Christian Prayer – Page 152 – A Collection of Prayers

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

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…

Collect for the Word

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

Blessed Lord,
you have given us your Holy Scriptures for our learning.
May we so hear them,
read, learn, and take them to heart,
that being strengthened and comforted by your holy Word,
we may cling to the blessed hope of everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Source: Thomas Cranmer, The Book of Common Prayer, 1662, prayer for Advent

Source of this version: Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee WI

Original in traditional English:

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Shine into Our Hearts

Almighty and merciful God,
Fountain of all goodness,
you know the thoughts of our hearts.
We confess that we have sinned against you
and done evil in your sight.
Wash us from the stains of our past sins,
and give us grace and power to put away all hurtful things.
Deliver us from the bondage of sin,
that we may bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.

O eternal Light, shine into our hearts.
O eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil.
O eternal Power, be our support.
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance.
Eternal Pity, have mercy on us.
Grant that with all our hearts, and minds, and strength,
we may always seek your face.
In your infinite mercy, bring us into your holy presence.
Strengthen our weakness
that we follow in the footsteps of your blessed Son,
obtain your mercy,
and enter your promised joy. Amen.

Source: Alcuin of York, d. 735

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

A Prayer of St. Anselm

Lord Jesus Christ; Let me seek you by desiring you,
and let me desire you by seeking you;
let me find you by loving you,
and love you in finding you.

I confess, Lord, with thanksgiving,
that you have made me in your image,
so that I can remember you, think of you, and love you.

But that image is so worn and blotted out by faults,
and darkened by the smoke of sin,
that it cannot do that for which it was made,
unless you renew and refashion it.

Lord, I am not trying to make my way to your height,
for my understanding is in no way equal to that,
but I do desire to understand a little of your truth
which my heart already believes and loves.

I do not seek to understand so that I can believe,
but I believe so that I may understand;
and what is more,
I believe that unless I do believe, I shall not understand.

Source: Anselm of Canterbury, d. 1109

Source of this version: The Oxford Book of Prayer, George Appleton (gen. ed.), 1985, 2002.

Also found here: http://godprayers.org/Prayer-of-St-Anselm.htm

Variant that seems to precede the beginning of this prayer:

O Lord my God,
Teach my heart this day where and how to see you,
Where and how to find you.
You have made me and remade me,
And you have bestowed on me
All the good things I possess,
And still I do not know you.
I have not yet done that
For which I was made.
Teach me to seek you,
For I cannot seek you
Unless you teach me,
Or find you
Unless you show yourself to me.
Let me seek you in my desire,
Let me desire you in my seeking.
Let me find you by loving you,
Let me love you when I find you.

A Prayer of St. Anselm on Desiring and Loving God

O Lord our God,
grant us grace to desire you with our whole heart,
that so desiring we may seek and find you;
and so finding you we may love you;
and loving you we may hate those sins
from which you have redeemed us;
for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Source: St. Anselm of Canterbury, d. 1109

Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

A longer version of this prayer can be found here.

The Empty Vessel

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Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled.
My Lord, fill it.
I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.
I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.
I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.
O Lord, help me.
Strengthen my faith and trust in you.
In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.
I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.
I am a sinner; you are upright.
With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness.
Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give. Amen

Source: Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #205]

Source of this version: http://restlesspilgrim.net/blog/2011/06/01/empty-vessel/

Original in German:

Sihe, Herr, hie ist eyn lähr Faß, das bedarff wol, das man es fülle, Mein Herr, fülle es, ich bin schwach im glauben, stärcke mich, ich bin kalt inn der liebe, wärme mich und mache mich hitzig, das meine liebe herauß flisse auff meinen Nechsten; ich habe nicht eynen festen starcken glauben, ich zweifele zu zeiten und kan dir nicht gäntzlich vertrauen. Ach Herr, hilff mir, mehre mir meinen glauben und vertrauen, inn dich habe ich den schatz aller meiner güter verschlos sen, ich bin arm, du bist reich und bist kommen, dich der armen zu erbarmen, ich bin ein sünder, du bist gerecht. Hie bei mir ist der fluß der Sünde1, inn dir aber ist die Fülle der gerechtigkeyt etc.; darumb bleibe ich bei dir, von welchem ich nemmen kan, nicht dem ich geben darf.

Grace before a meal

Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts,
which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,
through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Traditional Catholic mealtime prayer

Source of this version: http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/faith-tools/meditation/2001/11/table-grace.aspx#MbTWGovHEYLYweMF.99

Also found here: http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/celebrations/bless_us_oh_lord.html

German version by Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #27]

Variants:

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we receive through your bountiful goodness, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us through these gifts which we receive from your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Latin:

Domine Deus, Pater coelestis, benedic nobis et his donis tuis, quae de tua largitate sumimus, per Iesum Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. (1996). Concordia Triglotta—Latin: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (electronic ed., p. 558). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House.

We Thank Thee Lord, for Happy Hearts

We thank Thee Lord, for happy hearts,
For rain and sunny weather.
We thank Thee, Lord, for this our food,
And that we are together.

Source of this version: http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/faith-tools/meditation/2001/11/table-grace.aspx

Variant:

We thank you Lord, for happy hearts,
For rain and sunny weather.
We thank you, Lord, for food and drink,
And that we are together.

Be Present at Our Table, Lord

Be present at our table, Lord;
Be here and everywhere adored;
Thy creatures bless, and grant that we
May feast in paradise with Thee.

We thank Thee, Lord, for this our food,
For life and health and every good;
By Thine own hand may we be fed;
Give us each day our daily bread.

We thank Thee, Lord, for this our good,
But more because of Jesus’ blood;
Let manna to our souls be giv’n,
The Bread of Life sent down from Heav’n.

Source: John Cennick, 1741.

Source of this version: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/p/o/bpotlord.htm

Variant:

Be present at our table, Lord;
Be here and everywhere adored;
These morsels bless, and grant that we
May feast in paradise with thee.