on the Lord, for He brings my feet out of the snare. 16 Look upon me and have mercy on me, for I am lonely and oppressed. 17 The sorrows of my heart have increased; lead me out of my troubles, 18 look at my suffering and my exhaustion and forgive all my sins. 19 Look at my enemies, how many there are, and [with what] fierce hatred they hate me. 20 Preserve my soul and deliver me, so that I may not be put to shame because I have trusted in You. 21 Let integrity and righteousness protect me, for I trust in You. 22 Deliver, O God, Israel from all their troubles.
Every believer had to pray. Some people do this often, others only when necessary. But not everyone can pray on their own. For this purpose, ready-made texts written by spiritual people are most often used. For example, Psalm 1 is widely known - most Orthodox Christians have heard its text and interpretation at least once.
What is this sacred text about? By the way, it is quite short - only 6 lines. Already in the first sentence the author makes a contrast. He points out the difference between a Christian and other people who adhere to sin. They are called “a congregation of the depraved” - here we do not mean carnal sin, but any deviation from the commandments of God.
In general, the author examines the fate of those who love God and sinners who do not want to adhere to the commandments. Those who listen to the Lord are promised “bliss” - the interpretation indicates that this does not only mean external earthly well-being. The main thing for Christians is the afterlife, which will be joyful and happy for those who adhered to the Law of God.
Text of the First Psalm in Russian
| Psalm to David, not inscribed among Jews | Psalm of David, not inscribed among the Jews. |
| 1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the ways of sinners, and does not sit in the seats of destroyers, | 1 Blessed is the man who did not follow the counsel of the wicked, and did not stand in the way of sinners, and did not sit on the seat of the destroyers, |
| 2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he will learn day and night. | 2 But his will is the law of the Lord, and he will attend to His law day and night. |
| 3 And it will be like a tree planted by the rising waters, which will yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf will not fall away, and everything that it creates will prosper. | 3 And he will be like a tree planted by springs of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not fall, and it will prosper in everything that it does. |
| 4 Not like wickedness, not like this, but like the dust that the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth. | 4 Not so the wicked, not so, but as dust that the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth. |
| 5 For this reason the wicked will not rise again for judgment, nor the sinner for the council of the righteous. | 5 Therefore the wicked will not rise in judgment, nor sinners in the council of the righteous, |
| 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will perish. | 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. |
Theological interpretation
In a very succinct form, the author managed to show all the qualities that a true believer should have. This is not a follower of religious rituals, but one who, day and night, thinks only about how to please the Lord. The Word of God for him is the root that supports and nourishes, like a strong tree.
The prophet promises such a faithful follower success in every endeavor, because the mighty Lord becomes his patron. Is there anything that the Lord of Heaven cannot do?
Why do they read?
It is possible to recite the psalm during prayer not only in the Church Slavonic translation, but also in Russian. Now on the Internet you can freely find both modern and older translations of various holy fathers. In what cases is this done?
- When it is necessary to strengthen faith that has been shaken.
- Before grapes or fruit trees are planted.
- During the period of various temptations.
It is not necessary to carry out any rituals. It is important to focus all your attention on prayer. The psalm is quite short, so even spiritually inexperienced people can do it. By reading the psalms, faith will increase and the soul will return to a state of peace.
Psalm 1 - text in Russian, interpretation, why they read it was last modified: September 9th, 2017 by Bogolub
Of all the books of Holy Scripture, the Psalter is the most commonly used by Orthodox Christians, the most beloved. Each of the books has its own purpose, but the book of psalms, as St. Basil the Great says, “explains everything useful from all the books, prophesies, gives laws of life, rules of activity, perfect theology...”. This is a mirror in which the sinful soul is reflected and finds healing.
The Psalter is important for a Christian not only because it contains examples of prayerful appeals to God, but also repeatedly and clearly expounds the doctrine of human salvation and how the Lord arranged it.
Psalm 1
The first psalm reveals three themes important to our salvation: true happiness, the meaning of human life, and what awaits us in the end.
It is no coincidence that the book of psalms begins with the word “blessed.” “Blessed” is translated from Church Slavonic ashappy. Nowadays, the concept of happiness is very blurred. It is replaced by joy, fun... - crushed. The original (from the structure of the word - s-part-e) meaning of the word shows that a person is happy when he is part of his family, clan, people, country, ..., God. The true and highest happiness for a person is life with God. It is not for nothing that in Rus' people were called blessed for whom the usual values of the earthly world lost their meaning; another world, God’s, was revealed to them. And these two worlds are represented in the Psalter by representatives of three groups of people - the righteous (who are described in the 14th Psalm as citizens of heaven), the wicked and repentant sinners.
