Christian Prayer – Page 132 – A Collection of Prayers

Joy and Gladness

Praise to you, O Lord,
for you have nourished us from youth
and you give food to all living things.
Fill our hearts with joy and gladness
and provide for all our needs,
that we may abound in every good work;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To him, with you and the Holy Spirit
be glory, honor, might, majesty and dominion,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Apostolic Constitutions

“nourished us from youth” is a reference to Ecclesiasticus 50:22 (Apocrypha)

“give food to all living things.” is a reference to Psalm 145:16

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

csblc O almighty God,
to know you is eternal life.
Teach us to know your Son Jesus Christ
as the Way, the Truth, and the Life;
that following him
we may steadfastly walk
in the way that leads to eternal life;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Modified from Book of Common Prayer, St. Philip and St. James

“…as the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” is a reference to John 14:6

Direct Us in All Our Doings

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

O Lord,
with your love
direct us in all our doings,
and always help us,
that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name;
and finally, by your mercy obtain eternal life;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: 1789 U. S. Book of Common Prayer, Prayer to be Used at Sea

Original in traditional English:

PREVENT us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Prevent as used in King James/Book of Common Prayer era English means go before or lead. That is the reason for our rendering of “direct.”)

Guide Our Souls

0940_Cranach_nR 001 O God, be present with us always,
dwell within our hearts.
With your light and your Spirit
guide our souls, our thoughts, and all our actions,
that we may teach your Word,
that your healing power may be in us
and in your church universal. Amen

Source: Philip Melanchthon

Source of this version: http://www.thirdmill.org/files/english/html/worship/invok.html

Prayers by Philip Melanchthon are included in Prayers from the Evangelical-Lutheran Heritage, available from Amazon.com, and also available for Amazon Kindle. It is a collection of prayers from the history of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church from Luther to Loehe. The collection includes prayers by Johannes Bugenhagen, Georg C. Dieffenbach, Veit Dietrich, Matthias Flacius, Wilhelm Loehe, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Joachim Mynsinger, Johann G. Olearius, Johann Jacob Rambach, and the early agendas and prayer books of the Austrian, Brunswick, Hamburg, Lueneberg, Norwegian, Nuremberg, Pomeranian, Riga, Russian, Saxon, Schleswig-Holstein, and Swedish Evangelical-Lutheran churches.

Let the Brightness of Your Glory Shine

Almighty God,
let the brightness of your glory shine on us,
and let the Light from Light by your Holy Spirit
shine in the hearts of all who have been born again by your grace;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Roman Mass for the Vigil of Pentecost

Original in Latin:

PRÆSTA, quæsumus, omnipotens Deus, ut claritatis tuæ super nos splendor effulgeat; et lux tuæ lucis corda eorum, qui per gratium tuam renati sunt, Sancti Spiritus illustratione confirmet. Per Dominum.

“let the brightness of your glory shine on us” may be a reference to Numbers 6:25 and Psalm 67:1

“Light from Light” is a reference to the Nicene Creed, and is referring to Jesus Christ

“shine in the hearts of all is a reference to 2 Corinthians 4:6

“let the brightness of your glory shine on us” may have been the source of the lines from Luther’s hymn, “Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord,”

“Lord, by the brightness of your light
In holy faith your church unite”

To God Be Glory

To God be glory,
to the angels honor,
to Satan confusion,
to the cross reverence,
to the church exaltation,
to the departed quickening,
to the penitent acceptance,
to the prisoners release,
to the sick and infirm,
recovery and healing,
and to the four quarters of the world
great peace and tranquility.
And also on us who are weak and sinful
may the compassion and mercies of our adorable God come,
and may they overshadow us, and be poured forth,
and remain firm and reign continually.
Christ + the hope of our nature,
now and at all times,
and forever and ever. Amen.

Source: East Syrian Church, Monday Vespers

Source of this version: East Syrian Daily Office, translated and edited by Arthur John Maclean, Rivingtom, Percival & Co., London, 1894, p. 20

Guard Our Hearts

Almighty God,
our heavenly Father,
you feed the birds and clothe the flowers,
and you care for us as a father for his children.
Guard our hearts against faithlessness and anxiety.
By your Holy Spirit, help us
to live to the hallowing of your name,
the coming of your kingdom,
and the doing of your will,
so that we may cast all our cares on you
and in unwavering faith, trust in you;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Austria, 1571. Translation by Paul Zeller Strodach for Common Service Book.

“You feed the birds and clothe the flowers” is a reference to Matthew 6:26-28

“To live to the hallowing of your name…” is a reference to Matthew 6:9-13

“cast all our cares on you” is a reference to 1 Peter 5:7

“Faithlessness and anxiety” in the original is “distrust and vain over-carefulness”

This prayer is very similar to a prayer in A Book of Collects in Two Parts by John Wallace Suter, Freedom from Anxious Care:

ALMIGHTY GOD, who dost feed the birds and clothe the flowers, and who carest for us as a father for his children; Graciously guard us, we beseech thee, against distrust and vain over-carefulness, that casting all our care on thee, we may abide in thy love, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.

Help and Shield Us

O God,
you justify the ungodly,
and you do not desire the death of the sinner.
Graciously help and shield your servants who trust in your mercy,
that no temptations may separate us from you,
and that we may serve you without ceasing;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

“You justify the ungodly” is a reference to Romans 4:5

“You do not desire the death of the sinner” is a reference to Ezekiel 33:11

To Live in Love

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

O Lord,
you have taught us
all our deeds without love
are worth nothing.
Send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the very bond of peace and of all virtues,
that we may always live in love before you;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Book of Common Prayer, 1549

Also found here: Prayers Ancient and Modern by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 321 #2

“That we may always live in love before you” in the original is “without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee”

“all our deeds without love are worth nothing” is a reference to 1 Corinthians 13:2-3

“Most excellent gift of love” is a reference to 1 Corinthians 12:31

Steadfast Love, Pure Desires

O God,
you make all things to work together for the good of those who love you:
Pour such steadfast love toward you into our hearts
that the pure desires your Spirit has stirred up in us
may not be turned aside by any temptation;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

The prayer quotes Romans 8:28