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Prayers

Orthodox prayers for protection from evil

Prayers Orthodox Christians say to ask God’s protection from evil and danger, for themselves and the people they love.

Picture: Briton Rivière, Daniel in the Lions’ Den, 1872 (a warmed copy)

4 prayers and 2 to the saints

With the sign of the cross

Let God arise

Make the sign of the crossLet God arise,let His enemies be scattered,and let those who hate Him flee from before His face.As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish.As wax melts before the fire,so let the demons perish before those who love God,who sign themselves with the sign of the Crossand say with joy:

Rejoice, most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord!You drive away the demonsby the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified on you.He went down to Hadesand trampled on the power of the devil,and He gave you to us, His precious Cross,to drive away every enemy.

O most precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord,help me, together with the holy lady, the Virgin Mother of God,and with all the saints,for ever. Amen.

Traditional wording, 2011

Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered,and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish;as wax melteth before the fire,so let the demons perish from the presence of them that love Godand who sign themselves with the sign of the Crossand say in gladness:

Rejoice, most venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord,for Thou drivest away the demonsby the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Who was crucified on thee,Who went down to hades and trampled on the power of the devil,and gave us thee, His venerable Cross,for the driving away of every adversary.

O most venerable and life-giving Cross of the Lord,help me together with the holy Lady Virgin Theotokos,and with all the saints, unto the ages. Amen.

It calls on God to arise and scatter His enemies and asks that the demons perish before those who sign themselves with the Cross. The Russian prayer book closes the prayers before sleep with it.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Church Slavonic of the Russian prayer book, with the Jordanville translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, Prayer Book, 2011.

It gives the Cross a capital “Thou”. The plain wording keeps capitals for God alone.

Where it comes from, and the Church Slavonic

When you are afraid

Psalm 91

Whoever lives in the shelter of the Most Highwill rest in the shadow of the Almighty.I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress,my God, in Whom I trust.”

It is He Who will save you from the trapper’s snareand from the deadly plague.He will cover you with His feathers,and under His wings you will find refuge.His faithfulness is a shield and a wall.

You will not fear the terror of the night,nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the plague that walks in the darkness,nor the destruction that lays waste at noon.A thousand may fall at your side,ten thousand at your right hand,but it will not come near you.

You will only look on with your eyesand see how the wicked are repaid.Because you have made the LORD your home,the Most High, Who is my refuge,no harm will come to you,no plague will come near your tent.

For He will command His angels concerning youto guard you in all your ways.They will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.You will tread on the lion and the cobra;you will trample the young lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves Me, I will rescue him;I will set him safe on high, because he knows My name.He will call on Me, and I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble;I will deliver him and honour him.I will satisfy him with long lifeand show him My salvation.”

Traditional wording, 1611

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most Highshall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:my God; in Him will I trust.

Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,and from the noisome pestilence.He shall cover thee with His feathers,and under His wings shalt thou trust:His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;nor for the arrow that flieth by day;Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.A thousand shall fall at thy side,and ten thousand at thy right hand;but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou beholdand see the reward of the wicked.Because thou hast made the LORD, Which is my refuge,even the Most High, thy habitation;There shall no evil befall thee,neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For He shall give His angels charge over thee,to keep thee in all thy ways.They shall bear thee up in their hands,lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder:the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him:I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him:I will be with him in trouble;I will deliver him, and honour him.With long life will I satisfy him,and shew him My salvation.

The Church reads this psalm of God’s shelter at the Sixth Hour and at Great Compline. It promises that He will cover you with His feathers and command His angels to guard you in all your ways.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Hebrew, with the King James Version beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: The King James translators, The King James Version, 1611.

Where it comes from, and the original

At night

Compline prayer of St Basil

Lord, Lord, You have saved usfrom every arrow that flies by day;save us also from everythingthat stalks in the darkness.Accept the lifting up of our handsas an evening sacrifice.

Grant that we may pass through this nightwithout blame and without being tempted by evil,and set us free from all the turmoil and fearthat the devil brings upon us.

Give our souls sorrow for sin,and turn our thoughts to the questioningwe will face at Your fearful and just judgment.

Nail down our flesh with the fear of You,and put to death what is earthly in us,so that even in the stillness of sleepwe may be filled with lightby the sight of Your judgments.

Take away from us every unseemly imaginingand every harmful desire.