In the Psalter the wordblessed
occurs many times, and most often shows the path to true happiness. The concept of blessedness is the basis and beginning of the teaching about the moral life of people.
In the first psalm, the Lord shows the danger of communicating with the sinful world.
Ps.1:1 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the path of sinners, and does not sit in the seats of destroyers.”
The council of the wicked, according to the interpretation of St. Athanasius, “can be called a meeting of wicked people,” and according to St. Basil the Great, the council of the wicked is wicked thoughts, from which wicked deeds begin.Don't go, don't stop, don't sit , - these words express both the present and the past tense, and mean: whoever did not go, does not walk and does not stop. So, blessed is he who does not share the thoughts and feelings of wicked people and maintains purity of thoughts.
Who will you hang out with... And now, when communication more often becomes virtual, you can say what you will fill yourself with, whether there will be room in your soul for God, time for spiritual work. And as Saint John Cassian says, “without daily exercise in spiritual work” there is no spiritual life.
The second verse explains that the piety of a believer and the happiness associated with it—bliss—lies in the unwavering fulfillment of God’s will.
Ps.1:3 And it will be like a tree planted by the rising waters, which will yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf will not fall off, and everything that it does will prosper.
The words of this verse also bear an almost literal resemblance to the words of God spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, who denounced the wickedness of the Jews. In the 17th chapter of his prophecies, Jeremiah compares the fate of a pious man who trusts in the Lord God with the fate of the wicked, and about the first of them he says:“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord... and he will be like a tree planted by the waters, and he will put forth his root for good: he will not fear when heat comes (heat, drought), and his stem will be green, even in times of rainlessness He will not be afraid and will not stop producing fruit.” (vv. 7-8). The sayings of verse 3 from the first psalm were repeated and somewhat modified by the prophet Jeremiah, since the latter lived and prophesied much later than the compiler of the first psalm, David.
The image of a tree bearing fruit correlates with human earthly activities. Our fruits are good deeds, helping our neighbors. The Lord Himself gave us the parable of the barren fig tree for our edification. This is the purpose of man on earth, the true meaning of life – to live for one’s neighbor and for God.
Ps.1:4 Not like wickedness, not like this, but like dust, which the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth.
The deeds of the wicked are deprived of God’s gracious assistance and therefore, like dust swept up by the wind from the face of the earth, these deeds are destroyed and do not bear fruit and do not have any beneficial consequences. These people, through the long-suffering of God, often enjoy all the blessings of this world; and meanwhile, as it is written in the book of Job, they say to God:“Get away from us, we do not want to know Your ways! What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? and what is the use of resorting to Him?”
(21:14-15).
The third theme of the psalm is what awaits at the end of the human journey of everyone living on earth.
Ps.1:5 For this reason, the wicked will not rise to judgment, below the sinner to the council of the righteous.
The words of the psalm are consonant with the words of the Holy Gospel:“All who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God, and they will come out, having done good, to the resurrection of life; and having done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.”
(John 5:28-29). Everyone will be resurrected, only the wicked will not stand in judgment together with the righteous (Matthew 25:32), but will be condemned together with sinners, but the righteous and pious after the resurrection will follow into the Kingdom of God, or - which is the same thing - into eternal life.
Ps.1:6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked will perish.
By path we usually mean not the road we walk on, but all our deeds, thoughts and intentions, and therefore the final words of the psalm: the path of the wicked will perish mean that the deeds, plans, machinations of the wicked, and with them they themselves will perish.
So, blessed are all those who seek the Lord God with all their hearts (Ps. 119:2; 33:11), who delight in the law of God and meditate on it “day and night” (Ps. 11:1; 1:2 ), who listen to the Word of God and act on it (James 1:22-25; Luke 11:28). Blessed are all those upon whom, on the day of judgment, the blessing of the Heavenly Father will extend, spoken by the mouth of the Son of God:“Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
(Matt. 25:34). But “what sorrow will fill the heart of a sinner at that hour when the Judge Christ sits on His terrible throne, all generations will appear before Him and all the secrets of the heart will be revealed! Terrible is the judgment, terrible is the Judge, terrible is this hour!.. Blessed is the one whom Your goodness will cover then, O Lord!” (Psalter of St. Ephraim the Syrian).
Sources:
Explanation of the Holy Book of Psalms by Archpriest Gregory Razumovsky
Passions: diseases of the soul. Selected passages from the works of the Holy Fathers. Moscow, “Siberian benediction”, 2013.
