Tag: Table Prayers and Graces

Fill all of Our Needs

wilhelm_loehePraise God
who has sustained us from birth
and gives food to every living thing.
May he fill our hearts with joy and gladness,
filling all our needs,
and satisfying us with what he provides.
Amen.

Source: Wilhelm Löhe. Freely adapted from Seed Grains of Prayer, A Manual for Evangelical Christians, Wartburg Press, Chicago, 1914 (#21)

“who has sustained us from birth” is a reference to Ecclesiasticus 50:22  (Apocrypha)

“and gives food to every living thing” is a reference to Psalm 145:16

This prayer is likely a translation or adaptation of “Joy and Gladness”

 

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Feed and Nourish Our Bodies and Souls

wilhelm_loeheGracious Father,
you feed and nourish every creature.
Feed and nourish our bodies and souls.
Do not let us forget your benefits,
but strengthen us with your blessings
that we may glorify your name,
do good and honest work,
and live and move before you
in righteousness and innocence.
Amen.

Source: Wilhelm Löhe. Freely adapted from Seed Grains of Prayer, A Manual for Evangelical Christians, Wartburg Press, Chicago, 1914 (#20)

Also found here: Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week  by Dr. John Habermann, Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago, 1918

“feed and nourish every living creature” is a reference to Psalm 145:15-16

“Do not let us forget…” is a reference to Psalm 103:2

“live and move” is a reference to Acts 17:28

Note: Both Seed Grains of Prayer…  and Morning and Evening Prayers… have the note after this prayer, “(1562.)”

Original in German:

O barmherziger Vater, Du speisest und ernährt alle Creaturen, speise und tränke auch uns leiblich und geistlich also, daß wir Deine Gaben nicht mißbrauchen, sondern durch sie zu Deiner Ehre, zu aller ehrlichen Arbeit und zu allem Guten gestärkt werden, fromm und unschuldig vor Dir zu wandeln und zu leben! Amen

https://books.google.com/books?id=yw5kAAAAcAAJ&pg=PR12&dq=Samenk%C3%B6rner+des+Gebets&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijxLn63v7UAhXKPz4KHax4C9UQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

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Strengthen Us to Praise and Serve

wilhelm_loeheLord God, our heavenly Father,
we give praise and thanks
for your gracious gifts
which you provide so faithfully.
Help us enjoy these blessings
with gratitude and reverence,
that we may be strengthened
to praise you and serve our neighbors;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Wilhelm Löhe. Freely adapted from Seed Grains of Prayer, A Manual for Evangelical Christians, Wartburg Press, Chicago, 1914 (#19)

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

 

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Fill Us with Your Mercy

We have been satisfied, O Lord,
with your gifts and blessings.
Fill us with your mercy.
You are blessed,
and with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
you live and reign, one God, now and forever.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary

Source of this version: Freely modified from  Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 175 #3

Graphic, Gelasian Sacramentary, from Wikipedia.com

 

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May Your Gifts Be Our Refreshment

Bless, O Lord, your gifts
which we are about to receive
from your goodness.

May your gifts, O Lord,
be our refreshment,
and your grace our comfort;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary

Source of this version: Freely modified from  Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 175 #2

Graphic, Gelasian Sacramentary, from Wikipedia.com

 

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To Say Grace

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Amen.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank you for all your gifts, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Source of this variant: Luther’s Catechism, Kuske revised edition, © 1998 Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“O give thanks” is from Psalm 107:1 and other places in the psalms.

“Lord God, heavenly Father… [Die Gebete Luthers, #28]

 

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A Table Prayer

Lord, bless this food
for our use
and us for your service,
and help us to remember 
the needs of others.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

Source of this version:  http://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/catholic/meals/grace-before-meals.aspx#CrIB8QO2wSvBXykl.99

Variant:

The Lord bless this food for our use and us in his service, and help us to remember the needs of others. Amen.

Source of this version: Modified from A Lutheran Prayer Book, ed. Doberstein, © 1960 Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia PA

A Table Prayer

We look to you, O Lord,
for food to nourish our bodies,
for grace to strengthen our spirits,
for love to enrich our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Unknown

Source of this version: Modified from A Lutheran Prayer Book, ed. Doberstein, © 1960 Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia PA

Also found here in an altered form: http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/5260/2632/HTML/21241/Non-denominational_Rotary_Invocations.pdf

Grace before a meal

Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts,
which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,
through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Traditional Catholic mealtime prayer

Source of this version: http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/faith-tools/meditation/2001/11/table-grace.aspx#MbTWGovHEYLYweMF.99

Also found here: http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/celebrations/bless_us_oh_lord.html 

German version by Luther   [Die Gebete Luthers, #27]

Variants:

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we receive through your bountiful goodness, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us through these gifts which we receive from your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Source of this variant: Luther’s Catechism, Kuske revised edition © 1998 Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Latin:

Domine Deus, Pater coelestis, benedic nobis et his donis tuis, quae de tua largitate sumimus, per Iesum Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. (1996). Concordia Triglotta—Latin: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (electronic ed., p. 558). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House.