A Collection of Prayers

Confession and Forgiveness (2)

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart, and confess our sins to God, our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8) I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:5) Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess to you all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended you, and justly deserved your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them, and sincerely repent of them, and I pray of your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being. Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Source: Saxon Church Order of 1581, translation based on The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941 Original in German, from Leipziger Gesangbuch of 1767 O allmächtiger Gott! barmherziger Vater! ich armer elender sündiger Mensch bekenne dir alle meine Sünde und Missethat, damit ich dir jemals erzürnet, und deine Strafe zeitlich und ewiglich verdienet habe. Sie sind mir aber alle herzlich leid, und reuen mich sehr, und ich bitte dich durch deine grundlose Barmherzigkeit, und durch das heilige unschuldige bittere Leiden und Sterben deines lieben Sohnes, Jesu Christi, du wollest mir armen sündhaftigen Menschen gnädig und barmherzig sein. Amen. Auf solch euer Bekenntniss verkündige ich euch allen, die ihr eure Sünden herzlich bereuet, an Jesum Christum gläubet und den guten ernstlichen Vorssatz habet durch Beystand Gottes des heiligen Geistes euer sündliches Leben forthin zu bessern, kraft meines Amts, als ein berufener und verordneter Diener des Worts, die Gnade Gottes, und vergebe euch an Statt und auf Befehl meines Herrn Jesu Christi, alle eure Sünde, im Namen Gottes des Vaters, + Gottes des Sohnes, + und Gottes des heiligen Geistes. + Amen. The Absolution in the Leipziger Gesangbuch is longer, and reads thus: Upon this your confession, I announce to all of you who sincerely repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ and earnestly promise with the help of God the Holy Spirit to amend your sinful life, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father + and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. + Amen.

Confession and Forgiveness (1)

Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess to you that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against you by thought, word, and deed; therefore we flee for refuge to your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

O most merciful God, you have given your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy on us and for his sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of you and of your will and true obedience to your Word, to the end that by your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy on us and has given his only Son to die for us and for his sake forgives us all our sins. To those who believe on his name, he gives power to become the children of God and has promised them his Holy Spirit. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. (Mark 16:16) Grant this, Lord, to us all.
Amen.

Source: Mecklenburg Church Order of 1545. English translation based on Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church.

Original in German

Ich armer, sündiger Mensch bekenne vor dir, o allmächtiger Gott, meinem Schöpfer und Erlöser, dass ich gesündigt habe nicht allein mit Gedanken, Worten und Werken, sondern dass ich auch von Natur sündig und unrein bin, in Sünden empfangen und geboren. Ich habe aber Zuﬂucht zu deiner grundlosen Barmherzigkeit, suche und begehre Gnade um des Herrn Jesu Christi willen. O Herr, sei gnädig mir armen Sünder.

O allmächtiger, barmherziger Gott, der du deinen eingeborenen Sohn für uns in den Tod gegeben hast, wollest dich unser erbarmen, und um desselben deines geliebten Sohnes willen uns alle unsere Sünde vergeben, auch deinen Heiligen Geist uns geben, der in uns wahre Erkenntnis deines Göttlichen Wesens und Willens, dazu wahren gehorsam gegen dich anzünde und vermehre. auf dass wir das ewige Leben durch deine Gnade um des Herrn Jesu Christi willen erlangen.
Amen.

Der allmächtige, barmherzige Gott hat sich unser erbarmt, vergibt uns wahrhaftig all unsere Sünde um seines lieben Sohnes willen, den er um unsers willen in den Tod gegeben, und hat Macht gegeben, Gottes Kinder zu werden, allen, die an seinen Namen glauben, gibt uns dazu auch seinen Heiligen Geist. Wer glaubt und getauft wird, soll selig werden. Das verleihe Gott uns allen.
Amen.

About the Pomeranian Agenda

Pomerania

Pomerania was a territory in Germany that occupied what is now northwestern Poland along the coast. It was one of the first German territories after Saxony to receive the Reformation due to the efforts of Dr. Johannes Bugenhagen, an associate of Martin Luther.

