Exodus 7
1 Now the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.†
2 You shall speak all I command you, and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh to send the children of Israel from his land.
3 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.†
4 But Pharaoh will not heed you; and I shall lay My hand on Egypt and bring My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt with My power and great vengeance.
5 Then all the Egyptians shall know I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.Ӡ
6 Thus, as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
7 Now Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8 Again the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show us a sign or a wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron your brother, ‘Take your rod and cast it on the ground before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.’ ”†
10 So Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and his servants, and they did so, as the Lord commanded them. Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.
11 In response, Pharaoh called together the wise men, the sorcerers, and the charmers of Egypt, and in like manner, they did the same with their sorceries.
12 For each man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
13 But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not give heed to them as the Lord commanded.
The Plague of Water Turned to Blood
14 So the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. †
15 Go to Pharaoh early in the morning, when he goes to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and you shall take in your hand the rod that turned to a serpent.
16 Then you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, to serve Me in the desert”; but indeed, until now you would not hear.
17 Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the water in the river with the rod in my hand, and it shall be turned to blood.
18 Then the fish in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the river.” ’ ”
19 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron your brother, ‘Take your rod in your hand and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers, their canals, their ponds, and all their standing water, so they may become blood. There shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and of stone.’ ”
20 So Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded them. Aaron lifted his hand with the rod and struck the waters in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. Then all the waters in the river were turned to blood.
21 The fish in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
22 Then the sorcerers of Egypt did the same with their sorceries; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord said. †
23 Pharaoh then turned and went to his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.†
24 So all the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink water from the river.
25 Then seven days passed after the Lord struck the river.
The Plague of Frogs
26 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go to serve Me.
27 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs.
28 So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls.
29 The frogs shall come up on you, your people, and all your servants.” ’ ”
Psalms 50
1 For the End; a psalm by David; †
2 when Nathan the prophet came to him, at the time he went in to Bathsheba.
3 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; And according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression.
4 Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness And cleanse me from my sin.
5 For I know my lawlessness, And my sin is always before me.
6 Against You only have I sinned And done evil in Your sight; That You may be justified in Your words, And overcome when You are judged.
7 For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, And in sins my mother bore me.
8 Behold, You love truth; You showed me the unknown and secret things of Your wisdom.
9 You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.
10 You shall make me hear joy and gladness; My bones that were humbled shall greatly rejoice.
Proverbs of Solomon 10
23 The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of a righteous man; It enriches him, and grief of heart will not be added to it.
24 A man without discernment does evil things with laughter, But wisdom gives birth to discernment in a man.†
25 The ungodly man is carried about in destruction, But the desire of the righteous man is acceptable.
26 The ungodly man is destroyed by the passing storm, But the righteous man turns aside and shall be saved forever.
27 As an unripe grape is harmful to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is a lawless woman to the men who use her.
Mark 5
Jairus’s Daughter
21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.†
22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet
23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”
24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
The Woman with a Flow of Blood
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,†
26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.
28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.
33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
Jairus’s Daughter Raised
35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.
38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.
39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.
41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”†
42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.
43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Dear Fr Alexis,
Thank you for chanting Psalm 50 in the beautiful tone 2 setting. When one gets into the habit of attending Matins, one is drawn back again and again by the Psalms, especially Psalm 50.