The Beginning of the Midnight Office

Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. (For private prayers begin, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”.)

Reader: Amen. Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and fill all things; Treasurer of Blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell within us, and cleanse us from every blemish, and save our souls, O blessed One!

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us! [3]

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

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

Lord, have mercy! [3]

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

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.

Priest: For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Reader: Amen. Lord, have mercy. [12]

Come, let us worship God our King! Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ, our King and our God! Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!

Psalm 50

HAVE MERCY ON ME, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the multitude of Your compassions blot out my transgression.

*Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

*Against You only have I sinned and done this evil before You, that You might be justified in Your words, and prevail when You are judged.

For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me.

*For behold, You have loved truth; the hidden and secret things of Your wisdom You have made clear to me.

You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; You shall wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

*You shall make me to hear joy and gladness; the bones which have been humbled shall rejoice.

Turn Your face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

*Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

*Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and with Your governing Spirit establish me.

I shall teach transgressors Your ways and the ungodly shall turn back to You.

*Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, who are the God of my salvation; my tongue shall rejoice in Your righteousness.

O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.

*For if You had desired sacrifice, I would have given it; with whole-burnt offerings You shall not be pleased.

A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise.

*Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.

Then shall You be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole-burnt offerings.

Then shall they offer bullocks upon Your altar.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia; glory to You, O God. [3]

Lord, have mercy. [3]

Psalm 120

I HAVE LIFTED UP MY EYES to the mountains from where my help comes. My help comes from the Lord, who has made heaven and earth. Be not given to wandering in foot. May He not slumber who cares for you. Behold, He shall not slumber nor shall He sleep, He who sustains Israel. The Lord shall care for you, the Lord is your shelter at your right hand. The sun will not burn you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall keep you from all evil; the Lord shall guard your soul. The Lord shall sustain your coming and going, from now and throughout the ages.

Psalm 133

BEHOLD NOW, BLESS THE LORD, all you His servants, those who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. During the night lift up your hands in prayer to the holy places and bless the Lord. The Lord bless you out of Sion, He who made heaven and earth.

Monday through Friday Tropars:

BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMES in the middle of the night, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching; and again unworthy is he whom He shall find heedless. Therefore, O my soul, beware, unless you be weighed down with sleep, unless you be given over to death, and be shut out from the kingdom. Rouse yourself, and cry: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God: through the Birthgiver of God have mercy on us.

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

Meditating on that terrible day, watch, O my soul, keeping your lamp lit and filled with oil; for you do not know when the voice will come saying to you: “Behold the Bridegroom!” Therefore, my soul, beware, unless you fall in slumber and be left outside, knocking as the five virgins; but wakefully watch that you may come to meet Christ with good oil, and He shall bestow on you the divine chamber of His glory.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Saturday Tropars:

O YOU WHO ARE BY NATURE UNCREATED, the Fashioner of all, open our lips that we may proclaim Your praise while we cry: Holy, Holy, Holy, are You, O God: Through the Birthgiver of God have mercy on us.

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

Imitating on earth the Hosts on high, we offer You, O Good One, the triumphant song: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God: through the Birthgiver of God have mercy on us.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Lord, You have raised me from bed and sleep: enlighten my mind and heart, and open my lips that I may hymn you, O Holy Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God: through the Birthgiver of God have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us! [3]

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

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

Lord, have mercy! [3]

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

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.

Priest: For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Reader: Amen.

The Kondak of the day.

Lord, have mercy. [40]

The Prayer of the Hours: O Christ God, who at all times and at every hour, in heaven and on earth, are worshiped and glorified, who are long suffering, plenteous in mercy, most compassionate, who love the righteous and have mercy on sinners, who call all to salvation through the promise of good things to come: Receive, O Lord our prayers at this hour, and guide our life toward your commandments. Sanctify our souls, make chaste our bodies, set aright our minds, cleanse our thoughts, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil, and pain. Encompass us with your holy angels, so that guarded and guided by their watch, we may attain to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of Your ineffable glory: for You are blessed forever. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. [3]

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

More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who as a virgin gave birth to God the Word, true Birthgiver of God, we magnify you.

In the name of the Lord, father, bless. (For private prayers, say,“By the intercession of Your saints, O Lord, bless.)

Priest: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Reader: Amen.

The Prayer of St. Basil the Great: O GOD AND LORD OF POWERS, Creator of all that exists, who in Your great compassion and ineffable mercy sent down Your Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our race, and by His precious Cross tore up the handwriting of our sins, and confounded the principalities and powers of darkness: O Master who loves mankind, accept from us sinners these prayers of thanksgiving, and deliver us from every destructive and dark fall into sin, and from all the visible and invisible enemies that seek to harm us. Nail down our flesh to the fear of You, and do not incline our hearts to thoughts or words of wickedness, but wound our souls with Your love, that looking toward You and guided by Your Light, we may behold Your unapproachable and eternal Light, and may send up unceasing confession and thanksgiving to You, the Unoriginate Father, with Your Only-begotten Son, and Your most holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

The End of the Midnight Office