Kathisma 3

THE THIRD KATHISMA

Psalm 17

Unto the end: for David, the servant of the Lord, who spake the words of this song in the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; and he said,

I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my firm support, and my refuge, and my deliverer.
My God is my helper, and in Him will I put my hope: my defender, and the horn of my salvation, and my helper.
I will call upon the name of the Lord with praise, and I shall be saved from mine enemies.
The pangs of death compassed me, and the floods of iniquity sore troubled me.
The pangs of Hades compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me.

And in mine affliction I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God.
He heard my voice out of His holy temple, and my cry before Him shall come even into His ears.
And the earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because God was wroth with them.
There went up a smoke in His wrath, and fire from His countenance set all aflame; coals were kindled from it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down, and thick darkness was under His feet.
And He ascended upon the cherubim, and did fly; yea, He did fly upon the wings of the wind.
And He made darkness His secret place, His tabernacle round about Him, dark water in the clouds of the air.
At the brightness that was before Him, the clouds passed; hail stones and coals of fire.
The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the Highest gave His voice.
Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He multiplied lightnings, and discomfited them.
And the springs of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered, at Thy rebuke, O Lord, at the breath of the spirit of Thy wrath.
He sent from on high, and took me; He received me out of many waters.
He shall deliver me from my strong enemies, and from them which hate me, for they are too strong for me.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay.
He brought me forth also into refreshment; He will deliver me, because He delighted in me.
And the Lord shall reward me according to my righteousness, and according to the cleanness of my hands will He recompense me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not done wickedly against my God.
For all His judgments are before me, and His statutes have not departed from me.
I will also be blameless with Him, and will keep myself from mine iniquity.

And the Lord shall recompense me according to my righteousness, and according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyesight.
With the holy Thou wilt be holy, and with the innocent man Thou wilt be innocent; and with the elect Thou wilt be elect, and with the froward Thou wilt be froward.
For Thou wilt save the humble people; and wilt bring down the eyes of the proud.
For Thou wilt light my lamp, O Lord my God; Thou wilt enlighten my darkness.
For by Thee I shall be delivered from a troop of thieves, and by my God shall I leap over a wall.
As for my God, His way is blameless; the words of the Lord are tried in the fire; He is the defender of all those that hope in Him.
For who is God, save the Lord? And who is God, save our God?
It is God that hath girded me with strength, and made my way blameless.
That maketh my feet like harts’ feet, and setteth me upon high places.
He teacheth my hands to war; and Thou hast made mine arms as a bow of brass.
Thou hast also given me the shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up.
And Thine instruction hath corrected me unto the end; Thine instruction it is that shall teach me.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and my footsteps are not weakened.
I will pursue mine enemies, and overtake them; neither shall I turn again until they be consumed.
I will afflict them, and they shall not be able to rise; they shall fall under my feet.
For Thou hast girded me with strength unto war; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
Thou hast also made mine enemies to turn their backs before me, and hast destroyed them that hated me.
They cried, but there was none to save them; even unto the Lord, but He heard them not.
And I will beat them small as the dust before the face of the wind; I will trample them down as the dirt in the streets.
Deliver me from the gainsaying of the people; Thou shalt make me the head of the heathen.

A people whom I have not known have served me; at the hearing of the ear they obeyed me.
The sons that are strangers lied unto me; the sons that are strangers waxed old, and halted from their paths.
The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God that avengeth me, and hath subdued peoples under me; my deliverer from mine angry enemies.
Thou wilt lift me up above those that rise up against me; deliver me from the unrighteous man.
Therefore will I give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto Thy name, He magnifieth the salvation of His king, and worketh mercy for David His anointed, and for his seed for evermore.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to thee, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God.

Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 18

Unto the end: A Psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth His handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voices are not heard.
Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
He hath set His tabernacle in the sun, and as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

He will rejoice as a giant to run his course. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the end of it; and there is none that shall hide himself from the heat thereof.
The law of the Lord is blameless, converting souls; the testimony of the Lord is sure, giving wisdom to infants.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is bright, enlighteng the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever and ever; the judgments of the Lord are true, justified altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much precious stone; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
For Thy servant keepeth them; in keeping of them there is great reward.
Who will understand his transgressions? Cleanse Thou me from my secret faults, and from those of others spare Thy servant.
If they gain not dominion over me, then shall I be blameless, and cleansed of great sin.
And the words of my mouth shall be such as please, and the meditation of my heart shall be alway in Thy sight, O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer.

