Table Prayers and Graces – Page 2 – A Collection of Prayers

Table Graces by Matthew Henry

An address to God before a meal.

O Lord our God, in you we live and move and have our being and from you we receive all the supports and comforts of our being. You spread our table and fill our cup and comfort us with the gifts of your goodness from day to day. We depend on you and owe everything to you. Pardon our sins, sanctify the good things you have created for our use, and give us grace to receive them soberly and thankfully, and to eat and drink not to ourselves, but to your glory; through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Savior. Amen.

Another.

Gracious God, you are the protector and preserver of the whole creation. You have fed us all our lives to this day with food convenient for us, even though we are evil and unthankful. Forgive all our sins by which we have forfeited all your mercies, and let us see our forfeited right restored in Christ Jesus. Give us a taste of your unfailing love in everyday mercies and to use these and all our creature comforts to the glory of our great Benefactor; through the grace of our great Redeemer. Amen.

An address to God after a meal.

Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with his benefits and gives us all things richly to enjoy, though we serve him but poorly. O Lord, we thank you for present refreshments in the use of the good things you have created, and for your love to our souls in Jesus Christ, which sweetens all things. Pardon our sins, continue to do us good, provide for the poor that are destitute of daily food, fit us for your whole will, and be our God and guide and portion forever; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Another.

We thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for all the gifts both of your providence and of your grace; for those blessings which relate to the life we now have, and of the life to come, and for the use of the good things you have created at this time. Make complete, O God, all that we need. Nourish our souls with the bread of life to life eternal, and let us be those who will eat bread in the kingdom of our Father; for Christ Jesus’ sake, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Source: Modified from Miscellaneous Writings of Matthew Henry, (Wikipedia: Matthew Henry, d. 1714)

Graces from the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I

Grace before supper
O Lord Jesus Christ,
without you nothing is sweet nor pleasant.
Bless us and our supper
and cheer our hearts with your blessed presence,
that in all our eating and drinking
we may taste and see that you are good,
to your honor and glory.
Amen.

Grace after supper
Blessed is God in all his gifts,
and holy in all his works.

Our help is in the name of the Lord
the maker of heaven and earth

Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and forever.

Most mighty Lord and merciful Father
we give you thanks
for our bodily sustenance
entirely from your gracious goodness.
Feed us with the food of your heavenly grace
that we may worthily glorify your holy name in this life
after be partakers of the life everlasting,
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Amen.

Source: Private Prayers, p. 18

Original in traditional English:

Grace before supper.

O Lord Jesu Christ, without whom nothing is sweet nor savoury, we beseech thee to bless us and our supper, and with thy blessed presence to cheer our hearts, that in all our meats and drinks, we may savour and taste of thee, to thy honour and glory. Amen .

Grace after supper.

Blessed is God in all his gifts: and holy in all his works.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who hath made both heaven and yearth.

Blessed be the name of the Lord: From henceforth world without end.

Most mighty Lord and merciful Father, we yield thee hearty thanks for our bodily sustenance, requiring most entirely thy gracious goodness, so to feed us with the food of thy heavenly grace, that we may worthily glorify thy holy name in this life, and after be partakers of the life everlasting ,through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

God save our Queen and Realm, and send us peace in Christ. Amen.

Parts of these prayers are taken from Latin originals:

Benedictus est Deus in donis suis. Response: Et sanctus in omnibus operibus suis.

Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini est. Response: Qui fecit coelum et terras.

Sit nomen Dei benedictum. Response: Ab hoc tempore usque ad saecula.

https://balliolarchivist.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/college-grace-prayers/

A Short Grace

Dearest God, for food and rest
Accept our praise. Your name be blessed.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

Source of this version: Freely modified from Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week by Dr. John Habermann, Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago, 1918

Original:

Dearest God, for meat and drink
Accept our praise. Thy Name be blessed.
Amen.

(This prayer is not in the original German edition of Habermann’s Gebetbuch.)

A Short Grace

Jesus, bless what you have given,
Feed our souls with bread from heaven;
Guide and lead us all the way,
In all that we may do and say.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

Source of this version: Freely modified from Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week by Dr. John Habermann, Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago, 1918

(This prayer is not in the original German edition of Habermann’s Gebetbuch.)

A Short Grace

Heavenly Father, bless this food,
To your glory and our good.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

Source of this version: Freely modified from Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week by Dr. John Habermann, Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago, 1918

(This prayer is not in the original German edition of Habermann’s Gebetbuch.)

Abba, Father

Abba, Father,
be a tender father toward us your servants.
Govern, protect, preserve,
sanctify, guide, and console us.
Let us be so warmed with love for you,
that we may never forget you,
O most merciful Lord, most tender Father;
for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Source: Old Gallican Sacramentary

Also found here: Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 78 #2

“Abba, Father” is a reference to Romans 8:15

“Let us be so warmed with love…” in the original is “Let us be so warmed with love for you, that we may not be despised by you,”

Joy and Gladness

Praise to you, O Lord,
for you have nourished us from youth
and you give food to all living things.
Fill our hearts with joy and gladness
and provide for all our needs,
that we may abound in every good work;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To him, with you and the Holy Spirit
be glory, honor, might, majesty and dominion,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Apostolic Constitutions

“nourished us from youth” is a reference to Ecclesiasticus 50:22 (Apocrypha)

“give food to all living things.” is a reference to Psalm 145:16

Your Unfailing Goodness

wilhelm_loehe We give you thanks, heavenly Father,
for creating all things by your limitless power,
governing all things by your inexpressible wisdom,
and feeding and prospering all things by your unfailing goodness.
Let us, your children,
at last drink the cup of everlasting life
which you have promised and prepared for all who love you,
with your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Wilhelm Löhe. Freely adapted from Seed Grains of Prayer, A Manual for Evangelical Christians, Wartburg Press, Chicago, 1914 (#27)

Sustain Our Souls and Bodies

wilhelm_loehe Lord God, heavenly Father,
we give you praise and thanks
for all your gifts and blessings.
Sustain our souls in true faith and knowledge of you,
just as you have now sustained our bodies.
Amen.

Source: Wilhelm Löhe. Freely adapted from Seed Grains of Prayer, A Manual for Evangelical Christians, Wartburg Press, Chicago, 1914 (#25)

Note: Seed Grains of Prayer… has the note after this prayer, “(1562.)”

Move Us to Reflect Your Faithfulness

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we praise and bless you
for the many blessings you share with us.
Move us to reflect your faithfulness,
since you have abundantly fed and nourished us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Freely adapted from Seed Grains of Prayer, A Manual for Evangelical Christians, Wartburg Press, Chicago, 1914 (#24)

Note: Seed Grains of Prayer… has the note after this prayer, “(1564.)”