16th Century – Page 9 – A Collection of Prayers

Grace for the Future

Advent 1

Awaken us,
O Lord God,
with your grace for the future.
As you graciously forgive our sins,
protect and strengthen us
from all danger
of future sins,
so that we may serve you
with a clear conscience,
and joyfully receive
our Lord Jesus Christ
when he comes again in glory;
he lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 282. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Erwecke uns, O Herr Gott, mit der Zukunft deiner Gnaden, und wie du uns gnädiglich unsere Sünden verzeihest, also bewahre und stärke uns für aller Gefährlichkeit der zukünftigen Sünden, auf daß wir dir mit reinem Gewissen dienen, und unsern Herrn Jesum Christum, wenn er in seiner Herrlichkeit kommen wird fröhlich empfangen mögen der mit dir lebet und regieret, in Einigkeit des heiligen Geistes wahrer, Gott immer und ewiglich, Amen.

This prayer is from Prayers from the Evangelical-Lutheran Heritage, available from Amazon.com, and also available for Amazon Kindle. It is a collection of prayers from the history of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church from Luther to Loehe. The collection includes prayers by Johannes Bugenhagen, Georg C. Dieffenbach, Veit Dietrich, Matthias Flacius, Wilhelm Loehe, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Joachim Mynsinger, Johann G. Olearius, Johann Jacob Rambach, and the early agendas and prayer books of the Austrian, Brunswick, Hamburg, Lueneberg, Norwegian, Nuremberg, Pomeranian, Riga, Russian, Saxon, Schleswig-Holstein, and Swedish Evangelical-Lutheran churches.

Two Advent Prayers

Advent 1

Dear God,
protect us and keep us in your grace
that we may be that little flock,
which gladly receives Christ,
singing, “Hosanna! God be praised,”
that we receive him as our King,
and that we may be Christians.
We know why we are called Christians,
namely, after our King Christ,
since we are baptized in his name
and washed in his blood.
Help us remain in him.
Amen.

O dear God, heavenly Father,
give prosperity and salvation
to the Son of David,
your dear Son Christ Jesus,
and to his kingdom.
Let him also
come to us
in your name,
that we also may be blessed.
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, #553, 554.

Originals in German:

553 Lieber Gott, behüte uns und gieb uns deine Gnade, daß wir das Häuflein sind, die Christum gern wollen annehmen und singen: Hosianna, Gott sei gelobet, daß wir diesen König haben und Christen sind und heißen: wir wissen, warum wir also heißen, nämlich von unserm König Christo, daß wir in seinen Namen getauft und in seinem Blut gewaschen sind; hilf daß wir dabei bleiben. Amen. Luther.

554 Ach du lieber Gott, himmlischer Vater, gieb Glück und Heil dem Sohne Davids, deinem lieben Sohne Christo Jesu, zu seinem Königreich. Laß ihn auch bei uns einreiten in deinem Namen, daß es gebenedeiet sei und wohl gehe Amen Luther.

Two Marriage Prayers

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we pray that you would bless all married couples
that they might live and serve you in joy and unity,
and bring up their children according to your will.
Provide for all their needs
and comfort them in all misfortune,
cross and affliction;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Pomeranian Agenda, p. 286.1, translated for A Collection of Prayers.

O Lord God,
you created man and woman
and ordained them for the marriage bond
and have typified therein the mystical union
of your dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Church, his Bride.
We ask of your boundless goodness and mercy
that you would not permit this,
your creation, ordinance, and blessing,
to be disturbed or destroyed,
but graciously preserve it
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Source: Saxon Agenda of 1541, Marriage #9, translated for A Collection of Prayers.

John the Baptist

The Christian Church remembers St. John the Baptist on his ‘birthday,’ June 24, and also on the commemoration of his death, August 29.

