Editing Psalms (section)

====Eastern Orthodox Christianity====
{{See also|Kathisma}}
[[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christians]] and Greek-Catholics ([[Eastern Catholics]] who follow the [[Byzantine rite]]) have long made the Psalms an integral part of their corporate and private prayers. The official version of the [[Psalter]] used by the Orthodox Church is the Septuagint. To facilitate its reading, the 150 Psalms are divided into 20 ''kathismata'' (Greek: καθίσματα; Slavonic: кафизмы, {{lang|cu|kafizmy}}; lit. "sittings") and each ''[[kathisma]]'' (Greek: κάθισμα; Slavonic: каѳисма, {{lang|cu|kafisma}}) is further subdivided into three ''stases'' (Greek: στάσεις, {{transliteration|grc|staseis}} lit. "standings", sing. στάσις, ''stasis''), so-called because the faithful stand at the end of each ''stasis'' for the [[Glory be to the Father|Glory to the Father&nbsp;...]].

At [[Vespers]] and [[Matins]], different ''kathismata'' are read at different times of the [[liturgical year]] and on different days of the week, according to the Church's calendar, so that all 150 psalms (20 ''kathismata'') are read in the course of a week. During [[Great Lent]], the number of ''kathismata'' is increased so that the entire Psalter is read twice a week. In the twentieth century, some lay Christians have adopted a continuous reading of the Psalms on weekdays, praying the whole book in four weeks.

Aside from ''kathisma'' readings, Psalms occupy a prominent place in every other Orthodox service including the [[Canonical hours|services of the Hours]] and the [[Divine Liturgy]]. In particular, the penitential [[Psalm 51|Psalm 50]] is very widely used. Fragments of Psalms and individual verses are used as ''[[Prokimenon|Prokimena]]'' (introductions to Scriptural readings) and ''[[Stichera]]''. The bulk of [[Vespers]] would still be composed of Psalms even if the kathisma were to be disregarded; [[Psalm 119|Psalm 118]], "The Psalm of the Law", is the centerpiece of [[Matins]] on Saturdays, some Sundays, and the [[Funeral]] service. The entire book of Psalms is traditionally read out loud or chanted at the side of the deceased during the time leading up to the funeral, mirroring Jewish tradition.