Christian Prayer – Page 88 – A Collection of Prayers

Abide with Us

G_C_Dieffenbach

Abide with us, Lord,
for it is toward evening and the day is far spent;
abide with us, and with your whole Church.
Abide with us in the evening of the day,
in the evening of life,
in the evening of the world.
Abide with us in your grace and mercy,
in holy Word and Sacrament,
in your comfort and your blessing.
Abide with us in the night of distress and fear,
in the night of doubt and temptation,
in the night of bitter death,
when these shall overtake us.
Abide with us and with all your faithful ones,
O Lord, in time and in eternity.
Amen.

Source: Georg Christian Dieffenbach (1822-1901)

A reflection on Luke 24:29

A version of this prayer is found in Lutheran Worship (LCMS 1982) as an alternative collect for Easter Eve.

Original in German:

Bleibe bei uns, Herr,
denn es will Abend werden,
und der Tag hat sich geneigt.
Bleibe bei uns und bei deiner ganzen Kirche.
Bleibe bei uns am Abend des Tages,
am Abend des Lebens, am Abend der Welt.
Bleibe bei uns mit deiner Gnade und Güte,
mit deinem heiligen Wort und Sakrament,
mit deinem Trost und Segen.
Bleibe bei uns,
wenn über uns kommt
die Nacht der Trübsal und Angst,
die Nacht des Zweifels und der Anfechtung,
die Nacht des bitteren Todes.
Bleibe bei uns und allen deinen Gläubigen
in Zeit und Ewigkeit.
Amen.

Source of the original German prayer: Evangelische Haus-Agende by Georg Christian Dieffenbach, 1853

* Although this prayer is often attributed to The Lutheran Manual of Prayer in many prayer books and anthologies, I have never seen or found a book with that title. A search on http://www.amazon.com and on Google Books yields several Lutheran prayer books, but none with that title.

Increase Our Faith, Certainty and Hope

Dear God,
through Jesus Christ
give us your Holy Spirit
that we may rightly be comforted
by your resurrection,
and day by day increase
in such faith
and certainty and hope,
and finally be saved.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther

Source of this version: Translated for A Collection of Prayers. German source: Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #606.

Original in German:

Lieber Gott, verleihe uns durch Jesum Christum deinen heiligen Geist, daß wir solcher deiner Auferstehung uns recht trösten, und in solchem Glauben und Zuversicht und Hoffnung von Tage zu Tage zunehmen, und endlich dadurch selig werden. Amen. Luther.

You Destroyed Sin and Death

Almighty God,
through the death of your Son,
you destroyed sin and death,
and restored innocence and eternal life
through his resurrection,
so that we might be saved
from the power of the devil,
and live in your kingdom.
Grant that we may believe this with all our heart,
and in such steadfast faith
continually praise you,
and give thanks to you;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #15]

Also in Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 289. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Allmächtiger Gott, der du durch den Tod deines Sohnes die Sünde und den Tod zunichte gemacht, und durch sein Auferstehen Unschuld und ewiges Leben wieder gebracht, hast auf daß wir von der Gewalt des Teufels erlöset, in deinem Reiche leben: verleihe uns daß wir solches alles von ganzem Herzen glauben, und in solchem Glauben beständig dich allezeit loben und dir danken durch denselben deinen Sohn, Jesum Christum, unsern Herrn. Amen. Luther.

By Remembering Christ, We Endure

Almighty and eternal God,
merciful Father,
you gave your Son
for our sins,
and raised him up again
for our righteousness.
Through him you have overcome death
and have opened up for us the way to eternal life.
Through your Holy Spirit,
grant that we may rely on this in true faith,
that our bodies also will arise
with Christ to eternal life,
and that by remembering this comfort
we may endure
all kinds of sorrow in this life
with patience
through the power of the resurrection
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 289, #2, Martin Luther, [Die Gebete Luthers, #13]

Original in German:

Allmächtiger ewiger Gott, barmherziger Vater, der du deinen Sohn um unsrer Sünde willen dahin gegeben und zu unsrer Gerechtigkeit auferwecket, durch ihn den Tod überwunden, und uns den Zugang zum ewigen Leben geöffnet hast: wir bitten dich, gieb uns durch deinen Geist, daß wir in wahrem Glauben uns hierauf verlassen, und unsre Körper mit Christo auch zum ewigen Leben erwecket werden, und daß wir in Betrachtung dieses Trostes allerlei Ungemach dieses Lebens mit Geduld mögen ertragen, durch die Kraft der Auferstehung deines Sohnes, unsers Herrn Jesu Christi, der mit dir und dem heiligen Geiste lebet und regieret von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit. Amen. Pommersche Agende.