Psalm 19

Unto the end: a Psalm of David.

The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend Thee.
Send Thee help from the sanctuary, and help Thee out of Zion.
Remember all Thy sacrifices, and fatten Thy whole burnt- offering.
The Lord grant Thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsels.
We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in the name of the Lord our God shall we be magnified.
The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions; now know I that the Lord hath saved His anointed.
He will hear him from His holy heaven; in mighty deeds is the salvation of His right hand.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.

They are bound, and are fallen, but we are risen, and set upright.
O Lord, save the king, and hear us in the day when we call upon Thee.

Psalm 20

Unto the end: A Psalm of David.

The king shall be glad in Thy strength, O Lord, and in Thy salvation greatly shall he rejoice.
Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the requests of his lips.
For Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness; Thou hast set a crown of precious stone upon his head.
He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days for ever and ever.
His glory is great in Thy salvation; glory and majesty shalt Thou lay upon him.
For Thou shalt give him blessing for ever and ever; Thou shalt make him exceeding glad with Thy countenance.
For the king hopeth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.
Let Thine hand be found on all Thine enemies; let Thy right hand find out all those that hate Thee.
For Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of Thy presence; the Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
Their fruit shalt Thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the sons of men.
For they intended evils against Thee; they imagined counsels, which they shall not be able to establish.
For Thou shalt make them turn their back; Thou shalt make ready Thy countenance among them that are Thy remnant.
Be Thou exalted, Lord, in Thine own strength; we will sing and praise Thy mighty acts.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God.

Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 21

Unto the end: concerning the help that cometh in the morning; A Psalm of David.

O God my God, look to me; why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my transgressions.
O my God, I will cry in the daytime, but Thou wilt not hear; and in the night season, and it shall not be imputed unto folly in me.
But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Thou praise of Israel. Our fathers hoped in Thee; they hoped, and Thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto Thee, and were saved; they hoped in Thee, and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and the outcast of the people.
All they that saw me laughed me to scorn; they spake with their lips, they shook their heads, saying, He hoped in the Lord, let Him deliver him; let Him save him, seeing He delighteth in him.
For Thou are He that took me out of the womb; my hope from my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon Thee from the womb. Thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Stand not aloof from me,
For trouble is near, for there is none to help me.
Many bullocks have compassed me; fat bulls have beset me round.
They opened their mouths against me, as a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are scattered; my heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my throat; and Thou hast brought me down into the dust of death.

For many dogs have compassed me, and the assembly of the wicked hath inclosed me.
They pierced my hands and my feet, they told all my bones; and they looked and stared upon me.
They parted my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
But, remove not Thou Thy help far from me O Lord; look to my help.
Deliver my soul from the sword, mine only begotten one from the hand of the dog.
Save me from the lion’s mouth, and my lowliness from the horns of unicorns.
I will declare Thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him.
Let all the seed of Israel fear Him.
For He hath not despised nor abhorred the supplication of the poor, neither hath He turned away His face from me; and when I cried to Him, He heard me.
My praise is of Thee; in the great congregation will I give thanks unto Thee; I will pay my vows before them that fear Thee.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and they shall praise the Lord that seek Him; their hearts shall live for ever and ever.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him.
For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He is the governor of the nations.
All they that be fat upon the earth have eaten and worshipped; all they that go down to the dust shall fall down before Him.
Yea, my soul liveth to Him, and my seed shall serve Him.
The generation to come shall be told of the Lord, and they shall shew forth His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.

Psalm 22

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want.
In a place of green pasture, there hath He made me to dwell; He hath nurtured me beside the water of rest.
He hath converted my soul; He hath led me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and Thy staff, they have comforted me.
Thou hast prepared a table before me, in the presence of them that trouble me.
Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and like the best wine doth Thy cup inebriate me.
And Thy mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David on the first day of the week.

The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and all they that dwell therein.
He hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or who shall stand in His holy place? He that is innocent in hands, and pure in heart, who hath not received his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour.
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.
This is the generation of them that seek the Lord, that seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of Glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your gates, ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of Glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory.