Psalms 50 and 90. Special prayer assistance

Psalms 26, 90 - Protection when attacked by enemies
“...And it won’t be torn apart by a bomb”

(What Elder Father John of Optina told me)

Sergei Alexandrovich Nilus and his wife Elena Alexandrovna came to the Optina Elder Father John (Salov). The elder accepted with the joyful affection characteristic of him towards my wife and me.

“Take a stool,” he said, hugging me, “sit down next to me.”

What psalms do you read? - he asked me a question. I was embarrassed: usually in my short, purely worldly, not even the rule, but the rule, I did not read any psalms.

I know,” I answered, “Alive in help,” “Have mercy on me, O God”...

And what else!

Yes, father, I have read all the psalms and, although not by heart, I know everything; but my little rule...

The elder interrupted my self-justification:

I don’t want to ask you what your rule is, but whether you still read Psalm 26 - “The Lord is my enlightenment?

No, father, I don’t read.

Well, I'll tell you what! You once told me that the enemy was shooting his arrows at you. Don't be afraid! not a single one will touch you, don’t be afraid of any rubbish: rubbish will remain rubbish. Just take my advice as a rule, listen: read in the morning and evening before your prayer both of these psalms - the 26th and 90th, and before them the great Arkhangelsk joy - “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” If you do this, neither fire will take you, nor water will drown you...

At these words, the elder stood up from his chair, hugged me and with some special strength, in a rolling ringing voice, did not even say, but shouted:

I’ll tell you more: it won’t explode with a bomb! I kissed the old man’s hand that hugged me. And he again, pressing himself close to my ear, again loudly exclaimed:

And the bomb won’t explode!* And don’t pay any attention to any rubbish: what can rubbish do to you?... That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Well, now go with the Lord!

And with these words the elder sent us away in peace.

Archangel's greeting to the Most Holy Theotokos
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

Psalm 26
(speaking of the believer’s perseverance in persecution and his consolation through the protection of the Lord)

The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes those who are angry approach me and destroy my flesh; those who insult me and defeat me become exhausted and fall. Even if a regiment turns against me, my heart will not fear; Even if he fights against me, I will trust in Him. I have asked one thing from the Lord, and this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His village in the day of my evil, for He covered me in the secret of His village, and lifted me up on a stone. And now, behold, you have lifted up my head against my enemies: the waste and devouring in the village of His sacrifice of praise and exclamation; I will sing and make praise to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my voice in which I cried, have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord, I will seek your face, O Lord, I will seek your face. Do not turn Your face away from me and do not turn aside in anger from Your servant: be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me. God, my Savior. As my father and mother abandoned me. The Lord will accept me. Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me into the souls of those who suffer from my cold: for I have stood up as a witness of unrighteousness, and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good of the Lord on the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.

Psalm 90
1 He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the shelter of the Heavenly God. 2 Says the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge. My God, and I trust in Him. 3 For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap, and from rebellious words, 4 He will cover you with His cloak, and you will trust under His wing; His truth will surround you with weapons. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, 6 from the thing that passes in darkness, from the cloak, and from the demon of the midday. 7 Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, 8 but look at your eyes, and see the reward of sinners. 9 For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. 10 No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body, 11 for His angel commanded you to keep you in all your ways. 12 They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot on a stone, 13 tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross over the lion and the serpent. 14 Because I trusted in Me, I will deliver, and I will cover, because I have known My name. 15 He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will destroy him, and I will glorify him, 16 I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.

Prayer to the Holy Cross

Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honest and Life-giving Cross, and save me from all evil.

The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes those who are angry come close to me, they destroy my flesh, they insult me, and they defeat me, they are exhausted and fall. Even if a regiment takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear, even if it rises up to fight me, I will trust in Him.
I have asked one thing from the Lord, and this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His village in the day of my evil, for He covered me in the secret of His village, and lifted me up on a stone. And now, behold, I have lifted up my head against my enemies: I have died and devoured in His village a sacrifice of praise and shouting, I will sing and sing praises to the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, my voice to which I cried: have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you, I will seek the Lord. I will seek Your face, O Lord, I will seek Your face. Do not turn Your face away from me and do not turn away in anger from Your servant: be my helper, do not reject me, and do not forsake me, O God of my Savior. For my father and mother have abandoned me, but the Lord will receive me.
Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me into the souls of those who are afflicted by me, as if I stood up as a witness to unrighteousness and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good of the Lord on the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Listen online Psalm 26:

The history and interpretation of ancient songs has always aroused great interest. These texts are credited with an extraordinary power to influence the soul. For example, what makes Psalm 26 special and in what situations should it be read. Why are the Old Testament Jewish texts so popular and necessary? Orthodox Christian. Let's lift the veil of mystery, which does not allow everyone to approach us.

