Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
At Psalm 140
In Tone 6
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Departing from Your divine precepts as from Jerusalem,
and going down to the passions of Jericho,
travelling by way of the cares of this life
on the pathways of dishonour,
I fell prey to the thievery of thoughts;
they stripped me of my noble garment,
which You gave me by the grace of adoption.
I was left half-dead and covered with wounds;
a priest passed by and saw my misfortune, but he paid no attention;
a Levite felt nothing but disgust, and so he turned away from me;
but You, O Lord, who were born ineffably from the Virgin,
You poured as oil and wine,
the blood and water which flowed freely from Your life-giving side,
to dress and bind up my wounds.
In Your compassionate love, O Christ our God,
grant me a place in Your Kingdom.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Departing from Your divine precepts as from Jerusalem,
and going down to the passions of Jericho,
travelling by way of the cares of this life
on the pathways of dishonour,
I fell prey to the thievery of thoughts;
they stripped me of my noble garment,
which You gave me by the grace of adoption.
I was left half-dead and covered with wounds;
a priest passed by and saw my misfortune, but he paid no attention;
a Levite felt nothing but disgust, and so he turned away from me;
but You, O Lord, who were born ineffably from the Virgin,
You poured as oil and wine,
the blood and water which flowed freely from Your life-giving side,
to dress and bind up my wounds.
In Your compassionate love, O Christ our God,
grant me a place in Your Kingdom.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Your martyrs did not reject You,
nor did they renounce Your commandments.
Through their prayers, have mercy on us.
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,
and revealed the pre-eternal plan to you.
He greeted you and announced:
Rejoice, O earth that had not been sown!
Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed!
Rejoice, O unsearchable depth!
Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven;
O high ladder which Jacob saw!
Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna!
Rejoice, O invocation of Adam!
The Lord is with you.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,
and revealed the pre-eternal plan to you.
He greeted you and announced:
Rejoice, O earth that had not been sown!
Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed!
Rejoice, O unsearchable depth!
Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven;
O high ladder which Jacob saw!
Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna!
Rejoice, O invocation of Adam!
The Lord is with you.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,
and revealed the pre-eternal plan to you.
He greeted you and announced:
Rejoice, O earth that had not been sown!
Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed!
Rejoice, O unsearchable depth!
Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven;
O high ladder which Jacob saw!
Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna!
Rejoice, O invocation of Adam!
The Lord is with you.
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
The blameless Maiden said to the captain of the heavenly hosts:
You appear to me as a mortal,
and your words go beyond human thought.
You have said that God is with me,
and that He shall take up abode in my womb.
Tell me then, how am I to become a holy temple for the infinite One,
the Lord who rides on the Cherubim?
Do not mislead me with deceit,
for I have known no pleasure and have not approached wedlock.
Therefore, how shall I give birth to a child?
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
The blameless Maiden said to the captain of the heavenly hosts:
You appear to me as a mortal,
and your words go beyond human thought.
You have said that God is with me,
and that He shall take up abode in my womb.
Tell me then, how am I to become a holy temple for the infinite One,
the Lord who rides on the Cherubim?
Do not mislead me with deceit,
for I have known no pleasure and have not approached wedlock.
Therefore, how shall I give birth to a child?
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The Archangel then said to her:
Whenever God wills, the order of nature is overcome,
and that which is beyond human power is accomplished.
Therefore, O most pure and ever-holy One, believe my true words.
She then cried out, saying:
Let it now be done to me according to you word,
and I will give birth to the One who is without flesh.
He will take flesh from me,
so that by the union He may raise the human race to the original dignity,
for He alone is all-powerful.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The Archangel then said to her:
Whenever God wills, the order of nature is overcome,
and that which is beyond human power is accomplished.
Therefore, O most pure and ever-holy One, believe my true words.
She then cried out, saying:
Let it now be done to me according to you word,
and I will give birth to the One who is without flesh.
He will take flesh from me,
so that by the union He may raise the human race to the original dignity,
for He alone is all-powerful.
In Tone 2, Glory… Now…
That mystery which is from all eternity
is being revealed today.
The Son of God becomes the Son of Man.
He accepted the lowliest in order to give us the highest.
In times of old, Adam was deceived;
he desired to become like God and did not.
Now God becomes human that He may make Adam God.
Let all creation be happy:
let nature dance with joy
because the Archangel stands in awe before the Virgin and greets her.
He brings the greeting which changes our grief into joy.
Through the mercy of Your compassion, You became incarnate;
O our God, glory to You!
Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
The Lord is compassion and love,* slow to anger and rich in mercy.
verse: My soul, give thanks to the Lord; all my being, bless His holy name.
Reading
Genesis 22:1-18
Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
How great are Your works, O Lord;* You have made all things in wisdom.
verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.
Reading II
Proverbs 17:17-18:5