Prayers

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Orthodox Destinations

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Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov: The practice of the Prayer of Jesus...offers to all Christians without exception...

The practice of the Prayer of Jesus holy David, or more accurately the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David, offers to all Christians without exception: The kings of the earth and all people, princes and all judges of the earth, young men and maidens—let elders with the young praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted (Ps. 148:11–13).

A literal understanding of the states enumerated here would be perfectly permissible, but their essential meaning is spiritual.

By people is meant all Christians; by kings is meant Christians who have been granted to attain perfection; by princes, those who have made very considerable progress; by judges is meant those who have not yet acquired authority over themselves, but being acquainted with the law of God they can distinguish good from evil, and by the guidance and requirement of the law of God they can continue in good and reject evil. Maiden denotes all the female sex and the detached heart which is so apt for prayer. Elders and the young indicate degrees of bodily growth and degrees of active progress which is very different from grace-given progress, though the former has its very real value; he who has reached perfection in active prayer is called an elder, while he who has been raised to grace-given perfection is a king.

On the Prayer of Jesus 
FROM THE ASCETIC ESSAYS OF 
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov

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