Why and how to read the Psalter for the dead? Prayer for the departed psalter Psalter for the deceased up to 40 days.

“What God has prepared for those who love Him has not entered into the heart of man,” writes the Christians of the city of Corinth. This means that a person will not have enough imagination to imagine what another world looks like, where he will appear before God face to face. But when a relative or friend dies, you want to know what happens to him beyond the boundaries of existence. When and how to pray to God in order to ease your grief for the departed and the path of his soul to eternity? Church and home prayers for the newly deceased, when read attentively, give the Christian consolation and instruction.

In contact with

Classmates

Newly deceased (i.e., having just appeared before God) is called the deceased from the moment of death to one year. Over many centuries, several customs have been established in the Orthodox Church to commemorate the newly deceased:

daily reading of the Psalter with special prayer;
magpie performed in the temple;
funeral services on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days;
Lithiums at the grave on days of general remembrance of the dead;
donations, memorial meals.

Pious Christians try to do the above even after a year. In this way, the fate of the deceased is eased and the Lord’s commandment to love one’s neighbors is fulfilled.

Reading the Psalter for the Newly Deceased

When the body of the deceased is still in the house and the priest is expected to arrive for the funeral service, relatives take turns, including at night, reading the Psalter over the deceased. In the absence of proper skill, they invite a church reader or a pious layman who has experience in this.

For reading, set up a lectern (book stand) or a small table, placing it in the head of the deceased, and light a candle. It is not forbidden to use a table lamp along with a candle. During long reading and extreme fatigue, the reader can continue the prayer while sitting, standing up only to bow with the words “Glory: and now:” and the prayer performed after each kathisma.

Friends and family can quietly enter and exit during the performance of the Psalter, praying for the deceased relative as best they can. If possible, a guest reader may read all night or limit yourself to reading the Book of Psalms once. For the work he has done, he is offered a monetary donation, part of the funeral meal, and asked for prayers for the deceased.

The sound of psalms at the tomb of the newly deceased calms the grief of loved ones and inspires hope in the mercy of God, with whom the soul of the deceased will very soon meet.

On the day of burial, the believing relatives and friends of the deceased agree among themselves to continue reading the Psalter until the fortieth day. Everyone undertakes to read one kathisma every day.

The Psalter consists of 20 kathismas, each of them is divided into three parts. After each part, three bows are made and a short prayer is read:

“Rest, O Lord, the soul of Your servant (name), forgive him his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”.

At the end of the kathisma, they read a prayer for the deceased for up to 40 days, located at the end of the Psalter, in the chapter “On reading the Psalter for the deceased.” If there is no such chapter in the book, use a separately printed text.

To read consciously, you need to understand the meaning of some words and expressions composing the text.

"in the hope of eternal life"- hoping for eternal life;
“forgive sins and consume untruths”- these words refer to the Lord, Who forgives sins and destroys the wrongs done by man;
"voluntary and involuntary sins"- sins committed intentionally and unintentionally;
"communion of eternal good things"- receive part of eternal benefits;
- everything said is true.

Order of the magpie in the temple

An important part of prayer for the newly deceased is church service. Relatives of the deceased choose churches where services are held daily and order a magpie for repose. It is advisable to do this on the day of death, but it is permissible to order a prayer on the day of burial. For forty days, before the service of the Liturgy, a piece of prosphora will be taken out for the deceased with a mention of his name.

Prayer for the 3rd, 9th and 40th day

Commemorations on special days after death existed in paganism. Wanting to sanctify folk customs, the Church decided to pray for the soul of the deceased within the time limits established by antiquity. It is impossible for the human mind to know what happens in a world where there is no time. To make it easier to imagine the afterlife of the deceased, The Church divides it into periods:

3rd day, burial

On the third day after death, burial (funeral service) takes place.- an Orthodox ritual with the participation of a priest and the obligatory prayer of loved ones. The burial takes place over the coffin of the deceased. In the event of a tragic death, when the body cannot be found, an absentee funeral service is held in the church.

The burial ceremony is very long and in ancient times lasted about two hours. Today it is performed shorter, up to 20 minutes. This will not affect the fate of the deceased if the relatives fervently pray for his soul.

After the ceremony, a memorial meal is arranged, to which in the old days the poor and wretched were invited, asking for their prayers for the deceased.

Day 9, the beginning of the ordeal or “twenty judgments”

On this important day, loved ones gather in the temple, to celebrate a memorial service. The soul of the deceased, having enjoyed the contemplation of the heavenly abodes, is preparing to give an answer for all the untruths committed. Demons approach her, recalling even the smallest offenses related to twenty types of sins. Angels answer them, pointing out the good deeds of the deceased or the church repentance he brought. It’s hard for a soul for which the Angels cannot give an answer. Then the prayers of loved ones are placed on the scales, performed on the 9th day and all subsequent times, until the 40th day.

Day 40, determining the place of residence of the soul

On the 40th day, the funeral meal is held again, a memorial service is ordered at the church. You can extend the ended 40th day or order the reading of the “Indestructible Psalter” in the monastery. The relatives of the deceased pray that God will have mercy on the soul and determine for it to await the Last Judgment in heavenly bliss.

It is better to call as many people as possible to prayer, doing alms on behalf of the deceased. Usually they distribute food, money or clothing to the poor, saying: “Remember the repose of God’s servant (name).” The alms-taker crosses himself and responds with the prayer: “Remember, O Lord, Thy servant in Thy Kingdom.”

After 40 days, the reading of the Psalter for the deceased stops, but his name is constantly remembered when reading kathismas at home or listening to them in church. On “Glory” it is enough to mentally say “Remember, O Lord, Thy servant.”

