Bedtime

When I call, answer me, O God of justice;
from anguish you released me, have mercy and hear me!

O men, how long will your hearts be closed,
will you love what is futile and seek what is false?

It is the Lord who grants favors to those whom he loves;
the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Fear him; do not sin: ponder on your bed and be still
Make justice your sacrifice, and trust in the Lord.

“What can bring us happiness?” many say.
Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Lord, do not reprove me in your anger;
punish me not in your rage.

Have mercy on me, Lord, I have no strength;
Lord, heal me, my body is racked;
my soul is racked with pain.
But you, O Lord... how long?

Return, Lord, rescue my soul.
Save me in your merciful love;
for in death no one remembers you;
from the grave, who can give you praise?

I am exhausted with my groaning;
every night I drench my pillow with tears;
I bedew my bed with weeping.

My eye wastes away with grief;
I have grown old surrounded by my foes.
Leave me, all you who do evil;
for the Lord has heard my weeping.

The Lord has heard my plea;
The Lord will accept my prayer.
All my foes will retire in confusion,
foiled and suddenly confounded.

How long, O Lord, will you forget me?
How long will you hide your face?
How long must I bear grief in my soul,
this sorrow in my heart day and night?

How long shall my enemy prevail?
Look at me, answer me, Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death,
lest my enemy say: “I have overcome him”;
lest my foes rejoice to see my fall.

As for me, I trust in your merciful love.
Let my heart rejoice in your saving help:
Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me,
singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
I trust you, let me not be disappointed;
do not let my enemies triumph.
Those who hope in you shall not be disappointed,
but only those who wantonly break faith.

In you I hope all day long
because of your goodness, O Lord.
Remember your mercy, Lord,
and the love you have shown from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth.
In your love remember me.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I am in distress.
Tears have wasted my eyes,
my throat and my heart.

For my life is spent with sorrow
and my years with sighs.
Affliction has broken down my strength
and my bones waste away.

Blessed be the Lord who has shown me
the wonders of his love
in a fortified city.

“I am far removed from your sight”
I said in my alarm.
Yet you heard the voice of my plea
when I cried for help.

Be strong, let your heart take courage,
all who hope in the Lord.

The day having passed, I thank You, Lord, and pray You grant that the evening and night be without sin, O Savior, and save me.

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

The day having passed, I glorify You, Master, and pray You: grant that the evening and the night be undisturbed, O Savior, and save me.

... now and ever and forever. Amen.

The day having passed, I hymn You, Holy One, and pray You: grant that the evening and the night be without temptation, O Savior, and save me.

Our human ears have never heard the songs of praise offered you by bodiless beings, the cherubim; nor the joyful and never-ceasing glory tendered by the six-winged seraphim; nor the thrice-holy hymns of all the angelic hosts.

O Trinity undivided: Being from forever! Before all that is or was or will be: Father, before all ages, eternal with your only Son, like you without beginning, and your Holy Spirit of Life, equal in honor!

All-holy Virgin, Theotokos, and you, eyewitnesses and servants of the Word, with all the choirs of prophets and martyrs, who dwell in everlasting life! Look at us, behold our wretchedness!

Never cease praying for us, that, freed from all the snares of evil, we, too, may sing loudly the angelic hymn: Holy, holy, holy are you, thrice-holy Lord! Have mercy on us, and save us! Amen.

O Lord, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.

Turn your ear toward me;
on the day when I call,
speedily answer me.

For my days are vanishing like smoke;
my bones burn away like a furnace.
My heart is withered and dried up like the grass.
I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning,
my skin clings to my bones.

I have become like a vulture in the desert,
like an owl among the ruins.
I lie awake and I moan,
like a bird alone on a roof.
All day long my foes revile me;
those who deride me use my name as a curse.

I have eaten ashes like bread,
and mingled tears with my drink.
Because of your anger and fury,
you have lifted me up and thrown me down.
My days are like a fading shadow,
and I wither away like the grass.

But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever,
and your renown is from age to age.

You will arise and take pity on Sion,
for this is the time to have mercy;
yes, the time appointed has come.
Behold, your servants love her very stones,
are moved to pity for her dust.

The nations shall fear the name of the Lord,
and all the earthʼs kings your glory.
When the Lord shall build up Sion,
he will appear in all his glory.
Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;
he will not despise their prayers.

Let this be written for ages to come,
that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord;
The Lord looked down from his holy place on high,
looked down from heaven to the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
and free those condemned to die.

May the name of the Lord be proclaimed in Sion,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
when peoples and kingdoms are gathered
as one to offer their worship to the Lord.

He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
I say: “My God, do not take me away
before half of my days are complete,
you, whose days last from age to age.

Long ago you founded the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish but you will remain.
They will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like clothes, and they change.
But you are the same, and your years do not end.”

The children of your servants shall dwell untroubled,
and their descendants established before you.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”

It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.

You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.

Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
protect him for he knows My name.
When he calls I shall answer: 'I am with you.'
I will save him from distress and give him glory.

With length of days I will content him;
I shall let him see My saving power.

Have mercy on me, God, in Your kindness.
In Your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against You, You alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in Your sight I have done.

That You may be justified when You give sentence
and be without reproach when You judge.
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.

Indeed You love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom
O sprinkle me with hyssop, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones You have crushed may thrill.
From my sins turn away Your face
and blot out all my guilt.

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit.

Give me again the joy of Your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors Your ways
and sinners may return to You.

O rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out Your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare Your praise.

For in sacrifice You take no delight,
burnt offering from me You would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, You will not spurn.

In Your goodness, O Lord, show favor to Zion;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
(burnt offerings wholly consumed).
then You will be offered young bulls on Your altar.

O God, make haste to my rescue,
Lord, come to my aid!
Let there be shame and confusion
on those who seek my life.

O let them turn back in confusion,
who delight in my harm;
Let them retreat, covered with shame,
who jeer at my lot.

Let there be rejoicing and gladness
for all who seek You.
Let them say forever: “God is great,”
who love Your saving help.

As for me, wretched and poor,
come to me, O God.
You are my rescue, my help,
O Lord, do not delay.

Lord, listen to my prayer:
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer.
Do not call your servant to judgment
for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead, long forgotten.

Therefore my spirit fails;
my heart is numb within me.
I remember the days that are past:
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought
and to you I stretch out my hands.
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer;
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face
lest I become like those in the grave.

In the morning let me know your love
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk:
to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies;
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me
in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life;
in your justice save my soul from distress.
In your love make an end of my foes;
destroy all those who oppress me
for I am your servant, O Lord.

With the saints, O Christ, give rest to your servants, where there is no pain, sorrow, nor mourning, but life everlasting.

O Lord, our God, in Whom we believe and Whose Name we call upon above every other name, grant us, who are about to sleep, rest of soul and body. Keep us from every disturbance and dark sensuality. Calm the striving of the passions and extinguish physical excitements that arise. Grant that we may lead a chaste life by words and deeds, and upon living a life of good deeds, we may not fall away from Your promised blessings, for You are blessed forever. Amen.

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from before His face. As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish as wax melts before the fire. Se let the demons perish in the presence of those who love God and who sign themselves with the sign of the cross and say in gladness: Rejoice, most precious and life-creating cross of the Lord, for you drive away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Who was crucified on you, Who descended to Hades and trampled on the power of the devil, and gave us you, His precious cross, for the driving away of every adversary. O most precious and life-creating cross of the Lord, help me, together with the holy Lady Virgin Theotokos and with all the saints, forever. Amen.