pastorstratman

To Your Glory I Call to You

800px-lucas_cranach_d-c384-_-_martin_luther2c_1528_28veste_coburg29_28cropped29 Lord,
it is your glory and worship
that you should be praised,
and that I should pray to you.
Therefore, dearest Lord,
do not look on my unworthiness,
but on my need your help,
for you are the only help for all sinners.
Therefore, to your glory,
I call to you.
I will not refuse your help,
and you can and will give it
to those who pray.
Amen. Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #7. [Die Gebete Luthers, #102]

Herr, es ist deine Ehre und dein Gottesdienst, dadurch du gerühmt wirst, daß ich vor dir bettele; darum, lieber Herr, siehe nicht an, daß ich so unwürdig bin, sondern daß ich deiner Hülfe nothdürftig bin, und du der rechte einzige Nothhelfer bist aller Sünder. Darum dir geschieht’s zu Ehren, daß ich dich anrufe; so kann ich deiner Hülfe nicht entrathen, und du kannst und willst geben denen, die dich bitten. Amen. Amen.

Translator’s note:

Entrathen seems to be an older German word, or a word that is no longer in use in that form. Dictionary searches for entrathen and entraten yeilded answers like “surrender.” Raten can mean “guess.” So in the context, I decieded entraten must mean something like “second guess,” and “refuse” seemed to fit.

Give Us Your Spirit

O God,
at this time, you sent your Holy Spirit on your apostles,
and clothed them with power from on high.
Grant that the same blessed Spirit,
working in and through the ministers of your Church,
may make the Word preached and the sacraments administered by them
effectual to the salvation of many souls;
through your mercy and for the sake of Jesus Christ,
your Son, our Savior.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 47 #3 (Ember Days in Whitsun-tide)

“and clothed them with power from on high” is a reference to Luke 24:49

O that We Were as Eager to Pray as You Are to Hear

800px-lucas_cranach_d-c384-_-_martin_luther2c_1528_28veste_coburg29_28cropped29 Dearest Lord God,
O that we were just as eager to pray,
even with the most meager sighs of the heart
as you are eager to urge, invite,
command, and compel us to pray.
O, we are lazy and unthankful.
Forgive us for this, dearest Lord,
and strengthen our faith. Amen.

Lieber Herr Gott! O daß wir so fleißig wären zu beten, zum wenigsten mit Seufzen des Herzens, als du bist mit Reizen, Locken und Gebieten, Verheißen und Nöthigen zum Gebet! Ach, wir sind faul und undankbar, das vergieb du uns, lieber Herr, und starke uns den Glauben. Amen.

In Your Word You Reveal Your Name

download Almighty and eternal God,
you have taught us to know and confess
the true faith,
that you are three persons,
equal in power and glory,
yet one eternal God,
whom all Christendom on earth
confesses and praises
as one true God in three persons.
In your Word you have revealed your name,
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You have sent your eternal Son
who became fully human
for us poor sinners,
and those who believe in him
receive grace and eternal salvation.
Always keep us steadfast and unwavering
in this faith,
that we may remain blessed
with all your elect;
you live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 292#1. Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #17] Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

This prayer seems to be an expansion of Luther’s translation of a Latin collect.

Original in German:

Allmächtiger ewiger Gott, der du uns gelehret hast, im rechten Glauben zu wissen und zu bekennen, daß du in dreien Personen, gleicher Macht und Ehren, ein einiger ewiger Gott bist, den die ganze Christenheit auf Erden einen wahren Gott in dreien Personen erkennet und ehret, deß Name ist: Gott Vater, Sohn und heiliger Geist, wie du wahrer Gott dich in deinein Wort geoffenbaret hast und deinen ewigen Sohn für uns lassen Mensch werden, daß alle elende Sünder, die an ihn gläuben, Gnade und ewige Seligkeit durch ihn erlangen; wir bitten dich, du wollest uns in solchem Glauben allezeit fest und unbeweglich erhalten, daß wir in demselben mit allen Auserwählten ewiglich selig werden, der du lebest und regierest von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit, Amen.

I Come, Since It Is Your Will and Command

800px-lucas_cranach_d-c384-_-_martin_luther2c_1528_28veste_coburg29_28cropped29 Lord,
since it is your will and command
that I should come to you and pray,
I come.
In prayer I bring to you
what hinders me the most
and keeps me from you the most–
my sins.
They weigh heavy on my neck
and press on me hard.
But you yourself will take them from me
and forgive them for Christ’s sake.
Amen.

Herr, weil du willst und heißest, daß ich beten und zu dir kommen soll, so will ich kommen, und zu beten genug bringen, und eben das, was mich am meisten hindert und von dir zurücktreibt, welches ist meine Sünde, die mir auf dem Halse liegt und drücket, daß du dieselbe von mir nehmen und vergeben wollest, um Christi willen. Amen.

