The Vespers Psalm for the Palm Sunday Liturgy comes from Psalm 118 (117), as does the Psalm for the Resurrection Feast Liturgy: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. Prepare a feast for those who come to the horns of the altar. Alleluia.”
It is remarkable that this Psalm appears at both the beginning and the conclusion of the Holy Pascha prayers; the Church begins with it on the Vespers of Palm Sunday and concludes with it on the Night of the Holy Resurrection.
Saint Athanasius says about it: “Together with Psalm 50, they proclaim the Savior’s visitation to the people and His tabernacle among them.”
This means it is a Psalm of God’s visitation to Jerusalem on Sunday and God’s visitation to the world through His Holy Resurrection.
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Psalm 68 è It comes in the matins of Palm Sunday, the Divine Liturgy of the Saturday of Joy:
“Blessed be the Lord God. Blessed be the Lord day by day. The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God, Hallelujah.” (Matins of Palm Sunday).
“Let God arise, and let all His enemies be scattered; and let those who hate Him flee before His face. Hallelujah.” (Divine Liturgy of the Saturday of Joy).
And Saint Athanasius says that it speaks about the cross.
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Psalm 65: It comes in the liturgy of Palm Sunday, at the sixth hour of Palm Sunday, the ninth hour on Monday, the third hour of Wednesday Eve:
“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer, O God; to you shall all flesh come. Hallelujah.” (The Divine Liturgy of Palm Sunday).
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“Blessed is the one you choose and bring near to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple. Hallelujah.” (The sixth hour of Palm Sunday and the third hour of Wednesday night).
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“Answer us, O God our Savior, O hope of all the ends of the earth. (Sentence). Blessed are those whom You have chosen and accepted to dwell in Your house forever. Hallelujah.” (The ninth hour of Monday).
And Saint Athanasius says about it: [The many enemies (the Jews and Judas) who do not cease from opposing the Son of Man] [3]
And although the psalm speaks of the house of God and praise, it also refers to those who trade in it, as it in the Gospel of this hour.
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Psalm 8 è It comes at the ninth hour of Palm Sunday
“Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise. Because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. For I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have established. Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius says about it: [And when you contemplate the saving grace of God that extends everywhere, and look at the people He has saved, and long to turn towards God, you sing the eighth psalm [4].
Here, the saving grace of God that extends everywhere aligns with the heavens and the stars that proclaim His glory, and the infants and nursing babies who participate in the praise.
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Psalm 28 è Two verses from it came at the third hour of Monday Eve:
“Save your people, bless your inheritance, shepherd them and lift them up forever. Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication as I cry out to you. Alleluia.”
It is one of the two psalms that Saint Athanasius the Apostolic said that they refer to the conspiracies of the Jews: [Psalms 28 and 109 refer to the conspiracies and evils of the Jews and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot].
Therefore, the church chose it at this hour when the Gospel spoke about the Lord’s revelation to His disciples regarding the cross and the rejection by the chief priests, elders, and scribes.
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Psalm 29 è Two verses from it are included in the sixth hour prayer of Monday Eve:
“Give to the Lord, O sons of God. Give to the Lord, O sons of the mighty. Give to the Lord glory and honor. Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius says about it: [And if you wish, while you offer praise to God, to learn what is necessary to present to your Lord as you think spiritually, then sing Psalm twenty-nine.]
Therefore, the Church connects this psalm with the praise of the disciples, the crowds, and the children at the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Psalm 17 contains two verses in the prayer of the ninth hour on Monday Eve:
“I cried out because you have heard me, O God. Incline your ear, O Lord, and listen to my words. Hear, O God, my righteousness, and listen to my supplication, Hallelujah.”
Here, Saint Athanasius may refer to the resistance of the Jews to the Lord upon hearing the praises of the crowds: (And let us assume that you are in need of prayer because of your opposing adversaries, then seek help from Psalms 17, 86, 88, 141.)
Psalm 18 è It came at eleventh hour on Monday night, and also at the sixth hour on Tuesday.
“Deliver me from my strong enemies and from the hands of those who hate me. For they are stronger than I; they confronted me in the day of my calamity. Hallelujah” (eleventh hour on Monday Eve).
“My Deliverer from my mighty enemies and from those who rise against me lifts me up. And from the unjust man, deliver me; save me from my fierce enemies and from the hands of those who hate me. Hallelujah” (sixth hour on Tuesday).