In some cases, by agreement with the priest, a funeral service can be performed in the church

Parents' Saturdays

Before one year has passed since the date of death, the deceased is called newly deceased. There is also a custom to do this only until the 40th day. Both traditions are acceptable.

Every Saturday funeral litias are held in the church, to which a note and a candle should be given. On days of general church commemoration - Parents' Saturdays - they bring food for the church servants so that they can join in prayer. It is good to include a note with the name of the deceased in the package with the offering, making sure to mark “for the repose of the body.”

Upon completion of the year from the date of death, a major monument (cross) is erected over the grave and a memorial service is served. After this, the deceased is called “ever remembered” (who is remembered forever).

Home prayer for the newly deceased

Almost all the texts that were read in church at funeral services and memorial services can be used in home prayer for the deceased. You can find them in the prayer book or Breviary. Usually, the commemoration of the newly deceased is performed during the morning rule, where a separate text is devoted to this.

Prayer for the newly deceased calms the bitterness of separation, allows you to spiritually connect with him, and help his situation. For longer prayers, there is the “Canon for the One Who Died,” where, for convenience, commemoration is in the singular. It can be added to the canon with the same name. These texts are found in liturgical books, so for reading at home it is more convenient to buy a separate edition from the church or print it from the Internet. There is a tradition to read the canon and akathist on the fortieth day.

When visiting a grave, a layman himself can sing the troparia “With the spirits of the righteous who have died,” “Rest with the saints,” and “Eternal memory.”

The custom of reading the Psalter for the departed dates back to ancient times; reading this undoubtedly brings them great consolation in itself, as reading the word of God, and as testifying to the love for them and the memory of their living brethren. It also brings them great benefit, for it is accepted by the Lord as a pleasant propitiatory sacrifice for the cleansing of the sins of those remembered - just as every prayer and every good deed is accepted by Him.

The Psalms should be read with tenderness and contrition of heart, slowly, and carefully delving into what is being read. The greatest benefit comes from reading the Psalms by those who commemorate them: it testifies to the great degree of love and zeal for those commemorated by their living brethren, who themselves personally want to work in their memory, and not replace themselves in work with others.

The Lord will accept the feat of reading not only as a sacrifice for those commemorated, but as a sacrifice for those who bring it, who work in reading.

Of course, anyone who is capable of this and has certain knowledge appropriate for serving the sacred cause can take on the reading of the Psalter at the tomb of the deceased. The sacrificial impulse of remembering relatives or friends of the deceased can largely, but not entirely, make up for their poor preparedness. In addition, the reading of the Psalter at the grave should be as continuous as possible, and this requires several changing readers. Therefore, there is a custom to invite people capable of it for sacred reading, adding to this invitation the giving of alms for those commemorated. However, in any case, the duty of attention to the word of God and prayer for the soul of the deceased lies not only with the reader of the Psalter, but also with the household relatives of the deceased.

The reading of the Psalter for the departed is of two types. The first is a strict reading of the Psalter over the tomb of the deceased in the coming days and weeks after his death - for example, until the 40th day. Reading the divinely inspired Psalms of David should ideally be a daily private activity for Orthodox Christians, therefore it is a common custom to combine the cell (home) reading of the Psalter with the remembrance of the living and the dead - this is another type of reading of the Psalter with remembrance.

If the Psalter is read only for the deceased, before the first kathisma the Canon must be read for the same deceased. After the canon - “It is worthy to eat..” and further until the end, as indicated in the rite of the private reading of the Canon for the same deceased.

When the psalter is read at the tomb of the deceased, the priest present first performs the Sequence on the outcome of soul and body. Then the reader begins reading the Psalter

At the end of the entire Psalter, the reader again reads the Canon for the one who died and after it the reading of the Psalter begins again, and this is repeated throughout the reading of the Psalter for the deceased.

“When reading the Psalter at the tomb of the deceased,” writes Bishop Afanasy (Sakhorov) in his exhaustive study “On the Commemoration of the Dead according to the Statute of the Orthodox Church,” “there is no need to read the troparia and prayers prescribed for the usual cell rule according to kathismas. It will be more appropriate in all cases , and after each “Glory:”, and after kathisma, read a special memorial prayer. The practice of Ancient Russia sanctified the use in this case of that funeral troparion, which should end the cell reading of the funeral canons: “Remember, Lord, the soul of your departed servant,” and During the reading, five bows are required, on the troparion itself it is read three times. According to the same ancient practice, the reading of the Psalter for the repose is preceded by the reading of the Canon for the deceased, after which the reading of the Psalter begins. After reading all the psalms, the funeral Canon is read again, after which the first reading begins again "kathisma. This order continues throughout the reading of the Psalter for the repose."

Nowadays, a slightly different tradition of reading the Psalter at the tomb has become widespread: after the first and second “Glory:” of the kathisma, the prayer “Remember, O Lord our God...” is read, and at the end of the kathisma, the troparions of the deceased are read (and not the troparia at the end of this kathisma) and the prayer prescribed after kathisma. This reading order is recommended in the Psalter published by the Moscow Patriarchate (1973) and some other publications.

When reading the Psalter at the tomb of the deceased, one should take into account the tradition and each time precede the reading of the 1st kathisma with the reading of the funeral canon.

In conclusion, it only remains to add that it is more fitting for any reader of the Psalter (experienced or not) to stand as if he were a person praying (at the feet of the tomb of the deceased), unless a particular extremity forces him to sit down. Negligence in this matter, as in the observance of other pious customs, is offensive both to the sacred rite, blessed by the Holy Church, and to the word of God, which, if carelessly, is read as if in conflict with the intention and feeling of the praying Christian.

Follow-up when reading the Psalter for the dead

The reading of each kathisma begins with a prayer:

Come, let us worship our King God.

Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.

Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.

