Before His Footstool
Family Prayers for One MonthGeorge Everard, 1874
INTRODUCTION
It has been truly said, that "A family without prayer is like a house without a roof." Family prayer is the thermometer of home piety — it tells what is the spiritual condition of the household. If it is neglected, or frequently omitted, or if it is a form quickly hurried over, as a mere necessary routine of the day — we may be sure that religion is at a very low ebb in that home.While, on the other hand, if it is regarded as a sweet and blessed privilege, if there is a heartiness and reality about it — then it is a plain testimony that the grace of God is there.
In many thousand homes throughout our land, family prayer is regarded both as a duty and as a privilege. But many Christian people earnestly desire that it should be far more profitable — a far greater power for good than it has yet been.
Can any hints be given which might be likely to make it so?
The great matter is to make it a reality. Like everything else in religion, family prayer is very apt to degenerate into a mere form. It becomes too often like the winding up of a clock or a watch — something merely mechanical, without life or power or comfort. To counteract this, there needs first of all a well-spring of true godliness in the one who leads the devotions. True spiritual life in the one who conducts family worship is the all-essential requisite.
A dead formal spirit is very infectious — whereas earnest living faith and devoted love to the Savior will be felt by the household in every chapter that is read, and in every prayer that is offered. "The mouth of the righteous is a well-spring of life." "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
To make family prayer a reality, it must he regarded as a matter of real importance in family arrangements. It must not be omitted, except for some very urgent cause. It must not be regarded as a small thing for one member to be too late to join the others in the morning. Children must be led to feel that the parents value it themselves, and wish to make it as helpful as possible to all under their roof. If the time is short for it on any particular morning, or if the engagements of the day have necessarily led to its being very late at night — it is far better to read a text of Scripture, and then to have a short, earnest prayer — than to let the morning or evening pass by without it altogether.
Then it is needful continually to watch against mere lip-worship. "God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." The utterance of the lips without the desire and faith of the heart, is not acceptable to God. We must never forget this. We must perpetually seek the aid of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. We must depend upon His quickening grace. We must look to Him to stir up within us a constant sense of the absolute necessity of prayer for our soul's health. We must expect from Him, those Heaven-born aspirations, and that filial confidence through Christ's name, which make prayer to be indeed the prayer which is set forth as incense before our Father.
If we would make our family prayer a reality, we must study that there may be life and variety in every part of it. For this purpose it is well that the portion of Scripture read be not overly long. It should never be above twenty to thirty verses, and it is often better to make it shorter even than this.
A few short words of practical comment upon the passage read is often most useful. If anything particular has occurred in the house, let notice be taken of it in the Scripture that is read, or in the prayer that is offered, or in both.
If possible let a hymn be sung, at least occasionally. It often fixes the thoughts of those present, and draws them away from worldly matters.
It is important also to have variety in the prayers offered. If a manual of prayers is used, it is sometimes well to utter in your own words, your desires on behalf of your family. The words may be very simple and few, but they may reach the ear of God, and touch the hearts of those who join with you, if only they come from your own heart, and are inspired by an earnest longing for the Father's blessing.
To assist in this point of variety in the prayers offered, I feel that a collection of family prayers may not be out of place. It need not be that any other volume which has been previously used and valued should be thrown aside, but a fresh one may be useful in supplementing the former. It may much increase the devotion of the household to have their needs expressed in somewhat different words to those to which they may have been long accustomed. My desire in preparing the present volume has been to bring before God the real needs of a household in plain and simple words, and which will be with the understanding of all its members. Oh! that each family where it is used may indeed fall low before the footstool of Jehovah, and delight in seeking Him in sincerity and truth! And may we all at length form part of the Great Family which shall meet before the throne of His glory!
"Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. May Your kingdom come. May Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:9-13
"May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all Amen."
"May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you His favor
and give you His peace." Numbers 6:24-26
"May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord make His face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, and give us peace in Christ Jesus, now and always. Amen."
"May the Peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen."
FIRST WEEK
Sunday morning
O Lord our God, our Father in Christ Jesus — we come before You this day in His name. We fall low on our knees before Your footstool. We humbly adore and bless Your holy name for this day of rest. It is the day which You have made, that we may rejoice and be glad in it! Fill our hearts with thankfulness, and our lips with praise. Teach us to see Your goodness in the provision which You have made for our salvation. You have given Your Word to guide and direct us. You have sent Your well-beloved Son to be the Savior of the world. You have sent the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to guide us into all truth.
We bless You, we praise You, we glorify You, Father, for all these proofs of Your love. We beg You give us grace this day, to live in the enjoyment of them. Give us a true delight in the services of Your House. Take from us the spirit of the world. Drive away all vain and wandering thoughts. Keep us from all lightness and irreverence, and fix our hearts on Yourself.
O Lord God Almighty, You are in Heaven, and we on earth. Teach us to worship You with holy awe. When we confess to You our sins — grant us genuine sorrow and contrition. While we seek You in prayer, let our petitions be real and fervent. Let faith be mingled with each desire we present to You. While we sing our songs of praise, let holy joy fill our hearts. While we hear Your Word read, or preached, let us receive it in meekness and obedience. O send Your Spirit to us this day, and may we behold the glory of Christ.
Blessed Jesus, exalted to the right hand of the Father, bestow upon Your Church the gifts which You have purchased for us by Your precious blood. Let Your ministers be clothed with righteousness, and endued with power from on high. Give unto them the spirit of wisdom, of love, and of a sound mind. Raise up many pastors after Your own heart, who shall feed Your flock in the wholesome pastures of Your Word.
Be present, O Lord, in all the assemblies of Your people today. Bow down Your ear to hear — and open wide Your hand to give. Awaken the careless, guide the erring, and comfort the sorrowful. Let Your Word have free course, and run, and be glorified.
Be very near to those who are unable to go to Your courts. Watch by the side of those in sickness and in suffering, and remind them of Your love. Be a staff of strength to the aged, and relieve the sorrows of those that are bereaved.
Accept these our humble supplications, and bless us for Your mercy sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sunday evening
O Heavenly Father, our God and Father in Christ, we come into Your presence and desire to thank You for Your mercy to us. We thank You for the rest of this Your holy day. We thank You for all the help which You have given us on our way to the better land. We thank You that this night we may come to You again, and cast ourselves on Your forgiving mercy.
We confess, O God, that we are unclean in Your sight. Our services this day have been mingled with much imperfection. Our prayers have been defiled by worldly and wandering thoughts. We have not loved You nor served You as we ought to have done. We have too often worshiped You with our lips, while our heart has been far from You. But, Lord, we entreat You to cleanse us from the iniquities of our holy things. Take from us all our guilt, and clothe us with the fair clothing of the Redeemer's righteousness. Accept us in the Beloved, and deal with us favorably for His sake. Let "holiness to the Lord" be our aim in every service, and assist us by Your Spirit in all our prayers and meditations.
O Lord You have called us to labor in Your vineyard. You have given to each of us our talent, and would have us employ it for You. Help us cheerfully to obey Your call. Show us the work we have to do, and enable us to do it as in Your sight. Through this coming week may we watch for opportunities of usefulness. May we never refuse the least service we can render in the work of Your Church. Make us ready to condescend to men of low estate, and to give a cup of cold water to the least of Your disciples. Above all things, we pray that the love of Christ may constrain us. Send Your Holy Spirit to quicken our faith and love and zeal. Keep us from anything inconsistent with our profession, and may we adorn the doctrine of Christ in all things.
O Father, revive Your work in the midst of us. Show us a token for good, and lift up a banner for Your truth. Call forth many to work for You, and to bear witness for Christ in the world. Gather in a vast multitude of souls who are now strangers to Your grace. Turn them from darkness into light, and from the power of Satan unto You.
