Akathist to the Holy Right-believing King David the Builder
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Lord, have mercy (Twelve times). Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.
We, the people of thy flock, stir thee up, the invincible champion and unashamed helper of piety, to be our helper and intercessor with God; and do thou not cease to intercede before Him, that He may grant us victory over enemies and temptations and direct on the path of His commandments those who trust in thee and praise thee: Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
Receiving victory from on high over enemies and the double-minded, thou didst wondrously guard thy flock from all afflictions and sorrows; now behold the snares of countless enemies brought wickedly upon our race, and entreat Almighty God to cast down those who war against and oppress us, who are hostile to thy people rich in struggles, that they may not say: Where is their God, in whom they hope? – and to drive away trials and the assaults of demons from those who extol and praise thee:
Rejoice, shoot of Jesse, son of David, anointed like him with the horn of strength; rejoice, thou who didst spring from the root of the pious Bagratid kings; rejoice, tree of radiant fruit that didst grow in Iberia; rejoice, David, chosen of God, called from on high to sanctify thy people and strengthen Iberia; rejoice, faithful preacher of God, who didst speak by the Holy Spirit and like the great Anthony didst gain holiness; rejoice, thou who wast blessed by God as a righteous king and chosen warrior and given to the people allotted to the holy Virgin; rejoice, priest-king and wise philosopher, filled with the meekness of Moses; rejoice, warrior-king and teacher, who by spiritual height and wisdom didst reach the summit of all learning; rejoice, watchful shepherd, revealed in the times of the dominion of the lawless; rejoice, thou who didst shine with love for mankind and wast glorified by works of Orthodoxy; rejoice, thou who wast set over a beloved people with the sword of reproof and the help of battle; rejoice, untiring labourer in the blessed vineyard of the fatherland, who didst bear the burden of the day and multiply the talent given thee; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
From youth thou didst surpass thy peers in learning and in the love of God, and being ever wounded by prayer, wisdom was given thee by the Holy Spirit and a surpassing gift of seeing hidden things; now be for us too a guide of life and an intercessor with Christ our Saviour, that He may forgive us our guilt and iniquities and in the day of judgement make us worthy of His glory: Alleluia.
When thou wast sixteen years old, they anointed thee in Kutaisi and set the crown on a fair youth, as one surpassing all in wisdom and courage, for they looked for the deliverance of the people from countless enemies through thee; and thou, seeing the desolation of the fatherland, didst gather a faithful army and unceasingly train courageous warriors, preparing the host for battle, and didst begin to crush the invaders; therefore our tongue is moved to praise thy radiant struggle:
Rejoice, thou who wast brought up by George of Chqondidi in the word of faith and good teaching; rejoice, thou who in youth didst find the wisdom of old age; rejoice, thou who didst cleanse thy mind by training in the divine Scriptures; rejoice, thou who didst come to know what is hidden from the wise and prudent; rejoice, thou who like the prophet David didst gain mercy and meekness; rejoice, thou who by prayer and psalmody didst quench the glory of the deceiver and his snares; rejoice, thou who by hope in the Lord and courage didst strengthen thy Christ-loving army; rejoice, thou who didst hearten in spirit the Iberians, long terrified by the lawless; rejoice, thou who didst cut off devilish songs and God-hated foul language in thine army; rejoice, thou who didst make the valiant character of our forebears grow again; rejoice, thou who didst love warriors courageous in battle and rebuke the cowardly; rejoice, thou who didst exalt the faithful and valiant in place of the double-minded and unworthy; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
Brought up from youth by the great teachers of Orthodoxy, thou didst not incline to pleasures and delights, but didst flee the lusts of youth and hasten to every good work; so now also deliver our people by thine intercession and multiply for us leaders of the people adorned in deed and word, that like thee they may serve the holy Church and the people in worth and righteousness, and running on the true path may ever glorify God: Alleluia.