(When reading the kathisma for each “Glory” (which reads as “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and ever and unto ages of ages Amen”) it is said:

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

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! (three times)

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

(Then the prayer petition for the deceased is read “Remember, O Lord our God...”, located at the end of the “Following the Exodus of the Soul”, and the name of the deceased is remembered on it with the addition (until the fortieth day from the day of death) of the words “newly deceased”):

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternally departed servant, our brother [name], and as Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Your eternal good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorified by You in the Trinity, faith, and Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even to his last breath of confession. Be merciful to him, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Then the reading of the psalms of kathisma continues.) At the end of the kathisma it reads:

Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.)

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.

Lord have mercy. (three times);

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

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

Tropari

From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, give rest to the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.

In Thy chamber, O Lord: where all Thy saints rest, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit:

You are God, Who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the bound, May You Himself and the soul of Your servant give rest

And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for the salvation of his soul.

Lord have mercy (40 times)
(Then the prayer prescribed at the end of kathisma is read.)

Why read the Psalter for the dead? Where did this tradition come from? What are the stories behind the writing of Psalms 50 and 90? Is it true that previously in Rus' they learned to read not from the ABC book, but from the Psalter? You will find answers to these questions in this article. You will also learn how to create psalms of repose and understand what you read.

What is the Psalter and what is the secret of its popularity?

One of the most beloved and popular books of all Christians can be called the Psalter - the book of psalms. Among the Jews, psalms were prayer hymns dedicated to the Lord and sung to the accompaniment.

The ability to compose psalms was considered a great gift, and King David, who is credited with the authorship of the Psalter - 151 psalms (in some translations 150), possessed it in full. Most of these hymns were actually written by David. The king put all shades of emotion into them: he thanked the Lord, tearfully prayed for help, repented of his sins, and prophesied about the fate of the Israeli people.

How was Psalm 50 written?

This psalm is a song of repentance. What did the king repent of? One day he was seduced by the beauty of Bathsheba, the wife of his warrior Uriah. In order to “remove” his legitimate husband, he gave the order to place a warrior in the battle with the Ammonites in the place where he would definitely be killed. When Bathsheba became a widow, David took her to his palace and married her. But the king sincerely repented of his wicked act, and the prophet Nathan convicted him of sin. The Lord also punished David: the first son from Bathsheba was born dead. After the endowment, the king prayed and fasted for a long time. The result of this secret prayer was Psalm 50.

Which psalm protects against unclean spirits?

No less famous is Psalm 90, with which the holy fathers advise protecting oneself from unclean spirits. The main meaning of the hymn is that the Lord will definitely protect those who trust in God. This is what happened in the story of King David. Through prayers, the Lord delivered from a three-day pestilence, the epidemic of which killed tens of thousands of people.

These are just two examples of famous hymns. In fact, there are many more of them. Believers use them in church and personal prayer, reading the Psalter for the dead and for the living. How did this tradition develop?

Instead of the first prayer book and... primer

We often hear hymns during the Liturgy, at evening services, at memorial services and do not even know that they are actually taken from the Psalter.

In both the Jewish and Christian traditions, love for the psalms was passed down from generation to generation.

According to legend, the apostles sang the hymns of King David over the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Children and adults in Rus' learned to read not from the ABC book, but from the Psalter. The famous saint, Sergius of Radonezh, was very worried as a child because he could not read the psalms evenly, clearly, without errors and hesitations.

Today, children no longer learn to read and write from the Book of the Psalmist David. But over time, as adults, they often come to faith and realize the importance of hymns of praise. By reading and delving deeply into the texts of King David, we accumulate the prayer experience of many generations of Christians.

Such prayer, if it is done with faith, sincerely, with a desire to delve into and understand, is pleasing to God. That is why it is customary to pray according to the Psalter both for the dead and for the living.

Why read the Psalter for the dead?

Such prayer is useful not only for the deceased, but also for those who turn to hymns. If this is a relative grieving from a loss, then during reading he calms down, is distracted from the bustle of life and thinks about salvation.

In the days of the first Christians there were no such solemn services as we have, there were no many prayers, canons, or akathists. There were no prayer books. The only thing they had was the Psalter and fervent prayer from the bottom of their hearts.

Over time, different prayer orders appeared, but the hymns of King David did not lose their importance. In cell (home) prayer, Orthodox Christians usually read the Psalter, pray for the living and the dead, and add various petitions (what they ask God for).

How to read the Psalter for the dead?

For ease of reading, the Psalter is divided into 20 parts - kathisma. In each kathisma, in addition to the psalms, there are also three “Glories”. At slavas it is customary to remember the names of the living and the dead. You will learn more about why and how to pray for the dead in the words of David’s psalms in the article “Psalms for the dead - read correctly.”

When to start and how long to read kathismas for the deceased? There is no definite answer here, but we can give a general recommendation: start as early as possible and pray intensely for the first 40 days (in Orthodoxy it is believed that during this time it will be determined whether the soul will remain in heaven or hell until the Second Coming, so the prayer of relatives can help the deceased) .

How many psalms or kathismas should I read? Usually believers read one kathisma per day. It is customary to read kathisma 17 about repose first. This is what is used in funeral services. But if there are many people who want to pray for the deceased, then the kathismas can be divided so that the entire Psalter can be read for the deceased within 24 hours. Whether this will work out depends on the wishes of the believers.

After 40 days you should not stop praying. The dead need our spiritual support, of which the psalms are part. If you continue to read kathisma a day, then remember the names of health on the first two “Glories”, and the names of repose on the third.

How to learn to understand the psalms?

A popular question that concerns many believers: how to understand the Psalter, especially if you read it in Church Slavonic?
Usually the answers of priests and theologians are somewhat different.

