When it is said
It comes near the end of a moleben, a short service of prayer, for a married couple grieving that they have no child. The prayer follows the Gospel and the litanies.
A couple might also pray it at home together, saying their own names where the prayer leaves a space.
Where it comes from
No author known
A service for a grieving couple
In May 2022 the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved this service for use in all its churches. It is a moleben to Christ for husbands and wives grieving that they have no child. Its Gospel reading is the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were righteous before God and had no child until they were old.
Patriarchia.ru, 27 May 2022 (archived copy); Luke 1:5-13
Borrowed from the prayer for the sick
The opening lines come from the prayer said over the oil at the anointing of the sick. So do the plea for God’s healing power from heaven and the words about hidden illness. In the old prayer these words ask God to heal, in body and soul, everyone anointed with the oil. In this one they ask Him to heal whatever is hidden and give the couple a child.
What the words mean
“Do not count our prayer as sin”
The prayer asks humbly and boldly at once. It quotes Isaiah, that God’s ways are higher than ours, and still dares to ask, because Christ said, “Ask, and it will be given to you.” The service’s litany prays in the same spirit, that the couple may set their hope firmly on God and accept His will.
Isaiah 55:8-9; Matthew 7:7
The Scripture in it
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Church Slavonic
Владыко Вседержителю, Святый Царю, наказуяй и не умервщляяй, утверждаяй низпадающая и возводяй низверженныя, телесныя человеков скорби исправляяй!
Молимся Тебе, Боже наш, посети милостию Твоею рабы Твоя (имярек), прости им всякое согрешение вольное и невольное, низпосли с Небесе врачебную Твою силу, исцели болезни таящияся, даруй им плод чрева, благочадия восприятие.
Ей, Господи, Иисусе Христе Боже наш! Не вмени во грех моление наше, вемы бо глаголы пророка, имже рекл еси: яко небо отстоит от земли, тако отстоит путь Мой от путий ваших, и помышления ваша от мысли Моея.
Обаче вемы и яже Сам рекл еси: раститеся и множитеся; и паки рекл еси: просите и дастся вам.
Сего ради, на милость Твою уповающе, разрешения безплодия и дарование благочадия рабом Твоим (имярек) дерзаем просити.
Ты бо еси Источник исцелений и Спас душ наших, Христе Боже наш, и Тебе славу возсылаем, со Безначальным Твоим Отцем, Пресвятым Благим и Животворящим Твоим Духом ныне и присно и во веки веков. Аминь.