Scripture Readings - Old Testament Readings

Old Testament

The Old Testament is the first part of the Bible, the books written before the coming of Christ. They are divided into four groups:

  1. Books of the Law;
  2. Historical Books;
  3. Doctrinal and
  4. Prophetical.

The Old Testament scripture begins with the five books of the Law called the Pentateuch, which means the five books; also called the Torah, which means the Law. Sometimes these books are also called the Books of Moses since they are centered on the exodus and the Mosaic laws.

In the Old Testament there are also books of the history of Israel; books called the Wisdom books such as the Psalms, Proverbs, and the Book of Job; and books of the prophecies which carry the names of the Old Testament prophets. A prophet is one who speaks the Word of God by direct divine inspiration. Only secondarily does the word prophet mean one who foretells the future.

The Orthodox Church also numbers among the genuine books of the Old Testament the so-called apocryphal books, meaning literally the secret or hidden writings. Other Christians put these books in a secondary place or reject completely their being of divine inspiration.

Reading Read Time Hit Count
Psalm 28 (Third Royal Hour, Theophany) 1 min 5,306
Psalm 28:11, 1 (Sunday Liturgy Prokeimenon, Tone 7) - 6,548
Psalm 29 (Mid-hour of Third Hour) 1 min 4,663
Psalm 3 (Matins, Six Psalms 1st) 1 min 6,435
Psalm 30 (Great Compline, Lent) 3 mins 5,029
Psalm 30:1,2 (Divine Liturgy – Sunday Tone 3 – Alleluia) - 5,125
Psalm 31 (Mid-hour of Third Hour, Holy Baptism) 1 min 5,566
Psalm 32 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 2 mins 2,600
Psalm 32:1 (Communion Hymn for Prophets, the Just and All Saints) - 4,165
Psalm 32:1,2 (Divine Liturgy – Sunday Tone 1 – Prokeimenon) - 4,913
Psalm 33 (Typica, Divine Liturgy, Service for the Reception into Orthodoxy of non-Christians) 2 mins 9,438
Psalm 33:8 (Communion Hymn for Presanctified Liturgy) - 4,148
Psalm 34 (Third Royal Hour, Holy Friday) 3 mins 5,567
Psalm 35 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 1 min 2,612
Psalm 36 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 4 mins 2,582
Psalm 36:30, 31 (Alleluia Tone 2, for a Hierarch) - 5,274
Psalm 37 (Matins, Six Psalms 2nd) 2 mins 5,733
Psalm 38 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 2 mins 2,772
Psalm 39 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 2 mins 2,649
Psalm 4 (Great Compline, Lent) 1 min 5,572
Psalm 40 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 1 min 2,429
Psalm 41 (Third Royal Hour, Theophany) 1 min 5,721
Psalm 42 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 1 min 2,516
Psalm 43 (Monday (Monday and Wednesday during Lent)) 3 mins 2,569