The most common words spoken by Christ: Rejoice and Do not be afraid

Various musical instruments are mentioned in the book of psalms. This is no accident. Unlike our Divine Services, the Jewish ones were much more fun and dynamic. They not only sang, but also danced. Remember the transfer of the Ark, when King David's wife reproached him for dancing in the procession like a commoner.

To which I heard an answer that will surprise many: How can you not have fun before the Lord? Many people think that God is strict and opposed to human joys. In fact, it's the other way around. It is where He is that a person feels happy. On the spiritual level - blissful.

Reference: The psalter is a plucked musical instrument, to the accompaniment of which ancient prayers were most often sung. It is unknown what he looks like. Some people depict it as looking like a harp. Other historians compare it to a guitar.

Small Bible

The collection was created over 800 years. Moses started it, then David, his son Solomon, other priests and prophets. The book of psalms received its completed form during the times of Ezra and Nehemiah. Some texts are attributed to unknown authors, but most are from the hand of King David. He is deservedly considered a pillar of holiness, a Spirit-bearing mentor and The greatest prophet God's.

The texts contain all the Gospel provisions as stories Old Testament, and messianic prophecies about Christ. They cover the period of the beginning of God's revelations about Himself, ending with the end of times. In essence, it is the Small Bible, containing the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. The power of prayers lies in the fact that they were created not by the human mind, but under the influence of Grace that the authors had.

Note: The influence on the soul and consciousness of the reader can be either stunning, sanctifying a person, or insignificant. Everything depends on the state of receptivity to God with which one approaches the texts. A proud and passionate nature will not meet with a response unless it finds points of contact with the Grace of the Holy Spirit. She will remain cold and distant from Divine speeches. And vice versa.

What do the psalms have to do with us?

Despite the fact that the texts were compiled by Old Testament saints, they are included in the Divine service, filling up to 20% prayers read. During the week, the psalter is read in full (150 Ps.), and during Great Lent twice during the same period. Therefore, in some way it cannot be said that by our time they have lost relevance.

All, created by God, His words, appeals to human soul eternal, like Himself. Psalms are read or sung:

at the Liturgy:
All-night vigil;
hours;
Six Psalms.

Note: At parish services, the reading of kathisma (translated as “to sit”) is usually shortened. They do not reproduce the circle of prayers prescribed by the rules, unlike monastic prayers, where the entire kathismas are voiced.

There is the concept of “Indestructible (indestructible) psalter. Basically, this is monastic work. In the monasteries, reading in song goes on continuously. The monastics take turns chanting kathisma after kathisma (150 prayers are divided into 20 parts). After each, they remember the health and repose of those for whom notes were submitted.

Note: To correct unfavorable events in life, to help a person find the right path, to recover, to get rid of a vice, they order remembrance by reading the never-ending psalter. It is also necessary to pray for the newly deceased (at least 40 days), or if you often dream about the dead.

For what reason is Psalm 26 read, its meaning

From the inscription above the text we learn that it belongs to David, compiled before the anointing (there were three of them) to the kingdom after the death of Saul. According to Arseny of Cappadocia (Elder Paisios of Athonite), in certain circumstances, the reading of the psalm is blessed, which most closely corresponds to the occasion, the resolution of a misfortune or problem. Thus, according to his classification, canto 26 helps:

Protect peasants (people) from enemy invasion.
Avert the trouble and harm that they can cause.
Save your property, house, fields, so that nothing is lost.
Enlist the support and protection of the Heavenly Forces.

Note: According to one Optina elder, if during military operations (when they are bombed), read psalms: 26; 50; 90, not a single shell will hit the house, or where people are.

Brief interpretation of the text of Psalm 26

According to the genre of writing, the psalm can be classified as teaching and laudatory. David reveals the state of mind when pursued by an enemy. Listen, reader. Difficult and insurmountable circumstances can arise for anyone.

God's help is always with him, he feels it, being abandoned by many. It is clear from the text that by relying on the Lord, a person no longer needs to fear anyone. The words apply not only to God’s anointed, but to any of the people. This is evidence of how to interact with the Heavenly Father.

A thoughtful heart will understand that trust in God is more important than all circumstances. It will not allow threats to come true strong enemies. It will relieve you of your own fear and cowardice. Therefore, a person should never despair, give up, or indulge excessively in grief:

Even when everyone turns away, God will be there.
Even when death holds you by the throat, God is stronger than it.
Even when there is no way out, the Lord knows of a hundred ways of salvation.

