Christian Prayer – Page 139 – A Collection of Prayers

An Epiphany Prayer

antifonariodelec3b3n1 The heavens are shining with the clear beauty of the stars, O Lord,
and the earth is made beautiful by your light,
because you came to this world from your holy dwelling place.
Remove all sadness from our hearts,
because you have come to make all things new.
Grant also that as we see your light
we may be purified and prepared to see you forever,
that we who preach to the nations the glad joys of your appearing,
may rejoice with forever.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Breviary

Source of this version: Modified freely from http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=964

Also found here: http://www.holyapostlesnyc.org/pulpit-posts/what-are-we-willing-to-offer-to-this-newborn-child-who-is-the-lord-of-the-universe/

Sources read thus:

The heavens are shining with the clear beauty of the stars, O Lord,
and the very earth is made beautiful by a shining light,
because thou didst vouchsafe to appear to the world from out thy holy dwelling place.
Remove, therefore, from our hearts all sadness,
for unto this end art thou come,
that thou mayest make all things new.
Grant also that light unto our eyes which may purify us
and fit us to behold thee for ever;
that thus we who preach to the nations the glad joys of thy Apparition,
may be made glad with thee in infinite joy. Amen.

Graphic: Mozarabic manuscript from the Cathedral of Leon, from Wikimedia Commons.

Radiance of the Father’s Splendor

The radiance of the Father’s splendor,
the Father’s visible image,
Jesus Christ our God,
peerless among counselors,
Prince of Peace,
for our sake became like a slave:
in the womb of Mary the virgin,
without assistance from any man,
he took flesh.…

Enable us, Lord,
to reach the end of this luminous feast in peace,
forsaking all idle words,
acting virtuously,
shunning our passions,
and raising ourselves above the things of this world.

Bless your church,
which you brought into being long ago
and attached to yourself
through your own life-giving blood.
Help all orthodox pastors, heads of churches, and teachers.

Bless your servants, whose trust is all in you;
bless all Christian souls,
the sick, those tormented by evil spirits,
and those who have asked us to pray for them.

Show yourself as merciful as you are rich in grace;
save and preserve us;
enable us to obtain those good things to come which will never know an end.

May we celebrate your glorious birth,
and the Father who sent you to redeem us,
and your Spirit, the Giver of life,
now and forever, age after age.
Amen.

Source: A Syriac Christmas liturgy

Source of this version: http://www.faithandworship.com/early_Christian_prayers.htm#ixzz4DB92AvUk
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

After “Prince of Peace” the original has the lines: “Father of the world to come, /
the model after which Adam was formed,”

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes and I shall see,
incline my heart and I shall desire,
order my steps and I shall walk
in the path of your commandments.

O Lord God, be my God,
and beside you let there be no other,
none else, nothing else with you.

Let me adore and worship you
and serve you in truth of spirit,
in reverence of body,
in blessing of lips,
in private and in public.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes, Preces Privatae

Source of this version: https://ia801404.us.archive.org/0/items/theprecesprivata00andruoft/theprecesprivata00andruoft.pdf

Also found here: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/john-rutter-lyrics/open-thou-mine-eyes-lyrics.html

Original in traditional English:

Open Thou mine eyes and I shall see :
incline my heart and I shall fervently desire :
straighten my steps and I shall walk
in the way of thy commandments

O Lord God, be Thou to me a God :
beside Thee let there not be to me another,
none else, nought else with Thee.

Grant unto me to adore Thee
and to worship Thee in truth of spirit,
in comeliness of body,
in blessing of the mouth,
in private and in public :

Martin Luther’s Evening Prayer

Martin Luther’s Evening Prayer from Dave Lassanske on Vimeo.

In the name of the Father, + Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day. And I pray that you would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into your hands I commend myself, my body, my soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Source: Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #26]

Source of this version: (This video)

Variant:

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day. Forgive me all my sins, and graciously keep me this night. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Martin Luther’s Morning Prayer

Martin Luther’s Morning Prayer from Dave Lassanske on Vimeo.

In the name of the Father, + Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger. And I pray that you would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please you. For into your hands I commend myself, my body, my soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Source: Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #25]

Source of this version: (This video)

Variant:

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please you. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.

God, Our Refuge

Eternal God,
the refuge of all your children,
in our weakness you are our strength,
in our darkness our light,
in our sorrow our comfort and peace.