Saint Athanasius said about it that it is a prayer for deliverance from enemies: [And God has kept you from your enemies and saved you from your persecutors; so in praise of Him, sing Psalm 18].
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Psalm 72 ← It came in the Matins prayer on Monday, and it refers to the glory of God that was awaited in the temple, as well as the miracles He performed in healing the sick in the temple and in cursing the fig tree:
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who alone performs wonders. Blessed be His holy name forever, hallelujah.”
Therefore, Saint Athanasius said that it speaks of Christ in [His kingship and judgment authority] [7]
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Psalm 13 è it came at the eleventh hour of Monday, and also at the third hour of Tuesday Eve:
“Look and respond to me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep in death, lest my enemy say I have prevailed against him. Hallelujah.” (The eleventh hour of Monday).
“Look and answer me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep in death. But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. Hallelujah.” (The third hour of Tuesday Eve).
Saint Athanasius refers to betrayal in this psalm, saying: [But if the betrayal coming upon you from your enemies is chronic] [8]
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Psalm 62 è It came in the first hour of Tuesday night and was repeated in the eleventh hour of Thursday night:
“My salvation and my glory are in my God; the God of my help, and my hope is in God. For He is my God and my Savior, my defender; I shall not be shaken, Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius sees in this psalm the conspiracies that are plotted against man: [As for those fiercely opposing you (the Jewish leaders) out of a desire to conquer you, submit your obedience to God and repeat Psalm sixty-two.]
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Psalm 91 è It came at the sixth hour of Tuesday night, which is the hour that the Gospel speaks of regarding vigilance and prayer for salvation from the impending judgment, aligning with the words of the psalm and the explanation of Saint Athanasius: “My refuge and my God, I trust in Him. For He delivers me from the snare of the fowler and from the troubling word. Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius explaned: [After that, if you wish to know the perfection of the universal Church, and above this, if you are determined to fill yourself with boldness and make others feel secure in true worship, realizing that hope in God protects from shame and strengthens the soul, offer praise with Psalm 91.]
Psalm 25 è It came at the ninth hour on Tuesday, which is the hour that the Gospel speaks of the end of the world and the many tribulations from false prophets and enemies of the faith. It is the cry of the psalmist in the psalm, and the affirmation of Saint Athanasius in his explanation of its meaning:
“To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul; my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed forever. Let not my enemies triumph over me. Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius explained: [And let us assume once again that the enemies are surrounding you; lift your soul towards God and recite Psalm twenty-five.]
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Psalm 45 è It came at the eleventh hour on Tuesday, and the twelfth hour on Friday:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. Blessed is he who understands the matter of the poor and the needy. In the day of trouble, the Lord will deliver him. Hallelujah” (the eleventh hour on Tuesday).
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. Bitter and sweet and the fragrance of your garments. Hallelujah” (the twelfth hour on Friday).
And Saint Athanasius said: [And when you go to your room and long to sing about the events concerning the Savior, you will find them in almost every psalm, especially in Psalms 45 and 110.]
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Psalm 59 è It came at the first hour of Wednesday night, and it also came at the sixth hour of Friday night.
Saint Athanasius says that this psalm is the psalm of salvation, and how beautiful it aligns with the Gospel of the first hour of Wednesday night, and the entry of the foreign nations into the king’s wedding, and their salvation from eternal destruction, by the king’s invitation to them from the alleys.
It also aligns with the Gospel of the sixth hour of Friday night, and the salvation of humanity from destruction by the Son accepting the cup of the cross from the Father for our salvation and healing. “You have become my helper and refuge in the day of my trouble; to you, my God, I will sing. For you are my helper, my God, and my mercy: Hallelujah” (the first hour of Wednesday Eve).
“Deliver me from my enemies, O God, and from those who rise up against me, save me” (the sixth hour of Friday night). The saint explained: [Reminder (the psalm): for you have escaped from destruction [13].
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Psalm 57 è It came at the eleventh hour of Wednesday night, and it is one of the psalms that Saint Athanasius described as being sung by the one who is suffering. It is remarkable that the psalm comes at the eleventh hour, which somewhat differs in its content from the other hours because it focuses on the revelation of the cross.
