The Shepherd Psalm and the Gospel at Your Bedside: Why Every Orthodox Home Needs an English New Testament

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 22 (Orthodox Psalter)

Six short words in English, and generations of Orthodox Christians have prayed them at hospital bedsides, before long journeys, and in the quiet hour before sleep. Did you know that in the Orthodox Psalter this is Psalm 22, not 23? The Church follows the Greek Septuagint numbering, and that small difference is a good reason to read Scripture from a book that belongs to the Church.

A Book for the Prayer Corner

Many of us have a Bible somewhere: a gift, a hotel-drawer copy, a translation chosen by chance. The Orthodox Church has always asked a little more of the book we hold. Our New Testament is read in the Liturgy, sung in the hymns, and explained by the Fathers. A translation made from the original Greek, with reverence for how the Church has understood it, lets the words arrive the way they were meant to.

That is why we keep the English Orthodox New Testament on our shelves. It is a hardcover with gold-stamped detailing, crisp pages, and a clear typeface, made to be opened every day and not just displayed.

Five Minutes Is Enough

You do not need an hour. Many families settle into a rhythm that looks something like this:

• Morning: light a candle at the icon, cross yourself, and read one short passage from the Gospel.
• Evening: pray a Psalm slowly, then sit in silence for a minute.
• Sundays: read the day’s Gospel before you leave for church, so the Liturgy meets you already listening.

When the day feels heavy, the Lord’s own invitation is enough to hold on to: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Pocket Size, for the Road

Scripture is not only for the prayer corner. Pocket-size editions are available too, small enough for a coat, a work bag, or a long wait at the clinic. A Psalm read in a parked car is still a Psalm prayed.

For our Georgian friends: the Georgian New Testament, Psalms and prayer books are in the shop as well.

Our Featured Book

Orthodox New Testament Bible – English Translation from the Original Greek

$101 CAD

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Orthodox Psalter number the Psalms differently?

The Church uses the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament. From Psalm 10 to 146 its numbers run about one behind many Western Bibles, so “The Lord is my shepherd” is Psalm 22 for us.

Where should I begin reading?

Start with the Gospel of John or Mark, one short passage a day, and add a Psalm in the evening. Ask your priest for guidance as you go.

Is it a good gift?

Yes. It suits a baptism, chrismation, wedding, or name day, and it will be opened long after the wrapping is gone.

A Last Word

A Bible on the shelf is a good intention; a Bible by the bed is a habit. Open it tonight, read a few lines, and let the Shepherd lead. Find the Orthodox New Testament here →