Keep us, O Lord, through the hours of this night, and guard us from all danger.
Awaken within us an earnest desire for Christ's appearing. Whether it be by day or by night — may we be found ready with our loins girded and our lights burning. O receive us now to Your care, forgive us and bless us for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Monday morning
O Lord God Almighty, our Creator, our Preserver, our Father in Christ Jesus — look upon us this morning with Your favor. Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. It is of Your mercies we are not consumed, because Your compassions never fail. You have mercifully watched over us through the past night, and guarded us from all danger. We are now met in Your presence to praise and bless Your name.
Grant unto us, O Lord, the spirit of true godliness. We would not be Christians in name only — but in deed and in truth. O make us to be such by the mighty power of Your Spirit. Show to us our need of pardon and grace and strength. Give us more contrition of heart, and more tenderness of conscience. Increase our faith, and enable us to rest all our hopes on Your dear Son Jesus Christ. You have given Him to be a sure Foundation, and a tried Cornerstone. You have promised to bestow on us the gift of pardon and of Your Spirit through Him. You have assured us that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Lord, we believe — help our unbelief. Fulfill to us these merciful promises. Freely blot out all our sins through His precious blood. Give us the Spirit of holiness, and renew us in Your own image. Stir up within us an earnest desire to please You, and make us to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
May we hate and abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good. May we follow after that which is honest and just and pure. Make us wholesome patterns of Christian living, so that men may find in us no cause of offence. Make us to live above the world while we are in it — and may we ever be looking for the glorious appearing of Your Son Jesus Christ.
Remember, in Your great mercy, our friends and relations far and near. Make them partakers with us in the blessed hopes of Your Gospel. Comfort and support them in seasons of sorrow and anxiety — and bring them at last to Your kingdom.
We beg You to bless the congregation to which we belong. Pour out the rich abundance of Your grace upon Your servants ministering in Your Word. Make them steadfast and immovable, always abounding in Your work. Pour out upon all the members of our congregation the spirit of prayer, the spirit of love, and the spirit of tender compassion for souls that are perishing.
Go forth with us, O Lord, this morning, to our various duties. You were ever with Your servant Joseph of old, and all that he did, You made it to prosper. We beg You thus be near to us to help and bless us. Give us wisdom in all perplexities, and strength to resist every temptation. Keep us ever mindful of Your presence, and bring us to the land of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday evening
O Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come once more to seek Your help. Another day has quickly passed by, and we are one stage nearer to our latter end. But You are the living God, unchangeable in truth and loving-kindness. With You is no variableness nor shadow of turning. You never fail those who trust in You, and Your mercy toward those who fear You is from everlasting to everlasting.
We confess, O Lord, that our sins have risen up toward Heaven as a thick cloud. By thought and word and deed we have provoked You to anger. We have grieved and vexed Your Holy Spirit by our continual backslidings. Spare us, O merciful Father, we humbly beseech You, and cast us not away from Your presence. Though we be tied and bound by the chain of our sins — yet let the pitifulness of Your great mercy loose us.
We plead before You the great work of redemption which Christ has wrought on our behalf. He has died the just for the unjust. He has borne our sins in His own body on the tree. O look upon Him wounded and bruised for our iniquities — and may His death answer for all our guilt. Impute not unto us the sins which we have done, but behold us with Your merciful favor for His sake.
We plead with You, O Lord, Your own faithful promises. You are God, and Your words are true, and that which You have spoken with Your mouth — You will fulfill with Your hand. You have promised eternal life to those who believe in Christ. You have promised deliverance from the guilt and power of sin to all who seek Your face. Grant us these blessings, we humbly beseech You. Give us Your grace on earth — and Your glory in the world to come.
Be our refuge in the day of trouble. When trials come, You alone can support and comfort us. Be our Stronghold, our Hiding-place, and our Covert from the storm and tempest. Teach us, O Lord, to fear the judgments which You have pronounced against such as neglect Your salvation. You are faithful to Your promises — You are likewise faithful to the threatenings of Your Word. O teach each one of us to flee from Your wrath, and take refuge in Your mercy. If any before You are yet unsaved, lead them this night to turn unto You, and wash us every one in the fountain opened for sin and impurity.
O Lord Jesus, abide with us by night and by day, and amidst the changes and chances of this mortal life — may we ever lean on You, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Keep us near to Yourself this night. May our last thoughts be of You. Refresh us with quiet rest, and raise us up on the morrow strengthened to serve and please You. Hear us for Your name's sake. Amen.
Tuesday morning
O God, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort — we come to You this morning as our Father in Christ Jesus. Your name is Love, and we beg You this day deal with us after Your mercy and loving-kindness.
O gracious and merciful Father, You delight to bless the households of such as serve and honor You. We need Your help continually. Except You build the house, their labor is but lost who build it. Except You are our Guardian and Keeper — the watchman wakes but in vain. Let Your presence ever be our defense and our glory. As the pillar of cloud rested over the tabernacles of Israel — so be near unto us to keep us and to guide us.
May this dwelling-place ever be overshadowed by Your Fatherly care. Make this home a nursery for Heaven. Send us Your Spirit and make us humble and teachable, sitting at the feet of Jesus. Let the lamp of Your blessed Word be a light to guide and direct our footsteps. Shed abroad in our hearts, Your heavenly grace, and kindle within us the flame of Divine love. Make us to love You with all our soul, and with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Shut out of our home whatever may be hurtful either to our souls or bodies. Implant and nourish within us every good and holy desire. Enlighten our minds in the study of Your Word, that we may learn the secrets of heavenly wisdom. Establish and settle us in right principle, that we may never follow a multitude to do evil. Hold up our goings in Your ways, that our footsteps do not slip. And when heart and flesh fail — be the strength of our heart and our portion forever.
O Heavenly Father, whose never-failing providence orders all things both in Heaven and earth — protect and bless our beloved country. Direct the counsels of those set in authority over us. May they so order the affairs of this nation that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations.
Finally, we beg You to bless all estates of men in Your holy Church, that every member of the same in his vocation and ministry may truly serve You in godliness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday evening
O God, our Father, the merciful God, the faithful God, we come to You again tonight. We have often come to You before, but You are never weary of hearkening to our prayer. You are always more ready to hear, than we to pray — and are accustomed to give more than we desire or deserve. O grant that we may never be weary of seeking Your face. May it be our continual joy and delight to draw near to You, and receive the blessing which You are so willing to bestow.
We come to You for pardon through the precious blood of Christ. Our feet are stained with sin. We have trodden forbidden paths. We have not walked as carefully as we should. O wash away all the evil that cleaves to us. Forgive the dishonor we have done to You among those with whom we have mingled.
We have failed to adorn the doctrine of our Savior. We have been too much like those who are walking after the course of this world. We have followed too much the devices of our own hearts. We have neglected many opportunities of doing good. O freely blot out all transgressions, and take us beneath Your Almighty Wings. We need Your protecting care. We know not what dangers may beset us, but our trust is in You alone. Keep us from all the snares of this wicked world. Keep us from the deceit and craft of the great Destroyer. Give Your angels charge over us and our dwelling-place; and You who never slumber, nor sleep — guard us during the hours of darkness.
O good Shepherd of Your flock, You know our sorrows, and understand the secret grief of every heart. We desire to cast all our care on You, for You care for us. Whatever may be the burden that oppresses us. You alone can help us to bear it. O give us grace according to our need. Undertake for each of us, and uphold us that we do not faint along the way. Say to each heart, "I am your strength and your salvation." Help us to lift up our eyes to You who pleads the cause of Your people. Allow no temptation to prevail against us, but lead us in Your narrow way. Bring us in Your own time to that blessed Home, where there is no more pain, or sorrow, or death, and where we shall see You face to face!