Lord God, dearest Father,
through St. John the Baptist
you have pointed us all
to our one true comfort,
that Jesus Christ, Son of Mary,
is the true Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
May we always rejoice in his preaching
and find our comfort in it,
and finally receive eternal blessedness
with John the Baptist and all believers;
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 293#2. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Herr Gott, lieber Vater, der du durch den heiligen Taufer Johannen, uns Allen zu Trost hast bezeugen lassen, daß Jesus Christus, Marien Sohn, das wahre unschuldige Lamm Gottes sei, welches der ganzen Welt Sünde tragen sollte; gib uns, daß wir allezeit solches seines Zeugnisses uns von Herzen freuen und trösten und endlich mit Johanne dem Täufer und allen Gläubigen die ewige Seligkeit erlangen mögen, durch den selbigen deinen Sohn, u.

Mary, Mother of Our Lord.

On August 15, the Christian Church remembers Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. The prayer from the Pomeranian Agenda emphasizes her humility. Her answer to the annunciation was, “May it be to me as you have said.” In her Magnificat, she sang, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior… …The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.”

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we thank you for all your benefits,
physical and spiritual,
that you so richly have poured out on us.
By the example of the dear virgin Mary,
protect us against arrogance and false security,
that no wisdom, strength or power
can help those who do not fear you.
Give us, rather, true humility and holy fear,
so that we may hold on to your Word,
always remain in your mercy and blessing
and finally be saved;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 293#2 (The Visitation), Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Maintain Righteous Government

Lord,
preserve your people.
Maintain righteous government everywhere,
so that all things may take place
in an orderly way
and peace may not be destroyed
by revolution or secret enmity,
nor the eternal good order
be corrupted by debased living
or disturbed by other offenses.
Amen.

Source: Attributed to Martin Luther, modified slightly from http://www.antiochchurch.ca/famousQuotes.html

Help Us to Show and Live Our Faith

Dearest God and Lord,
strengthen and uphold us
in your pure, precious Word
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
and help us to show and live our thanks
with our fruits of faith
to your praise and thanks
forever.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Die Gebete Luthers, #195.

Original in German:

Ach lieber Gott und Herr, stärcke und behalte uns inn deinem lieben reynen wort durch Jesum Christum, unsern Herren, und hilff uns, das wirs danckbarlich erkennen und kräfftiglich mit guten Früchten bezeugen und zieren, dir sei lob und danck inn ewigkeit.

Our Comfort and Joy

Dear God,
let your Word
shine in our hearts
by your Holy Spirit.
Make it
so bright and warm
that we always find
our comfort and joy
in it.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Die Gebete Luthers, #195.

Lieber Gott, verklere dein wort inn unsern hertzen durch deinen heiligen Geyst und mache es so liecht und heyß, das wir trost und freude davon empfinden.

For Your Praise and Glory and Love and Thanks

Dear Lord Christ,
give us your Holy Spirit and gifts
not for our own glory
but for the service and edifying
of all Christendom.
This is the only reason,
you give your Spirit,
as St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12,
“you give to each one
according to your will,”
that is,
not for our our shame
or sin or vanity,
but for your praise and glory
and love and thanks
for your inexpressible grace and gifts
forever.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Die Gebete Luthers, #200.

Lieber Herr Christe, gib uns deinen Geyst und gaben nit zu unserm Rhum, sondern zu nutz und besserung der Christenheyt, dazu auch alleyne der Geyst gegeben wird, wie Sanct Paulus spricht 1. Cor. 12: “auff das es gleich und recht außgeteilet werde,” nemlich uns schand und scham für unser sünd und untugent, dir aber lob und ehr, lieb und danck für deine unaußsprechliche gnade und gaben in ewigkeyt.

Luther did not quote 1 Corinthians 12:11 directly. In the prayer, the quote reads “so that [the gifts] may be distributed equally and correctly.” ESV’s translation of 1 Corinthians 12 is “All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” Luther seems to be recalling and summarizing the whole chapter.

Give Me Your Holy Spirit and Power

Dearest Lord Christ,
you have enlightened my heart
with your truth.
Give me also
your Holy Spirit
and power,
that I may know and do
what pleases you.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Die Gebete Luthers, #201.

Original in German:

Lieber Herr Christe, der du mein hertz mit deiner warheit erleuchtet hast, wöllest mir auch deinen H[eiligen] Geyst und krafft geben, zu thun und zu lassen, was deinem gnedigen willen wolgefellet.

Translation note:

“..that I may know and do what pleases you.” is more literally translated “that I may do and allow what pleases your gracious will.