Dr. Johannes Bugenhagen

Lucas_Cranach_(I)_-_Johannes_Bugenhagen[1]

Bugenhagen was not only a missionary and defender of the faith, he was also a skilled liturgist. In bringing the Reformation to Pomerania, he made a translation or an adaptation of Luther’s translation of the Bible into middle-low German, and also prepared a church agenda, which was published under the auspices of Duke Bogislav X (d. 1523), Duke Barnimus IX and Duke Philippus I in the year 1535. (See part of the article in Wikipedia.) In our time, an agenda is a book of services for use in the church. Then, an agenda contained those services, along with setting a standard for good practices within the church–a combination of a pastoral theology textbook and a church constitution.

Sources

Some of the prayers appear to be by Martin Luther with a few prayers enlarged and expanded from Luther’s prayers. Some prayers are modified slightly from the gospel collects of Veit Dietrich. The rest of the agenda is likely the work of Johannes Bugenhagen.

Characteristics

The prayers in the Pomeranian Agenda are theological and pastoral: theological because they speak and breathe the Scriptures and teach the truth of God and the grace of Christ; pastoral because they speak to the needs of people, their doubts and fears, and assures them with the hope that is in Christ alone.

The edition these prayers were taken from Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda: nebst den Legibus praepositorum, statutis synodicis und der Vistitations-Ordnung von 1736. Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche in Pommern, ed. C. A. Koch, 1854. It is a later edition, but the prefaces and forewords indicate that efforts were made to be faithful to the earliest editions.

All the prayers from the Pomeranian Agenda can be downloaded as a pdf. Prayers from the Pomeranian Agenda

The Pomeranian Agenda also had music. Although it is sung in English in this recording, this setting of the Nunc Dimittis is from the Pomeranian Agenda (p. 385-386):

NuncDimittis from Book of Hymns (WELS, 1920)

Certain passages of this melody bear a strong resemblance to the Kyrie and Gloria from Missa di Angelis.

A Prayer for Deliverance from the Devil

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O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, at your name every knee must bow, in heaven and earth and under the earth. For us and for our salvation you came down from heaven and became truly human. For us you were crucified, you descended into hell, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sit at the right hand of the Father in heaven. God and man, our Savior, our brother and redeemer, you have led captivity, sin, death, devil and hell captive, you have crushed Satan’s head, you have destroyed his work, and all of us who have been baptized in your name you have redeemed from the terror of the devil. Faithful Savior, you have promised with an oath: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. …Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-34). “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do” (John 14:12-13). Based on this, your Holy Word, Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that you would look with mercy on this, your brother who is baptized in your name, redeemed with your precious blood, washed from sin, anointed with your Holy Spirit, your member, who is your flesh and blood, and graciously deliver him through your divine power from the tyranny and terror of the devil, whose afflictions drive us to repentance and serve as a warning for us. Drive Satan from him, when it is your will. For the sake of your most holy name, hear our prayer, so that your name alone may be praised, worshiped and glorified. Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 244, #1, Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

“every knee shall bow” is a reference to Philippians 2:10.

“For us and for our salvation” quotes the Nicene Creed.

” you have led captivity, sin, death, devil and hell captive,” is a reference to Ephesians 4:8 quoting Psalm 68:18

“crushed Satan’s head” is a reference to Genesis 3:15

“destroyed the devil’s work” is a reference to 1 John 3:8

“redeemed with your precious blood” may be a reference to Revelation 1:5 and quotes the Te Deum laudamus.