O Father, mercifully look down from Heaven on all those who are near and dear to us. Give unto them present peace in the assurance of Your favor, and keep them evermore in Your faith and fear. Ward off any danger that may threaten them, and may they abide in the secret place of Your tabernacle. Amidst all the changes and chances of this mortal life, may they ever be defended by Your most gracious and ready help, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday morning
Almighty and everlasting God, You have called us to Your throne of grace, and have invited us to draw near to You. You have bidden us in everything to make known our requests unto You. We would obey Your call this morning. We come to You as Your children in Christ Jesus, and we ask You for the help we so greatly need.
O Lord, pour upon us richly the spirit of prayer and supplication. Dispose our hearts to seek Your face. Give us an earnest desire for Your salvation. Give us holy boldness in approaching You through the blood and mediation of Your only-begotten Son.
We come to You, most merciful Father, and would cast on You all our burdens and our cares. You know that we are often cast down by the various trials of the narrow way — but Your hand is in every sorrow and in every disappointment. If we meet with wrong and injury through our fellow-men, teach us to realize that You have permitted it for our good. If others speak evil of us, and judge us harshly — may we rest in Your faithfulness and love. Keep us from the least willful misdoing, and in Your own time bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noonday.
If pain and suffering are appointed for us, give us cheerful submission to Your will, and in due season restore us again to health and strength. Give us a full persuasion that all our steps are ordered by You, and may we see Your wisdom and love in everything that befalls us.
May we this day remember that we are called by Your name. We are pledged to fight manfully under Christ's banner against sin, the world, and the devil. Make us faithful to our vows and promises. Be ever at hand to support and help us in the hour of temptation. Keep us from denying You, or being ashamed of Your Word, or Your service. Fill our hearts with inward strength, that we may confess Your name in a sinful world. May we adorn Your gospel by a very holy and consistent life.
God, the King of glory, who has exalted Your only Son Jesus Christ, with great triumph to Your kingdom and glory — send us Your blessed Spirit, the Comforter. May He dwell within us, to teach us, to sanctify us, and to guide us into all the truth. Through His grace, may we mortify every besetting sin and infirmity. Take us beneath Your gracious protection this day; and, though we are unworthy of any favor at Your hands, do for us far more than we can ask or think, through the worthiness of Your dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday evening
O Lord God Almighty, there is no God like You in Heaven above, or in the earth beneath. You are Great and High and Holy. We come to You with the deepest humility, for we are unworthy of the least of Your mercies. But You are our Father. You have redeemed us by the blood of Your Son. O give us childlike confidence in Your fatherly love, and may we believe the promises You have made to us in Christ.
We cast ourselves down this night before Your footstool, and confess to You our many sins. We have too often forgotten You, the Giver of all we possess. We remember the friends who show us kindness from time to time — but how seldom have we thought of You, our Father and our God. You have nourished us, and sustained our life by Your tender care — but we have not known or considered Your goodness. But You are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and of great kindness. Forgive us, we beseech You, all that is past, for the sake of Him who died for our sins. Give us the spirit of true and sincere gratitude. Teach us henceforth to live as Your faithful and obedient children.
O merciful Redeemer, we fly to You as the only refuge of our souls. We hear Your voice calling us to Yourself. You have invited all who are weary and heavy laden. You have promised to give us rest. Lord, we come, for You have bidden us. We are weary of the evil which we have wrought; but we look unto You for the rest which You have promised. Give to us the rest of complete forgiveness. Grant us quietness and peace of spirit in the assurance that You love us. Refresh us with Your grace, and make us glad with the light of Your countenance.
O God, we beseech You, be gracious to this household and to all whom we love. Look upon any who may be at a distance from us, and who may be exposed to special dangers and temptations. Keep them in the hour of trial. Lead them and guide them by Your Holy Spirit, and make them truly to love and fear You.
Have mercy upon all who live round about us, and grant that they may be numbered among Your people. Turn the hearts of the disobedient, to the wisdom of the just. Let those that love You be as the Sun when he goes forth in his might. Make us all to be harmless and blameless, living in holiness and love as Your children in the midst of all evil world.
We are now about to lie down to rest — let Your everlasting arms be beneath us, and Your sheltering wing over us. Be near to us through the hours of darkness, and when we awake may we still abide with You. Grant us these petitions for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Thursday morning
Almighty Father, You are exalted far above all blessing and praise — and yet You delight in the worship of Your redeemed people. We come to You this morning in the Savior's name. We are unworthy of Your regard, but Jesus is worthy. We are altogether sinful in Your sight, but Jesus is our righteous Advocate. Look upon the face of Your Anointed One, and bless us with all spiritual blessings for His sake.
We would go forth to our daily occupations this day, and do all things as in Your sight. You have preserved our lives from day to day. May we spend them in cheerfully doing Your will. Teach us to walk before You and be upright in all our ways. May we never follow the example of those around us when it is contrary to Your Holy Word and commandment. Give us both to will and to do according to Your good pleasure. Lead us by Your Spirit in the paths of righteousness. May no temptation befall us which we are unable to resist. Clothe us with the armor of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left. Prepare us against every assault of the Tempter. Keep us ever watchful and prayerful, and may we at all times lean only on the hope of Your heavenly grace given to us in Christ.
O Lord Jesus, be our light in this dark world. You have come to us as the Day-spring from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. You are the Bright and Morning Star — yes, You are the very Sun of Righteousness, who have arisen with healing in Your wings.
With You is the light of mercy and forgiveness for every sin-burdened conscience. With You is the light of love for the friendless and the desolate. With You is the light of hope for those who are ready to despair. Come, O light of men, and scatter all our darkness! Awaken us from the slumber of spiritual death. Take from us all indolence and sloth. Kindle within us the flame of Divine love. Fill us with Your light and joy. Make us to reflect Your own image, and may we shine as lights in the world.
O Lord, we plead with You for those who have not the same comforts which we enjoy. O God of mercy and love, be near to support the poor and needy.
Be the Father of the fatherless, and the God of the widow. May all who are in distress have grace to bring their cares and their necessities to You. May those who are poor in this world, be rich in faith, and rest satisfied that You do an things well. Teach us all that the time is short, and that our light afflictions are but for a moment. May we so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that we finally come to the land of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday evening
O God, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort — we come to You this night, and desire to commit ourselves to Your merciful keeping. Watch over us during the hours of darkness, and refresh us with quiet rest. The darkness is no darkness with You, but the darkness and the light are both alike. Your eye is ever upon us, and Your arm is Almighty to defend and protect us.
O Lord, You have taught us in Your Holy Word to be ready at all times for the second coming of Your Son. We know not the day nor the hour of His appearing. Lord, prepare us for that great and solemn day. Clothe us with the wedding garment of the Savior's righteousness. Blot out all our sins, through His most precious blood. Cover us with the covering of Your Spirit. Endue us with innocence of life, and make us holy in all our conduct.
We beseech You, O most merciful Father — quicken our cold and careless hearts, that we may watch and pray continually. May our loins be girded about and our lights burning. May we be like unto men who wait for their Lord, that when He comes and knocks — we may open unto Him immediately.
O Lord Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, fill our hearts with holy joy in the prospect of Your coming kingdom. You shall raise up those who sleep in You. You shall change our vile bodies, that they may be made like unto Your glorious body. May we live day by day as Your true servants, and may we look forward in assurance of hope to that blessed time.
O God, we beseech You to mercifully shield and protect every member of this family. There may be some whom You know to be in special danger. Health may be failing, or a sudden accident may bring peril when least expected. Be gracious unto Your servants according to their need. Keep them evermore beneath the covert of Your almighty wing. Give us that which will tend most to our everlasting welfare. Grant us that which is requisite for our present comfort, if it be Your holy will. But if it is otherwise, help us to trust You and to rely on Your Fatherly care.