A youth, yet old and wise, thou didst before all others understand the work by which thou didst propitiate the greatly angered God; for the unworthy and disorderly held bishoprics and taught the people lawlessness instead of the law; but thou by the grace of God and the blessing of thy teacher didst gather God-inspired fathers and those learned in the law at Ruisi-Urbnisi, where ye healed the great wounds of the people and set down the acts of the council. So now also ravening wolves have surrounded thy rational sheep to corrupt them and labour wickedly to draw them from the straight path and estrange them from the faith; but do thou intercede for us before God, that He may send us wise guides and teachers of the divine word, who will lay down their lives for the undefiled keeping of the law and the people and call thee blessed, made wise by the truth:
Rejoice, thou who with the elder Arsenius and the president of the council, John, Catholicos of Kartli, didst search out the affairs of the Church and cast away what was crooked; rejoice, thou who for preaching and teaching didst gather into one the canons of the seven Ecumenical Councils; rejoice, thou who for the setting right of thy kingdom didst uproot the tares sown in thy land; rejoice, thou who didst direct the clergy and all men to good order and virtues; rejoice, thou who didst spread holiness and the grace of God over thy land; rejoice, thou who didst cleanse the Church from a den of thieves; rejoice, thou who by firm faith didst scatter the darkness of godlessness; rejoice, thou who hadst mercy on those worthy of mercy and didst set bishops who lived disorderly in the wilderness; rejoice, thou who didst call to be bishops highly worthy fathers who laboured in monasteries; rejoice, thou who in place of shepherds appointed for money didst set true shepherds pleasing to God; rejoice, thou who didst trample on the pride of tyrants and the delusion of the devil; rejoice, thou who didst chastise with wrath those who boasted of their wealth and their own arm and were proud of the multitude of their people; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
As the ancient chronicles tell us, none of our kings was like thee, O wondrous labourer, who wast so adorned with valour and every piety, who couldst not bear defilement and didst greatly love thy neighbour; thou didst rebuke for lawlessness those who could not bear temptation and didst teach them to keep the commandments of God, that all might serve in holiness and sing to God: Alleluia.
Taking upon thee the leadership of battles and the government of the kingdom, surpassing all the Bagratids and most valiant of all kings, thou didst lead the Georgians as Moses led the Israelites; and in fierce battles thou didst not call to thine army from afar, but trusting in the invincible weapon, the sign of the cross, thou didst thyself go before them and encourage them, and with a strong arm like Goliath didst cast down the mighty; therefore through thee we ask mercy of God, that He may give us courage, wisdom and strength to trample on the devices of the enemy and grant deliverance from trials to those who praise and sing to thee:
Rejoice, worthily praised disciple of that God-pleasing teacher, Arsenius of Iqalto; rejoice, guide of godliness, who like Elijah didst strengthen a diminished faith; rejoice, teacher of guileless and unshakeable truth; rejoice, wise preacher of the dogmas of the apostles and fathers; rejoice, valiant preacher of Orthodoxy and strength of the Church; rejoice, instrument of wisdom and righteousness; rejoice, unfailing fountain of mercy and treasury of goodness; rejoice, unshakeable tower of courage; rejoice, invincible pillar of valour; rejoice, righteous judge of a chosen people, made radiant by heavenly grace; rejoice, two-edged sword of the Lord that smitest unbelief; rejoice, glory and strength of our fatherland; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
God looked with mercy upon the Georgian people and, granting thy reign, gave thee from time to time wondrous victories; and with a chosen army thou didst overcome enemies and the double-minded, and didst build and strengthen impregnable fortresses and cities for the peaceful keeping of thy peoples; now entreat God to break the violence of our enemies visible and invisible, that all the Orthodox may prosper and our prayer may rise before God: Alleluia.
When a great multitude of Turks encamped in Tao, according to their custom they trusted in the severity of winter and in the inaccessible mountains; but thou, having from God an invincible power, didst go before thine army and, falling upon them as they sat without fear, didst take vengeance with the sword on the godless and deliver the Georgian people from captivity and destruction; and when thy kingdom grew through thy struggle, the whole assembly of clergy and people praised thee with joy and called thee blessed as a great king and mighty autocrat:
Rejoice, chosen vessel of virtues and dwelling of good works; rejoice, thou who didst bind the peoples of the Targamosians into one mind and one soul; rejoice, thou courageous in spirit, vanquisher of those mighty in the flesh; rejoice, leader and cross-bearer of the Iberians; rejoice, crown and glory of the Bagratid kings; rejoice, purple, protector of Christ-loving rulers; rejoice, thou who by thy courage didst put the lawless to shame; rejoice, thou who art more dreadful and terrible than all to enemies and the double-minded; rejoice, sleepless guardian and comforter of those who hope in thee; rejoice, helper and advocate of the Orthodox; rejoice, guide and lamp of those who labour for people and fatherland; rejoice, sun of the Georgians that shinest on the height of the Church of Iberia; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
Strange and wondrous is thy struggle, great king, for thou didst build many churches and monasteries and fill them with great bounty, not only in thine own kingdom but in all the holy places; and when thou didst send Arsenius of Iqalto to Palestine with great wealth to renew and adorn the Monastery of the Cross and above all the tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ, he returned again to Georgia, and day by day ye laboured for the glory of God and sang of His power and might: Alleluia.