Raise us up at the time of prayer,firm in the faithand growing in Your commandments,by the good will and the goodnessof Your only-begotten Son,with Whom You are blessed,together with Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit,now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.

Traditional wording, 1891

Lord, O Lord, Who savest us from every arrow that flieth by day,save us from every danger that lurketh in darkness.Accept the lifting up of our hands as an evening sacrifice.

Let us pass through the watches of the night without defilement and without temptation,and deliver us from restlessness and fear of the devil.

Let the repentance of our souls and the examination of our intentionsin the light of Thy terrible and righteous judgmentbe pleasing before Thee.

Penetrate our flesh with fear of Thee,and mortify our earthly members,so that in our sleep we may be enlightened with the vision of Thy judgment.

Remove far from us every unseemly imagination and every harmful lust.

And rouse us at the hour of prayer,strengthened in faith and advanced in Thy commandments.Through the satisfaction and goodness of Thine only-begotten Son,with Whom, and with Thy most holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit,Thou art blessed, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.

This prayer from Great Compline opens on the words of Psalm 91. It asks God to bring us through the night without blame, free of the turmoil and fear the devil brings.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek, checked against the Church Slavonic, with Shann’s 1891 English beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: G. V. Shann, Euchology, 1891.

Shann’s English parts from the Greek and the Slavonic in two places. Where they ask God to give our souls sorrow for sin and to turn our thoughts to His judgment, Shann asks that our repentance be pleasing to Him. Where they end “by the good will” of the Son, Shann has “satisfaction”.

Where it comes from, and the Church Slavonic

Each morning

St Patrick’s Breastplate

I arise todaywith a mighty strength, calling on the Trinity,believing in the Three,confessing the One,meeting in the Creator.

I arise todaywith the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,the strength of His crucifixion and burial,the strength of His resurrection and ascension,the strength of His coming down for the Last Judgment.

I arise todaywith the strength of the ranks of the cherubim,in the obedience of angels,in the service of archangels,in the hope of resurrection and its reward,in the prayers of patriarchs,in the prophecies of prophets,in the preaching of apostles,in the faith of those who confessed Christ,in the innocence of holy virgins,in the deeds of righteous men.

I arise todaywith the strength of heaven,the brightness of the sun,the whiteness of snow,the splendour of fire,the speed of light,the swiftness of the wind,the depth of the sea,the steadiness of the earth,the firmness of rock.

I arise todaywith God’s strength to steer me,God’s power to hold me up,God’s wisdom to guide me,God’s eye to look ahead for me,God’s ear to hear me,God’s word for my speech,God’s hand to guard me,God’s way to go before me,God’s shield to protect me,God’s army to save meagainst the snares of demons,against the lure of vices,against the urges of nature,against everyone who wishes me ill,far and near,alone and in a crowd.

So I call on all these powersto stand between meand every fierce and merciless powerthat may come against my body and my soul:against the incantations of false prophets,against the black laws of paganism,against the false laws of heresy,against the deceit of idolatry,against the spells of women and smiths and druids,against all knowledge forbidden to the human soul.

Christ to guard me todayagainst poison, against burning,against drowning, against wounding,so that many rewards may come to me.Christ with me, Christ before me,Christ behind me, Christ in me,Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit, Christ when I rise,Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,Christ in every eye that looks on me,Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise todaywith a mighty strength, calling on the Trinity,believing in the Three,confessing the One,meeting in the Creator.

Salvation is the Lord’s,salvation is the Lord’s,salvation is Christ’s.May Your salvation, O Lord,be with us always.

Traditional wording, 1898

I arise to-day:vast might, invocation of the Trinity,—belief in a Threenessconfession of Onenessmeeting in the Creator (?).

I arise to-day:the might of Christ’s birth and His baptismthe might of His Crucifixion and Burialthe might of His Resurrection and Ascensionthe might [of] His Descent to the judgement of Doom.

I arise to-day:might of grades of Cherubimin obedience of Angels[in ministration of Archangels]in hope of resurrection for the sake of rewardin prayers of Patriarchsin prophecies of Prophetsin preachings of Apostles,in faiths of Confessorsin innocence of holy Virginsin deeds of righteous men.

I arise to-day:might of Heavenbrightness of Sunwhiteness of Snowsplendour of Firespeed of Lightswiftness of Winddepth of Seastability of Earthfirmness of Rock.