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“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for my soul trusts in You. And in the shadow of Your wings, I will take refuge until iniquity passes by: Hallelujah.”
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Saint Athanasius Explained saying: [As for the one who sings Psalm 54 “O God, save me by Your name” and Psalm 56 “Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up” and Psalm 57 “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me” and Psalm 142 “I cried out to the Lord with my voice” – the one who sings these psalms does not reflect on someone else being under persecution but rather that he himself is the one suffering.]
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Psalm 51 è It came in the Matins of Wednesday, also during the Lakaan of Holy Thursday:
“That you may be justified in your words and overcome when you are judged.”
Saint Athanasius the Apostolic says that whoever recites Psalm 51 (the vespers psalm) finds the words suitable to declare his repentance.”
And there is no wonder in this, as the readings of Wednesday refer to the betrayal of Judas and his lack of repentance despite the Lord’s many attempts to draw him in love. The foot washing on Holy Thursday and the Lord washing the feet of His disciples is a clear indication of daily repentance, as the Lord says, “He who is bathed all over (baptism) has no need except to wash his feet (daily repentance).”
How beautiful is our ecclesiastical arrangement that has made us pray this psalm every day and every hour.
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Psalm 83 è it came at sixth hour on Wednesday:
“Behold, your enemies have shouted. And your haters have raised their heads. They conspired together with one heart and made a covenant against you. Hallelujah.”
And the call here from Saint Athanasius is to pray this psalm when a person is faced with conspiracies and betrayal: [And again, if the enemies gather from different directions and issue their threats against the house of God, and at the same time conspire against the true religion, be careful not to be overwhelmed by their multitude and power, for you possess the anchor of hope in the verses of Psalm 83) [17]
And of course, this day (Wednesday) is the day of conspiracy and betrayal by Judas in his agreement with the Jewish leaders to hand the Lord over to them.
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Psalm 69 è It has been mentioned in several places: the eleventh hour of Wednesday, the first hour of Thursday Eve, also the sixth hour of Friday Eve, the ninth hour of Friday:
“Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled and my soul is very distressed. Do not turn Your face away from Your servant. Hear me quickly, for I am in distress: Hallelujah” (the eleventh hour of Wednesday).
“Revive me, O God, for the waters have come up to my soul. And look upon me according to the multitude of Your mercies. Hallelujah” (the first hour of Thursday Eve).
“Deliver me from my enemies, O God, and save me from those who rise up against me. I waited for someone to grieve with me, but there was no one. And for someone to comfort me, but I found no one. Hallelujah” (the sixth hour of Friday Eve).
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“O God, revive me, for the waters have come up to my soul. I am sunk in the mire of death. They gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink. Hallelujah” (the ninth hour of Friday).
Saint Athanasius highlights an important aspect of the crucified Christ in this psalm, as He who suffered for humanity without committing any sin: [And when he speaks of the piercing of the hands and feet, is there anything other than the cross that these words could refer to? After teaching all these matters, he added that the Lord did not suffer all these pains for Himself but for us. He says in Psalm 88: “Your wrath rests upon me,” as he says in Psalm 69: “Then I restored what I did not steal,” because He was not obligated to account for any sin He committed, but He suffered for us and took upon Himself the wrath directed against us because of our transgressions. This is exactly what the prophet Isaiah declared when he said: “He was wounded for our transgressions.” [18]
Psalm 55 è it came twice: at the third hour of the Eve of Thursday, also at the Matins on Great Thursday:
“His words are smoother than butter, but they are drawn swords. Listen, O God, to my prayer. Do not overlook my supplication: Hallelujah.”
It goes without saying that this is a prophecy about Judas Iscariot, which is why it came during these two hours that focused on the betrayal of Judas. Therefore, the church established a long melody [Aftchi Noon] for chanting this psalm, and the length of the melody reflects the betrayal and weakness of humanity. In contrast, the same melodies with the words of Psalm 45 [Your throne, O God] at the eleventh hour on Tuesday, with the addition of the phrase “My good Savior,” and at the twelfth hour on Great Friday, narrate the glory and love of God that were revealed on the cross.
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Saint Athanasius said about it: “And if enemies hurl insults and mockery at you, and those you thought were friends (Judas) rise against you, and direct their accusations at you, causing you to be troubled in your reflections, even for a time, you can still find comfort and praise God, singing the fifty-fifth psalm.”