Bless all our relatives and friends. We entreat You to give them whatever they need for time and eternity. Look upon all those traveling by land or by sea, and be near to help them in the hour of danger. Defend our soldiers wherever their lot may be cast, and make them faithful soldiers of the King of kings. Be merciful to all prisoners and captives. Give to them true repentance, and bring their souls out of soul-prison that they may praise Your name. Fulfill these our desires and supplications, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Friday morning
O Almighty Lord God Almighty, You are the High and Lofty One who inhabits Eternity — and yet You humble Yourself to behold the children of men. Behold us this morning in Your tender compassion. You know our frame — You remember that we are dust. We are frail and sinful, and our thoughts and desires are of the earth — but deal with us according to Your mercy. Be favorable to us through the merit and death of Your dear Son. Quicken our hearts by Your Spirit, and raise our affections to Yourself.
O Lord, we are called by Your name and profess to be Your servants. We have acknowledged You to be our God and our King. We are bound to serve You alone. Help us to be faithful to our high calling. Make us to be witnesses for You in a world that denies You.
O Lord, You have purposed that Your people should be as the salt of the earth. Fulfill in us this Your good pleasure. Endue us with the savor of Your heavenly grace, and make us in all things followers of Christ. Make us meek and gentle, patient and forbearing towards each other. Make us just and true in our dealings with our fellow-men. Grant us the spirit of constant prayer, and make us Your remembrancers.
May we continually bear on our hearts before You the sins and sorrows of those around us. Show to each of us the work You would have us to do, and give us strength and power faithfully to fulfill the same. Create within us a humble spirit, that we may be ready to help a little child, or speak a word in love to the poorest of Your flock.
O Lord, we would lay ourselves and all we have at Your feet. Be graciously pleased to use us in Your service. O good Shepherd, restore our souls whenever we go astray. Let not our light grow dim, nor the salt lose its savor. Let us not forsake You, nor turn aside to that which cannot profit. Give us ever increasing Life through Your Spirit. Give us more humility, more reality, more fervent zeal, and greater love toward Your name. Transform us into Your own image, from glory to glory, until we cast our crowns before You.
Have mercy upon the lost and the perishing. Stir up Your people to seek after them, and bring them back to Your fold. Prosper every effort made to tell sinners of Your love. Fetch home to Yourself those who have gone the furthest astray. Touch their hearts by Your Spirit, and dispose them to return to You, the Shepherd and Guardian of their souls. Hear us, gracious Savior, and fulfill all our petitions, for Your name's sake. Amen.
Friday evening
O Lord our God, You are our Father, our Guardian, our constant Benefactor. Another day we have been spared in Your mercy. You have preserved our going out and our coming in. You have shielded us in many dangers. You have given us strength sufficient for our appointed work. O give us hearts to praise You for Your goodness. May we yield to You our hearty thanksgivings for all Your benefits, temporal and spiritual. May we take the cup of salvation, and call upon Your holy name.
We confess, Lord, that we have too often made an ungrateful return for Your loving-kindness. We have been unprofitable servants. We have been negligent in searching Your Word. We have not stirred up ourselves to take hold of You. Lord, our hearts are full of iniquity and evil. You desire truth in the inward parts, but we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags before You.
O Father, we would hide from You nothing of the sin which cleaves to us. But we beg You to cleanse us from all iniquity. You are faithful and just to forgive those who confess their sins unto You. We cast ourselves upon Your abounding mercy — wash us from every stain of guilt.
We beseech You, O Lord, renew us in the spirit of our minds. We are the clay — and You our Potter, and we all are the work of Your hands. Work in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. Mold and fashion us after Your own image. Make us holy, pure, patient, and full of charity. Make us vessels unto honor, sanctified both in body and soul. Make us very useful in the Master's service, and prepare us to every good work.
O Lord, quicken us by Your Spirit, and help us to run the race set before us. Keep us from turning aside, through the cares or pleasures of this life. Give us patience and steadfastness when hindrances arise. Uphold our goings in Your way, that our footsteps may not slip. Lift us up when we fall. Let us never yield to unbelieving thoughts of Your grace or power. Help us to lay aside every weight, and the sin which most easily besets us. May we ever be looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Forgetting the things which are behind, may we press forward until we reach the goal.
This night graciously protect this household and all those who are dear to us. Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. O Lord save us, and help us now and evermore, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saturday morning
O God, You delight in mercy, and have promised to hear the prayers of Your children. Draw near unto us this morning, as we draw near unto You in the name of Jesus. We come to You through the new and living way which You have opened to us by Him. For His sake regard us in loving-kindness, and cast all our sins behind Your back.
O keep us this day, we beseech You, from the manifold temptations and devices of the wicked one. Open our eyes that we may discern the danger that may be near. Keep our feet from being taken in the snare that may be laid for us. Deliver us from all distrust of Your providential care. May we never make use of sinful expedients to obtain that which we desire.
You feed the birds of the air, and clothe the grass of the field. Help us to believe that You will provide for all our necessities, and care for us in all our cares. Teach us to rely more confidently on Your Fatherly goodness. May we seek first Your kingdom and righteousness — fulfill Your promise, that all other things shall be added to us.
If for a season You try our faith, and permit us to lack anything — then remind us that our Master was once poor and needy for our sakes, and had nowhere to lay His head. Make all our trials work together for our good, and in Your own time send some angel of mercy to minister to our needs.
Father, deliver us also from all pride and vain-glory. Subdue within us every high thought that exalts itself against the knowledge and obedience of Christ. Make us willing to follow in His footsteps, who was ever meek and lowly in heart. O grant us true humility. Show to us our exceeding sinfulness. In lowliness of mind may we esteem others better than ourselves. May we be willing to give place to those around us, and seek their profit and pleasure rather than our own.
O merciful and faithful High Priest, who were in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin — stand by us and support us in every season of temptation. Enable us to withstand all the assaults of the Tempter. Fortify our hearts with the promises of Your Word. Endue us with the grace of Your Spirit, that we may come off more than conquerors. Be our arm every morning, and our refuge and defense in the conflict of each passing day.
Have mercy, we entreat You, on those who are hindered in their heavenly race. There are many placed in circumstances of great difficulty, where it is doubly hard to walk with You and do Your will. But, Father, give them strength according to their day. Keep them from the fear of man, and make them constantly mindful of Your loving Presence. Cheer them with Your smile, and uphold them with Your mighty right hand.
Accept, we beseech You, these our prayers for ourselves and for those in trial. Bless all those who are near and dear to us, and keep us holy and blameless unto the day of Christ's appearing, for His name's sake. Amen.
Saturday evening
O eternal God, the Everlasting Refuge of Your people — we fly to You as our only hope amidst the changes of this passing world. We come to You tonight at the close of another week. Our days and years are quickly rolling by, and we draw nearer to our latter end. Make us to know our end, and the number of our days, that we may know how frail we are. Teach us to live while we live, and may we spend each day in remembrance that it may be our last. Whatever our hand finds to do, may we do it with our might, knowing that there is no wisdom or device in the grave to which we are going. Teach us ever to bear in mind that the end of all things is at hand. May we therefore be sober and watch unto prayer. May we walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time.
O God, who searches all our hearts, and understands all the imaginations of our thoughts — we would be honest with You. We would hide nothing from You this night. We would lay open before You all our ways and doings, for You know us altogether. We plead guilty before You. We have sinned grievously. We have failed to perform the duties to which You have called us. We have too much neglected the care of our own souls, and of those about us. We have forgotten You days without number. We have not sought to glorify You in our daily life. We have all come short of serving You as we should. We have been unprofitable servants. We have grieved and provoked You by our backslidings, and have vexed Your Holy Spirit.