Original in German:

O Herr Jesu Christe, du Sohn des lebendigen Gottes, in dessen Namen sich müssen beugen alle Knie im Himmel, auf Erden und unter der Erde, der du um der Menschen willen vom Himmel hernieder kommen und Mensch geworden bist, für uns gekreuziget, zur Hölle gefahren, von den Todten auferstanden, aufgefahren gen Himmel, sitzest zur rechten Hand des Vaters im Himmel, Gott und Mensch, unser Heiland, unser Bruder und Erlöser, der du das Gefängniß, Sünde, Tod, Teufel und Hölle gefangen geführet, dem Satan den Kopf zertreten, seine Werke zerstöret, uns und Alle, die auf deinen heiligen Namen getauft sind, von der Gewalt des Teufels zu erlösen; du hast versprochen und zugesaget, du treuer Heiland, mit deinem Göttlichen brüderlichen Eide: Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch, was ihr den Vater bittet in meinem Namen, das wird er euch geben, bittet, so werdet ihr nehmen, daß eure Freude voll kommen sei, Joh. am 16. und Joh. am 14: Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch, wer an mich glaubet, der wird die Werke auch thun, die ich thue, und wird größere thun, als diese, denn ich gehe zum Vater, und was ihr bitten werdet in meinem Namen, das will ich thun. Auf dieß dein heiliges Göttliches Wort bitten wir dich, Herr Jesu Christe, du wollest diesen deinen Bruder, der auf deinen heiligen Namen getauft, durch dein theuerbares Blut erlöset, von Sünden gewaschen, mit deinem heiligen Geist gesalbet, dein Gliedmaß, Fleisch und Blut ist, mit den Augen deiner Barmherzigkeit ansehen, durch deinen Göttlichen Finger ihn von der Tyrannei und Gewalt des Teufels, die uns zur Buße und Warnung über ihn verhänget ist, gnädiglich erlösen, dem unreinen Satan, daß er ausfahre, wenn es dein Wille ist, gebieten, um deines allerheiligsten Namens willen unser Gebet erhören, auf daß dein Name allein gelobet, geehret und gepreiset werde, Amen.

Translation note:

“The display of your mighty power…” is more of an interpolation than a translation. The sentence is very long. As I understand it the section beginning with “deinen Göttlichen Finger” is woodenly translated “through your divine finger, him (the oppressed) from the tyranny and terror of the devil, which (tyranny and terror of the devil) drive us to repentance and hang as a warning about them (tyranny and terror), graciously deliver from the impure Satan, that he may flee, when it is your will…”

Crush Satan under Our Feet

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O Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us.
Help us
for your holy name’s sake,
and crush Satan under our feet.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 240, #1. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

O Herr Jesu Christe, erbarme dich unser, hilf uns um deines allerheiligsten Namens willen und zertritt den Satan unter unsere Füße, Amen.

We Receive the Sacrament; We Receive Grace, Forgiveness and Unity

800px-chalice_and_paten_from_tyniec2c_10502c_exh-_benedictines_ng_prague2c_150645 Almighty and eternal God,
we thank you for your divine mercy
in giving us
the body and blood
of your only beloved Son
to eat and to drink.
Send your Holy Spirit
to work in us,
so that as we have received
this holy Sacrament
with our mouths and hearts,
we may also receive your divine grace,
forgiveness of sins,
unity with Christ,
and that we may hold on to eternal life
with a steadfast faith
and keep it forever;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 381(1). Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

As a paragraph:

Almighty and eternal God, we thank you for your divine mercy in giving us the body and blood of your only beloved Son to eat and to drink. Send your Holy Spirit to work in us, so that as we have received this holy Sacrament with our mouths and hearts, we may also receive your divine grace, forgiveness of sins, unity with Christ, and that we may hold on to eternal life with a steadfast faith and keep it forever; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one true God, forever and ever. Amen.

Original in German:

O Allmächtiger ewiger Gott, wir danken deiner Göttlichen Barmherzigkeit, daß du uns mit dem heilsamen Fleisch und Blut deines einigen lieben Sohns hast gespeiset und getränket, und bitten dich demüthiglich, du wollest durch deinen heiligen Geist in uns wirken, daß, wie wir dies heilige Sacrament mit dem Munde und Herzen empfangen haben, also wir auch deine Göttliche Gnade, Vergebung der Sünden, Vereinigung mit Christo und das ewige Leben mit festem Glauben mögen fassen und ewiglich behalten, durch unsern Herrn Jesum Christum, der mit dir und u.

