Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes. Blessed are the blameless in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
In a grave they laid Thee, O my Life and my Christ; and the armies of the angels were sore amazed, as they sang the praise of Thy submissive love.
Blessed are they that search out His testimonies; with their whole heart shall they seek after Him.
How, O Life, canst Thou die? Or abide in a grave? For Thou dost destroy the kingdom of death, O Lord, and Thou raisest up the dead of Hades’ realm.
For they that work iniquity have not walked in His ways.
Now we magnify Thee, O Lord Jesus our King; and we venerate Thy Passion and Burial, whereby from corruption’s bowels are we redeemed.
Thou hast enjoined Thy commandments, that we should keep them most diligently.
Thou Who didst establish the earth’s bounds dost now dwell in a small grave, O my Jesus, Thou King of all, Who dost call the dead to leave their graves and rise.
Would that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes.
O my dear Christ Jesus, King and Ruler of all, why to them that dwelt in Hades didst Thou descend? Was it not to set the race of mortals free?
Then shall I not be ashamed, when I look on all Thy commandments.
Lo, the Sovereign Ruler of creation is dead and is buried in a tomb never used before, He that emptied all the graves of all their dead.
I will confess Thee with uprightness of heart, when I have learned the judgments of Thy righteousness.
In a grave they laid Thee, O my Life and my Christ. Yet, behold now, by Thy death, death is stricken down, and Thou pourest forth life’s streams for all the world.
I will keep Thy statutes; do not utterly forsake me.
Thou, O Christ, was numbered with men of evil deeds as one evil, and didst also deliver us from the ancient schemer’s evil works and deeds.
Wherewithal shall a young man correct his way? By keeping Thy words.
Lo, how fair His beauty! Never man was so fair! Yet how doth He seem a dead man bereft of form, though all nature’s beauty had Him as its source.
With my whole heart have I sought after thee, cast me not away from Thy commandments.
How could Hades, O Savior, bear Thy Presence divine, and not rather be demolished in utter gloom, blinded by the splendor of Thy dazzling light?
In my heart have I hid Thy sayings that I might not sin against Thee.
O my sweet Lord Jesus, my Salvation, my Light: How art Thou now hid within a dark sepulcher? Lo, Thy burial surpasseth human speech.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes.
Angel-kind, O Master, and the bodiless hosts cannot understand the mystery, O my Christ, of Thy burial ineffable and strange.
With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Thy mouth.
Lo, how strange these wonders, deeds amazing and new; for the Giver of my life is borne lifeless forth by the hands of weeping Joseph to His rest.
In the way of Thy testimonies have I found delight, as much as in all riches.
O Christ Jesus, Savior, in the grave Thou wast laid; yet Thou didst not leave the bosom of Thy Father, Lord. Lo, what strange and awesome wonders to behold!
On Thy commandments will I ponder, and I will understand Thy ways.
Unto all creation wast Thou made known, O Christ, as the true King of the firmament and the earth, even though Thou wast enclosed in a small grave.
On Thy statutes will I meditate; I will not forget Thy words.
When, O Christ our Maker, Thou wast laid in Thy tomb, the foundation stones of Hades with ruin shook, and the graves of mortal men were opened wide.
Give reward unto Thy servant, quicken me and I will keep Thy words.
He that holdeth all things in the grasp of His hand, in the flesh is now held dead in the depths of the earth, thereby freeing all the dead from Hades’ grasp.
O unveil mine eyes, and I shall perceive wondrous things out of Thy law.
Thou, my Life, O Savior, from corruption didst rise, having died, and therefore dwelling among the dead, and didst shatter the strong bolts of Hades’ hold
I am a sojourner on the earth, hide not from me Thy commandments.
As a lamp of light beneath a bushel is hid, so now also in the earth is God’s flesh concealed, and doth drive away the gloom from Hades’ realm.
My soul hath longed to desire Thy judgments at all times.
Nicodemus, Joseph and the bodiless hosts come together now to bear Thee, the Infinite, in their arms into a narrow grave of stone.
Thou hast rebuked the proud; cursed are they that decline from Thy commandments.
By Thy willing death and burial in the earth. Fount of life, O Jesus, life didst Thou grant to me who was dead in bitter and most grievous sins.
Remove from me reproach and contempt, for after Thy testimonies have I sought.
By Thy willing Passion, all creation was changed; for it knew Thee, O my Jesus and Word of God, as its Savior and Redeemer from all debts.
For princes sat and they spake against me, but Thy servant pondered Thy statutes.
All-devouring Hades, on receiving within as a mortal Him that is the firm Rock of Life, did spew forth the dead swallowed from ancient times.
For Thy testimonies are my meditation, and Thy statutes are my counselors.
Thou, O Christ, wast buried in a tomb newly made, thus renewing the whole nature of mortal men, by arising from the dead as God in truth.
*Excerpted from the First Stasis
**Full text in The Lamentations of Matins of Holy and Great Saturday published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, available at Eighth Day Books