Thou becamest the strength of the Orthodox and didst gain the gifts of understanding by fervent prayer, and thou didst not turn aside from the path of righteousness and truth; but becoming like thy kinsman David, king of Israel, in simplicity of soul, thou wast made worthy with a contrite heart to receive the grace of repentance like him; for filled with wisdom from above, thou didst compose for us, as a firm and unshakeable foundation and an image of humility, the “Hymns of Repentance”, by which thou didst show us the path of salvation and life that leadeth to God, that all insolence and pride may depart from my darkened mind, and that, gaining watchfulness, I may say with fervour:
Rejoice, thou who like the prophet David didst gain mercy and meekness; rejoice, thou who didst see hidden mysteries as though plainly; rejoice, thou who didst judge thy flocks with impartial judgement; rejoice, thou who didst deliver thy people from ruinous sloth; rejoice, thou who didst clothe thyself with the light of Christ’s humility as with a garment; rejoice, thou who from rightful gain didst secretly give alms to the poor day by day; rejoice, thou who stretchest out thy hand to the fallen and feedest widows and orphans; rejoice, deliverer of captives and strengthener of the weak in faith; rejoice, founder of guest-houses and hospices and comforter of the weak and sick gathered in them; rejoice, exalter of every Georgian virtue; rejoice, thou who raisest up those cast down by sin and puttest the unrepentant to shame; rejoice, thou who stoppest those who walk in the counsel of the ungodly; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
Having pacified the land, as one chosen of God, holy and beloved, thou didst begin the building of the Gelati monastery, and placing in it the icon of the Theotokos brought from Khakhuli, thou didst gather there God-wise fathers and learned men as teachers of learning and for instruction in every good thing; but now the enemies of truth labour to cast thy people into the abyss of ignorance and turn it into a people of darkness, while we have given ourselves over to sleep and slackness and cannot withstand evil; but make the Lord, the righteous Judge, merciful to us, that we may be strengthened and brought to life in soul and body, and be made worthy to sing to God in the blessed Georgian tongue: Alleluia.
O the grace and wisdom given thee by God, King David! For because of the fewness of thine army thou didst bring in the host of the Kipchaks, and binding them with an oath of loyalty thou didst destroy countless Turks with their aid; and when they plotted treachery, Christ, the rock of strength, wondrously sheltered thee, for thou didst perceive their guile and escape, as David the psalmist from the hands of the double-minded. So now we too, surrounded by many enemies and trials, ask help through thee, that, kept beneath thy fatherly shelter, we may thank thee and praise thee with longing:
Rejoice, manifest and most beautiful luminary that enlightenest thy people; rejoice, thou who like Solomon didst build a divine temple and didst reveal the academy of Gelati as “another Athens” and “a second Jerusalem”; rejoice, thou who didst gather there great luminaries of the Church and monks enlightened by the Spirit of God; rejoice, thou who directest seekers of truth onto the way of the Lord; rejoice, thou who didst free monasteries and priests from every burden and tax; rejoice, thou who didst spread wisdom and multiply teachings profitable to the soul; rejoice, thou who didst enlighten thy beloved people with the knowledge of God; rejoice, thou who didst abolish blasphemous teachings and all heresies; rejoice, thou who didst cleanse churches defiled by the heathen into a house of God; rejoice, reprover of tyrannous man-hating princes and judges; rejoice, thou who with royal mercy didst judge the cause of those unjustly persecuted by them; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
Having brought up thy God-loving son Demetrius, like thee in strength and courage, thou didst set him up as king, and performing wondrous battles with the arm of a lion, together ye destroyed all who assailed and oppressed the people; and when the sultan heard of your victories, he was stirred to vengeance and commanded every Ishmaelite able to bear arms utterly to destroy Georgia; but thou didst not trust in thine own strength, but didst call on the Lord Jesus Christ for help and praise His might: Alleluia.