Someone advises to still read the Psalter for the dead and about health, even if you don’t understand. The main argument: you don’t understand, but the evil spirits understand everything and run away. Over time, the one who prays earnestly will also begin to understand. God reveals.
Others recommend using translations into Russian, writing out individual words, and using a dictionary from Church Slavonic to translate them into Russian. It is best to read historical information about the writing of each hymn and use the interpretations of the holy fathers and theologians.

You can find such explanations both in the church store and on useful Christian sites. Also, in order to understand the meaning of the hymns, one must study the Holy Scriptures. What David experienced before he wrote Psalm 50 is described in the Second Book of Samuel.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Read also on our website:

How can you describe the depth of the loss of a loved one? It is very difficult to go through this. Many people become extremely depressed and lose the meaning of life. But Orthodoxy gives every believer hope - for eternal life, for remaining in the Kingdom of Heaven. After all, with God everyone is alive.

17th Kathisma (memorial), read on days of special remembrance of the dead (read daily for 40 days after death)
The meaning of the 17th Kathisma
During the entire forty days after the death of a person, his family and friends must read the Psalter. How many kathismas per day depends on the time and energy of the readers, but reading must certainly be daily. When the entire Psalter has been read, it is read first. Just don’t forget that after each “Glory...” you need to read a prayer request for the remembrance of the deceased (from “Following the departure of the soul from the body”).
Prayer request for the deceased
Remember, O Lord, our God, in the faith and hope of the life of Thy eternally departed servant, our brother (name), and as the Good and Lover of mankind, forgiving sins and consuming iniquities, weaken, forsake and forgive all his voluntary and involuntary sins, deliver him from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna and grant him the communion and enjoyment of Thy eternal good things prepared for those who love Thee: even if Thou sin, yet do not depart from Thee, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Thy God in the Trinity of the glorified faith, and the One in the Trinity and Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even until his last breath of confession. Be merciful to the same, and faith, even in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints, as you are Generous, give rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
According to the 17th Kathisma:
Trisagion, according to Our Father...
And troparia, tone 2
Those who have sinned against You, O Savior, like the prodigal son: accept me, Father, who repents, and have mercy on me, O God.
Glory: I call to You, Christ the Savior, with the publican’s voice: cleanse me as she did, and have mercy on me, O God.
And now: Mother of God, do not despise me, demanding Your intercession: for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
Lord, have mercy (40 times).

Options for praying according to the Psalter for the repose
Sometimes for a one-time, but strong, that is, tangible for the deceased, mention, there is a tradition (and for good reason) to read from the entire book one kathisma, which, as was realized through rich church experience, is most suitable for expressing the feelings and moods of the deceased himself.
Such a kathisma, unique and most extraordinary, beautiful not only in its content, but also in artistic expression and language, this is the 17th kathisma. It is one of not only the most beautiful, but also one of the longest in the entire text of the book. The one who reads this chapter gets the opportunity to truly, albeit relatively briefly, remember the dear deceased, to work for him (to bring God not only a word, but also an action, work), and the person praying himself receives great benefit from this for his soul.

The Psalter consists of 20 sections - kathisma, each of which is divided into three “Glories”. Before reading the first kathisma, the pre-initial prayers are said before starting the reading of the Psalter. At the end of the reading of the Psalter, prayers are said after reading several kathismas or the entire Psalter. The reading of each kathisma begins with a prayer:
Prayers before reading the Psalter
Verbs with tenderness: Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.
Trisagion

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity

Lord have mercy. (three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord's Prayer

Tropari
Have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us, bewildered by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: The honor of Thy prophet, O Lord, is a triumph, Heaven shows the Church, the Angels rejoice with men. By your prayers, O Christ God, guide our belly in peace, so that we may sing to You: Alleluia.
And now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen: My many and many sins, Mother of God, have come to You, O Pure One, demanding salvation: visit my weak soul and pray to Your Son and our God to grant me forgiveness for the evil deeds, O Blessed One.
Lord have mercy, 40 times. And bow down, so powerfully.
The same prayer to the Holy Life-Giving Trinity: All-holy Trinity, God and Creator of the whole world, hasten and direct my heart, begin with reason and finish the good works of these God-inspired books, even the Holy Spirit will vomit the lips of David, which I now want to say, I, unworthy, meaning my own ignorance, falling down, I pray to Thee, and ask You for help: Lord, guide my mind and confirm my heart, not about the words of the lips of this cold, but about the mind of those who say, rejoice, and prepare to do good deeds, even as I learn, and I say: yes Enlightened by good deeds, at the judgment of the right hand of Your land I will be a partaker with all Your chosen ones. And now, Vladyka, bless, and, sighing from my heart, I will sing with my tongue, saying to my face: Come, let us worship our King God. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God. Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
Just wait a little, until all your feelings calm down. Then make the beginning not quickly, without laziness, with tenderness and a contrite heart. Rtsy quietly and intelligently, with attention, and not struggling, as the verb is understood with the mind.
Come, let us worship our King God.
Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.
When reading the kathisma for each “Glory” the following is said:
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee, O God! (three times)

