LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
At Psalm 140
In Tone 8
Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Having come to the end of the forty days,
we beseech You, O Lord and Lover of humankind:
May we also behold the holy week of Your passion,
and glorify in it Your lofty deeds
and Your ineffable work of salvation,
as we sing with one voice:
O Lord, glory to You.
The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Having come to the end of the forty days,
we beseech You, O Lord and Lover of humankind:
May we also behold the holy week of Your passion,
and glorify in it Your lofty deeds
and Your ineffable work of salvation,
as we sing with one voice:
O Lord, glory to You.
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
O martyrs of the Lord,
we entreat you to beseech our God,
and ask great mercy for our souls
and forgiveness of our many offences.
In Tone 6
Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Desiring to see the tomb of Lazarus, O Lord,
since You were soon going to dwell willingly in the tomb,
You asked: Where have you placed him?
And, when You learned that which You already knew,
You called to the one whom You loved:
Lazarus, come forth from the tomb!
And Death obeyed the Giver of life,
the Saviour of our souls.
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Desiring to see the tomb of Lazarus, O Lord,
since You were soon going to dwell willingly in the tomb,
You asked: Where have you placed him?
And, when You learned that which You already knew,
You called to the one whom You loved:
Lazarus, come forth from the tomb!
And Death obeyed the Giver of life,
the Saviour of our souls.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Having arrived at the tomb of Lazarus on the fourth day,
You wept for Your friend, O Lord.
You gave life to the one who had been dead four days;
Death was bound up by Your voice,
and the grave-clothes were unbound by Your hands.
Therefore, the company of apostles were filled with joy,
and all the choirs sang with one voice:
Blessed are You, O Saviour; have mercy on us.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Having arrived at the tomb of Lazarus on the fourth day,
You wept for Your friend, O Lord.
You gave life to the one who had been dead four days;
Death was bound up by Your voice,
and the grave-clothes were unbound by Your hands.
Therefore, the company of apostles were filled with joy,
and all the choirs sang with one voice:
Blessed are You, O Saviour; have mercy on us.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
The kingdom of Hades was demolished at the sound of You voice, O Lord;
Your powerful word awakened from the tomb one who had been dead for days.
Lazarus becomes a saving prelude of our regeneration.
Nothing is impossible for the King of the universe;
O Lord, grant to Your servants forgiveness and great mercy.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Desiring to assure Your disciples of Your own Resurrection from the dead,
You came to the tomb of Lazarus.
And when You called him, Hades was despoiled,
and it gave up the one who had been dead four days;
and he cried out to You, O Saviour:
Blessed are You, O Lord, glory to You!
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Taking Your disciples with You, O Lord,
You came to Bethany to awaken Lazarus from the dead;
and, weeping over him in accordance with your human nature,
as God, You raised the one who had been dead four days;
and he cried out to You, O Saviour:
Blessed are You, O Lord, glory to You!
In Tone 8, Glory…
You have come to the tomb of Lazarus, O Lord,
and You called the dead one to awaken as from his sleep.
He shook off the dust of the tomb at Your immortal words;
and, still bound by the grave-clothes,
he came forth at the sound of Your voice.
For You have power and lordship over all things,
and You are the Master of the whole world, O Lover of humankind:
O Lord, glory to You.
Now…
Having come to the end of the forty days, we cry out:
Rejoice, O city of Bethany, the home of Lazarus.
Rejoice, Martha and Mary, for Christ shall come to you tomorrow;
by His word, He shall give life to your departed brother.
Hearing His voice, the cruel and insatiable Hades will give up Lazarus after four days.
Struck with admiration, the Hebrew people will carry palms and branches,
and they shall go before Him.
The children shall praise the One whom their parents looked upon with envy:
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!
Prokeimenon I, Tone 6
Our help is in the name of the Lord,* who made heaven and earth.
verse: “If the Lord had not been on our side,” this is the song of Israel.
Reading I
Genesis 49:33-50:26
Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
Those who put their trust in the Lord* are like Mount Sion.
verse: They cannot be shaken, for it stands unmoved forever.
Reading II
Proverbs 31:8-31