Vespers

Come, let us worship

Come, let us worship our King and God.
Come, let us worship Christ, our King and God.
Come, let us worship and bow before the only Lord Jesus Christ, the King and our God.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Lord my God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and glory,
wrapped in light as in a robe!

You stretch out the heavens like a tent.
Above the rains you build your dwelling.
You make the clouds your chariot,
You walk on the wings of the wind;
you make your angels spirits
and your ministers a flaming fire.

You founded the earth on its base,
to stand firm from age to age.
You wrapped it with the ocean like a cloak:
the waters stood higher than the mountains.

At your threat they took to flight;
at the voice of your thunder they fled.
They rose over the mountains and flowed down
to the place which you had appointed.
You set limits they might not pass
lest they return to cover the earth. 

You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow in between the hills.
They give drink to all the beasts of the field;
the wild asses quench their thirst.
On their banks dwell the birds of heaven;
from the branches they sing their song. 

From your dwelling you water the hills;
earth drinks its fill of your gift.
You make the grass grow for the cattle
and the plants to serve man’s needs,

that he may bring forth bread from the earth
and wine to cheer man’s heart;
oil, to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
the cedars he planted on Lebanon;
there the birds build their nests;
on the treetop the stork has her home.

The goats find a home on the mountains
and rabbits hide in the rocks.
You made the moon to mark the months;
the sun knows the time for its setting.

When you spread the darkness it is night
and all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
The young lions roar for their prey
and ask their food from God.

At the rising of the sun they steal away
and go to rest in their dens.
Man goes out to his work,
to labor till evening falls. 

How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your riches.

There is the sea, vast and wide,
with its moving swarms past counting,
living things great and small.
The ships are moving there
and the monsters you made to play with. 

All of these look to you
to give them their food in due season.
You give it, they gather it up:
you open your hand, they have their fill. 

You hide your face, they are dismayed;
you take back your spirit, they die,
returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the earth. 

May the glory of the Lord last for ever!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
He looks on the earth and it trembles;
the mountains send forth smoke at his touch. 

I will sing to the Lord all my life,
make music to my God while I live.
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
I find my joy in the Lord.
Let sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked exist no more. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

And again:

You made the moon to mark the months;
the sun knows the time for its setting.
How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Lord my God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and glory,
wrapped in light as in a robe!

You stretch out the heavens like a tent.
Above the rains you build your dwelling.
You make the clouds your chariot,
You walk on the wings of the wind.

You make your angels spirits
and your ministers a flaming fire.
You founded the earth on its base,
to stand firm from age to age.

You make the grass grow for the cattle
and the plants to serve man’s needs,
that he may bring forth bread from the earth
and wine to cheer man’s heart;

oil, to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
I will sing to the Lord all my life,
make music to my God while I live.

You made the moon to mark the months;
the sun knows the time for its setting.
How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all.

☩ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Glory to You, O God. with bows x3

Lord have mercy. x12

Blessed is the man, alleluia, who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

For the Lord knows the way of the just, but the way of the wicked shall be lost.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Serve the Lord with fear, exult in him with trembling.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are those who trust in him.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Arise, O Lord! Save me, my God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Salvation is of the Lord! Upon your people, your blessing!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

... now and ever and forever. Amen.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Glory to you, O God! with bows x3

♫1   ♫2   ♫3   ♫4   ♫5   ♫6   ♫7   ♫8

Psalm 140. O Lord, I have cried to You, hear me.

Hear me, O Lord.

O Lord, I have cried to You, hear me; receive the voice of my prayer when I call upon You.

Hear me, O Lord.

Let my prayer ascend to You like incense; and the lifting up of my hands like an evening sacrifice.

Hear me, O Lord.

O Lord, set a guard before my mouth and set a seal on the door of my lips.

Let not my heart be inclined to evil, nor make excuse for the sins I commit.

Let me never share in sinners' feasting. If a just man strikes or reproves me it is kindness,

but let the oil of the wicked not anoint my head. Let my prayer be ever against their malice.

The princes were thrown down by the side of the rock; then they understood that my words were kind.

As a millstone is shattered to pieces on the ground, so their bones were strewn at the mouth of the grave.

To You, Lord God, my eyes are turned; in You I take refuge; spare my soul!

From the trap they have laid for me keep me safe; keep me from the snares of those who do evil.

Let the wicked fall into the traps they have set while I pursue my way unharmed.

Psalm 141. With all my voice I cry to the Lord, with all my voice I entreat the Lord.

I pour out my trouble before Him; I tell Him all my distress while my spirit faints within me.

But You, O Lord, know my path. On the way where I shall walk they have hidden a snare to entrap me.

