16th Century – Page 2 – A Collection of Prayers

Carry Your People through All Earthly Evils

Almighty and eternal God,
your Son Jesus Christ healed the sick,
and strengthened them in both body and soul.
We pray, be gracious also to __________.
Assure him of your forgiveness of sins,
strengthen him by your grace
and carry him through all earthly evils
until you bring him to eternal safety;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Paul C. Stratman, 2021, adapted from a prayer by Veit Dietrich for Epiphany 3.

Note: This prayer is written for those who are sick and suffering, and may be approaching end of life.

Father, Send Your Holy Spirit for the Sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ

O Lord God, heavenly Father,
we poor sinners confess
that in our flesh dwells no good thing
and that, left to ourselves,
we die and perish in sin,
since that which is born of the flesh is flesh
and cannot see the kingdom of God.
But we ask
that you would give us your grace and mercy
and for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ,
send your Holy Spirit into our hearts,
that being born again in him,
we may firmly believe the forgiveness of sins
according to your promise in baptism,
and that we may daily increase in brotherly love
and in other good works,
until we at last obtain eternal salvation;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Trinity (2)

This revision/translation of The Collects of Veit Dietrich is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.

Holy Trinity, Keep Us in Your Grace

Almighty and eternal God,
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,
you have shown your rich grace and mercy to us.
Eternal Father,
you created us at the beginning.
Eternal Son of God,
for us you became truly human,
and for our sins you bore the cross.
Eternal Spirit,
you proceed from the Father and the Son from eternity,
and through your holy Gospel you give us faith and holiness.
O one, eternal and almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
keep us in your grace until our life’s end
in the eternal blessedness in the life to come.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Trinity (1)

Pour Your Holy Spirit into Our Hearts

Lord God, heavenly Father,
in your fatherly love
you have given us your Son,
that through faith in him we may be saved.
Pour your Holy Spirit in our hearts
that we may continue steadfast in such faith to the end
and obtain eternal salvation;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Pentecost Monday

Grant Us Courage and Comfort to Continue Steadfastly in Your Testimony

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we give thanks that through your Holy Spirit
you have appointed us to bear witness
of your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as the world cannot endure such testimony
and persecutes us in every way,
grant us courage and comfort
that we may not be offended because of the cross,
but continue steadfastly in your testimony
and be found always
among those who know you and your Son,
until we obtain eternal salvation;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Sunday after Ascension

You Sit at the Right Hand of the Father as Lord over All Things

O Jesus Christ,
almighty Son of God,
you are no longer in humiliation here on earth,
but sit at the right hand of your Father
as Lord over all things.
Send us your Holy Spirit.
Give your Church pious pastors.
Preserve your Word.
Control and restrain the devil
and all who would oppress us.
Mightily uphold your kingdom
until all your enemies have been put under your feet,
that we may hold the victory
over sin, death and the devil;
through you,
who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Ascension

Grant Us Your Holy Spirit to Protect Us

Lord God, heavenly Father,
through your Son you promised us
that whatever we ask in his name you will give us.
Keep us in your Word
and grant us your Holy Spirit,
that he may govern us according to your will,
protect us from the power of the devil,
from false doctrine and false worship.
Defend our lives against all danger
and grant us your blessing and peace,
that we may in all things
know your merciful help
and praise and glorify you as our gracious Father
now and forever;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Easter 5, Rogate

Hold on to this Comfort in All Trials and Temptations

Lord God, heavenly Father,
through your Son
you promised us your Holy Spirit,
that he will convict the world of sin,
of righteousness and of judgment.
Enlighten our hearts,
that we may confess our sins,
obtain eternal righteousness through faith in Christ,
and hold on to this comfort
in all our trials and temptations,
that Christ is Lord over the devil and death and all things
and that he will graciously deliver us
out of all our afflictions
and make us partakers of eternal salvation;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Easter 4, Cantate

Like Your Only Son in Suffering and Glory

Lord God, heavenly Father,
in your fatherly goodness
you allow your children
to come under your chastening rod here on earth
that we may be like your only Son
in suffering here
and in glory hereafter.
Comfort us
in temptations and afflictions
by your Holy Spirit
that we may not fall into despair,
but that we may continually trust
in your Son’s promise
that our trials will endure but a little while
and will then be followed by eternal joy.
In patient hope,
help us overcome all evil
and at last obtain eternal salvation;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Easter 4, Jubilate

You Have Given Your Beloved Son to Be Our Shepherd

Lord God, heavenly Father,
in your fatherly goodness
you have been mindful of us poor, miserable sinners
and have given your beloved Son
to be our Shepherd,
not only to nourish us by his Word
but also to defend us from sin, death and the devil.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us
so that as our Shepherd knows us
and provides for us in every affliction,
we also may know him,
and trusting in him,
seek help and comfort in him,
obey his voice with all our hearts
and obtain eternal salvation;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Easter 2, Misericordias Domini