A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian

101

Blessed is he who in the Lord has become free of all the affairs of this vain life.

Blessed is he who has in mind the coming terrible judgement and tries to heal the wounds of his soul with tears.

Blessed is he who in tears has become like unto a cloud, and daily uses them to extinguish the fiery flame of the evil passions.

Blessed is he who excels in good measures of ascetic feats, hoping to receive from God the heavenly kingdom.

Blessed is he who like a fire is ablaze with love and has burned up in himself all impure thoughts and corruption of the soul.

Blessed is he who has found a choice heavenly pearl and, having sold all that he had on earth, has bought this one jewel.

Blessed is he who has found a treasure hidden in a field, rejoiced and cast aside all, and acquired this one piece of land.

Blessed is he who ceaselessly remembers the day of his departure and strives to be ready and fearless in that hour.

Blessed is he who finds boldness in the hour of his leave-taking, when the soul with fear and trembling bids farewell to the body, for the angels shall come to take his soul, to separate it from the body and place it before the throne at the immortal and terrible judgement place.

102

Adornment of our prayer, O Jesus, fortify our supplication, that it might ascend with Thee to Thy Father and obtain for us the object of our request!

Through Thy loving-kindness Thou defendest us before Thy Father, for Thou art the chosen sacrifice, offered for the world.

For Adam, who tasted the fruit, Thou didst embrace the pillar at the judgement place. For Adam's children, who sinned before Thee, the executioners pierced Thee with nails.

Thou hast taken upon Thyself the common debt of all in order to pay it back to Thy Father--pay back also, O guiltless Lord, those sins with which our freedom has indebted us.

Thou hast redeemed us from the curse of the law by Thy precious blood. Deliver also those redeemed by Thy blood from harsh justice.

May the debts of Thy servants not exceed the compassion of the kindhearted Lord, for no matter how great our errors might be, Thy loving-kindness is yet greater.

It is true that many, many debts are upon us, but Thou hast a multitude of compassions. And if truth itself should weigh them, then all our debts shall be less than Thy compassions.


Who shall set about weighing Thy compassions and comparing them to our iniquities? The mountains can be weighted, but Thy compassions are beyond measure.

Thy compassions are more precious than life, for life has its measure, but Thy compassions are immeasurable. May Thy compassions be also our rampart.

103

Arise, O soul that has grown old in sins, an renew thyself with repentance. From contrition and tears mix thyself an ointment and heal the wounds of the fallen image in thee. Call out from thy heart and expose thine iniquities, for the All-good One will spare thee who art fallen.

Thou hast loved beauty that is deceptive and transitory and ruined thine own beauty, O daughter of the light. The temple of thy body is disfigured with the recklessness to which thou hast enslave thyself.

Woe art thou, who art miserable! How long shalt thou occupy thyself with things that are transitory? Shudder and be horrified by the fire that thou hast kindled with thine errors.

The hideous sins that thou hast committed from thy youth have accumulated, rising higher than thy head. They have plunged thee into despair, and that is why thou art indifferent to repentance.

Remember that thou art held captive by lust. Remember that desire slew thy mother. How longsuffering the Good One is with thee, yet dost thou wallow in a sea of sin!

Can it be that thou dost not fear the day when thy sores and thy secrets shall be revealed? Who will defend thee in that place where every man will be preoccupied with his own judgement?

Thy possessions have made thee a hollow image; they have ruined thee and left thee.

O great Hope, Who hast appeared unto us in the last days, spare this soul that has withdrawn from Thee! I am Thy sheep, but long have I wandered far from Thee, serving the evil one. Go forth, O Lord and seek me out. Seek out Thy dominion, for in vain cares have I squandered Thy wealth!

For the sake of sinners didst Thou bear Thy cross, and I am one of them: turn not away from me. We are Thy dominion, but the Evil One has stolen us away. Rebuke him and take from him that which he has capture. Have mercy on me, O Lover of mankind, for I have no other hope but Thee.

Praise be to Thy compassions, O all-merciful Son of God, for Thou art long-suffering toward sinners. Thanks be to Thee from those who had perished, whom Thou didst gather together and bring to repentance.

104

How great is the grace of the God! How great is God's love for mankind! How He desires and encourages all men to save themselves! O Lord, spare also me, Thy useless servant; O merciful Christ our Savior, spare Thy creature.

If Thou, O Lord, wilt not give me who am miserable understanding, nor enlighten my heart, then, due to my great indifference, shall I be unable to recognize my ruin and decay.

Because I am trapped by the merciless enemy who oppresses me, with tears do I ceaselessly cry day and night to Thy goodness to deliver me from his snares. For hourly does he renew the trickery he wields against me; hourly does he disturb my soul with wanton thoughts and desire for pleasure.

May Thy power, O Christ, that rebuked the waves of the sea also rebuke him, that he may have no influence on me, Thy useless servant. Be quick to send, O Master, Thy grace, that it might drive away from Thy servant the great serpent and all his defilements and evil thoughts. For the wounds that his arrows have inflicted on my heart have become fetid sores, and I in my folly try to hide them every way I can.

The good Physician calls me and demands no payment, nor does he spill my blood. But my slothfulness prevents me from going to Him. He comes Himself to heal me, but always finds me engaged in acts and prevent His remedies from rendering me their healing power.

O Lord, enlighten and sober me. Cure me and I will be cured!