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Visit an Eastern Orthodox worship service, and you’ll see how much we love the prayer, “Lord, have mercy.” In this short phrase, we find everything we need in our prayers.

We call God “Lord.” This word may not carry the same weight for us in the modern world, but in biblical times, to call someone “Lord” was to acknowledge their authority over our lives. By addressing God as Lord, we are declaring our obedience and allegiance to Him as the one who is truly in charge.

Next, we ask for His mercy. Understanding the ancient meaning of this word deepens our prayer. In Hebrew, the word for mercy is hesed, which can also be translated as “steadfast love.” For example, in the Psalms, you might see “God’s mercy endures forever,” or in other translations, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.” Both phrases translate the same Hebrew word. To call upon God’s mercy, then, is to trust ourselves to His loving embrace.

In Greek, the word is eleos. There is only a one-letter difference between eleos (mercy) and eleon (olive oil). This connection is significant. In the Old Testament, olive oil was poured over the heads of kings, prophets, and priests during their anointing. This ritual symbolized that, by themselves, human beings are insufficient for these ministries, but through God’s wisdom and strength—His grace—they are able to fulfill their calling. Even today, in the Orthodox Church, we pray that God’s grace will “fill that which is lacking and heal that which is broken” during ordination.

Olive oil, then, becomes a symbol of God’s strength and wisdom. In the story of Noah, the dove returns with an olive branch, signaling that the floodwaters are receding and that God is offering humanity a new beginning—a chance for renewal. Olive oil was also used in the ancient world as a salve to heal wounds, protecting and cleansing them. This, too, reflects God’s mercy as His healing grace.

When we pray, “Lord, have mercy,” we are asking God for the most essential gifts: His strength and wisdom, His forgiveness, and His healing grace. All of these flow from His steadfast love for us, enabling us to embrace and live out the gift of salvation given to us by Jesus Christ, every day of our lives.