But we plead Your mercy. Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name — and deliver us and purge away our sins for Your name's sake. Look upon Him who was made sin for us — that we might be accounted righteous in Him. May His blood remove each stain of evil, and purge our conscience from dead works to serve You the living God.
Prepare our hearts for the holy rest of the coming day. Help us to cast aside all that may have troubled or disturbed us through the week. Help us to leave behind all the concerns of our week-day work, and to rise up to nearer communion with You. Raise our thoughts to that better land where You shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. O that we might day by day so live by faith in Your dear Son, that we might be enabled joyfully to anticipate the pleasures which are at Your right hand for evermore!
We now commit ourselves to Your faithful care. Give quiet rest unto us this night, and grant us on the morrow a day of holy joy in Your worship, and when our days and weeks on earth are passed away, may we dwell forever in Your presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SECOND WEEK
Sunday morning
O blessed Lord God, our Father and our God, we draw near to You once more at the beginning of Your own day. We come to You with thankful hearts. We would lift up our souls to You, and praise You with joyful lips. Early this day would we seek You. Our souls thirst for You, as the deer pants after the water-brooks. O give us more and more of this holy desire. Though our souls cleave to the dust, quicken us according to Your Word. Turn us again O Lord God Almighty, show us the light of Your countenance and we shall be whole. May we this day esteem the words of Your mouth more than our necessary food.
Direct the message spoken by Your servants, so as to reach every heart and every conscience. Make Your arrows sharp in the hearts of the King's enemies. Awaken the careless from the sleep of death, and bring home to every transgressor the conviction of his guilt and danger. Give to every mourning soul, the sense of Your Fatherly pity, and bind up the broken-hearted with the oil and wine of Your grace and mercy in Christ Jesus. Let none be sent empty away from Your courts, but grant to all the blessing and the help which they need.
Pour out Your Spirit very richly on all who are engaged in Your service. Especially be present to bless all the ministers of Your Word. May they hold fast Your faithful Word, and preach its blessed truths with wisdom and with power. Teach them to lift up Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Give them grace to exalt Him in His Work and Office as the only Hope of the lost sinner. Reveal to them the exceeding greatness of His love, that He may be the joy and strength of their own souls.
We beseech You also, most merciful Father, send down a plentiful rain of grace and blessing upon Your whole Church. Heal our divisions, forgive our iniquities, and bind together the hearts of all Your children in the bond of love and truth.
Extend far and wide the borders of Your kingdom. Take away from heathen and Muslim nations all prejudice against the name of Jesus, and lead them in humble submission to His footstool.
Turn to Yourself, the multitudes in our own land who are living without the knowledge of Your love. Touch the hearts of those who live by their daily toil, that they may seek first Your kingdom and righteousness. And grant that those to whom You have given largely of this world's goods, may rejoice to give freely and liberally for the promotion of true religion and the welfare of others. Hear us, Father, and be with us throughout this day for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate.
Sunday evening
O most gracious and merciful Father, we would hear Your voice speaking to us at the close of this Your day. O speak to us by Your Spirit words of comfort and peace and hope. You know all the iniquities of our holy things, and all the coldness and deadness of our hearts toward You. But we plead Your mercy, and beseech You to put away all our sins through the blood of Christ. Assure us this night that we are indeed Your own accepted children. Fill us with joy and peace in believing. Draw near to us in loving-kindness, and may we delight ourselves in the abundance of Your goodness.
We have heard Your Word this day, and have been reminded of the Savior's love to us. Help us henceforth to live more in the power of Your truth. Enable us to carry the message of Your love to others. Help us to teach the young, and instruct the ignorant. Help us to speak words of comfort to those who are cast down. May we despise no work however lowly, if by any means we can save a soul from death, or strengthen such as are weak and ready to faint. Show us, Lord, the work You have for us to do, and give us grace to do it for Your glory.
O Lord, we beseech You, reveal Your mighty arm in the conversion and salvation of sinners. May Your Gospel this day proclaimed, make a lasting impression on many hearts. O that You would rend the heavens, and come down in the power of the Holy Spirit. Turn to Yourself very many of those who are now treading the broad road to destruction. We bless You for every good wrought by the efforts of Your servants. We bless You for every soul brought to know and love You. But we plead for yet greater things. Come from the four winds, O mighty Spirit, and breathe upon the slain, that they may live! Manifest Your quickening power and raise up many faithful witnesses to Yourself in a world of sin and evil.
We beg You, Father, take us and all whom we love under Your care this night. May we lie down in peace and take our rest, knowing that You alone O Lord, make us to dwell in safety. Prepare us for that eternal rest which awaits Your redeemed people.
In this world we expect tribulation, but an hour in Your presence will outweigh all the sorrows and trials of earth. O bring us safely to the land of Everlasting life, where every tear shall be wiped away, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday morning
O eternal God, the Creator and Preserver of mankind, the Giver of all grace — we come to seek Your blessing this morning. We are again about to enter upon the various duties of our daily life, and we need Your presence and Your help continually. Strengthen us to act with a single eye to Your glory.
Give us a true estimate of the value of life — as a precious talent to be used for You — a season in which we may lay up treasures in Heaven. If we use it aright, we shall have blessings from You, both here and hereafter. If we waste and squander it, we shall be indeed poor and lost and undone forever.
O Lord, we beseech You to teach us to walk wisely, redeeming the time. Much of our life has already been spent, and we know not how short a time may yet remain to us. Help us to live each day as if it were our last. While we have the light, may we walk in the light, lest darkness overtake us. The night of death will soon come — and there is no work in the grave where we are going. Keep this ever before us, and so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
May we this day sow to the Spirit, and not to the flesh. May we sow the seed of holy thoughts, kind and loving words, and just and righteous actions. Keep us from all sin, sloth, and self-indulgence. Whatever our hand finds to do — may we do it with all our might. May we honor You by diligence in our appointed work. May we seize every opportunity to learn more of You and of Your Word. May we watch for occasions of doing good to those around us.
O gracious Redeemer, who is the All-wise Counselor of Your redeemed people, guide us in all the difficulties which befall us. We are often burdened with cares which we cannot escape. We know not the path we ought to take, nor the thing You would have us to do. O make our way straight before our eyes. May we desire only to know Your will, and may we readily follow the path in which You lead us. May we cast all our care on You, knowing that You care for us. Whatever trials You may appoint, make them work together for our highest good.
Accept, we beseech You, these our prayers and supplications. Receive our hearty praises for all Your mercies and loving-kindnesses. Pardon our many sins, negligences and ignorances. Do for us better then we can ask or think — through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our precious Lord. Amen.
Monday evening
O Lord God Almighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords, You are our Father in Christ Jesus. Even as a Father pities his children — so do You pity those who fear You. As one whom his mother comforts — so do You comfort each of Your own. You give us all needful blessings. Lord, we bless You with grateful hearts for all Your goodness to us.
Especially are we bound to praise You for the throne of grace to which You have invited us. We bless You that we are invited to bring to You all our needs and necessities. You have bidden us not to worry about anything — but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to make known our requests unto You. Help us to delight in thus drawing near to You. May we come and pour out our hearts before You. At morning and evening, and oftentimes throughout each day — may we lift up our hearts unto You.
May we ever come to You in full reliance on the name of Your dear Son. Look not upon us in our sinfulness and unworthiness — but look upon Him, our Righteous Advocate. Have respect to the All-sufficient Sacrifice which He has offered.
O grant unto us the spirit of prayer. Open our hearts that we may long for Your grace above all things. May we open our mouth wide to ask You for all we need. Give unto us the spirit of filial confidence in Your love, and in Your readiness to hear our prayers.