I arise to-day:Might of God for my pilotingPower of God to uphold meWisdom of God for my guidanceEye of God for my foresightEar of God for my hearingWord of God for my utteranceHand of God for my guardianshipPath of God for my precedenceShield of God for my protectionHost of God for my salvationagainst snares of demonsagainst allurements of vicesagainst solicitations of natureagainst every person that wishes me illfar and nearalone and in a crowd.

I invoke therefore all these forcesto intervene between me and every fierce merciless forcethat may come upon my body and my soul:against incantations of false prophetsagainst black laws of paganismagainst false laws of heresyagainst deceit of idolatryagainst spells of women and smiths and druidsagainst all knowledge that is forbidden the human soul.

Christ for my guardianship to-dayagainst poison, against burning,against drowning, against wounding,that there may come to me a multitude of rewards;Christ with me, Christ before me,Christ behind me, Christ in me,Christ under me, Christ over me,Christ to right of me, Christ to left of me,Christ in lying down, Christ in sitting, Christ in rising upChrist in the heart of every person, who may think of me!Christ in the mouth of every one, who may speak to me!Christ in every eye, which may look on me!Christ in every ear, which may hear me!

I arise to-day:vast might, invocation of the Trinitybelief in a Threenessconfession of Onenessmeeting in the Creator.

Domini est salus, Domini est salus, Christi est salus;Salus tua, Domine, sit semper nobiscum.

This Old Irish prayer is credited to St Patrick. It calls on God’s strength to stand between you and every harm, from poison and drowning to the snares of demons. Then it asks for Christ on every side.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the literal English of J. H. Bernard and R. Atkinson (1898), with their Old Irish beside it, and the Latin of its last two lines. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: J. H. Bernard and R. Atkinson, The Irish Liber Hymnorum, 1898.

The words in square brackets are missing from the main manuscript and come from another copy. The question mark is the translators’ own. Their glossary says the grammar of the Old Irish behind “meeting in the Creator” is quite uncertain, though the general sense of those opening lines seems plain. The line “Power of God to uphold me” is put back from the book’s errata.

Where it comes from, and the Old Irish

To the guardian angel · To your guardian angel

Prayer to your guardian angel

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian,protector of my soul and body,forgive me every sin of this day.Deliver me from all the cunning of the enemy who fights me,so that I may not anger my God by any sin.

Pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant,so that you may show me worthyof the goodness and mercy of the All-holy Trinity,of the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ,and of all the saints. Amen.

Traditional wording, 1982

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian,the protector of my soul and body:forgive me for all the sins I have committed this day.Deliver me from all the evil of my militant enemy,that I may not anger my God by any sin.

Pray for me, your sinful and unworthy servant,that you may show me worthyof the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity,the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christand all the Saints. Amen.

It asks the angel who guards your soul and body to deliver you from all the cunning of the enemy who fights you.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Church Slavonic of the Russian prayer book. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: St Tikhon’s Seminary Press, Orthodox Daily Prayers, 1982.

Where it comes from, and the Church Slavonic

To a saint · To the archangels

Troparion of the Archangels

Chief commanders of the armies of heaven,we who are unworthy beg youto wall us around by your prayerswith the shelter of the wingsof your bodiless glory.Guard us as we fall down before youand cry out with all our hearts,“Deliver us from dangers,for you are the captains of the powers on high.”

Traditional wording, 2011

Supreme Commanders of the heavenly hosts,we unworthy ones implore youthat by your supplications ye will encircle uswith the shelter of the wings of your immaterial glory,and guard us who fall down before you and fervently cry:Deliver us from dangerssince ye are the Marshalls of the Hosts on high.

It asks the archangels, the commanders of heaven’s armies, to wall us around by their prayers under the shelter of their wings.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek, with the Jordanville prayer book’s English beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, Prayer Book, 2011.

Where it comes from, and the Greek

Scripture for this

7The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. 8The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:7-8 The LORD keeps you from all evil and watches over your life, as you go out and as you come home.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower, and the righteous who run to it are safe.

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 The Lord is faithful. He strengthens His people and guards them from the evil one.

We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One Who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.

1 John 5:18 The One born of God protects God’s children, and the evil one cannot touch them.

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Ephesians 6:10-11 Be strong in the Lord, and put on the full armour of God to stand against the devil’s schemes.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:15 By the Cross, Christ disarmed the powers of evil and triumphed over them for all to see.

Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.

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