mercy – A Collection of Prayers

September 8

Good Lord, you alone do all things well. I cast myself on your infinite mercy. I trust you with my all, myself, and all I love, and all I desire, my present and my future, my hopes and my fears, my time and my eternity, my joys and my sorrows. Deal with me as you know best. Keep me safe in your eternal love. Amen.

Source: Treasury of Devotion, 1869, revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

Lord, Fountain of all goodness, your tender mercies are over all your people, and you have compassion on all who fear you, just as a father pities his children. In the many changes and sorrows of this earthly life, grant us a patient acceptance of your will, and contentment under your promise. Amen.

Source: New Church Book of Worship, 1876, revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

Prayers Ancient Made Modern (annotated) is available in print and on Amazon Kindle through Amazon.com.

Based on Prayers Ancient and Modern originally selected and arranged by Mary Wilder Tileston, 1897. Now in public domain.

September 5

Eternal God, darkness and light are the same to you, yet you send us your mercy by day and at night your song is with me. There is no light but yours, without, within. As you lift the curtain of night, take the veil from our hearts. Let your day dawn on our souls. Awaken all our labor and our prayer. Although everything else declines, let the noonday sun of your grace and peace remain. Let us follow Jesus while it is day, just as he finished your most divine work in his few years. Amen.

Source: Adapted from James Martineau (1805-1900), revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

Lord, make us reflect your heavenly kingdom here through mutual love, that all hatred may be banished, and all hearts full of love, joy and gladness. Amen.

Source: Ludovicus (Juan Luis) Vives, 1492-1540, revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

Prayers Ancient Made Modern (annotated) is available in print and on Amazon Kindle through Amazon.com.

Based on Prayers Ancient and Modern originally selected and arranged by Mary Wilder Tileston, 1897. Now in public domain.

Thanks for Your Mercies

We give you thanks for all things,
O Lord Almighty,
that you have not taken away your mercies and your compassions from us.
In every succeeding generation you save, deliver, help, and protect.
You helped your people
in the days of Enosh and Enoch,
in the days of Moses and Joshua,
in the days of the judges,
in the days of Samuel and of Elijah and of the prophets,
in the days of David and of the kings,
in the days of Esther and Mordecai,
and in these last days
you have helped us
by your great High Priest, Jesus Christ your Son.
For he has delivered us from the sword,
and has freed us from famine,
and sustained us.
He has delivered us from sickness,
and preserved us from an evil tongue.
For all your blessings we give you thanks through Christ,
who has given us a clear voice to confess,
and a suitable tongue as an instrument to sing your praise,
and a proper taste,
and a suitable touch,
and a sight for contemplation,
and the hearing of sounds,
and the smelling of vapors,
and hands for work,
and feet for walking.
You have instructed us by your laws,
and improved us by your statutes.
Although you allow trouble for a while,
you have promised a resurrection.
Therefore, what life is sufficient,
what length of ages will be long enough,
for people to be thankful?
To do it worthily it is impossible,
but to do it according to our ability is good and right.
You have delivered us from error and ignorance.
You have sent Christ among us as a man,
being the only God.
You have made the Counselor to dwell within us.
You have set angels over us.
You have put the devil to shame.
You have brought us into being when we were not.
You take care of us when we were made.
You measure out life to us.
You give us food.
You have promised repentance.
Glory and worship be to you for all these things;
through Jesus Christ,
now and ever,
and through all ages. Amen.

Source: Apostolic Constitutions

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953