Give us likewise a ready ear to hearken to all Your precepts, and a heart to obey Your will when we know it. May no willful transgression make a separation between us — or hide Your face from us. May we more and more walk in the light of Your Word.
Make this home to be a home of love, and may we all have peace with You through Christ, and peace one with the other. Subdue all angry tempers within us, and everything that would grieve Your Spirit to withdraw from us.
Look down in mercy on all whom we desire to commend to Your Fatherly care. Be near to all who are dear to any of us. Bestow upon them Your saving grace, and make them partakers of Your favor on earth and of Your glory in Heaven. Have compassion upon our fallen world. Stay by Your mighty hand, the wars and contentions that bring desolation to so many lands. Send far and wide the Gospel of peace, and dispose the hearts of many to welcome the joyful sound. Restrain the flood of vice and ungodliness that threatens to overwhelm our land, and raise up many true and faithful ministers to proclaim Your Word.
Accept, Lord, these our prayers and praises, freely forgive us the sins we have done this day, and keep us beneath Your sheltering wing, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Tuesday morning
O merciful God, our Creator and our Benefactor, our Father in Christ Jesus — we come to You this morning to thank and praise You for all Your manifold mercies. We thank You for the proofs of Your goodness which day by day we receive at Your hands. You have given us all things richly to enjoy. You have given to us home and friends, food and clothing — and You have preserved us in life and health. For all this we adore and praise Your holy name.
But we would bless You most of all, for Your inestimable love in our redemption. You have given Your Son Jesus Christ to be a sacrifice for our sins. Fill us with sincere gratitude, and teach us to praise You both with our lips and in our lives.
O God of love, circumcise our hearts that we may love You as we ought. You are worthy that we should love You far above all else. But we are carnal, and our affections cling too much to the things of the world. May Your Holy Spirit break the chains which bind us so closely to earth, and draw us nearer to Yourself. Shed abroad Your love in our hearts, that we may desire Your presence above all things. Kindle within each of us the heavenly flame, and may it burn ever more and more brightly.
Most gracious Father, we beg You to teach us to love one another with a pure heart fervently. May we show to the world around that we are indeed the children of a God of love. You have taught us that all our doings without charity are worth nothing. Without this, all our words and works are but as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Breathe into our souls this heaven-born grace of charity. Take from us all envy and malice and unkind suspicion. Help us to put away all bitterness and evil speakings one against another. May we charitably judge of the actions and motives of others. Make us gentle and forbearing towards those who wrong us, or wound us by cross and angry words.
We beg You, O Father, pour down Your Spirit upon Your whole Church, weakened and distracted by manifold evils. Preserve among us the purity of the faith. Raise up a standard for Your truth. May Your Word ever be the light to guide and direct us, and may Christ alone be the resting-place of every heart. Deliver us from all bitterness and hatred, and whatever may hinder our godly union and concord. Hear us, O God, and preserve us evermore by Your help and goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday evening
O Lord, our God, how excellent is Your name in all the earth. You are the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity. You are righteous in all Your ways and holy in all Your works. Help us to adore and magnify Your name. Help us to come before You this night in the spirit of humble reverence, and may we worship You acceptably through Your dear Son.
O Lord, You have promised to make Your dwelling-place with the humble and the contrite. Give us true humility. Give us grace to know ourselves, and to feel deeply our ignorance, our sinfulness, and our helpless, and lost condition apart from You. We have continually broken Your law, which is holy, just, and good. We have not walked after the example of Your Son Jesus Christ. Most grievously have we provoked Your anger and indignation against us. O Father, we blush to lift up our eyes to You, for our iniquities have increased over our heads, and our trespasses are grown up unto the heavens.
But look down from Heaven. Your dwelling-place, and when You hear, forgive. While yet a great way off from You, by reason of our sin and unbelief — draw near to us. Embrace us with the arms of Your mercy, and grant unto us a full reconciliation. We bless You that Christ was made an atoning sacrifice for us, when He suffered and died upon the cross. May we be regarded as righteous in Him, and cast all transgressions into the depths of the sea! May we thus look up to You as our Merciful Friend — yes, as our most Pitiful and Loving Father.
O Lord, we beg You this night revive the hearts of Your contrite ones. Refresh them with the dew of Your grace, and comfort them with the assurance of Your Presence. Dwell within us by Your Holy Spirit, and make us a temple worthy of You.
O God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three Persons in one Glorious Godhead — come and make Your abode with us, and fill us with all the fullness of Divine grace and consolation.
We beseech You, O God, mercifully to regard all those who claim an interest in our prayers. You know those who are dear to each of us now before You. O let Your favorable kindness be upon them. Take away all pride and hardness of heart from any who may yet be in the far country of sin. Guide the footsteps of any who may be seeking their way to Zion. Lift up those who may be depressed and sorrowful by reason of life's trials and afflictions. Speak peace to any who may be near to their latter end. May their feet stand firm on the Rock of Ages, and may they have no trust but in the blood and righteousness of Christ.
We commit ourselves now to Your merciful care. May our last thoughts be of You, and may we rise in the morning with a fresh desire to yield ourselves to Your service. Forgive us all our sins, and mercifully fulfill all our petitions, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Wednesday morning
O Lord God, our Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus, we lift up our hearts to You this day in thankfulness for all Your undeserved mercies. We praise You, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness and truth. We would not forget Your countless benefits bestowed upon us. You forgive all our iniquities, and heal all our infirmities and backslidings. You redeem our life from destruction, and preserve us from dangers on the right hand and on the left. You give us the bread that comes down from Heaven, and have promised to fill us with Your Holy Spirit.
We bless Your holy name for all Your goodness toward us. Help us, O Lord, to show forth our gratitude, by living to Your glory. We gladly accept the gift of Your salvation offered to us through the mediation of Your only begotten Son. May we humbly rely on Your free promises made to us in Him.
O blessed Savior, the Good Shepherd of Your flock — may Your holy life be the pattern which we daily strive to copy. Teach us so to walk as You walked when sojourning here below. May our constant aim be to do the will of our Father in Heaven. May we be gentle and meek and forbearing towards all men. May we never willfully yield to the very least sin. May we give ourselves unto prayer, and make Your Word the rule of our life. May we go about doing good, and watch for occasions of comforting those in distress or anxiety. Fill our hearts with zeal and love, with patience and kindness, with humility, and hatred of all evil. May we daily fix our eye on You as revealed in Your Word, and may we be changed into Your holy image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of our God.
O Lord God, who hates nothing that You have made, be merciful to all those that are walking in the way that leads to destruction. Turn their hearts to Yourself. Stir up the hearts of Your faithful people that they may speak words in season to save the perishing. Bless the labors of Your ministering servants, and make them useful in the salvation of souls.
O Lord of the harvest — the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Send forth a great company of true and devoted messengers of Your Word into all the world and crown their labors with abundant success. Prosper all Societies for spreading Your truth. Give unto those who manage their affairs, the spirit of counsel and wisdom — and give unto those who support them the grace of cheerful liberality. May Your Church never lack faithful ministers to proclaim Your truth at home and abroad, nor the gold and silver needful to supply their needs.
Finally, we beseech You to receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before You for all estates of men in Your holy Church, that every Christian in his vocation and ministry may truly and humbly serve You, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Wednesday evening
O God, our Refuge and our strength — once more we approach You in your own appointed way. We come to You, trusting only in the merits of Your Son Jesus Christ. We beseech You, for His sake, favorably to hear our petitions, and to send us an answer of peace.
O Shepherd of Israel, look down upon us in tender love this night. We have gone astray like lost sheep, but seek after us and restore us to Your fold. Leave us not to perish in the wilderness of sin, nor on the mountains of vanity. Gather us with Your arm, and carry us on Your shoulder, for of ourselves we are unable to return to You. You are mighty to rescue and to save. None can pluck Your redeemed people out of Your hand. O keep us every moment, lest we fall before the snares of the Wicked one.