When those fierce enemies came like the sand of the sea to Trialeti and Manglisi and began to lay waste and slaughter the Christians, thou, fearless as one bodiless, didst put on the power of God as a coat of mail, and encouraging the army in the name of Jesus, ye valiantly attacked under the leadership of His cross and destroyed the greater part of them at Didgori. O the help of God to those who do His will! For fear and trembling fell upon the lawless as they saw the great-martyr George fighting at thy right hand, and thy soldiers cried out: “Saint George is with us!”, and all of you gave thanks and glory to God. Now also remember us before Him, that until the end of the ages He may guard Iberia and the people of Iberia, that we may be saved in love and peace and call thee blessed with faith:
Rejoice, valiant warrior of the Lord, who strikest terror into those who oppose Him; rejoice, thou who by hope in God didst bring the wrath of the Lord upon merciless enemies; rejoice, thou who for the glory of the name of Christ didst drive away the insolent lawless; rejoice, thou who by divine wisdom didst shelter thy fatherland from all foreigners; rejoice, thou who by valiant kingship didst humble the treacherous and the envious; rejoice, thou who didst terrify and cast down all who were hostile to the Iberians; rejoice, thou who didst not spare open adversaries or secret plotters; rejoice, thou who didst make the divine power manifest to all; rejoice, thou who didst deliver the holy city of Jerusalem from the ruin that was expected; rejoice, thou who didst pacify thy kingdom and raise up ruined villages, cities and fortresses; rejoice, thou who didst destroy the defilers of churches and the murderers of the righteous; rejoice, thou who didst raise the banner of Gorgasali higher still; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
When that wondrous victory became known over the earth, all kings and peoples understood thy divine might and wisdom; and thou, finding the longed-for time, didst accomplish thy good purpose and take the city of Tbilisi, held four hundred years by the Hagarenes, who wrought every evil upon our people, and didst humble them beneath the feet of Christians; therefore they rejoiced and praised thee and glorified God: Alleluia.
When the Turks took the royal city of Armenia, its inhabitants wrote to thee with entreaty that thou wouldst deliver them from destruction; and thou didst swiftly set out and, taking Ani and its fortresses without difficulty, ye crushed them, for they had stained with the blood of Christians the temple of God built by the Greek queen Katranide; and when thou didst go with the clergy to consecrate the cathedral that had been turned into a mosque, they performed a service for the queen, and thou didst cry thrice to her tomb: “Rejoice, holy queen, for God hath delivered thy cathedral from the hands of the lawless”; and behold, at once the tomb gave forth a voice: “Glory to the Lord”; and all understood that the Lord had made His holy one wondrous. Entreat Him now, O venerable one, to crush the insolence of those armed with godlessness against the Orthodox, and ask forgiveness of many sins for those who extol and praise thee:
Rejoice, God-crowned king, revealed as a victor in deed and courage; rejoice, thou who didst bring to nought the evil designs and wiles of enemies; rejoice, thou who didst cut off the unceasing raids of the Seljuk Turks; rejoice, thou who didst tame the plunderers and the covetous; rejoice, thou who didst humble the God-fighting and Georgian-hating Saracens; rejoice, thou who didst set up the city of Tbilisi again as the royal city; rejoice, guardian and protector of this our capital by the shelter of thy graces; rejoice, thou who bringest the heathen to be sons of the holy font and establishest them in right belief; rejoice, thou who didst plainly defeat the Monophysite heretics, the Armenian bishops and their leaders, in theological disputes; rejoice, thou who like the great teachers didst put to shame and render helpless the tertera and the mullahs by theological knowledge; rejoice, thou who by valiant watchfulness didst bring thy diminished people back to life; rejoice, conqueror of conquerors and merciful one, who didst greatly exalt the royal sceptre, once so humbled; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
By the power of God thou didst swiftly mount up like an eagle, and taking all the fortresses of Somkhiti, thou didst free Lore-Tashiri, Kola-Javakheti and Karnipora with Basiani from the enemies, and coming victorious to Trialeti, giving thanks for such mercies and victories from on high, thou didst glorify God with the thrice-holy hymn and sing to Him the hosanna of victory: Alleluia.