Remember, O Lord our God, in the faith and hope of the eternal life, Thy servant [or: Thy handmaid], our brother [or: our sister] [name], who reposed (before the 40th day from the day of death - “newly reposed”), and who is Good and Lover of Mankind , forgive sins and consume untruths, weaken, forsake and forgive all his [or: her] sins, voluntary and involuntary, deliver him [or: yu] eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna, and grant him [or: her] communion and eternal pleasure Your good things, prepared for those who love You: even if you sin, do not depart from You, and undoubtedly in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God glorify You in the Trinity, faith, and the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, Orthodox even to its last sighs of confession.
In the same way, be merciful to him [or: to that] and have faith in You instead of deeds, and with Your saints as You give generous rest: for there is no man who will live and not sin. But You are the One besides all sin, and Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and You are the One God of mercies and generosity, and love for mankind, and to You we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
And now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Then the reading of the psalms of kathisma continues.
At the end of the kathisma it reads:
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake.
Lord have mercy. (three times)
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Troparia deceased
From the spirits of the righteous who have passed away, give rest to the soul of Your servant, O Savior, preserving it in the blessed life that belongs to You, O Lover of Mankind.
In Thy chamber, O Lord: where all Thy saints rest, give rest also to the soul of Thy servant, for Thou art the only Lover of mankind.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You are God, Who descended into hell and loosed the bonds of the bound, May You Himself and the soul of Your servant give rest.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
One Pure and Immaculate Virgin, who gave birth to God without a seed, pray for the salvation of his soul.
Then the prayer prescribed at the end of kathisma is read:
According to the 1st kathisma
Master Almighty, Incomprehensible, the beginning of light and the supreme power, like the Hypostatic Word of the Father and the One-Powered Emitter of Your Spirit: merciful for the sake of mercy and ineffable goodness, not despising human nature, the darkness of sin contained, but the Divine lights of Your sacred teachings, the law and prophets shining to the world, follow and let us, O God, grant us, in a vigilant and sober heart, to pass through the whole night of this present life, awaiting the coming of Thy Son and God. ours, the judge of all, let us not recline and sleep, but be awake and lifted up in the doing of Thy commandments, and let us find ourselves in His joy, where we celebrate the unceasing voice and the ineffable sweetness of those who behold Your face, the unspeakable kindness. For You are a Good and Lover of Mankind, and we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 2nd kathisma
Master Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Only Begotten Son, grant unto me an undefiled body, a pure heart, a vigorous mind, an unlost mind, the influx of the Holy Spirit, to the acquisition and contentment of the truth in Thy Christ: with Him is due to Thee glory, honor and worship, with the Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 3rd kathisma
Lord Almighty, Word of the Eternal Father, Self-perfect God Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thy unconditional mercy, do not part from Thy servants, but rest ever in them, do not forsake me, Thy servant, O All-Holy King, but give me, unworthy, the joy of Thy salvation and enlighten my mind with the light of the knowledge of Your Gospel, bind my soul to the love of Your Cross, adorn my body with Your dispassion, calm my thoughts and keep my nose from creeping, and do not destroy me with my iniquities, Good Lord, but tempt me, O God, and enlighten my heart mine, test me and guide me in my paths, and see if the path of iniquity is in me, and turn me away from it, and guide me on the eternal path. For You are the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, and we send up glory to You with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 4th kathisma
To You, Lord, the only Good and Unmemorable Evil One, I confess my sins, I fall down crying to You, unworthy: I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned and am not worthy to look up to the heights of heaven from the multitude of my untruths. But, my Lord, Lord, grant me tears of compunction, the only Blessed and Merciful One, for with them I beg You to be cleansed before the end from all sin: for it is a terrible and menacing place for the Imam to pass through, our bodies being separated, and a multitude of dark and inhuman demons will bury me, and no one can help or deliver. Thus I bow down to Your goodness, do not betray those who offend me, below let my enemies boast about me, Good Lord, below let them say: you came into our hands, and you are betrayed to us. Neither, Lord, do not forget Your bounties and do not repay me for my iniquity, and do not turn Your face away from me: but You, Lord, punish me, both with mercy and bounty. Let my enemy not rejoice over me, but extinguish his reproaches against me and abolish all his actions, and give me a reproachful path to You, Good Lord: even though I have sinned, I have not resorted to another doctor, and I have not stretched my hand to a foreign god. , do not reject my prayer, but hear me with Your goodness and strengthen my heart with Your fear, and may Your grace be upon me, Lord, like fire that burns up unclean thoughts in me. For you are, Lord, light, more than any light; joy, more than any joy; peace, more than any peace; true life and salvation that endures forever and ever, Amen.
According to the 5th Kathisma
Righteous and Praiseworthy God, Great and Mighty God, Eternal God, hear the prayer of a sinful man at this hour: hear me, who promised to hear those who call on You in truth, and do not hate me, having unclean lips and containing sins, the hope of all the ends of the earth and those who wander. far away. Take the weapon and the shield and rise up to help me: pour out the sword and make a stand against those who persecute me. Ban the unclean spirit from the face of my madness, and let the spirit of hatred and resentment, the spirit of envy and flattery, the spirit of fear and despondency, the spirit of pride and all other malice be separated from my thoughts; and may all kindling and movement of my flesh, caused by the devil’s action, be extinguished, and may my soul and body and spirit be enlightened by the light of Your Divine knowledge: may I, through the multitude of Your bounty, achieve the union of faith, in a perfect husband, according to the measure of my age, and glorify with the Angels and by all Your saints, Your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 6th Kathisma
We thank Thee, Lord our God, for all Thy good deeds, even from the first age to the present in us, the unworthy, the former, those known and unknown, those manifested and unmanifested, those who were in deed, and in a word: having loved us as He loved the Only Begotten You are willing to give your Son to us. Make us worthy of Your love. Grant with Your word wisdom and with Your fear inhale strength from Your power, and whatever we want or don’t want to sin, forgive, and not impute, and preserve our holy soul, and present it to Your Throne, having a clear conscience, and the end is worthy of Your love for mankind. And remember, O Lord, all who call upon Thy name in truth: remember all who desire good or evil against us: for all are men, and every man is in vain. We also pray to You, Lord: grant us Your great mercy.