We bless You for the pledge that You have given of Your love to us. You have laid down Your life for Your sheep. You have bought them with Your own Precious blood. O forsake not those whom You have redeemed at such a price. You care for us far more than we can imagine. You love us with an everlasting and unchanging love. Manifest to us Your love more and more, and may we love You with our whole heart.
We beseech You to feed and nourish our souls with Your grace. Make us to lie down in green pastures, and lead us beside the still waters. Let our souls be daily fed from the rich treasury of Your Word. May we delight in coming to You in secret prayer. May we be strengthened by the provisions of Your house. Give us day by day the Heavenly manna, and may we thus grow in grace, and abound in all the fruits of the Spirit.
Be very gracious to the weak and the burdened ones. Carry the lambs of Your flock in Your bosom — and gently lead all that are weary and heavy laden. Deal tenderly with the suffering, the sorrow-stricken and the aged. Bear them along in the arms of Your mercy, and uphold them lest they faint along the rugged way. If there are any such that know You not, may they now learn the things that belong to their peace. May they know the time of their visitation, lest their light go out in darkness and they stumble and fall forever!
We beseech You, O Lord, lead all Your true and faithful children in the ways of righteousness. Be their Counselor and Guide even unto death. Bring them at last to that blessed fold above, where there shall be no more sin and no more temptation. May we behold Your face in Your kingdom, and forever share Your glory.
Hear us, O Good Shepherd, keep us this night from all harm, and raise us up on the morrow that we may follow in Your footsteps. We ask all for Your name's sake. Amen.
Thursday morning
O Lord, our God, You have set Your glory above the heavens — and yet You have invited sinful men to draw near to You. We bless You for the open door which You have set before us. We come to You through Your beloved Son in whom You are ever well pleased.
O Lord, our sins testify against us, for we have sinned against Heaven and before You. We are no more worthy to be called Your children. But in Jesus have we righteousness and strength. Accept us in Him, and impute not unto us our old sins. May His death remove all our transgressions, and may we be clothed in His perfect righteousness. Through Him, may we appear before You this morning as having no spot or stain of iniquity.
We beseech You, heavenly Father, to make us as holy as Christ is holy. Search every secret chamber of our hearts. Show us the evil that is there, and help us to cast it out. Expel every unholy thought and every sinful passion. Cleanse us from all selfishness and self-will. Deliver us from the bondage of evil habits. Take from us the spirit of envy and discontent, and may we never distrust Your Word or Your Providence.
O blessed Savior, for our sake You bore Your heavy cross, that we might have eternal life. Help us daily to deny ourselves, and take up our cross and follow You. Make us willing to sacrifice our own pleasure, that we may the better do Your will. May we choose rather a little with You — than to gain the whole world and lose the comfort of Your love. Make us ready to part with all we possess, and even to lay down our lives — rather than willfully dishonor Your name. May we in all things follow the footsteps of Your most holy life, until we lay down the cross and receive the crown which You have promised to those who love You!
We beseech You, gracious Savior, let Your richest blessing rest on the younger members of this family. Guide their feet into the way of peace. Gather them with Your arm, and carry them in Your bosom. Teach them to remember You now in the days of their youth. Teach them to seek You early, that they may find You. May they never reckon it too soon to enjoy Your love, or to choose Your happy service.
O Lord God, we beg You to bless all estates of men in Your holy Church. Bless our civil leaders. Rule their hearts in Your faith, fear and love, and may they evermore trust in Your mercy. Endue with heavenly wisdom those placed in authority over this land. Give grace to all civil leaders, that they may maintain Your truth, and promote the true welfare of our country. Keep and defend us from all enemies within and without. Make us to be a people fearing You and working righteousness, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Thursday evening
O merciful and gracious Father, this night we venture once more to approach Your mercy-seat. You have opened for us a new and living way through the mediation of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. May we come boldly to Your throne of grace, and pour out our hearts before You. Bow down Your ear, Lord, and hearken to the prayers of Your servants.
O Lord, we are unworthy of all the mercy and truth which You have shown toward us. We have served our idols, and have wearied You with our iniquities.
We confess before You the sins of our country. You behold on every side a contempt for Your law, and a rejection of Your blessed Gospel. Your Sabbaths are profaned and Your name is dishonored. We cannot count the sins which prevail among us, nor worthily lament the evils which defile our land.
But we praise You for Your patience and forbearance. Do not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities. To You belong mercies and forgivenesses. In spite of all our provocations, continue Your mercy toward us.
We bless You for the rich provision which You have made for our necessities. You make Your sun to shine upon the evil and the good, and send rain on the just and the unjust. You are kind to the unthankful and to the evil.
We bless You for Your special goodness to our nation. You have shielded us for many years from the bitter curse of the sword. You have given us liberty and freedom to worship You according to our conscience. You have made life and property sacred among us.
We would bless You also for our family and domestic mercies. You have given to us a quiet and peaceful abode — while Christ had nowhere to lay His head. Your hand, Father, provides us day by day with food necessary for us. Your wing covers our dwelling-place and guards us from danger continually.
We bless You above all for our spiritual mercies. We would thank You with all our hearts for Your salvation in Jesus Christ. We thank You for Your Word which points to Him. We thank You for the Comforter whom You have sent to teach and sanctify us. We thank You for Christian Pastors to assist us in our heavenly course. We thank You for Christian friends with whom we can take counsel along the way. We would praise You without ceasing for all the help and consolation You give us through Your dear Son, and for the everlasting kingdom promised to those who love You.
O gracious Father, let Your mercies be the loadstone to draw our rebellious hearts to You. May Your goodness lead us to repentance. May Your constant love fill us with the longing desire to yield ourselves wholly to Your service.
Be pleased to forgive all that has been amiss in our prayers and praises, and accept and bless us this night, for the sake of Jesus Christ our only Lord and Savior. Amen.
Friday morning
O God, Merciful and Gracious, Long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth — we draw near to You this morning in the name of Your dear Son. Draw near to us according to Your faithful Word, and fill us with true and sincere gratitude for all Your benefits towards us. We have laid down and risen up in peace and safety — for You have watched over us. O Guardian of Your people, keep us evermore by Your help and goodness. Preserve our souls from all evil. Preserve our going out and our coming in from this time forth and for evermore.
We would confess before You, our unworthiness of Your help and favors toward us. We have forgotten You days without number, and have grieved and provoked You by our backslidings against You. We have justly forfeited all claim to Your protection, and have deserved only Your wrath and displeasure.
O God, we flee to the refuge of Your mercy. Have mercy upon us according to Your loving kindness, and according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out our transgressions. Sprinkle us with the most precious blood of Your dear Son, and may we be wholly cleansed from all the guilt and defilement of our sins. Grant us the blessedness of those whose transgressions are forgiven and put away forever out of Your sight. Embrace us with the arms of Your mercy; give unto us the kiss of reconciling love. Upbraid us not, nor chide us for the days which we have spent in the far country — but clothe us with the best robe, adorn and beautify us with the garments of salvation, and give us grace henceforth to serve You with joyfulness for all the goodness You have shown unto us.
O Lord Jesus Christ, You have bought us for Yourself, not with silver or gold, but with Your own precious blood. Make us wholly Yours. As we beg You for Your pardoning mercy, so we beseech You to grant us also grace to live henceforth wholly for Your glory. As You have forgiven us much — may we love You much, and strive to manifest our love in our daily walk and conduct. Give unto us a sincere heart. Deliver us from all falseness and hypocrisy. May our words be spoken as before You, and be free from all taint and leaven of deceit.