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Psalm 140 è It came at sixth hour on Thursday Eve, and the words still refer here to Judas and the leaders of the Jews:
“Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man. They devise mischief in their heart; they continually gather together for war. Hallelujah.”
This was confirmed by Saint Athanasius in his explanation of the essence of this psalm: [But you may find yourself besieged by enemies again, so do you want someone to deliver you? Then chant Psalm 140.]
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Psalm 7 è It came at the ninth hour of Thursday Eve:
“O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me, lest they tear me like a lion, rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.” Hallelujah.
It is clear here that the discussion continues about Judas and the leaders of the Jews. Saint Athanasius speaks in this psalm about Ahithophel’s betrayal of David, as he was his counselor (2 Samuel 15:12). Therefore, the church chose this hour because of the disciple’s betrayal: [And if some people conspire against you as Ahithophel conspired against David, and a friend informs you of their consultation, recite Psalm 7, and place your trust in God who defends you.]
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Psalm 94 è It came at the third hour of Thursday:
“They lay in wait for the soul of the righteous and condemn innocent blood. But the Lord my God will bring them down for their wickedness and destroy them: Hallelujah.”
And how beautiful what Saint Athanasius said about this psalm regarding the wicked consultations of the Jews against Him, and also about punishing the devil for our sake: [If you wish to sing on the fourth day of the week, you will find Psalm 94 suitable because at that time the Lord began to take vengeance, ruling by death as punishment, and revealing Himself with bold and clear words for this reason.
When you read the Gospel, you see the Jews consulting on the fourth day of the week about the Lord, and you then see Him speaking openly about punishing the devil for our sake, echoing the words that express these events in Psalm 94 as well.]
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Psalm 31 è It came at the sixth hour of Thursday:
“Let the lips of the deceitful be silent, those who speak against the righteous with iniquity. For I have heard the reproach of many who dwell around me; when they all gathered against me, they conspired to take my life: Hallelujah.”
And here we must pause for a moment to reflect on what Saint Athanasius said about this psalm: [When you see that you are despised and rejected by all your loved ones and relatives (the Jews and Judas) for the sake of righteousness, do not cease to care for them (continuing to love them despite their betrayal) and for yourself. And if you see your acquaintances turning away from you (the disciples fleeing), do not be dismayed, but distance yourself from them and turn your mind to the future (salvation) and sing Psalm 31][23]
And it is remarkable that this psalm is also the one that contains the verse spoken by the Lord on the cross (Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit).
Psalm 109 è it came at the third hour of Great Friday Eve:
“God, do not be silent about my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me. With words of hatred they have surrounded me and fought me without cause. Hallelujah.”
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Here, it refers to the mouth of betrayal, false testimony, and unjust trials, as St. Athanasius said: [While Psalms 28 and 109 refer to the conspiracies of the Jews, their evils, and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot.]
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Psalm 35 è It came at the ninth hour of Great Friday Eve, and also in the morning of Great Friday:
“Let all who seek my life be ashamed and brought to confusion. Let them turn back and be ashamed who wish me evil. Hallelujah” (the ninth hour of Great Friday Eve)
“For false witnesses have risen against me, and they laid to my charge things that I knew not” (the Matins of Great Friday)
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How beautiful is St. Athanasius’s explanation of this psalm: [He is the one who makes their plots dissipate like bubbles, so they become quiet and have nothing but wicked hands seeking to harm and injure you, so do not trust anyone to prosecute them because everything human is suspicious in it, and consider God the just judge because He is the only fair one and repeat Psalms 26, 35, 43]
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Saint Athanasius refers to the conspiracies of the Jews that dissipated like bubbles, meaning they did everything that was predetermined according to the counsel of the Lord and His foreknowledge (Acts 2:23, Acts 4:28). He also notes the silence of the Lord during the trials, stating: “Do not trust a man to prosecute them.”
The second psalm comes at the eleventh hour of Great Friday Eve:
“Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed. Hallelujah.”
“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury. Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius sees in this psalm a critique of Judas’s betrayal and the Jews’ transgression through the unjust trial: “[If you wish to criticize Judas’s betrayal against the Savior, read the second psalm.]”
“[Psalms 2, 14, 36, 52, 53 accuse those who transgress the law and those who have strayed from God.]”