According to the 7th Kathisma
Lord, my God, as you are Good and Lover of Mankind, you have done many mercies with me, even more than you expected, and what will I repay to your goodness, my Lord, Lord? I thank Your much-sung name, I thank Your inscrutable kindness towards me, I thank Your unconditional long-suffering. And from now on, intercede, and help me, and cover me, Master, from everyone who has no one to sin before You: for You weigh my favored nature, You weigh my madness, You weigh what I have done, even in knowledge and not in knowledge, even voluntary and involuntary, even in the night and in the days, and in the mind, and thoughts, for God is good and a lover of mankind, cleanse me with the dew of Thy mercy, Most Good Lord, and save us for the sake of Thy holy name, in the image of destinies. For You are Light and Truth and Life, and to You we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 8th Kathisma
Lord, Generous and Merciful, Long-suffering and Many-merciful, inspire prayer and listen to the voice of my prayer: create a sign for good with me, guide me on Your path, to walk in Your truth, make my heart glad, in fear of Your Holy Name, who art Thou before great. , and work miracles. You are the One God, and there is no one like You in God, O Lord, Mighty in mercy, and Good in strength, to help and comfort, and to save all who trust in Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever forever and ever, amen.
According to the 9th Kathisma
Master Lord, our God, who is the only ailment of my soul that is accursed and knows how to sow healing, heal you as if you were weighed, for the sake of the multitude of your mercy and your generosity, since there is no plaster to apply to it from my deeds, lower than oil, lower than duty, but you who have come call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance, have mercy, be generous, forgive me, tear up the handwriting of many of my and cold deeds and guide me on Thy right path, so that, walking in Thy truth, I will be able to avoid the arrows of the evil one and I will appear uncondemned before Thy terrible throne , glorifying and singing Your Most Holy Name forever, amen.
According to the 10th Kathisma
Lord our God, Rich in mercy and Incomprehensible in generosity, One by nature Sinless, and for our sakes except for sin, having been a Man, hear this painful prayer of mine at this hour, for I am poor and wretched because of good deeds, and my heart is troubled within me. For you weigh, the Highest King, Lord of heaven and earth, for all my youth I lived in sins and followed the lusts of my flesh, all the laughter was a demon, all the devil followed, I will take out in the time of pleasures wallow, darkened by thoughts from infancy, even Until now, I never wanted to do Your holy will, but I was captivated by the passions that plagued me, I was filled with laughter and reproach by the demon, not even thinking in my mind like the unbearable anger of a hedgehog at the sinners of Your rebuke, and the lying fiery Gehenna. As if from here I fell into despair, and as though I had no feeling of conversion, I was empty and naked from Your friendship. What kind of sin have you not committed? What deed has the demon not done? What cold and prodigal deed have you not accomplished with advantage and diligence? The mind has been desecrated by the memories of the flesh, the body has been desecrated by the confusion, the spirit has been desecrated by the connexion, I have loved all the pleasures of my damned flesh to serve and work with sin. And who else will not weep for me, the accursed one? Who will not weep for me, condemned? I am the only one, O Lord, who has provoked Your wrath, I am the only one who has kindled Your anger against me, I am the only one who has created evil before You, having surpassed and conquered all sinners from the ages, who have sinned incomparably and unforgivenly. But since you are the Most Merciful, the Compassionate One, the Lover of Mankind, and waiting for human conversion, I bring myself before Thy terrible and unbearable judgment, and as if I touched Your most pure feet, I cry to Thee from the depths of my soul: cleanse, Lord, forgive, Benefactor, have mercy on my infirmity. , bow to my bewilderment, listen to my prayer and do not silence my tears, accept me who repents, and convert the erring one, who turns around and prays, forgive me. You have not ordained repentance for the righteous, you have not ordained forgiveness for those who do not sin, but you have ordained repentance for me, a sinner, for the same things I have done in Your indignation; Heavenly, from the severity of my sins we dance. Enlighten the eyes of my heart and give me tenderness for repentance, and contrition of heart for correction, so that with good hope and true assurance I will go to the world there, praising and blessing I will take out Your all-holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever, amen.
According to the 11th Kathisma
Shine in our hearts, O Lord who loves mankind, of Your imperishable knowledge of God, and open our mental eyes, in Your gospel sermons, understanding, put fear in us and Your blessed commandments, so that all carnal lusts may be trampled, we will pass through spiritual life, all that is for Your good pleasure. both wise and active. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and we send up glory to You, with Your Originless Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 12th Kathisma
Lord my God, One Good and Humane, One Merciful and Meek, One True and Righteous, One Generous and Merciful our God: may Thy power come upon me, Thy sinful and indecent servant, and may He strengthen my temple with the Gospel of Thy Divine teaching, Master and O Lover of Mankind, O Lover of Bliss, O Lover of Compassion, enlighten my wombs and all souls with Thy will. Cleanse me from all malice and sin: keep me undefiled and blameless from every inspiration and action of the devil, and grant me, according to Your goodness, Your understanding, Your wisdom, and in Your desires to live, To fear Your fear, to do what is pleasing to You until my last sighs, because by Your inscrutable mercy You have preserved my body and soul, and my mind and thoughts, and have not been tempted by any opposing network of the temple. My Lord, Lord, cover me with Your compassion, and do not forsake me, a sinner, and an unclean, and an unworthy servant of Yours: for You are my Protector, Lord, and I sing about You, and we send up glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy One. To the Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 13th Kathisma
Holy Lord, Who liveth in the highest, and with Thy all-seeing eye look down upon all creation. We bow our necks to You, soul and body, and we pray to You, Holy of Holies: stretch out Your invisible hand from Your holy dwelling, and bless us all: and if we have sinned against You, willingly or unwillingly, for God is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive us, and grant us peace and blessings. Yours. For it is Thine to have mercy and to save, our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 14th Kathisma
