lancelot andrewes – A Collection of Prayers

Litany for Matins

Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you.
Glory to you, who gave me sleep to refresh my weakness
and to repay the toils of this weak flesh.
To this day, and all days,
a peaceful, healthy, sinless course,
Grant, O Lord.

The angel of peace,
a faithful guide, guardian of souls and bodies,
to encamp around me
and to encourage all that is good,
Grant, O Lord.

Pardon and forgiveness of all sins and offences,
Grant, O Lord.

To our souls, whatever is good and convenient,
and peace to the world,
Grant, O Lord.

Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
such thoughts and such deeds,
Grant, O Lord.

A Christian death,
without sin,
without shame,
and if it pleases you, without pain,
and a good answer before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, O Lord. Amen.

Source: Bishop Andrews, in Service and Prayers for Church and Home, p. 14 (modified)

O Lord, Hedge Up My Way

Launcelot Andrews (1555-1626)
O Lord,
hedge up my way with thorns,
that I may find no path
for following vanity.
Hold me in
with bit and bridle,
lest I fall away from you.
O Lord, compel me
to come to you:
to bruise the serpent’s head,
to remember my life’s end,
to cut off opportunities for evil,
to be alert,
not to sit idle,
to shun what is evil,
to cling to what is good,
to look at no worthless things,
to bring my body into subjection,
to devote myself to prayer,
to search my heart with penitence.

Source: Adapted from Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626) for A Collection of Prayers from The devotions of Lancelot Andrewes (The Hedge of the Law).

A Communion Prayer

Lord, am not worthy
that you should come under the roof of my soul,
nor do you have in me fitting place to lay your head.
But, as you humbled yourself to lie in a manger,
as you did not reject the thief on the cross confessing you,
so let me, too, a wretched, and excessive sinner,
partake of the immaculate, supernatural,
lifegiving, and saving mysteries
of your all-holy body
and your precious blood.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: 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. 130 #1

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes and I shall see,
incline my heart and I shall desire,
order my steps and I shall walk
in the path of your commandments.

O Lord God, be my God,
and beside you let there be no other,
none else, nothing else with you.

Let me adore and worship you
and serve you in truth of spirit,
in reverence of body,
in blessing of lips,
in private and in public.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes, Preces Privatae

Source of this version: https://ia801404.us.archive.org/0/items/theprecesprivata00andruoft/theprecesprivata00andruoft.pdf

Also found here: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/john-rutter-lyrics/open-thou-mine-eyes-lyrics.html

Original in traditional English:

Open Thou mine eyes and I shall see :
incline my heart and I shall fervently desire :
straighten my steps and I shall walk
in the way of thy commandments

O Lord God, be Thou to me a God :
beside Thee let there not be to me another,
none else, nought else with Thee.

Grant unto me to adore Thee
and to worship Thee in truth of spirit,
in comeliness of body,
in blessing of the mouth,
in private and in public :

Enlighten Us with Your Truth

O Lord,
you bring forth the night
and create the morning,
you cause the sun to rise
on the good and on the evil.
Enlighten the blindness of our minds
with the knowledge of your truth.
Let the light of your face shine on us
that in your light we may see light
and at last, the light of grace in your glory.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: Modified from http://newscriptorium.com/assets/docs/collects-and-prayers/prmanual.htm

Also found here: https://www.archive.org/stream/a676964500andruoft/a676964500andruoft_djvu.txt

“You cause the sun to rise on the good and on the evil” is a reference to Matthew 5:45

“Let the light of your face shine on us” is a reference to Numbers 6:23-26

Be with Me

Be, Lord, within me to strengthen me,
without me to preserve,
over me to shelter,
beneath me to support,
before me to direct,
behind me to bring back,
round about me to fortify.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: http://newscriptorium.com/assets/docs/collects-and-prayers/prmanual.htm

Also found here: http://mariannedorman.homestead.com/Andrewes.html

The Full Armor of God

Give to us, O God,
the girdle,
the helmet,
the breastplate,
the shield,
the sandals,
the sword—
and above all things, prayer.
Grant to us the power and opportunity of well-doing,
that before the day of our departure comes,
our efforts may have produced good fruit.
Allow us to behold your presence in righteousness
and be fulfilled with your glory,
for Christ’s sake.
Amen.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Source of this version: https://prayerandverse.com/2016/05/26/give-to-us-o-god/

Prayer is based on Ephesians 6:13-18.