Christian Prayer – Page 139 – A Collection of Prayers

All Creation Praises

The hosts of heaven give him glory;
before him tremble cherubim and seraphim;
let everything that has breath and all creation
praise him, bless him, and exalt him above all for ever.

You cover your high places with the waters,
you set the sand as a boundary to the sea and uphold all things:
the sun sings your praises,
the moon gives you glory,
all creatures offer a hymn to you,
their author and creator, forever.

Let all the trees of the forest dance and sing. . . .

Let the mountains and all the hills
break forth into great rejoicing at the mercy of God,
and let the trees of the forest clap their hands.

Source: Eastern Orthodox Church, (The Great Canon, Canticle Eight, irmos; Compline for Holy Thursday; Matins for the Sunday of the Cross; Matins for Palm Sunday.)

Also found here: http://www.stjohn.fl.goarch.org/the-true-nature-of-fasting/

Creator, Watch over Us

Creator of the universe, watch over us
and keep us in the light of your presence.
May our praise continually blend
with that of all creation,
until we come together to the eternal joys
which you promise in your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Celtic prayer

Source of this version: http://www.pettchapel.org.uk/Extras/Prayers/Prayers_of_Praise.htm

Variant:

Creator of the universe, watch over us
and keep us in the light of your presence.
Let our praise continually blend
with that of all creation,
and bring us, with all for whom we pray,
to the eternal joys
which you promise in your love;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Source of this version: http://www.revjones.fsnet.co.uk/prayers/prayers.html

A Communion Prayer

Glory be to you O Jesus, my Lord, and my God,
for thus feeding my Soul,
with your most blessed body and blood,
O let your heavenly food transfuse new life,
and new vigor into my soul,
and into the souls of all that commune with me,
that our faith may daily increase,
that we may all grow more humble,
and contrite for our sins,
that we may all love you, and serve you,
and delight in you, and praise you,
more servantly, more unceasingly,
then ever we have done heretofore!
Amen, Amen.

Source: Thomas Ken

Source of this version: http://www.prayer-and-prayers.info/catholic-prayers/prayer-after-communion.htm

Also found here: http://forwardministryonline.com/prayerbookcontents/eucharisticdevotions/aftercommunionken.html

And here: http://anglicanhistory.org/ken/manual.html

Original in traditional English:

Glory be to thee O Jesus,
my Lord, and my God,
for thus feeding my soul,
with thy most blessed body and blood;
O let thy heavenly food transfuse new life,
and new vigour into my soul,
and into the souls of all that communicate with me,
that our faith may daily increase,
that we may all grow more humble,
and contrite for our sins,
that we may all love thee, and serve thee,
and delight in thee, and praise thee,
more servantly, more incessantly,
than ever we have done heretofore. Amen.

Variant:

…more fervently, more incessantly,

May Your Grace Move Our Love

O sweet Savior Christ,
in your undeserved love for us
you were prepared to suffer the painful death of the cross:
let me not be cold or even lukewarm in my love for you.

Lord help me to face the truth about myself.
Help me to hear my words as others hear them,
to see my face as others see me;
Let me be honest enough to recognize my impatience and conceit;

Let me recognize my anger and selfishness;
Give me sufficient humility to accept my own weakness for what they are.
Give me the grace – at least in your presence – to say. ‘I was wrong – forgive me.’

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
increase in us faith and truth and gentleness
and grant us part and lot among the saints.

Source: Polycarp

Source of this version: https://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/a-prayer-attributed-to-st-polycarp-increase-in-us-faith-truth-and-gentleness/

Also found here: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/polycarp-lightfoot.html

This prayer has some overlap with “May Christ Build You Up.”

Restore Us to Your Right Path

veit-dietrich Lord God, heavenly Father,
we all like sheep have gone astray.
We let ourselves be led away from the right path
by Satan and our own sinful flesh:
Graciously forgive us all our sins
for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ;
and quicken our hearts by your Holy Spirit,
that we may remain in your Word,
and in true repentance and a steadfast faith
continue in your Church to the end,
and obtain eternal salvation;
through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Trinity 3

This revision/translation of The Collects of Veit Dietrich is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.