We thank Thee, O Lord God of our salvation, for Thou hast done everything for the good deeds of our life, for Thou hast given us rest in the past night time, and raised us up from our beds, and placed us in the worship of Thy honorable and glorious name. We also pray to You, Lord: give us grace and strength, so that we may be worthy of You to sing wisely and pray unceasingly: and I will look to You, the Savior and Benefactor of our souls, with fear and trembling, our salvation working. Hear now and have mercy, O Compassionate One, on us: crush under our feet the invisible warriors and enemies: accept according to the strength of our thanksgiving: give us grace and strength to open our mouths, and teach us by Your justification. As if we would not pray as we should, except You, Lord, guide us with Your Holy Spirit. If you have sinned even before the present hour, in word, or deed, or thought, willfully or involuntarily, relax, forgive, forgive. If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who will stand? For You have purification, You have deliverance. You are the only Holy One, the Mighty Helper, and the Protector of our life, and we bless You forever, amen.
According to the 15th Kathisma
Master Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Helper, I am in Your hands, help me, do not leave me to sin against You, for I am lost, do not leave me to follow the will of my flesh, do not despise me, Lord, for I am weak. You weigh what is useful to me, do not leave me to perish in my sins, do not forsake me, Lord, do not depart from me, as I have come running to You, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Heal my soul, as those who have sinned by You, save me for the sake of Your mercy, as before You we are all who suffer, and I have no other refuge but You, Lord. Let all those who rise up against me and seek my soul be ashamed to consume it, for You are the only Mighty One, O Lord, in all, and Yours is the glory forever and ever, Amen.
According to the 16th Kathisma
Holy Lord, Living in the Highest, and with Your all-seeing eye look upon all creation, We bow to You, soul and body, and we pray to You, Holy of Holies: stretch out Your invisible hand from Your holy dwelling, and bless us all, and forgive us every sin, voluntary and involuntary, in word or deed. Grant us, Lord, tenderness, grant spiritual tears from the soul, for the cleansing of many of our sins, grant Your great mercy to Your world and to us, Your unworthy servants. For blessed and glorified is Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.
According to the 17th Kathisma
Master, Lord Almighty and Creator of all, the Father of generosity and mercy, God, who created man from the earth, and showed him in Your image and likeness, so that Your magnificent name may be glorified on earth, and that which was uprooted by the transgression of Your commandments, again creating something better him in Thy Christ, and raised up to Heaven: I thank Thee, for Thou hast increased Thy greatness upon me, and Thou hast not betrayed me to the end as my enemy, to cast me out into the abyss of hell by those who seek me, and left me below to perish through my iniquities. Now, O most merciful and most merciful Lord, do not want the death of a sinner, but wait for conversion, and accept: He who has corrected the downtrodden, who has healed the contrite, turn me to repentance, and correct the overthrown, and heal the contrite: remember Thy mercies, and even Thy since the ages incomprehensible goodness and my immeasurable forget the iniquities that I have committed in deed, word, and thought: resolve the blindness of my heart, and give me tears of tenderness to cleanse the filth of my thoughts. Hear, O Lord, listen, O Lover of mankind, cleanse, O Compassionate One, and free my accursed soul from the torment of the reigning passions within me. And let no one keep me from sin, let the demon fighter be able to attack me, let him lead me to his desire, but by Thy mighty hand, having snatched me away from His dominion, Thou reign in me, O Good and Humane-loving Lord, and of all Thy being, and May I live otherwise according to Your good will. And grant me with the indescribable goodness of my heart, purification of the heart, guarding of the mouth, rightness of actions, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, silence of my spiritual strength, spiritual joy, true love, long-suffering, kindness, meekness, unfeigned faith, self-control, and fill me with all good fruits, by the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And do not bring me to the end of my days, delight my uncorrected and unprepared soul below, but complete me with Your perfection, and thus bring me to the present life, as if I had passed through the beginnings and powers of darkness without restraint, by Your grace I will see and I, unapproachable to Your glory, unspeakable kindness, with all Your saints, in them be sanctified, and glorified is Your all-honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, amen.
According to the 18th Kathisma
Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. Master Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner, a beggar, a naked, lazy, careless, backbiting, accursed, fornicator, adulterer, malak, sodomite, filthy, prodigal, ungrateful, unmerciful, cruel, drunkard, seared with conscience, impersonal naked , daring, unrequited, unworthy of Your love for mankind, and worthy of all torment, and Gehenna, and torment. And not for the sake of my many sins, do you inflict torment on the Redeemer; but have mercy on me, for I am weak, both in soul, and in flesh, and in mind, and in thought, and through your destinies save me, Thy unworthy servant, through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos, and of all the saints who have pleased You from the ages: for blessed art Thou in forever and ever, amen.
According to the 19th Kathisma
Master Christ God, Who healed my passions with Your Passion and healed my ulcers with Your ulcers, grant to me, who have sinned much against You, tears of tenderness, dissolve my body from the smell of Your life-giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honest Blood from sorrow, with which I was given a drink by the enemy. . Raise my mind to You, which has been drawn down below, and lift me from the abyss of destruction, as I am not the imam of repentance, not the imam of tenderness, not the imam of comforting tears, leading children to their inheritance. My mind has been darkened by worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even love for You, but, Master Lord Jesus Christ, Treasure of the Good, grant me complete repentance, and a heart laboring to seek Yours, grant me grace Yours, and renew in me the eyes of Your image. Forsaken Thee, do not forsake me, go out to seek me, lead me to Thy pasture, and number me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock, educate me with them from the grain of Thy Divine mysteries, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, amen.
According to the 20th Kathisma
Lord Jesus Christ my God, have mercy on me, a sinner, and forgive me, Thy unworthy servant, for those who have sinned throughout my whole life, and even to this day, and even if I have sinned like a man, my voluntary and involuntary sins, in deed and word, I think with my mind and thoughts, with admiration and inattention, and much of my laziness and negligence. If I have sworn by Your name, or have sworn falsely, or have blasphemed my thoughts, or have reproached anyone, or slandered, or been saddened, or in wicked anger, or stolen, or committed fornication, or lied, or secretly poisoned, or a friend approached me and despised him, or my brother who was insulted and bitter, or who stood by me in prayer and psalmody, my wicked mind went around the crafty one, or I enjoyed myself more than foolishly, or I laughed madly, or I spoke blasphemously, or I was vain, or proud, or I saw vain kindness and was deceived by it. , or ridiculous mocked me. If I was negligent in my prayers, or did not keep the commandments of my spiritual father, or idle talk, or did other evil things, I remember all these deeds, which I remember below. Have mercy, O Lord, and forgive me everything, so that I may sleep and rest in peace, singing, blessing, and glorifying Thee, with Thy Beginning Father and with Thy Most Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