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Psalm 27 è it came in the Matins of Great Friday:
“False witnesses rose against me, and they asked me things I did not know. They repaid me evil for good, and they surrounded me with their teeth. Hallelujah” (the Matins of Great Friday).
Saint Athanasius said about this psalm: [And if they increase against you and attack you fiercely, mocking you as if you have not yet tasted the grace of God, do not be dismayed in fear but sing Psalm twenty-seven][28]
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Psalm 22 è It was recited at eleventh hour on Palm Sunday, at ninth hour on the Eve of Wednesday, at the third hour and sixth hour on Great Friday:
“I will declare Your name to my brothers; in the assembly, I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him; all you descendants of Jacob, honor Him; revere Him, all you descendants of Israel. Hallelujah.”
“Save my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog. Rescue me from the mouth of the lion; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. Hallelujah.” (ninth hour on the eve of Wednesday)
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“As for me, I am ready for the scourges. My pain is ever before me. Many dogs have surrounded me, and a band of evildoers has encircled me. Hallelujah” (the third hour of Great Friday)
“They pierced my hands and my feet; they counted all my bones. They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing, they cast lots. They spoke with their lips and shook their heads, saying, ‘If he trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, for He delights in him.’ Hallelujah” (the sixth hour of Good Friday)
Saint Athanasius says about it: “Then he completed the depiction of this prophecy by clarifying the type of death that he would die through the mouth of the Savior Himself.”
Here, the psalmist paints a clear picture of the cross and all its details, as well as all its blessings, as in the eleventh hour of Palm Sunday.
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Psalm 143 è it came in the prayer of the eleventh hour on Great Friday:
“I have stretched out my hands to You; respond to me quickly, O Lord, for my spirit has failed. Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Hallelujah.”
And Saint Athanasius says about it that it is a psalm of the agitation of all the people against man (like what happened at the crucifixion): [And if an oppressive enemy rises against you after all this and troubles you and troubles all the people, do not fear or be dismayed, but strengthen your faith and support yourself with Psalm 143.]
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Psalm 88 è some of its verses were recited at the twelfth hour on Great Friday, and also in the Matins of the Saturday of Joy:
“They have laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the depths of the sea” (the twelfth hour on Great Friday)
“I have become like a man who has no help; I have become free among the dead” (The Matins of the Saturday of Joy).
Saint Athanasius considers this psalm along with Psalm 69 to represent the Crucified One for our sake without any sin He committed: [And after knowing all these things, he added that the Lord did not suffer all these pains for Himself but for us, for He says in Psalm 88: “Your wrath lies heavy upon me” as He says in Psalm 69: “Then I restored what I did not take” because He was not obliged to account for any sin He committed, but He suffered for us.]
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Psalm 126 è A verse from it came in the morning of the Saturday of Joy:
“Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. Hallelujah.”
Saint Athanasius connects this psalm (along with Psalm 122) with the Book of Ezra, which represents the return of the people from captivity. Therefore, the church chose this psalm here as a reference to the return of the captives from hell to paradise: [While the Book of Ezra is summarized in Psalm 126, which is one of the Songs of Ascents, it says: “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream,” as we find earlier in Psalm 122, where it sings: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.”]
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Psalm 16 è Two verses from it are included in the prayer of the third hour on the Saturday of Joy:
“For You will not leave my soul in hell, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence. Hallelujah.”
And Saint Athanasius says about it that it is a psalm proclaiming the fact of the resurrection: [And you see the resurrection as a reality in the sixteenth psalm].
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Psalm 82 è A verse from it is recited in the chapter that is read during the Holy Saturday liturgy: “Arise, O God, judge the earth. For You shall inherit all nations. Hallelujah.” Saint Athanasius reveals the blessings of the resurrection in this psalm as an inheritance for all nations: [While we read in Psalm 82 these words: “God stands in the congregation of God; He judges among the gods,” and let us learn from the psalms about God’s call to the nations.]
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Psalm of the Resurrection Feast liturgy (118) è This is the psalm with which the church began its readings this week during the Eve of Palm Sunday Liturgy:
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. Prepare a feast for those who reach the horns of the altar. Hallelujah.”
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Saint Athanasius says about it: [Together with Psalm 50, they proclaim the Savior’s visitation to humanity and His resurrection among them][35].
Just as the Lord visited Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, so He visited the world with His holy resurrection at dawn on Sunday.
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