The Eastern Orthodox Church and other churches utilizing the Byzantine rite maintain a system of reading the Psalms weekly. The 150 Psalms are organized in twenty groups, each called a kathisma, and each kathisma in turn is divided into three sections, each called a stasis. Each kathisma is of roughly the same reading length, as is each stasis. This organization of the Psalms is then utilized in determining a set of Psalm readings for each week throughout the year. In most weeks, the 150 Psalms are read through in their entirety in one week. During Lent, however, the full body of 150 Psalms are read twice during the week.
The tables below have converted the kathisma numbers of each set of readings into the Psalm numbers according to the NRSV. With this set of tables and a calendar, one may follow in devotional reading the pattern of Psalms as they’re being used each day in Eastern Orthodox Church services throughout the world. I found great comfort in this practice during a particularly trying time in my life recently. I trust that others will find it so as well.
Sunday of St. Thomas (1st after Pascha) through 21 September
| Matins | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-37 | 38-46 |
| Tue | 47-64 | 65-70 |
| Wed | 71-85 | 86-91 |
| Thu | 92-105 | 106-109 |
| Fri | 135-150 | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — |
* in place of Psalm 119, Psalms 135-136 may be used (throughout)
22 September through 19 December
| Matins | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | 120-134 |
| Tue | 47-70 | 120-134 |
| Wed | 71-91 | 120-134 |
| Thu | 92-109 | 120-134 |
| Fri | 135-150 | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — |
20 December through 14 January
| Matins | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-37 | 38-46 |
| Tue | 47-64 | 65-70 |
| Wed | 71-85 | 86-91 |
| Thu | 92-105 | 106-109 |
| Fri | 135-150 | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — |
15 January through Sunday of the Prodigal Son (Sunday before Meatfare Week)
| Matins | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | 120-134 |
| Tue | 47-70 | 120-134 |
| Wed | 71-91 | 120-134 |
| Thu | 92-109 | 120-134 |
| Fri | 135-150 | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — |
Meatfare & Cheesefare Weeks
| Matins | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-37 | 38-46 |
| Tue | 47-64 | 65-70 |
| Wed | 71-85 | 86-91 |
| Thu | 92-105 | 106-109 |
| Fri | 135-150 | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — |
Weeks 1 through 4 of the Great Fast
| Matins | Prime | Tierce | Sext | Nones | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | — | 47-55 | 56-64 | 65-70 | 120-134 |
| Tue | 71-91 | 92-101 | 102-105 | 106-109 | 110-118 | 120-134 |
| Wed | 135-150; 1-8 |
9-17 | 18-24 | 25-32 | 33-37 | 120-134 |
| Thu | 38-64 | 65-70 | 71-77 | 78-85 | 86-91 | 120-134 |
| Fri | 92-109 | — | 135-143 | 144-150 | — | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | — | — | — | — | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — | — | — | — | — |
Week 5, with the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete read on Thursday
| Matins | Prime | Tierce | Sext | Nones | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | — | 47-55 | 56-64 | 65-70 | 71-77 |
| Tue | 78-101 | 102-105 | 106-109 | 110-118 | 120-134 | 135-143 |
| Wed | 144-150; 1-17 |
18-24 | 25-32 | 33-37 | 38-46 | 47-55 |
| Thu | 56-64 | — | 65-70 | 71-77 | 78-85 | 86-91 |
| Fri | 92-109 | — | 135-143 | 144-150 | — | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | — | — | — | — | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — | — | — | — | — |
Week 5 when Thursday is the Feast of the Annunciation to the Theotokos (25 March)
| Matins | Prime | Tierce | Sext | Nones | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | 47-55 | 56-64 | 65-70 | 71-77 | 78-85 |
| Tue | 86-91 | — | 92-101 | 102-105 | 106-109 | 110-118 |
| Wed | 135-150; 1-8 |
9-17 | 18-24 | 25-32 | 33-37 | — |
| Thu | 38-64 | — | 65-70 | 71-77 | 78-85 | 86-91 |
| Fri | 92-109 | — | 135-143 | 144-150 | — | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | — | — | — | — | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — | — | — | — | — |
Week 6 of the Great Fast
| Matins | Prime | Tierce | Sext | Nones | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | — | 47-55 | 56-64 | 65-70 | 120-134 |
| Tue | 71-91 | 92-101 | 102-105 | 106-109 | 110-118 | 120-134 |
| Wed | 135-150; 1-8 |
9-17 | 18-24 | 25-32 | 33-37 | 120-134 |
| Thu | 38-64 | 65-70 | 71-77 | 78-85 | 86-91 | 120-134 |
| Fri | 92-109 | — | 135-143 | 144-150 | — | 120-134 |
| Sat | 110-119 | — | — | — | — | 1-8 |
| Sun | 9-24;119* | — | — | — | — | — |
Holy Week
| Matins | Prime | Tierce | Sext | Nones | Vespers | |
| Mon | 25-46 | — | 47-55 | 56-64 | — | 120-134 |
| Tue | 65-85 | — | 86-91 | 92-101 | — | 120-134 |
| Wed | 102-118 | — | 135-143 | 144-150 | 120-134 | |
| Thu | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fri | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sat | 119 | — | — | — | — | — |
(no readings Paschal Sunday until Vespers)
Bibliography
Archbishop Joseph Raya and Baron Jose de Vinck. Byzantine Daily Worship. Allendale, NJ: Alleluia
Press, 1969. See pp 27-30
Mother Mary and Archimandrite Kallistos Ware. The Festal Menaion. South
Canaan, Pennsylvania: St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press, 1998. See pp 530-534