Look on my right and see: there is no one who takes my part.

I have no means of escape, not one who cares for my soul. 

I cry to You, O Lord. I have said: "You are my refuge, all I have in the land of the living."

Listen, then, to my cry for I am in the depths of distress.

Rescue me from those who pursue me for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of this prison and then I shall praise Your Name.
The sticheron on ⑩

Around me the just will assemble because of Your goodness to me.
The sticheron on ⑨

Psalm 129. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!
The sticheron on ⑧

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading.
The sticheron on ⑦

If You, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with You is found forgiveness: for this we revere You.
The sticheron on ⑥

My soul is waiting for the Lord. I count on His word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak.
The sticheron on ⑤

Let the watchman count on daybreak and Israel on the Lord.
The sticheron on ④

Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption, Israel indeed He will redeem from all its iniquity.
The sticheron on ③

Psalm 116. Praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim Him all you peoples!
The sticheron on ②

Strong is the love of the Lord for us; He is faithful forever.
The sticheron on ①

A certain number of stichera (short hymns) are prayed after (i.e. “on”) the final verses above, as indicated. For the stichera for any given day or feast, see the links at the top of this page.

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

The doxastikon or "Glory" for this evening, if there is one, as specified in the menaion page for tomorrow's date (right after the stichera, the first section under "At Vespers").

... now and ever and forever. Amen.

The dogmatikon for this evening, as specified in the menaion page for tomorrow's date (right after the doxastikon, itself right after the stichera, the first section under "At Vespers").

When needed, the dogmatika for the 8 tones are here

O Joyful Light of the holy glory of the Father Immortal, the heavenly, holy, blessed One, O Jesus Christ, now that we have reached the setting of the sun, and see the evening light, we sing to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is fitting at all times to raise a song of praise in measured melody to You, O Son of God, the Giver of Life. Therefore, the universe sings Your glory.

On evenings leading into Sunday   ♫

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty!

Verse 1: Robed is the Lord and girt about with strength.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty!

Verse 2: The world He made firm, not to be moved.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty!

Verse 3: Holiness is fitting to Your house, O Lord, until the end of time.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty!

On evenings leading into Monday   ♫

Come, bless the Lord, all you who serve the Lord.

Verse: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

Come, bless the Lord, all you who serve the Lord.

On evenings leading into Tuesday   ♫

The Lord hears me whenever I call Him.

Verse: When I call, answer me, O God of Justice.

The Lord hears me whenever I call Him.

On evenings leading into Wednesday   ♫

Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me all the days of my life.

Verse: The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want; fresh and green are the pastures where He gives me repose.

Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me all the days of my life.

On evenings leading into Thursday   ♫

O God, save me by Your Name, by Your power uphold my cause.

Verse: O God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.

O God, save me by Your Name, by Your power uphold my cause.

On evenings leading into Friday   ♫

My help shall come from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Verse: I lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where shall come my help.

My help shall come from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

On evenings leading into Saturday   ♫

You, O God, are my defender and Your mercy goes before me.

Verse: Rescue me, O God, from my foes; protect me from those who attack me.

You, O God, are my defender and Your mercy goes before me.

Make us worthy, O Lord, to be kept sinless this evening. Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praiseworthy and glorious is Your Name forever. Amen.

May your mercy, O Lord, be upon us who have placed our hope in You. 

☩ Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your commandments.
☩ Blessed are You, O Master, make me understand Your commandments.
☩ Blessed are You, O Holy One, enlighten me with Your commandments.

O Lord, Your mercy is forever; despise not the work of Your hands. To You is due praise; to You is due a hymn; to You is glory due, ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Lord have mercy. x12

Find the aposticha for the day, see the links at the top of this page.

The aposticha sticheron on ①

To you have I lifted up my eyes, you who dwell in the heavens;
my eyes, like the eyes of slaves on the hand of their lords.
Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God till he show us his mercy.

The aposticha sticheron on ②

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed all too full is our soul with the scorn of the rich,
with the proud man's disdain.

The aposticha sticheron on ③

☩ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

The aposticha stavrotheotokion

Now You may dismiss Your servant, O Lord, in peace according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.

Trisagion

☩ Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. with bows x3

☩ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Most Holy Trinity

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse us of our sins; Master, forgive our transgressions; Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for Your Name's sake.

Lord have mercy. x3

☩ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Our Father   ♫1   ♫2   ♫3   ♫4   ♫5   ♫6   ♫7   ♫8

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

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

The troparion of the weekday

The troparion of the feast or saint

... now and ever and forever. Amen.

The dismissal theotokion

More honorable than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim; who, a virgin, gave birth to God the Word, you, truly the Theotokos, we magnify.   ♫