An Easter Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ,
you died for the sins of the whole world,
and on this day you rose from the dead.
By your Resurrection put the sin within us to death.
As you destroyed the power of death by your cross and passion,
share with us your blessed life;
through your merits, O blessed Savior,
you live and govern all things,
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 26 #1 (Easter Day)

“you died for the sins of the whole world” John 1:29, 1 John 2:2

“As you destroyed the power of death” 1 Corinthians 15:26, Hebrews 2:14

An Easter Eve Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ,
for our sins you endured the cross and the grave,
and on the third day you rose again from the tomb.
Just as you have cleansed us from our sin by your blood,
and as we are buried with you in baptism,
so by your grace, let us share in your resurrection;
through your mercy,
O our God, you are blessed,
and live and govern all things,
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 25 #3

“cleansed us from our sin by your blood” is a reference to 1 Peter 1:19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 7:14

“buried with you in baptism” is a reference to Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12

Give Our Hearts Faith in Christ’s Work

matthiasgrunewald_thecrucifixion2 Merciful, eternal God,
you did not spare your own Son,
but gave him up for us all
to bear our sins on the cross.
Give our hearts such faith
that we may never be frightened
or despair;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther

Also found in Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 288(1).

Original in German:

Barmherziger, ewiger Gott, der du deines einigen Sohnes nicht verschonet hast, sondern für uns alle dahingegeben, daß er unsre Sünde am Kreuz tragen sollte; verleihe, daß unser Herz in solchem Glauben nimmermehr erschrecke noch verzage, durch denselben deinen Sohn, Jesum Christum, unsern Herrn. Amen. Luther.

Look on Us with Mercy

matthiasgrunewald_thecrucifixion2 Christ was pierced for our transgressions;
and was crushed for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5)

O Lord God, Father of all mercy,
graciously look on your people and household
for whom your dear Son Jesus Christ
did not refuse to be betrayed
into the hands of sinners,
and endured the shameful pain of the cross;
who lives and reigns with you,
true God, in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever.
Amen.

Source: Coburger Agende

Original in German:

Christus ist um unsrer Missethat willen verwundet und um unsrer Sünde willen zerschlagen.

O Herr Gott, Vater aller Barmherzigkeit: wir bitten dich, du wollest gnädig sehen auf diefes dein Volk und Hausgesind, um welches willen dein lieber Sohn Jesus Christus sich nicht geweigert hat übergeben zu werden in die Hände der Sünder,und zu dulden die schmähliche Pein des Kreuzes; der mit dir lebet und regieret, wahrer Gott in Einigkeit des heiligen Geistes ewiglich. Amen. Coburger Agende

A similar prayer is found in the Pomeranian Agenda.

I Have Sinned…

I, a poor sinful person,
confess to you, O almighty God,
my maker and redeemer,
that I have sinned,
not only with thoughts, words and actions,
but that I am by nature unclean,
conceived and born in sin,
and inclined to all evil.
I have not earned anything but your wrath,
and for this I am sorry with all my heart,
that I have provoked you,
O God, my Lord.
But I have access to your steadfast love,
O God, my heavenly Father.
I seek and desire your grace
for the sake of your dear Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord, be merciful to me, a poor sinner.
Forgive my sins and give me your Holy Spirit,
that I may obey your divine will,
and in my station in life
produce much fruit to your glory.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 75

Original in German:

Ich armer sündiger Mensch bekenne vor Dir, o allmächtiger Gott meinem Schöpfer und Erlöser, daß ich gesündiget habe, nicht allein mit Gedanken, Worten und Werken, sondern daß ich auch von Natur unrein bin, in Sünden empfangen und geboren, zu allem Bösen geneigt, und nichts verdiene, denn eitel Zorn,– und ist mir von Herzen leid, daß ich Dich, o Gott, mein Herr, erzürnet habe. Ich habe aber Zuflucht zu Deiner grundlosen Barmherzigkeit, o Gott, mein himmlischer Vater; ich suche und begehre Gnade, um Deines lieben Sohnes, unsers Herrn Jesu Christi willen. Herr, sei mir armen Sünder gnädig; vergib mir meine Sünde, und gib mir Deinen heil Geist, daß ich Deinem göttlichen Willen gehorsam sei und in meinem Amte viel Frucht schaffe zu Deinen Ehren. Amen.

Evangelisches Brevier, herausg. von G. C. Dieffenbach und C. Müller, prayer 117.

“by nature unclean, conceived and born in sin, and inclined to all evil” is a reference to Psalm 51:5, Genesis 6:5 and Genesis 8:21

“Steadfast love” in the original is “grundlosen Barmherzigkeit,” (boundless mercy) but the wording was chosen to give a reference to Psalm 51:1

“Lord, be merciful to me, a poor sinner” is a reference to Luke 18:13

“produce much fruit” is a reference to John 15:8

Good Friday Prayer

O God, Son of God,
you suffered for us,
the righteous for the unrighteous.
Save us by the shame of your Passion,
and clothe us with the robe of your righteousness.
Through the suffering and death you did not deserve,
we have escaped the punishment our sins have deserved.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 25 #1

“the righteous for the unrighteous” is a reference to 1 Peter 3:18

“robe of righteousness” is a reference to Job 29:14, Isaiah 61:10, Galatians 3:27

“Through the suffering and death you did not deserve…” may be a reference to Isaiah 53:5