For every Christian believer, reading the Psalter for the dead is a tribute to those who have left this world. According to tradition, the Psalter is read continuously over the body of the deceased from the moment of his death until burial.

The Psalter is a book that is part of the Holy Scriptures. There are only 150 psalms. Most of them are written biblically, the rest are from the pen of other ancient Israeli rulers.

What is kathisma?

The Psalter itself is divided into twenty chapters or kathismas. Kathismas represent several psalms (usually three or four) collected together, separated by three “Glories”. In other words, after reading, for example, two psalms, the reader encounters the word “Glory” in the text. This means that in this place one should say: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” then other prayers are read sequentially and at the end it is said, “And now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.” Amen".

The famous Bishop Athanasius believed that while reading the Psalter for the deceased, after each “Glory” and “Now,” a special funeral prayer should be said and five prostrations should be made. Before and after reading the Psalter for the dead, it is necessary to read the funeral Canon.

Divided into kathismas, the Psalter is much easier to read, and the reading of the book itself can last only five hours. It is advisable to read the Psalter for the dead continuously, especially before burial. This can be done by close people of the deceased, those who are able to do this.

The text itself conveys a person’s hope for God’s mercy. Thoughtful reading and listening to the Psalter comforts loved ones and relatives of the deceased.

It is not only permitted, but also encouraged to read the Psalter for the departed for up to 40 days. It is often practiced to read the Psalter forty days before the date of death, and then repeat the reading for another forty days. As a result, eighty days pass.

Seventeenth Kathisma

This book has long been included among the liturgical books, since almost half of the text of the All-Night Vigil and Liturgy service consists of excerpts from it. The Psalter for the Dead can be read while sitting, but not lying down. The Holy Fathers believe that prayers said without straining the body do not bear worthy fruits. Only sick and infirm people are allowed to read the Psalter, Gospel, and so on while lying down.

People who are far from the church, but who want to become real believers in the future, often ask: what Psalter is read for the dead at home? Indeed, it happens that clergy give their blessing to read not the entire Psalter, but only its kathisma. This is the seventeenth kathisma. She was chosen because the content of the Divine text is most suitable for expressing the feelings of the deceased himself.

The seventeenth kathisma is not only the longest of all, but also the most beautiful. The reader has the difficult and honorable responsibility to remember the deceased, to work for him before God, which is why the Psalter, read for the deceased, brings great benefit to the soul of the one who reads it.

How did the tradition of commemorating the dead come about?

The story after which the tradition of commemorating the dead appeared is recorded in the Old Testament, in the second book of Maccabees. After Abraham showed deep devotion to God, the Almighty promised the Jewish people that they would emerge victorious in all wars, even if the number of enemies was several times greater, but only if they kept His Covenant.

Indeed, as long as the people kept the Divine covenant written on the tablets, no one could defeat them in battle. However, the Old Testament military leader Judas once suffered a crushing defeat on the battlefield. This happened for the first time and the remaining soldiers, led by the military leader, were at a loss, realizing that the Almighty had refused His word. The alarmed warriors decided to examine the bodies of their dead friends in order to send some of their clothes to their relatives and friends. On some they found pagan amulets and other signs of idol worship. This opened their eyes to the wrath of God.

Judas gathered the surviving soldiers, and they all stood up for prayer, having first thanked the Creator for not hiding the truth from them. In their appeal to God, the pious soldiers asked for forgiveness for the dead brothers who had departed from His covenant. The Lord accepted their prayer and highly appreciated Judas’s deed.

There are several other Old Testament stories in which ancient people showed concern for the dead.

Why should you read the Psalter?

Even before the Lord Jesus Christ revealed himself to people and before the appearance of the New Testament, Old Testament pious people read the Psalter. King David, who wrote it, was a humble man with a meek heart, which was unusual in those cruel times.

Through his psalms or, in modern language, songs, he showed the highest qualities of man, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. A collection of psalms, read for the soul of the deceased, protects it from persecuted evil spirits.

How to read the Psalter?

Usually they read it, which causes some bewilderment and inconvenience. The reader may not fully understand the meaning of words and expressions. There are two opinions on this matter.

Another opinion is a thoughtful reading of the psalms, with incomprehensible words written out and translated into Russian.

Of course, conscious reading is a priority, but the first option is also acceptable. If you wish, you can find explanations for the collection of psalms both on the Internet and in books devoted to this topic, of which there are many in church shops.

It is useful to study the Holy Scriptures, both the New Testament and the Old Testament. The fiftieth psalm, most often used during Divine services, has its own explanation, which can be found in the Second Book of Kings. David wrote this repentant psalm in severe contrition, so it is useful to know it by heart for the repentance of the soul.

If the Psalter is read in front of the coffin of the deceased, then the reader should stand at his feet with a burning candle. When reading, the words of Scripture must be pronounced with reverence, since words spoken carelessly are an insult to both the sacred rite and the Word of God.