The eyes of all look eagerly to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
He opens his hand,
and he satisfies the desire of every living thing.
Souce: Psalm 145:15-16 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
Author: pastorstratman
Lutheran pastor and musician serving St. Stephen's in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
A Table Prayer
Lord, bless this food
for our use
and us for your service,
and help us to remember
the needs of others.
Amen.
Source: Unknown
Source of this version: http://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/catholic/meals/grace-before-meals.aspx#CrIB8QO2wSvBXykl.99
Variant:
The Lord bless this food for our use and us in his service, and help us to remember the needs of others. Amen.
Source of this version: Modified from A Lutheran Prayer Book, ed. Doberstein, © 1960 Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia PA
A Table Prayer
We look to you, O Lord,
for food to nourish our bodies,
for grace to strengthen our spirits,
for love to enrich our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Unknown
Source of this version: Modified from A Lutheran Prayer Book, ed. Doberstein, © 1960 Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia PA
Also found here in an altered form: http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/5260/2632/HTML/21241/Non-denominational_Rotary_Invocations.pdf
A Prayer for Comfort
Almighty God,
Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort:
deal graciously, we pray, with those who mourn,
that, casting all their care on you,
they may know the consolation of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Source: http://funeralhelper.org/prayer-almighty-god.html
Also found here: http://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/christian/death/prayer-for-those-who-mourn.aspx#hwckbYYCie2SB1v1.99
prayer for the dead in middle ages
prayers for the dead
A Prayer for Peace
O God, you are peace eternal.
Your gift is peace.
You have taught us
that your children will be called peacemakers.
Pour out your peace into our souls
that all discord may vanish away,
and that we may forever love and seek
the things that bring your peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Sacramentary (Also attributed to the Gelasian Sacramentary)
Source of this version: Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 82 #4, also in Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953.
Graphic: Mozarabic manuscript from the Cathedral of Leon, from Wikimedia Commons.
A Prayer for the Spirit’s Intercession
Lord Jesus Christ,
you are faithful in all your words
and holy in all your works.
We do not know what we ought to pray for.
Grant that your Spirit may intercede for us,
sanctify us with his gifts here,
and crown us with blessedness
in the life to come;
through your mercy, O God,
blessed forevermore.
Amen.
Source: Mozarabic Sacramentary
Source of this version: Modified from A Lutheran Prayer Book, ed. Doberstein, © 1960 Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia PA
Note: This prayer is based on Romans 8:26
Graphic: Mozarabic manuscript from the Cathedral of Leon, from Wikimedia Commons.
A Blessing of St. Augustine
Grant, O God, of your mercy, that we may come to everlasting life, and there beholding your glory as it is, may equally say:
Glory to the Father who created us,
Glory to the + Son who redeemed us,
Glory to the Holy Spirit who sanctified us.
Glory to the most high and undivided Trinity, whose works are inseparable, whose kingdom without end abides, from age to age forever. Amen.
Source: a personal prayer of St. Augustine of Hippo, 354-430, in Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional
Also found here: A Lutheran Prayer Book, ed. Doberstein, © 1960 Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia PA
Graphic by Sandro Botticeli from Wikipedia.com.
A Prayer for Cleansing
O Jesus, my feet are dirty.
Come even as a slave to me,
pour water into your bowl,
come and wash my feet.
In asking such a thing I know I am overbold
but I dread what was threatened when you said to me,
“If I do not wash your feet I have no fellowship with you.”
Wash my feet then, because I long for your companionship.
And yet, what am I asking?
It was well for Peter to ask you to wash his feet,
for him that was all that was needed for him to be clean in every part.
With me it is different:
though you wash me now I shall still stand in need of that other washing,
the cleansing you promised when you said,
“there is a baptism I must needs be baptized with.”
Source: Origen (c. 185–254)
Source of this version: http://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/02/footwashing-prayer-origen.html
Part also found here: https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/prayers-of-earliest-christians/
A Prayer for Defense and Deliverance
We ask you, Master,
be our helper and defender.
Rescue those of our number in distress;
raise up the fallen;
assist the needy;
heal the sick;
turn back those of your people who stray;
feed the hungry;
release our captives;
revive the weak;
encourage those who lose heart.
Let all the nations realize that you are the only God,
that Jesus Christ is your Son,
and that we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.
Source: Clement of Rome (c. 96)
From a longer prayer in Clement’s epistle to the Corinthians.
Source of this version: https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/prayers-of-earliest-christians/
Also found here:
https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/trevinwax/2012/08/05/a-prayer-of-clement/
A Prayer on Resisting Satan
Be off, Satan, from this door and from these four walls. This is no place for you; there is nothing for you to do here. This is the place for Peter and Paul and the holy Gospel; and this is where I mean to sleep, now that my worship is done, in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit.
Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, send me your Spirit; instill the wisdom of your Holy Spirit into my heart; protect my soul and body, every limb in my body, every fiber of my being, from all possible harm and all traps the Devil may set for me and every temptation to sin.
Source: Euchologium Sinaiticum
Source of this version: The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, © 1991 Tyndale House Publishers (January 24)
Also found here: https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/prayers-of-earliest-christians/
Above, the word “Father” in the second paragraph is added so that the prayer does not seem to be addressed to Satan.
Variant:
Be off, Satan, from this floor…
A Collection of Prayers 
