When it is said
It is said when a piece of work is finished, large or small. In today’s Russian prayer book, the hymn to the Mother of God “It is truly right” follows it.
Even a quiet “Glory to You, O God” is enough, advises a Russian prayer book. The Jordanville Prayer Book offers “Glory to Thee, O Lord” as the short choice.
Its partner, the prayer before any task, is said when the work begins.
Where it comes from
No author known
Who wrote it?
No one knows. It stands beside the prayer before any task in the Russian prayer book, and both were in print by 1907. Today it is in the Moscow prayer book, and in English in the Jordanville Prayer Book and the prayers of the Orthodox Church in America.
Explained prayer book, Holy Spirit Brotherhood of Vilnius (St Petersburg, 1907); Orthodox prayer book (Moscow, 2018)
Words heard at the Liturgy
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Church’s main service, the priest says a quiet prayer: “Thou Who art the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets, O Christ our God … Fill Thou our hearts with joy and gladness.” The prayer after work shares these words. In both, Christ is the fulfilment, and He is asked to fill the heart or soul with joy and gladness.
What the words mean
Why give thanks after work?
The brothers of Valaam, a monastery in Russia’s north, teach that thanks after work guards against pride. Without it, they write, one may put success down to one’s own strength. And thanks is due, they add, even when the work did not turn out as we wished.
The brothers of Valaam Monastery, Prayer before and after every work (OrthoChristian.com)
The Scripture in it
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
Исполнение всех благих Ты еси, Христе мой,
исполни радости и веселия душу мою и спаси мя,
яко един Многомилостив, Господи, слава Тебе.