St.
Ambrose, elder of Optina offered to those who came to
him with various sorrows and trials a special, brief
prayer rule that is possible for any Christian to
read. The elder knew from his own experience the
effectiveness of these prayers, how they strengthen
one's enfeebled spirit, and how they scatter the
enemy's attacks if read with faith and hope in
God's almighty help. This prayer rule, comprised
of the Psalms of David, we offer here together with
extracts from the letters of St. Ambrose.
FROM THE LETTERS OF ST. AMBROSE OF OPTINA
Hope in God's mercy and help, and believe that the
Lord is powerful to deliver you from all attacks both
human and demonic. It is written in the Psalms: The
Lord scattereth the plans of the heathens, He setteth
aside the devices of the peoples... But the counsel of the
Lord abideth unto eternity (Ps. 32:10–11).
I am writing down some Psalms for you that St. David
prayed when he was being persecuted by his enemies:
numbers 5, 53, 58, and 142. Chose the appropriate words
from these Psalms for yourself, and read them often,
turning to God with faith and humility. When you are being
warred against by despondency, or some sorrow beyond your
control, read Psalm 101.
Psalm 3. Of David, when he fled from the face of
Abessalom his son, in the wilderness.
O Lord, why are they multiplied that afflict me? Many rise
up against me. Many say unto my soul: There is no
salvation for him in his God. But Thou, O Lord, art my
helper, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. I cried
unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His
holy mountain. I laid me down and slept; I awoke, for the
Lord will help me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people that set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for Thou hast smitten
all who without cause are mine enemies; the teeth of
sinners hast Thou broken. Salvation is of the Lord, and
Thy blessing is upon Thy people.
Psalm 53. For the end: among the hymns of
instruction by David, when the Ziphites came and said to
Saul: Lo, is not David hidden with us?
O God, in Thy name save me, and in Thy strength do Thou
judge me. O God, hearken unto my prayer, give ear unto the
words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me,
and mighty men have sought after my soul and have not set
God before themselves. For behold, God helpeth me, and the
Lord is the protector of my soul. He will bring evils upon
mine enemies. Utterly destroy them by Thy truth. Willingly
shall I sacrifice unto Thee; I will confess Thy name, O
Lord, for it is good. For out of every affliction hast
Thou delivered me, and mine eye hath looked down upon mine
enemies.
Palm 58. For the end: destroy not. David's.
For a pillar inscription, when Saul sent and watched his
house to slay him.
Rescue me from mine enemies, O God, and from them that
rise up against me redeem me. Deliver me from them that
work iniquity, and from men of blood do Thou save me. For
lo, they have hunted after my soul, the mighty have set
upon me. Neither is it mine iniquity, O Lord, nor my sin;
without iniquity I ran, and directed my steps; arise to
meet me, and behold. And Thou, O Lord God of hosts, the
God of Israel, be attentive to visit all the heathen; be
not merciful to any that work iniquity. They shall return
at evening, and shall hunger like dogs, and shall go round
about the city. Behold, they shall utter sounds with their
mouth, and a sword is in their lips: For who, say they,
hath heard? And Thou, O Lord, shalt laugh them to scorn;
Thou shalt bring to nought all the heathen. O my Strength,
I will keep watch for Thee, for Thou, O God, art my
helper. As for my God, His mercy shall go before me; my
God shall make it manifest unto me among mine enemies.
Slay them not, lest at any time they forget Thy law;
scatter them by Thy power, and bring them down, O Lord my
defender. The sin of their mouth is the speech of their
lips; yea, let them be taken captive in their pride. And
from their curse and falsehood shall their final
destruction be made known in the wrath of their utter
destruction, and they shall be no more. And they shall
know that God is sovereign of Jacob and of the ends of the
earth. They shall return at evening, and shall hunger like
dogs, and shall go round about the city. They shall be
scattered abroad that they may eat; if they be not
satisfied, they shall murmur. But as for me, I will sing
of Thy power; and in the morning I will rejoice in Thy
mercy. For Thou art become my helper and my refuge in the
day of my tribulation. Thou art my helper, unto Thee will
I chant; for Thou, O God, art my helper; O my God, Thou
art my mercy.
Psalm 142. David's. When his son Abessalom pursued
him.
O Lord, hear my prayer, give ear unto my supplication in
Thy truth; hearken unto me in Thy righteousness. And enter
not into judgement with Thy servant, for in Thy sight
shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath
persecuted my soul; he hath humbled my life down to the
earth. He hath sat me in darkness as those that have been
long dead, and my spirit within me is become despondent;
within me my heart is troubled. I remembered days of old,
I meditated on all Thy works, I pondered on the creations
of Thy hands. I stretched forth my hands unto Thee; my
soul thirsteth after Thee like a waterless land. Quickly
hear me, O Lord; my spirit hath fainted away. Turn not Thy
face away from me, lest I be like unto them that go down
into the pit. Cause me to hear Thy mercy in the morning;
for in Thee have I put my hope. Cause me to know, O Lord,
the way wherein I should walk; for unto Thee have I lifted
up my soul. Rescue me from mine enemies, O Lord; unto Thee
have I fled for refuge. Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou
art my God. Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of
uprightness; for Thy name's sake, O Lord, shalt Thou
quicken me. In Thy righteousness shalt Thou bring my soul
out of affliction, and in Thy mercy shalt Thou utterly
destroy mine enemies. And Thou shalt cut off all them that
afflict my soul, for I am Thy servant.
Psalm 101. A prayer of the poor man. When he was
despondent, and poured out his supplication before the
Lord.
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto Thee.
Turn not Thy face away from me; in the day when I am
afflicted, incline Thine ear unto me. In the day when I
call upon Thee, quickly hearken unto me. For my days are
vanished like smoke, and my bones consumed like wood for
the burning. I am smitten like grass, and withered is my
heart, for I forgot to eat my bread. By reason of the
voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved unto my flesh.
I am become like a pelican of the wilderness, I am like an
owl in a ruined house. I have watched, and am like a
sparrow that sitteth alone upon the house-top. The whole
day long mine enemies reproached me, and they that praised
me made an oath against me. For before the face of Thy
wrath and Thine anger I ate ashes like bread, and my drink
I mingled with weeping; for after uplifting me, Thou hast
dashed me down. My days like a shadow have declined, and I
like grass am withered. But Thou, O Lord, for ever
abidest, and Thy remembrance is unto generation and
generation. Thou shalt rise up and have pity upon Sion,
for it is time to have compassion on her, yea, the time is
come. For Thy servants have taken pleasure in her stones,
and they shall feel pity for her dust. And the nations
shall fear Thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the
earth Thy glory. For the Lord shall build up Sion, and He
shall be seen in His glory. He hath regarded the prayer of
the humble, and hath not despised their supplication. Let
this be written for another generation, and the people
that is being created shall praise the Lord. For He hath
looked out from His holy height, the Lord from heaven hath
looked upon the earth, To hear the groaning of them that
be in fetters, to loose the sons of the slain, To declare
in Sion the name of the Lord, and His praise in Jerusalem,
When the peoples are gathered together, and the kings to
serve the Lord. He answered Him in the way of his
strength: The fewness of my days declare unto me. Take me
not away at the half of my days; in generations and
generations are Thy years. In the beginning, O Lord, Thou
didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are
the works of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou
abidest; and all like a garment shall grow old, And as a
vesture shalt Thou fold them, and they shall be changed;
but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail. The
sons of Thy servants shall have their dwelling, and their
seed for ever shall be guided aright.
08 / 07 / 2010
Source- .pravoslavie.ru/english
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