Many years thou didst govern thy people well and extend the borders of thy kingdom from Nicopsia to Derbent; but this is more wondrous, O king, how amid unceasing campaigns and wars thou didst take upon thyself the gaining of wisdom and didst ever hasten to gather every learning perfectly into thy head; and preaching wondrously, thou didst enlighten not only thy subjects but teachest even to this day us, the slothful and unworthy even to be called Iberians, that we may ever labour for the law and the fatherland and call thee blessed, the God-blessed king and true father of our people:
Rejoice, thou perfected in the law, who like Paul and the great Constantine didst receive the grace of apostleship; rejoice, thou who didst govern a temporal kingdom with wisdom and wondrously extend thy realm; rejoice, thou who didst calm the calamity coming upon all Christian peoples and deliver them from the great invasions of the Turks; rejoice, thou who hinderest the frenzied and quenchest the folly of sorcerers; rejoice, weapon of the Orthodox and vanquisher of raging God-haters; rejoice, comforter and benefactor of Christians in despair; rejoice, advocate and unashamed helper of the condemned; rejoice, comfort of monks and humbler of teachings harmful to the soul; rejoice, founder of the academy of Iqalto; rejoice, thou who didst there train youths in many crafts together with theological learning; rejoice, thou who by wisdom and courage didst make the spiritual life grow among the Georgians; rejoice, thou who didst exalt the dignity and glory of thy people; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
O the wonders of God, who guardeth those who glorify Him! For when they shot an arrow at thee as thou wast clad only in a shirt, He kept thee in peace, for it struck the small icon of the Archangel that hung at thy neck; and when at Mukhnari thy horse fell with thee during the chase, and thou didst lie three days motionless as if lifeless, Christ God raised thee up; and filled with thanksgiving thou didst not cease from prayer and singing to Him: Alleluia.
When thou didst fall sick, O thrice-blessed one, thou didst order everything for the profit of thy soul, and blessing thy flock thou didst commit thy precious soul to the Lord; and when thou didst pass to the heavenly dwellings, then all were filled with tears of grief, and thy much-struggling body was buried in the gate of Gelati according to thy testament, that no pilgrim to the monastery might escape thy blessing, and that he might cry this praise of thanksgiving:
Rejoice, most illustrious among the bearers of sceptres, for when the Son of God set thee as ruler of our land, thou didst establish His kingdom in Iberia; rejoice, partaker of divine wisdom, for serving with fervent longing the kingdom on high thou didst serve the King and God of all; rejoice, restrainer of the wrath of God, for thou didst walk unswervingly in the middle, on the royal way, and direct the peoples to the divine commandments; rejoice, man of God and good servant, kind and faithful, who didst drive away the darkness of sin and enlighten the fullness of the faithful of Christ; rejoice, thou clothed with the grace of victory, for with a lion’s arm thou didst wage wondrous battles and put all the enemies of God to shame; rejoice, courageous in spirit and most courageous in mind, for in all things power from on high sheltered thee from thine enemies and never gave thee into their hands; rejoice, invincible warrior amid countless hosts of the godless, for the sword did not cut thee, but like a firm rock and a strong tower thou didst stand unmoved; rejoice, image of spiritual perfection, for neither the treachery of enemies nor the fierceness of battles took from thee compunction of heart; rejoice, peerless one, for when the Lord revealed hidden mysteries to thee, thou wast very terrible to enemies and dread to evildoers; rejoice, most merciful one, for thou didst build a church for the fathers of the lavra of Shiomgvime for their faithfulness, and granting them independence and a great treasure, thou didst curse those who would assail that monastery; rejoice, thou who art united with the forebears who laid down their lives for the fatherland and the law, for when thou didst depart before the Judge, having governed the kingdom according to His will, the gates of heaven were opened to thee and thou didst enter into the joy of thy good Lord; rejoice, glory of thrones and autocrat, for we have gained thy tomb as a power and a bond of strength and we boast of it as those who have a treasure, for it poureth forth true grace without stint; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
After thy death glorious Gelati telleth of thy struggles, and Shiomgvime loudly proclaimeth thy fervent prayers; and we, remembering thy countless and wondrous struggles, hasten with zeal to the monastery of Gelati, where we have thine all-honourable tomb, which showeth forth thine ineffable love, and falling down on bended knees we offer thee our entreaty: shelter us by thine intercession from all heresies and grant us purity of life and the fear of God, that we may not betray our boast, Orthodoxy, and may praise God in spirit and in truth: Alleluia.