In the Pomeranian Agenda, this prayer is given as a thanksgiving prayer for Holy Communion as an alternate to “We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this salutary gift…”

Give Us Patience

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O Lord God, Father of all mercy,
graciously look on your poor flock
for whom your dear Son Jesus Christ
did not refuse to be betrayed
into the hands of sinners,
and endured the shameful death of the cross.
Give us your grace
that we may follow the example
of your dear Son
and bear all suffering
with patience,
so that you,
with your beloved Son
and the Holy Spirit
may be glorified always.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 288(3). Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

O Herr Gott, Vater aller Barmherzigkeit, du wollest gnädiglich sehen aus deine arme Heerde, um welcher willen dein lieber Sohn sich nicht hat geweigert, in die Hände der Sünder übergeben zu werden und für unö den schmählichen Tod am Kreuz zu leiden: Du wollest uns auch Gnade geben, daß wir nach dem Exempel deines lieben Sohns alles unser Leiden mit Geduld tragen, auf daß du sammt deinem lieben Sohn und dem heiligen Geiste allezeit von uns geehret werdest, Amen.

A similar prayer is found in the Coburg Agenda.

Let Your Word Work in Us

Almighty God,
we thank you
that you have made your holy Word
proclaimed and heard among us.
In your mercy,
work in us true repentance,
that our faith in you may be strengthened,
our Christian love for each other may be increased,
and life among us all may be improved;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 382. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Wir danken dir, allmächtiger Herr Gott, daß du uns dein heiliges Göttliches Wort hast verkündigen und hören lassen; wir bitten deine grundlose Barmherzigkeit, daß du uns solches gedeihen lassest zu Gottseliger wahrhaftiger Buße, und zu starkem Glauben gegen dir und zu Christlicher Liebe, und Besserung des Lebens unter uns Allen, durch Jesum Christum deinen Sohn, unsern Herrn, Amen.

You Have Richly Fed and Refreshed My Soul

800px-chalice_and_paten_from_tyniec2c_10502c_exh-_benedictines_ng_prague2c_150645 O Lord Jesus Christ,
you have richly fed and refreshed my soul.
Help me to love you with all my heart,
truly believe in you,
and live according to your will.
Finally,
grant me a blessed and joyful end
that I may live and remain with you forever;
as you live and reign
with the Father
and the Holy Spirit,
one true God,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 381. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

O Herr Jesu Christe, der du meine Seele gar reichlich gespeisct und getränket hast, ich bitte dich, gib daß ich dich von Herzen recht möge lieben, an dich wahrhaftig gläuben, und nach deinem heiligen Willen leben, beschere mir auch endlich ein selig und frölich Ende, auf daß ich mit dir in Ewigkeit leben, und bei dir bleiben möge, der du mit dem u.

May Your Redemption Bear Fruit in Us

800px-chalice_and_paten_from_tyniec2c_10502c_exh-_benedictines_ng_prague2c_150645 O dearest Lord Jesus Christ,
through this wonderful sacrament
you have commanded us
to remember your suffering
and proclaim it.
Move us to make use
of this sacrament
of your body and blood,
that your redemption
may bear fruit in us daily;
for you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 380. Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s… attributes it to Luther. It is similar to the prayer by Thomas Aquinas. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Ach du lieber Herr Jesu Christe, der du uns bei diesem wunderbaren Sacrament, deines Leidens zu gedenken und zu predigen befohlen hast, verleihe uns, daß wir solch deines Leibes nnd Blutes Sacrament also mögen gebrauchen, daß wir deine Erlösung in uns täglich fruchtbarlich empfinden, der du mit dem Vater und dem heiligen Geist lebest und regierest wahrer Gott von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit.

This prayer is expanded slightly from a prayer attributed to Martin Luther.