The Liturgical Psalter

The Liturgical Psalter is a Finnish edition of the Book of Psalms according to the Eastern Orthodox liturgical tradition. Therein, the psalms have been divided into 20 kathismata, or units of roughly equal length, selection of which are read in a special order in Vespers and Orthros services, in Lenten Hours, and in some private services. Each kathisma is further divided into three stases, delimited by the Doxology and Alleluia refrains.

The main source text is taken from the book Psalmit Septuagintan mukaan [Psalms According to the Septuagint], published by Ortodoksisen kirjallisuuden julkaisuneuvosto and the Finnish Bible Society in 2010 and is used here with permission of the publishers. The primary numbering of the psalms follows that of the Septuagint. When it differs from the Hebrew numbering of the Finnish Bible, the latter numbers are given in parentheses.

In addition to divine services, Orthodox believers use the Psalter in private devotions. In this purpose, one or more kathismata can be read as required by the current spiritual needs and piety. Before reading kathismata, the Initial Prayers (Alkurukoukset) are said. The psalms of each kathisma are followed by the Trisagion Prayers, troparia, and the prayer. After the last kathisma that was to be read, the Final Prayers (Psalttarin lukemisen jälkeen) are said. The majority of the troparia and prayers of the Orthodox Liturgical Psalter are published in Finnish for the first time in the present application.