A Hymn of Praise

Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was and who is to come.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Lord our God, you are worthy to receive
praise and glory and honor and blessing.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive
power and divinity and wisdom and strength,
and honor and glory and blessing.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Sing praise to our God, all you his servants
and you who fear God, the small and the great.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Let heaven and earth praise him who is glorious.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

And every creature that is in heaven
and on earth and under earth
and in the sea and those which are in them.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let us praise and glorify him above all forever.

Source: St. Francis of Assisi

Source of this version: http://www.ibreviary.com/m2/preghiere.php?tipo=Preghiera&id=451

Also found here: http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/wosf/wosf18.htm

“Holy, holy, holy” is a reference to Revelation 4:8

“Lord our God, you are worthy”is a reference to Revelation 4:11

“The Lamb that was slain” is a reference to Revelation 5:12

The refrain “Bless the Lord…” is from the Song of the Three Holy Children

“Sing praise…” Revelation 19:5

“Every creature…” is a reference to Revelation 5:13

Help Us in Our Time of Need

You guided Noah over the flood waves: hear us.
With your Word you recalled Jonah from the deep: deliver us.
You stretched forth your hand to Peter as he sank: help us, O Christ.
Son of God, you did marvelous things of old: help us also in our time of need.

Source: Early Celtic Prayer

Source of this version: Modified freely from http://www.malankaraworld.com/Library/Devotional/Feb-5-2011-God_weekly_devotional.htm

Variant:

We have sinned, O Lord, we have sinned:
forgive our sins and save us,
hear us, O Lord, you who guided Noah on the waves of the flood,
for it was by your Word that Jonah was recalled from the abyss.
Free us, you who reached out your hand to Peter as he was sinking:
bear us up, O Christ, Son of God.
For you performed wonders among our fathers, O Lord:
Now stretch forth your hand from the Heavens,
help us in our times of need.

Source of this version: Confession of sins in Celtic Vespers: http://celticorderofuniversalwisdom.weebly.com/uploads/5/8/5/2/5852535/short_celtic_vespers.pdf

May Christ Build You Up

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and Jesus Christ himself, who is the Son of God,
and our everlasting High Priest,
build you up in faith and truth,
and in all meekness, gentleness, patience,
long-suffering, forbearance, and purity;
and may he bestow on you a place and portion among his saints,
and on us with you, and on all that are under heaven,
who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ,
and in his Father, who raised him from the dead.

Pray for all the saints.
Pray also for kings, and authorities, and princes,
and for those that persecute and hate you,
and for the enemies of the cross,
that your fruit may be evident to all,
and that you may be perfect in him.

Source: Polycarp

Source of this version: Freely adapted from http://www.catholicfaithandreason.org/st-polycarp-of-smyrna-69-155-ad.html

Also found here: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/polycarp-lightfoot.html

“Meekness, gentleness, patience” is a reference to Galatians 5:22-23

“Father, who raised him” is a reference to Galatians 1:1

“Pray for kings…” is a reference to 1 Timothy 2:1-4

This prayer has some overlap with “May Your Grace Move Our Love”

Remember Your Church

Remember, Lord, your Church,
deliver it from all evil
and make it perfect in your love,
and gather it from the four winds,
sanctified for the kingdom
which you have prepared for it;
for yours is the power and the glory for ever.

Source: The Didache

Source of this version: Freely adapted from http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

Also found here: https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/didache/

“Deliver…from evil” and “yours is the power and the glory…” are references to Lord’s Prayer.

“From the four winds…” is a reference to Matthew 24:31

“The kingdom which you have prepared” is a reference to Matthew 25:34

Shelter Us under Your Divine Wings

O Holy Father, guard us by your sacred name,
O Son of God, our Savior, protect us with your victorious cross.
O Holy Spirit, make us worthy temples of your holy habitation.
O Lord, our God forever shelter us under your divine wings, at all times, forever. Amen.

Source: Syrian Orthodox Church

Source of this version: http://hstoc.org/Resources/SS/2016/2016%20Prayer%20Recitation%20Materials.pdf

Also found here: https://quizlet.com/33374563/centralized-prayers-flash-cards/

This prayer is called Shudhamulla Bava and is used as a closing prayer and blessing in the evening prayer service.

“Guard us by your sacred name” may be a reference to Psalm 54:1

“Temples of your holy habitation” is a reference to 1 Corinthians 6:19

“Shelter us under your divine wings” is a reference to Psalm 17:8