The Orthodox Study Bible (yes, we have a specific one - more on that later) provides a helpful list of passages to read in the Psalms in different situations. To follow-up the ASK OTETS question about depression, here are some of the suggested passages when facing depression and related feelings (you can find the full list of suggested passages on page xxxi of the New Testament version of the Orthodox Study Bible).

Where to Turn in the Psalms…

• When you are lacking in joy — Psalm 5:11, 12

• When you need encouragement — Psalm 17:6-8

• When you are lonely — Psalm 23: 1-6

• When you are worried — Psalm 37:1-8

• When you are sad — Psalm 43: 3-5

• When you are depressed — Psalm 57: 6-11

• When you need strength — Psalm 62:5-8

• When you are deeply troubled — Psalm 77:1-15

• When you feel insignificant — Psalm 84:5-12

• When you wonder about life’s meaning — Psalm 90:10-17

• In times of anxiety — Psalm 94:16-19

• When you need God’s mercy — Psalm 103:1-14

• When you are discouraged — Psalm 109:21-31

• When a loved one dies — Psalm 116:1-19

• When you need God’s guidance — Psalm 119:9-16

• If God seems far away — Psalm 139:1-18

• If you want to complain to God — Psalm 142:1-7

But what are the Psalms?

In the UOCC we often only learn about what the Gospel (Євангеля) is and not necessarily the other books of the Bible (the Gospel being the 4 Gospels - Mark, Matthew, John and Luke). The Psalms are a collection of songs and personal prayers that are generally attributed to King David (who is an ancestor of Jesus Christ) from 1000 B.C. (You can read more about the life of King David here to understand the potential origin of the different Psalms)

Read more about the Psalms here and why the numbers we use are different than other Christian denominations.

You are also invited to join us for our almost daily (sometimes we are celebrating vespers or akathist) readings of the Psalms at 6pm at the Cathedral. Check our calendar for the dates.