May we always live in your presence,
and serve you in our daily lives,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Boniface

Source of this version: https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/trevinwax/2015/03/08/eternal-god-the-refuge-of-all-your-children/

Also found here: http://www.henrystrobel.com/saintboniface/prayers.htm

Glorified by Angels and Saints

O most glorious and exalted Lord,
you are glorified in the heights above
by servants of fire and spirit in most holy fashion,
yet in your love you wished to be glorified
by humanity on earth as well,
so that you might exalt our mortal race
and make us like supernal beings
and brothers in your dominion.
Free us, Lord, in your compassion
from whatever cares hinder the worship of you,
and teach us to seek the kingdom and its righteousness
in accordance with your holy commandments that bring freedom;
and bring us at last to your heavenly kingdom
along with all the saints in your glory,
where we will sing your praises.

Source: Maronite Shehimto, Syrian Orthodox Daily Office Book

Also found here: Modified from http://ccnh.org/pages/worship/Readings/Surrender/O%20most%20glorious%20and%20exalt.doc

Original reads:

“…in accordance with your holy commandments that bring life; and may we become worthy of that kingdom along with all the saints who have done your will, and may we sing your praises.”

Alteration was made to be in line with Galatians 3:21, James 1:25 and Revelation 7:14

“Servants of fire and spirit” is a reference to Psalm 104:4

An Expanded Lord’s Prayer

coverdale

Let us heartily make our prayer to God the Father of all mercy, believing assuredly that he will graciously hear us through our Lord Jesus Christ, who commanded us to pray, and promised us saying, “Ask and ye shall have; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.” Wherefore, in consideration of the same commandment and promise, lift up your hearts, and say thus with me in your prayer:

O Lord God, our Father in heaven, we thy miserable children upon earth beseech thee, that thou wilt mercifully look on us and lend us thy grace; that thy holy name may be sanctified among us and in all the world, through the sincere teaching of the Word, and through earnest charity in our daily living, and our conversation. Seclude thou graciously all false doctrine and evil living, whereby thy worthy name might be blasphemed and slandered.

Oh, let thy kingdom come, and be great. All sinful, blind people, and such as are holden captive of the devil in his kingdom, those bring thou to the knowledge of the true faith in Jesus Christ thy Son.

Strengthen us, Lord, with thy Spirit, to do and to suffer thy will both in life and death, in weal and woe; that our will may alway be broken, offered up, and mortified.

And give us our daily bread. Preserve us from covetous desire, and carefulness of the belly; that of thee we may be assured to have abundance of all good things.

Forgive us our trespass, as we forgive them which offend us; that our heart may have a sure and glad conscience, and that we never fear, nor be afraid for any sin.

Lead us not into temptation, but help us through thy Spirit to subdue the flesh, to despise the world with his vanities, and to overcome the devil with all his crafty assaults.

And finally, deliver thou us from all evil, both bodily and ghostly, temporal and eternal. Amen.

They that earnestly desire all this, let them say, “Amen!” believing without any doubt that it is granted and heard in heaven, according as Christ promised us, saying, “When ye pray, believe assuredly that ye shall have it, and it shall come to pass.” Amen.

Souce: Miles Coverdale

Souce of this version: http://liturgicalvariations.blogspot.ru/search/label/miles%20coverdale

Coverdale was an early English Bible translator. His translation was heavily influenced by the German translation of Martin Luther.

Compare with Luther’s Lord’s Prayer paraphrase.

My God, Give Yourself to Me

My God, I love you above all else,
and I desire to walk with you all the days of my life.
Always and in all things with my whole heart and strength I seek you.
If you do not give yourself to me, you give me nothing.
If I do not find you, I find nothing.
Grant, therefore, most gracious God,
that I may always love you for your own sake more than anything else,
and seek you always and everywhere in this present life,
so that at the last I may find you
and forever hold fast to you in the life to come.
Grant this for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Thomas Bradwardine

Source of this version: Modified from https://skyejethani.com/devotionals/2014/10/29/gods-not-chicken/

Also found here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/potts/prayermiddle.xiii.pr129.html

Help Us to Love You

O God,
whose greatness know no limits,
whose wisdom knows no bounds,
whose peace excels all understanding;
you love and help us beyond measure–
help us to love you.
Though we cannot fully do so
because of your infinite goodness,
increase and deepen our understanding
so that we may love you more and more;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Source of this version: http://www.didymus.org/uploads/3/4/2/1/3421357/bernard_of_clairvaux_on_monastic_and_scholastic_theology.pdf

Also found here: http://grimesfirstpresbyterianchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mar-1-web-bulletin.pdf

“Greatness knows no limits”may be a reference to Ephesians 1:19

“Wisdom knows no bounds” may be a reference to Romans 11:33

“Peace excels all understanding” is a reference to Philippians 4:7

“Love you more and more” is a reference to Philippians 1:9