And David saw and knew this mercy towards himself. I entrusted my paths to the Almighty, and did not miscalculate. If the Lord is with us, then no one is afraid. The more Saul pursued, the more convinced the anointed one was that he was under the wing of the Mightiest. He miraculously escaped from the clutches of inevitable death, but behold: he is alive.

Love and trust in God become stronger day by day. The heart flares up with a feeling of gratitude and fear of losing God’s favor. David is crushed, in complete humility, asking that the mercy of the Lord always be with him. He already clearly sees that the prophecy about the royal throne is coming true. Jehovah has no vain promises.

Abandonment by relatives who were afraid of death (revenge for David) changes to a fear that is much more important. For one who knows the Power of God, the highest misfortune, true grief, is the loss of the favor of the Almighty.

Conclusion: Having experienced a range of feelings, the psalm ends with a call to be patient with the Lord, that is, to never give up the desire to communicate with him, to wait patiently, without complaining, until the Loving Father weaves the crown of salvation for his faithful child. This applies to everyone who follows the path of Christ's commandments.

IN modern world wars do not stop to this day, and when we need to protect ourselves or our home from danger, we turn to the saints and ask for their protection and blessings. The prayers of Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly have particular power in this regard, and the very life of this elder is an example of humble service to the Lord.

The story of Saint Vitaly

Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly (in the world Sidorenko) was born on May 5, 1928 into a poor peasant family. He was close to God from an early age and was considered a man not of this world. A pupil of the elders from the Glinsk Hermitage, he became a wanderer and a monk. Persecution and adversity did not break him, but, on the contrary, gave his prayers extraordinary strength. During his lifetime, the elder was humble and meek, distinguished by his high spirituality and the gift of healing the mentally ill. He prayed both for his children and for his enemies, begging the Almighty for relief from their fate.

How do the prayers of Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly help?

Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly spent the last years of his life serving in the Tbilisi church. He died at 64 years old.

To offer prayers to Vitaly Sidorenko, believers continue to flock to his grave to this day.

To the prayers of St. Vitaly is contacted in the following cases:

in case of life-threatening danger;
asking for the blessing of the house.

Rule read in danger

During the armed conflict in Tbilisi, Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly told his spiritual children about a special rule that protected them from danger. He gave them the following advice: “Read Psalms 26, 50, 90, and the Lord and the Mother of God will bestow Their mercies.” Between the psalms, one should read “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” one more time. The elder’s spiritual children claim that whoever read such a prayer when leaving the house was not afraid of either shells or bullets.

Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

Psalm 26

The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes those who are angry approach me and destroy my flesh; those who insult me and defeat me become exhausted and fall. Even if a regiment turns against me, my heart will not fear; Even if he fights against me, I will trust in Him. I have asked one thing from the Lord, and this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His village in the day of my evil, for He covered me in the secret of His village, and lifted me up on a stone. And now, behold, you have lifted up my head against my enemies: the waste and devouring in the village of His sacrifice of praise and exclamation; I will sing and make praise to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my voice in which I cried, have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord, I will seek your face, O Lord, I will seek your face. Do not turn Your face away from me and do not turn aside in anger from Your servant: be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me. God, my Savior. As my father and mother abandoned me. The Lord will accept me. Give me the law, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me into the souls of those who suffer from my cold: for I have stood up as a witness of unrighteousness, and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good of the Lord on the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over the judgment of You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.

Psalm 90

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from rebellious words, His splash will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in the darkness, from the cloak, and from the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will fall at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, otherwise look at your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not approach your body, as His Angel commanded you to keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but when you dash your foot against a stone, you will step on an asp and a basilisk and cross a lion and a serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, and because I have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in sorrow, I will take him away and glorify him, I will fulfill him with the length of days and show him My salvation.

Prayer to Archangel Barachiel

Oh great archangel God's archangel Varachiile! Standing before the Throne of God and from there bringing the blessing of God into the homes of God’s faithful servants, ask the Lord God for mercy and blessings on our homes, may the Lord God bless us from Zion and from His Holy Mountain and increase the abundance of the fruits of the earth and give us health and salvation and good haste in everything, victory and victory against our enemies and will preserve us for many years, so that with one accord we glorify God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for blessing a home

It is believed that Vitaly Sidorenko’s prayer for the blessing of the house carries with it special power. It was left in prayerful memory to Mother N, who was his spiritual child for 30 years. The prayer was read during disasters, and its miraculous power is confirmed by the fact that during the bombing neither mother’s house nor the people in it were harmed, although everything around was destroyed.

May Almighty Merciful God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit bless us and protect us. ABOUT! Sweetest Jesus Christ, Almighty King of Heaven and earth, Son of David, Jesus of Nazareth, crucified on the Cross for our sake, have mercy on this house, protect those who live in it.

