11th Century – Page 6 – A Collection of Prayers

Our Hope and Our Heart’s Delight

littlemore O God,
you are life, wisdom, truth,
bounty, and blessedness,
the eternal, the only true good,
our God and our Lord,
our hope and our heart’s delight,
we acknowledge with thanksgiving
that you have made us in your image,
and that we may direct our thoughts to you.
Lord, make us to know you aright,
that we may love, enjoy, and possess you
more and more;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Anselm of Canterbury, d. 1109

Source of this version: Freely modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Ed. Charles Leffingwell, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 70 #3

Send forth Your Truth

old_sarum_cathedral_reconstruction We call on you, Almighty God,
the Fountain of eternal Light,
to send forth your truth into our hearts,
and to pour on us the glory of your brightness;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Sarum Rite

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers Ancient and Modern
by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 44#2

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

A Sarum Blessing for the Sick

old_sarum_cathedral_reconstruction May the Father,
who created all things in the beginning, bless you.
May the + Son of God heal you.
May the Holy Spirit enlighten you,
guard your body, save your soul,
direct your thoughts,
and bring you safe to the heavenly country,
where he lives and reigns,
God, in a perfect Trinity,
forever and ever.

Source: Sarum Rite

Source of this version: Modified from Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 193 #2

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

A Morning Commendation

Short prayers to be committed unto perfect memory for our first Holy Exercise in the beginning of the day.

__________

When we first awake.

Light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. (Psalm 13:3)

Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Ephesians 5:14)

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. (Psalm 119:18)

At our uprising.

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

Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for evermore.

Or this.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified for me, I arise from my own rest to do him service. By His Cross and Passion, may he save me, bless me, govern me and keep me this day and forever. Amen.

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. (Psalm 3:5)

At apparelling.

Clothe me with the garments of salvation; cover me with the robe of righteousness. (From Isaiah 61:10)

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:14)

At the washing of our hands.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! (Psalm 51:2)

Cleanse me, O Lord, in the bright fountain of your mercy, and water me with the dew of your abundant grace, that being purified from my sins I may grow up in good works truly serving you in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.

And then humbly commending ourselves to God’s protection upon our knees.

Into the hands of your blessed protection and boundless mercy, O Lord, I commend this day my soul and my body,with all the faculties, powers and actions of them both. Always be with me to direct, sanctify and govern me in the ways of your laws and in the works of your commandments, that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever, I may be preserved in body and soul to serve you, the only true God, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

Source: Modified from Collection of Private Devotions in the Practice of the Ancient Church, Called the Hours of Prayer, Ed. John Cosin, James Parker & Co, 1867, p. 47-49

The final prayer is also found in the Sarum Psalter.

Deliver Us, that We May Praise

old_sarum_cathedral_reconstruction Most merciful God,
our foundation of hope
and our refuge in trouble,
deliver us from the snares of death
so that even with the many troubles that surround us
we may sing praises to your holy name
in purity and innocence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Sarum Rite

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers Ancient and Modern
by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 230 #2

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

Pour the Gift of Love into Our Hearts

O God,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit
you poured the gift of love
into the hearts of your faithful people.
Give your servants __________, __________,
health of body and soul
that they may love you with all their strength,
and moved by love, do what pleases you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

Rescue Us from Captivity

O Lord,
look on us in your mercy
and help us to choose the way of peace.
Rescue us from the captivity of our sin,
lift its oppression,
and lead us to dwell in your heavenly Jerusalem;
through Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Source: Sarum Rite

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers Ancient and Modern
by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 54 #2

From Darkness to Light

old_sarum_cathedral_reconstruction

O Lord,
graciously enlighten our hearts
with your holy light,
that we may serve you without fear
in holiness and righteousness
all the days of our life.
Lead us out of the darkness of this world,
to the land of heavenly brightness;
through your mercy, O blessed Lord,
who lives and reigns over all things,
forever and ever.
Amen.
Source: Sarum Rite

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

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

A Communion Thanksgiving Prayer

old_sarum_cathedral_reconstruction O almighty and everlasting Lord God,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
be merciful to me,
and forgive my sins,
through the partaking of your most blessed body and blood;
for you have spoken, saying:
“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood,
abides in me, and I in him.”

Therefore create in me a clean heart,
and renew a right spirit within me;
and uphold me with your free Spirit,
and deliver me from all the snares
and malice of the devil;
that I may share in the joys of heaven.
Amen.

Source: Sarum Rite

Source of this version: http://www.catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/Prayer/Index/100/PrayerIndex/30

Traditional English:

O almighty and everlasting Lord God, Jesus Christ our Lord, be merciful unto my sins, through the partaking of Thy most blessed Body and Blood; for Thou hast spoken, saying: He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.

Wherefore I humbly beseech Thee to create in me a clean heart, and renew a rightful spirit within me; and deign to establish me with Thy free Spirit, and to deliver me from all the snares and malice of the devil; that I may be found worthy to have a share in the joys of heaven. Amen.

“Whoever eats my flesh” is a reference to John 6:54 and refers to taking in everything Jesus is and says, not only his body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus spoke the words some time before the Supper was instituted.

As a block paragraph, modified for use in corporate worship, reference to John 6 removed to avoid confusion:

O almighty and everlasting Lord God, Jesus Christ our Lord, be merciful to us and forgive our sins through the partaking of your most blessed body and blood. Create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us. Uphold us with your free Spirit and deliver us from all the snares and malice of the devil that we may share in the joys of heaven. You live and reign, now and forever. Amen.

“Create in me a clean heart…” is a reference to Psalm 51:10-12

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

“It Is Finished”

6069369723_ee697728eb_z_d O blessed Jesus,
most mighty lion,
King immortal and most victorious,
remember the sorrow that you suffered
when all your powers of heart and body
failed you utterly,
and when you bowed your head and said,
“It is finished.”
Remembering your anguish and sorrow,
blessed Jesus, have mercy on me in my last hour.

Source: Sarum Primer, 1538

Source of this version: http://www.oursanctuary.net/sarum.html

Traditional English:

O blessed Jesu, most mighty lion, King immortal and most victorious, have mind of the sorrow that Thou sufferedst when all the powers of Thine heart and body for feebleness failed Thee utterly. And then Thou saidst, inclining Thine head thus: “It is all done.” For mind of thine anguish and sorrow, blessed Jesus, have mercy on me in my last end.

Graphic: Page from an English Psalter, from Flickr, Walters Art Museum, Public Domain.