Ninth Hour

The Beginning of the Ninth Hour


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]


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


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 83


HOW BELOVED ARE YOUR DWELLINGS, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longs and faints for the courts of the Lord.


My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.


For the sparrow has found herself a house, and the turtledove a nest for where she may lay her young,


*within Your Holy Place, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.


Blessed are they who dwell in Your house; from age to age they shall praise You.


*Blessed is the man whose help is from You; he has ascended in his heart, within the valley of weeping, to the place which he has established.


Truly, for the Lawgiver will give blessings; they shall progress from strength to strength, the God of gods shall be seen in Zion.


*O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer; attend, O God of Jacob.


O God, our defender, behold, and look upon the face of Your anointed one.


*For one day in Your courts is better than thousands elsewhere.


I have chosen rather to be an outcast in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of sinners.


*For the Lord loves mercy and truth, God will give grace and glory; the Lord will not withhold good things from those who walk in innocence.


O Lord God of hosts, blessed is the man whose hope is in You.


Psalm 84


YOU HAVE BEEN GRACIOUS TO YOUR LAND, O Lord; You have turned back the captivity of Jacob.


You have forgiven the iniquities of Your people; You have covered all their sins.


You have made all Your wrath to cease; You have turned back from the fury of Your rage.


*Turn us back, O God of our salvation, and turn Your anger away from us.


Will You be embittered with us forever? Or will You extend Your wrath from generation to generation?


*O God, You will transform and enliven us, and Your people shall rejoice in You.


O Lord, show us Your mercy, and give us Your salvation.


*I will hear what the Lord God will speak through me; for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints, and to them who turn their heart to Him.


Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.


*Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.


Truth is sprung up out of the earth, and righteousness has looked down from heaven.


*For the Lord will indeed give goodness, and our land shall yield its produce.


Righteousness shall go before Him, and shall steady His footsteps along the way.


Psalm 85


BOW DOWN YOUR EAR, O LORD, and hear me, for I am poor and needy.


Preserve my soul, for I am holy; O my God, save your servant, who hopes in You.


*Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to You will I call all day long; gladden the soul of Your servant, for to You have I lifted up my soul.


For You, O Lord, are good and gentle, and abundant in mercy to all who call upon You.


*O Lord, consider my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplication.


In times of affliction I have cried out to You, because You have heard me.


*There is none like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any accomplishments like Yours.


All the nations whom You have made shall come and shall worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.


*For You are great and work wonders; You alone are God.


Guide me, O Lord, in Your way, and I will walk in Your truth; let my heart rejoice that I may revere Your name.


*I will confess You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, I will glorify Your name forever.


For Your mercy to me is extraordinary, You have delivered my soul from far distant Hades.


*O God, transgressors have risen against me, and the assembly of the mighty has sought for my soul, and they have no regard for You.


But You, O Lord my God, are compassionate and merciful, patient, abounding in mercy, and true.


*Consider me and have mercy upon me; give Your strength to me, Your servant, and save the child of Your handmaid.


Work in me a sign for good, and let those who hate me behold it and be ashamed; for You have helped me, O Lord, and comforted me.


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]


The Tropar of the Day.


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


O GOOD ONE, for our sake, You were born of the Virgin and endured crucifixion: being God, You brought forth the Resurrection, trampling down death by Your death. Turn not away from us, whom You have fashioned with Your own hands; but show Your love toward mankind, O Merciful One and accept the intercessions of the Birthgiver of God on our behalf and save, O Savior, a despairing people!


FOR THE SAKE of Your holy name, do not forsake us forever; nor forget Your covenant; for the sake of Abraham Your beloved, and Isaac, Your servant, and Israel, Your holy one, take not Your mercy from 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 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.


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 unto ages of ages. 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: O MASTER, LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR GOD, who are long suffering toward our transgressions, and have led us even to this hour, in which, You while hanging on the life-giving Tree, made the way for the entry into Paradise of the grateful thief, and by death destroyed death: cleanse us, Your sinful and unworthy servants; for we have sinned and committed iniquities, and are not worthy to lift our eyes and look to the height of heaven, because we have forsaken the path of Your righteousness, and have walked after the desires of our hearts. But we plead Your boundless grace: Spare us, O Lord, according to the multitude of Your mercy, and save us for the sake of Your holy name; for our days are wasted away in vanity. Rescue us from the hand of the adversary, and forgive us our sins, and mortify the presumption of our flesh, that putting off the old man, we may put on the new one, and live for You, our Master and Benefactor; and that following in Your commandments, we may attain to eternal rest, wherein is the dwelling place of all who are glad. For You are indeed the true joy and gladness of those who love You, O Christ our God, and to You we send up glory, with Your eternal Father, and Your most Holy and Good and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.


The End of the Ninth Hour