Thou wast renowned for wisdom and building, and didst fill the house of the Bagratids with grace and glory; and to us thou didst bequeath love for God and neighbour and show the way of service to the fatherland; and after death thou hast grace before God that He may plant in us fear and hatred of sin and love of virtue, that we may not incline to lawlessness but understand the justice and judgement of God and be made worthy to offer thee a hymn:
Rejoice, radiant restorer of victory for the name of Christ, to whom the throne of David and the seal of Solomon were entrusted; rejoice, thou who wast called king and leader of the Targamosians, who wast glorified as a chosen warrior and crowned as a pious king; rejoice, indestructible monument of valour, for thy courage and worth became known not only in Georgia but in all the earth; rejoice, athlete of those valiant warriors, for by struggles thou didst find incorruptible delight and by courage the crown of victory; rejoice, thou watchful by the grace of the Spirit, for the true praiseworthiness of thy deeds surpassed the struggles of many kings; rejoice, good shepherd, for we have Gelati and Shiomgvime as the strength and boast of thy flocks, true Christians; rejoice, all-radiant light, unapproachable star of kingship, who enlightenest our land more than the sun and from thy tomb preachest Christ God; rejoice, thou honoured with two crowns, of kingship and of asceticism, for we have thy sovereign sceptre as an impregnable wall; rejoice, thou renowned in struggle, for we have gained thy holy and precious icon as hope, strength and boast, and we ask thy help; rejoice, O wondrous king, for the Church of Iberia rejoiceth and thanketh God for thee, for thou wast given to our people as a strength of Orthodoxy and art able to help all who flee to thine intercession; rejoice, sweetest father, for we will not forget thee, ever remembering thy courage and invincible reign; rejoice, pious and God-protected king of the Abkhazians and Georgians, the Rans, Kakhs and Armenians, for the faithful of Christ rejoice and call thy majesty blessed; Rejoice, sword of the Messiah and image of the victory of the Georgians, pious King David!
O most valiant and invincible among kings, holy David the Builder! Accept now the praise of those who magnify thee, and remember not our evils, but help us by thy fervent intercession before God, that He may have mercy on this our people and keep it unharmed from every affliction and from bondage to soul-destroying delusion, that instead of mercy we may not receive the punishment of presumption, but until our last breath may stand firm and unshaken on the path of truth, and delivered from eternal torments may ever glorify and bless with thee the consubstantial Trinity, God the Creator without beginning: Alleluia.
This kontakion thrice; then Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1.
O glorious king and wondrous struggler among men, holy David the Builder, sword of the Messiah and divine pillar of Orthodoxy; unshakeable tower of the Church and invincible champion of the Georgian people; glory of warriors and strength of pious kings; merciful one; defender of the poor and swift helper and advocate of those in affliction!
O thou clothed in struggle and invincible King David! By the radiance of thy holiness be our intercessor with Christ our God, that He may look with mercy upon the portion of His Mother, our people, which beareth the Lord’s cross on earth, and guard it from the snares of the enemy and from hatred among brethren; for the rulers of this world labour for its corruption and destruction, while we seek a way to escape their violence and trust in thy help, that faith may not fail in the Georgian people, nor in our land the rule of thy kin, blessed and anointed, who do justice and mercy equally upon all, and, encircling all the borders of Georgia by the power of the cross, may exalt and raise our height and strength from the land of forgetfulness, that we may be one flock and the Lord our Shepherd. By thy mighty power strengthen the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, our father Ilia, and the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, and all the priestly and monastic orders, the pious commanders and governors of cities, the Christ-loving armies and all Orthodox Christians.
O valiant struggler among kings, holy David the Builder! Guardian of truth and composer of the hymns of repentance, entreat the all-merciful One to grant strength to the churches, zeal and watchfulness over souls to our pastors; to rulers wisdom, strength and good shepherding of the people; to judges impartial justice; to soldiers courage and strength of spirit; to superiors understanding and humility; to the laity sinlessness and to women chastity; to spouses love and concord; to children obedience; to the mighty the fear of God; to the sorrowful long-suffering; to the joyful restraint and the spirit of understanding and godliness; and that He may forgive us superstition and false belief, pride, guile, treachery, envy, hatred, love of money, ingratitude, murmuring, murders, thefts, fornications and disorders, and grant us, like thee, fervour of faith, divine zeal for the fatherland and brotherly love for our neighbour, love of righteousness and adornment with works of mercy, enlightenment through holy prayer, cleansing through confession, radiance through communion, an honourable departure, the inheritance of the kingdom, singing with the angels, reigning with the saints, and with thee glory and thanksgiving; for to Him befitteth all glory, honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy (Thrice).
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of the holy King David the Builder and of all Thy saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Author and compiler: Tinatin Mchedlishvili
