Orthodox prayers for soldiers

Psalm 91 sings of God’s shelter in danger, and Psalm 20 is a blessing to pray over someone serving. The Church also prays for soldiers who died in battle.

Picture: Paolo Veronese, Jesus and the Centurion, about 1571

3 prayers and 2 to the saints

When they are in danger

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.

Some soldiers carry it as the Soldier’s Prayer. Read it for someone who is serving: “He will command His angels concerning you 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

For a loved one serving

Psalm 20

May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble;may the name of the God of Jacob shield you.May He send you help from the sanctuaryand uphold you from Zion.May He remember all your sacrificesand accept your burnt offering.

May the Lord give you what your heart desiresand fulfil all your plans.We will rejoice in your deliveranceand be lifted up in the name of the Lord our God.May the Lord fulfil all your requests.

Traditional wording, 1906

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble;the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee:send thee help from the sanctuary,and strengthen thee out of Sion:remember all thy offerings,and accept thy burnt-sacrifice:

grant thee thy heart’s desire,and fulfil all thy mind.We will rejoice in thy salvation,and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God:the Lord perform all thy petitions.

St Athanasius of Alexandria advised praying this psalm over anyone facing trouble. Pray it over a son, daughter or spouse in uniform, asking God to answer them in the day of trouble and send them help (Psalm 20:1-2).

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek the Orthodox Church prays (verses 1 to 5), with Hapgood’s Service Book beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church, 1906.

The Greek says “we will be magnified”, where Hapgood has “triumph”.

Where it comes from, and the Greek

For the fallen

Prayer for fallen soldiers

For the ever-remembered servants of God,the Orthodox soldiers who fought bravely,and for all who laid down their lives in battlefor the faith and for their country,for their rest, their peace and their blessed memory,let us pray to the Lord.The people answer: Lord, have mercy.

Then, from the canonI have opened my mouth, O Saviour:give me words to pray, O Merciful One,for those who fought bravelyfor the faith and for their country,so that You may give rest to their souls, O Master.

In a place of green pasture, a place of rest,where the choirs of the saints rejoice,give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Your servantswho fought bravely for the holy Church and their country,O only Merciful One.

Traditional wording, 1906

For the repose, tranquillity and blessed memoryof the ever-memorable servants of God,the Orthodox Warriors who have valiantly contended:and for all who have laid down their life in battlefor the Faith and the Fatherland,let us pray to the Lord.

Having opened my mouth, O Saviour,give me speech to pray, O Compassionate One,for those who have wrought valiant deedsof the Faith and the Fatherland;and give rest to their souls, O Master.

In a place of verdure, a place of repose,where the company of the Saints rejoice,give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servantswho have valiantly wrought for the Holy Church and their Fatherland,only Merciful One.

The deacon’s petition and two hymns from the memorial the Russian Church holds on 29 August, asking rest for all who laid down their lives in battle.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Church Slavonic, with Hapgood’s 1906 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church, 1906.

Hapgood’s “Fatherland” is “their country” in the plain wording.

Where it comes from, and the Church Slavonic

To a saint

Troparion of St George

As the one who sets captives free,defender of the poor,physician of the sickand champion of kings,

O George, great martyr and bearer of victory,pray to Christ our Godthat our souls may be saved.

Traditional wording, 1891

Deliverer of captives, defender of the poor,physician of the sick, and champion of kings,

O victorious and great Martyr George,pray Christ our God to save our souls.

St George was an officer in the Roman army before he died for Christ. His hymn hails him as the one who sets captives free.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Greek, with Shann’s 1891 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: G. V. Shann, Euchology: A Manual of Prayers of the Holy Orthodox Church, 1891.

Where it comes from, and the Greek

To a saint

Troparion of St John the Warrior

O John, worker of miracles,you showed yourself a faithful servant and warriorof the all-good God and King,for you suffered bravely for the faithand finished your race in blessedness.

In heaven you see the Lord, the Creator of all,in the brightest light.From Him you received the gift of miracles,and you help people who suffer in every kind of trouble.You give soldiers strength in battleand rescue them from capture by the enemy,from wounds and sudden death, and from cruel misfortunes.

So pray to Christ the Master, O ever-remembered one,to show us mercy in every hardship,not to lead us into temptations,but to save our souls, for He is the Lover of mankind.

Traditional wording, 2000

O wonder-worker John, thou hast been shown to bea right faithful servant and warrior of God, the all-good King;for, having manfully suffered for the Faithand finished thy course in blessedness,

in the heavens thou beholdest the Lord and Creator of all most splendidly,and helpest men who suffer amid all manner of trials.And thou dost strengthen soldiers in battle,rescuing them from capture by the enemy,from wounds, sudden death and cruel misfortunes.

Wherefore, entreat Christ the Master, O ever-memorable one,that He deal mercifully with us in every circumstance,that He lead us not into temptations,but save our souls, in that He loveth mankind.

St John the Warrior served in the Roman army, and the Russian Church honours him as the protector of soldiers. This troparion praises him for strengthening soldiers in battle and rescuing them from wounds and sudden death.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Church Slavonic, with Isaac Lambertsen’s 2000 translation beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Isaac Lambertsen, Menaion, July, 2000.

Lambertsen leaves out the line “From Him you received the gift of miracles”, which the plain wording keeps from the Slavonic.

Where it comes from, and the Church Slavonic

Scripture for this

“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God Who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 As a people prepares to face battle, Moses promises that the Lord goes with them and will never leave or forsake them.

¹The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread? ²When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh, my enemies and foes stumbled and fell. ³Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.

Psalm 27:1-3 Even if an army camps around him and war breaks out, the psalmist will not fear, because the Lord is his light.

⁶So Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends with the message: “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. ⁷That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to You. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes, and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.” ⁹When Jesus heard this, He marveled at the centurion. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

Luke 7:6-9 Jesus praised the faith of a centurion with soldiers under him, who trusted Him to heal his servant with a word.

¹At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment. ²He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.

Acts 10:1-2 The centurion Cornelius was a soldier who prayed to God regularly and gave generously to those in need.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13 For Jesus, no love is greater than laying down one’s life for one’s friends.

Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.

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