May Your blessing from the Lord accompany them everywhere; may the Holy Spirit sanctify their thoughts and hearts: His omnipotence is everywhere, in every place: may He bless everything that is in this house, whoever enters them and whoever leaves them Holy Trinity and will keep them from all evil, so that nothing unclean will come near them. Let the name of the Lord Jesus Christ with the nine orders of Angels be in this house and give it its peace. May he cover you with his maternal Veil Holy Virgin Maria; May the Holy Apostles protect his well-being and may the Holy Evangelists establish and strengthen him. Let the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ be his roof; let the nails of our Lord Jesus Christ be his protection; let the crown of our Lord Jesus Christ be his covering.

“...And it won’t be torn apart by a bomb” (What Elder Father John of Optina told me)

Sergei Alexandrovich Nilus and his wife Elena Alexandrovna came to the Optina Elder Father John (Salov). The elder accepted with the joyful affection characteristic of him towards my wife and me.

“Take a stool,” he said, hugging me, “sit down next to me.” - What psalms do you read? - he asked me a question. I was embarrassed: usually in my short, purely worldly, not even the rule, but the rule, I did not read any psalms.

I know,” I answered, “Alive in help”, “Have mercy on me, God”... - And what others! - Yes, father, I read all the psalms and, although not by heart, I know everything; but my little rule... The elder interrupted my self-justification: - I don’t want to ask you about what is your rule, but about whether you still read Psalm 26 - “The Lord is my enlightenment? - No, father, I don’t read. - Well, so I’ll tell you what! You once told me that the enemy was shooting his arrows at you. Don't be afraid! not a single one will touch you, don’t be afraid of any rubbish: rubbish will remain rubbish. Just take my advice as a rule, listen: read in the morning and evening before your prayer both of these psalms - the 26th and 90th, and before them the great Arkhangelsk joy - “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” If you do this, neither the fire will take you, nor the water will drown you... At these words, the elder stood up from his chair, hugged me and with some special strength, in a rolling ringing voice, he didn’t even say, but shouted out: “I’ll tell you more: it won't explode with a bomb! I kissed the old man’s hand that hugged me. And he again, pressing himself right next to my ear, again exclaimed loudly: “And the bomb won’t explode!” * But don’t pay any attention to any rubbish: what can rubbish do to you? you. Well, now go with the Lord!

And with these words the elder sent us away in peace. I knew that person, more precisely, the woman to whom the elder was hinting, calling her rubbish: she clung to the Optina splendid-leaved tree like a lichen, and for a long time, with her false holiness and the name of the elders, she fooled the Optina pilgrims. I understood her, and she took revenge on me where she could. God be with her!.. “And the bomb will not explode!..” Prediction of Fr. John (Salov) was exactly fulfilled during the Civil War. According to the memoirs of M.V. Smirnova-Orlova, Elena Alexandrovna told her that once, when she and her husband were riding in a carriage under fire, a bomb exploded next to them, but they were not hit at all.

Archangel's greeting to the Most Holy Theotokos

Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

Psalm 26 (speaking of the believer’s perseverance in persecution and his consolation through the protection of the Lord)

1 He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the shelter of the Heavenly God. 2 Says the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge. My God, and I trust in Him. 3 For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap, and from rebellious words, 4 He will cover you with His cloak, and you will trust under His wing; His truth will surround you with weapons. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, 6 from the thing that passes in darkness, from the cloak, and from the demon of the midday. 7 Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, 8 but look at your eyes, and see the reward of sinners. 9 For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. 10 No evil will come to you, and no wound will come near your body, 11 for His angel commanded you to keep you in all your ways. 12 They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot on a stone, 13 tread on the asp and the basilisk, and cross over the lion and the serpent. 14 Because I trusted in Me, I will deliver, and I will cover, because I have known My name. 15 He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will destroy him, and I will glorify him, 16 I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.

“Well, I’ll tell you what! You once told me that the enemy is shooting his arrows at you. Don’t be afraid! None of them will touch you, don’t be afraid of any rubbish: rubbish will remain rubbish. Just take my advice for rule, obey: read in the morning and evening before your prayer both of these psalms - the 26th and the 90th, and before them the great Arkhangelsk joy - “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, if you do this, neither fire will take you, nor water.” will sink...
At these words, the elder stood up from his chair, hugged me and with some special strength, in a rolling ringing voice, did not even say, but shouted:
- I’ll tell you more: it won’t blow up with a bomb! I kissed the old man’s hand that hugged me. And he again, pressing himself close to my ear, again loudly exclaimed:
- And the bomb won’t explode! And don’t pay any attention to any rubbish: what can rubbish do to you? This is what I wanted to talk to you about. Well, now go with the Lord!..”