I Feel My Sins

800px-lucas_cranach_d-c384-_-_martin_luther2c_1528_28veste_coburg29_28cropped29 Dear Lord Jesus Christ,
I feel my sins.
They bite, chase and frighten me.
Where shall I go?
I look to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
and despite my weakness,
I believe in you.
I hold fast to you,
and I am certain
that you said,
“Whoever believes in me will have eternal life.”
If my conscience is grieved,
and my sins frighten me,
and my heart trembles,
your Word still says,
“Son, be of good cheer,
your sins are forgiven
and you will have eternal life,
and I will raise you up
on the last day.”
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #773.

Lieber Herr Jesu Christe, ich fühle meine Sünden, sie beißen, jagen und erschrecken mich, wo soll ich hin? Ich sehe dich, Herr Jesu Christe, an und glaube, wiewohl schwächlich, an dich; doch halte ich mich an dich und bin gewiß, du haft gesprochen: Wer an mich glaubet, soll haben das ewige Leben. Ob nun gleich mein Gewissen beschweret ist, und die Sünden mich erschrecken und das Herz zittern machen, so heißt es doch: Sei getrost, mein Sohn, deine Sünden sind dir vergeben und du sollst das ewige Leben haben, und ich will dich auferwecken am jüngsten Tage. Amen. Luther.

Prayer for Pentecost

O Holy Spirit,
on Pentecost you descended on the apostles as tongues of fire.
Take away all vices from our hearts,
and fill us with all wisdom
and spiritual understanding;
O blessed Spirit,
with the Father and the Son,
you live and reign,
ever one God,
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 29 #2

“you descended on the apostles as tongues of fire” is a reference to Acts 2:3

“all wisdom and spiritual understanding” is a reference to Isaiah 11:2

A Foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet

The following post-communion prayer combines elements of three prayers which seemed to have a common source.

Almighty God,
our heavenly Father,
gracious and merciful Lord,
we give you thanks and praise
for the foretaste of the heavenly banquet
that you have given us to eat and to drink
in the body and blood of your dear Son,
Jesus Christ.
With this, your sacrament,
strengthen and keep us in the true faith
all the days of our life.
Give us refreshment from our labors
with the peace of your forgiveness,
and comfort us in every trouble
until we eat and drink it anew
in your kingdom
at the marriage supper of the Lamb;
your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Written for A Collection of Prayers combining elements from: Common Worship, (Church of England) Funeral Eucharist, Lutheran Service Book (LCMS © 2006), Christian Worship Supplement (WELS © 2008)

Printed as a paragraph:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, gracious and merciful Lord, we give you thanks and praise for the foretaste of the heavenly banquet that you have given us to eat and to drink in the body and blood of your dear Son, Jesus Christ. With this, your sacrament, strengthen and keep us in the true faith all the days of our life. Give us refreshment from our labors with the peace of your forgiveness, and comfort us in every trouble until we eat and drink it anew in your kingdom at the marriage supper of the Lamb; your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

I haven’t been able to identify a single source that contains all the content of this prayer. One older source that may be the source of this prayer is “O sacrum convivium” https://acollectionofprayers.wordpress.com/2018/06/10/o-sacred-banquet/

Pour on Us the Spirit of Your Love

O Lord,
in your mercy pour on us
the Spirit of your love,
that those you have fed
with one heavenly bread
may be united in heart and faith;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Leonine Sacramentary, possibly fifth century. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

As a block paragraph:

O Lord, in your mercy pour on us the Spirit of your love, that those you have fed with one heavenly bread may be united in heart and faith; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Original in Latin:

Spiritum nobis, Domine tuae caritatis infunde, ut, quos uno caelesti pane satiasti, una facias pietate concordes. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate eiusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

This Saving Gift

We give you thanks, almighty Lord God,
that you have refreshed us
with this saving gift
of your Son’s body and blood.
We pray, in your mercy,
that you would bless us with these
for the strengthening our faith in you
and for increasing the warmth of our love
toward one another;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, Deutsches Messe (p. 14), also in Pommersche Agende (p. 380#1). [Die Gebete Luthers, #2]

Original German from the Pommersche Agende:

Wir danken dir, allmächtiger Herr Gott, daß du uns durch diese heilsame Gabe des Leibes und Blutes deines Sohns hast erquicket, und bitten deine Barmherzigkeit, daß du uns Solches gedeien lassest, zum starken Glauben gegen dir und zu feuriger Liebe unter uns allen, durch Jesum Christum deinen Sohn, unsern Herrn, Amen.

As it was in Luther’s Deutsches Messe:

Wir dancken dir almechtiger Herr Gott das du vns durch dise heylsame gabe hast erquicket vnd bitten deyne barmherzigkeyt das du vns solchs gedeyen lassest zu starckem glauben gegen dir vnd zu brunstiger liebe vnter uns allenn ümb Jesus Christus vnsers herrn willen. Amen.

Translation note:

Sometimes the word heilsam is rendered as “salutary,” a word meaning “producing a beneficial effect,” “remedial,” or “promoting health.” Theologically it can mean “beneficial for salvation.”