Tag: good shepherd

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

Source of this version: The Collects of Veit Dietrich in Contemporary English © 2016 Paul C. Stratman

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.

Psalm Prayer for Psalm 23

Be our shepherd,  O Lord,
and bless us with all good things
that we may be refreshed
with your overflowing cup
and dwell in your house forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Ludolph of Saxony, d. 1378

Translation in traditional English, from the Sarum Psalter:

Be our shepherd, O Lord, we entreat Thee; and may we receive all good things from thy sweetness, so that, obtaining an eternal habitation in thy tabernacles, we may be fulfilled with the plenteousness of thine everlasting cup, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

 

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For Strength

O Lord,
be our Sanctifier and the Shepherd.
Strengthen and help us,
that in our daily life walk with you,
we serve you in all quietness of spirit;
through Jesus Christ our Master. Amen.

Source: Roman Breviary, 11th Century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For Protection

O God,
Shepherd of all your people,
deliver us from all sins which assail us,
that so we may always be pleasing in your sight,
and safe under your shelter;
for Christ’s sake. Amen.

Source: Roman Breviary, 11th Century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

Our High Priest and Shepherd

We thank you with our whole heart,
O beloved Father,
for the precious blood of your dear Son,
which he shed for our sake,
and by which you daily cleanse, quicken, and sanctify us
in your holy Church,
and make us partakers of your divine nature.
We thank you for the great and unspeakable love,
though we were not worthy of it,
when you redeemed us by your own Son,
who is our High priest and Mediator,
the true Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep of his flock,
who now sits on your right hand
and intercedes for us.
O good and faithful God, Friend of all mankind,
give us your grace and your great compassion,
that we may praise you with your Son and the Holy Spirit
in every act of our lives evermore.
Amen.

Source: Unknown, attributed to St. Augustine (d. 430)

“make us partakers of your divine nature” is a reference to 2 Peter 1:4

 

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Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

O Christ, true Son of God,
Lamb who was slain, now risen in glory,
listen to our prayers.
Grant that we may die to all that is evil,
and rise to good works;
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. 27 #2 (Easter 3)

“Lamb who was slain, now risen in glory” is a reference to Revelation 5:12

“die to all that is evil”  is a reference to Romans 6:11

 

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Jesus, Help!

We hasten with weak, yet eager footsteps,
O Jesus, O Master, for your help alone!
You tirelessly seek out the sick and those who have gone astray.
Oh, hear us, as we, our voices raised, pray for your help!
May your merciful countenance be gracious unto us!

Source: Johann Sebastian Bach and Johann Rist, Cantata BWV 78

Text of the original Rist hymn can be found at Hymnary.org and on www.bach-cantatas.com

Poet who adapted the hymn for the Cantata libretto is unknown.

Musical setting from The Joy of Bach:

Another video with clearer audio can be seen and heard here:

Original in German:

Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,
O Jesu, o Meister, zu helfen zu dir!
Du suchest die Kranken und Irrenden treulich.
Ach, höre, wie wir die Stimme erheben, um Hilfe zu bitten!
Es sei uns dein gnädiges Antlitz erfreulich!

For Mercy

O Lord, you gave your apostles peace,
shed down on us all your holy calm;
gather together with your hand
all those who are scattered,
and bring them like sheep into the fold of your holy Church,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Strengthen and confirm me, O Lord, by your cross,
on the rock of faith,
that my mind be not shaken by the attacks of the enemy.
For you alone are holy.

You know, O Lord,
how many and great are my sins,
you know how often I sin,
from day to day,
from hour to hour,
in the things I do
and the things I leave undone.
No more, O Lord,
no more, O Lord my God,
will I provoke you.
No more shall my desire be for anything but you,
for you alone are truly lovable.
And if again I offend in anything,
I humbly ask your mercy
to grant me strength
to live in a manner more pleasing to you.
Amen.

Source: Theodore the Studite

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

For the Loving Care of the Good Shepherd

stjohnsashfield_stainedglass_goodshepherd-frame_cropO Lord Jesus Christ,
good Shepherd of the sheep,
you came to seek the lost
and gather them to your fold.
Have compassion on those who have wandered from you.
Feed those who hunger,
make the weary lie down in your pastures,
bind up those who are broken in heart,
and strengthen those who are weak,
that we rely on your care,
find comfort in  your love,
and abide in your guidance to our lives’ end;
for your name’s sake.
Amen.

Source: An Ancient Collect, Sixth Century

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