Make us honest and sincere in all our dealings with our fellow-men. May we rather suffer any loss, than dishonor You or wound our own conscience. Make us also to forgive others as You have forgiven us. Subdue any rising spirit of revenge when others may wrong us, or speak harshly to us. May we conquer by love. May we overcome evil with good. May we ever give the soft answer that turns away wrath, and thus follow the holy example of Your well-beloved Son, who was ever meek and patient towards all men.
Accept, we beseech You, these our prayers and supplications, and fulfill all petitions through the mediation of Jesus Christ our only Savior and Redeemer. Amen.
Friday evening
O almighty Father, the God of mercy, love and peace — receive us graciously as we kneel before You at the close of this day. Every day we have to thank You for fresh mercies, and to confess before You our perpetual backslidings. But Your heart is ever ready to have mercy and to forgive. Remember not against us our old sins, but show to us the abundance of Your grace in Christ Jesus.
We thank You for the Gospel of Your Salvation. The carnal mind is enmity against You, and we have been enemies to You in our minds through wicked works. We have provoked You to displeasure by our sins, and an evil conscience has made us afraid of Your presence. But we bless You that You have sent us a message of peace. You have offered to us a full reconciliation through Christ, for He has made peace for us through the blood of His cross. You have invited us to draw very near to You in His name. O receive us according to Your Word.
O blessed Savior, You have promised to Your people that peace which the world cannot give or take away. O grant us to enjoy Your peace in our hearts at all times. Though we may have tribulation, You can support and sustain us. In every hour of sorrow, enable us to lean on You and trust Your faithful care. When buffeted by the waves of this troublesome world, may we hide ourselves in You, our Strong Habitation. When oppressed and wearied in the conflict of life, O refresh our souls with the assurance of Your love. O God of hope, fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We beseech You also, O Father, to bind together all the members of this household in the spirit of mutual forbearance and love. May we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Make us to walk in love as Christ has loved us. Help us to cast aside all bitterness and anger and evil speaking — and to put on, as Your elect children, affections of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. May we ever be ready to forgive one another, even as You for Christ's sake have forgiven us.
O Lord God Almighty, the Author of peace, give unto all nations unity, peace, and concord. Make wars to cease unto the ends of the earth.
O Prince of peace, set up speedily Your kingdom, and make Your Word to spread far and wide. Let those who have hitherto dwelt in darkness, behold Your light and rejoice in it. Reign in every bosom, and set up that kingdom which is righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.
Watch over our dwelling this night. Keep us safe beneath Your care, and refresh us with quiet rest that we may be enabled the better to serve You on the morrow. We ask all, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Saturday morning
O Lord of all power and might, Author and Giver of all good things, it is our blessed privilege to draw near to You in the name of Christ. Give us true joy in worshiping You. We adore and praise You for the daily mercies we have received through this week, and through our whole lives. Make us indeed thankful for all Your benefits, and may we show forth Your praise by living to Your glory.
As week by week rolls by, teach us to see more clearly the shortness of time, and the nearness of eternity. Our joys and sorrows are but for a moment — but You have promised an eternal weight of glory to Your children. Help us, Father, to seek those things which are above. If any here before You have neglected to seek Your favor hitherto, may we seek You at once through Your Well-beloved Son. O draw us to Yourself, and open our eyes to see the vanity of things below. Keep us from making the pursuit of wealth our chief aim in life. Keep us from seeking too eagerly the success we desire.
If riches increase, teach us to use them for You. May we thus make Friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. If anxiety or want of any kind be our portion — bear our burden for us. In all our labors and sorrows, may we glorify You. May we so pass through temporal things, that we lose not the eternal things. May we seek first Your kingdom and righteousness, and may we be assured that all other needful things shall be added unto us.
O Merciful Redeemer, be ever by our side. In our daily conflicts stand by us and help us. Uphold us with Your right hand — and then we shall not fall. Make us in all things, to follow in Your footsteps and to keep Your commandments. Teach us to count all things but loss, for the excellence of the knowledge of Your love; and may we reckon a little with Yourself far better than every earthly blessing without Your Presence.
We entreat You, O Father, draw us closer to Yourself by the cords of Your love. Bless the members of this household, present or absent, with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Bind us together in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and love. Prepare us for the great day of Christ's appearing.
We commend likewise to Your faithful care our relations and friends. Watch over them for good continually, and number them among Your believing people. Comfort any who may be in trouble, and restore to Your fold any who may have gone astray from You. When life is over, and You shall make up Your jewels, may none whom we love be found missing among Your saints. Receive these our prayers, we humbly beseech You, and forgive us all our sins through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saturday evening
Almighty and everlasting God, we would call upon Your Holy name at the close of another day and of another week. With You is no variableness nor shadow of turning. As our days and years roll on, You are ever Merciful and Gracious, and ready to hear the cry of Your redeemed children. Your sure and faithful promises are ever the same, and we know that You, Lord, have never failed those who seek You.
O Lord, remind us at the close of this week of the strict and solemn account which we must one day render before the judgment seat of Christ. To You all hearts are open, and before You no secrets are hid. You have declared that You will bring every work into judgment and every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. May we often remember the issues of that Great Day.
We freely confess all the sin and iniquity that Your all-searching eye has seen in us. We acknowledge our willful transgressions and our continual shortcomings. Search us, O Lord, and try our hearts — and wherever we have offended against You, graciously forgive us. Our hope is in Jesus. Look upon the All-sufficient Sacrifice which He has offered for our sins. We plead before You, the blood shed for us upon the tree. O cleanse us in that blood from all iniquity. Lead us to rely wholly on the finished work of Christ, and assure us that there is no condemnation for us in Him.
O Lord, You have bidden us to make supplications and prayers for all men. O give us the spirit of true charity. Quicken our hearts in this blessed privilege of intercession. Have mercy, we beseech You, on all the members of Your Church. Let the dew of Your heavenly blessing descend on all who love the name of Christ, and lean only on the hope of His grace. Strengthen by Your mighty Spirit, all those who are laboring for You, and prosper all the work to which You have called them.
Pour water upon every thirsty soul, and satisfy every longing heart. Let Your people everywhere be filled with Your Spirit. May they be harmless and blameless, living as Your children in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation. May they hold forth the lamp of Your truth, and by a consistent and holy life, let their light shine before men.
Raise up all those that are bowed down either by temptation or by sorrow. Give unto the rich the spirit of meekness and humility, and may they be rich in faith and in good works. Give unto the poor the grace of true contentment, and may they have treasure in Heaven where neither rust nor moth does corrupt.
Prepare each of us now before You for the coming day of rest. May each returning Sabbath prove a blessed foretaste of our rest above. We commit ourselves now into Your Fatherly keeping. Be with us and guard us from all danger, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THIRD WEEK
Sunday morning
O almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords — we would praise and magnify You as the God of all mercy and grace. We praise You for this day of blessing and help. Your gate stands open wide, and You are calling us to Yourself. We would have forgotten You, and gone immediately down the road that leads unto eternal destruction — but You are very pitiful and of tender mercy. You invite us to return to You by all the ordinances of Your house, and by all the messages of Your Word.
O pour upon us the Spirit of grace and supplication. May we look on Him whom we have pierced. May we grieve for the sins which He bore in our place — and may we rejoice that through His precious blood, we can approach You as our Father.
We would desire this day to have closer fellowship with You. O God, You are our God, early will we seek You. Our souls thirst for You, for there is no true satisfaction if You are absent. Your loving-kindness is better than life. O let us see Your power and Your glory this day. Take away every veil that hides from us the all-sufficiency of Christ. May we look up to Him as our Shepherd and Physician, as our Friend and Redeemer. May we trust in Him as our Merciful and Faithful High Priest, ever speaking good for us to You our Father in Heaven.
O gracious Father, we beseech You to make this day to be one of true profit to our souls. We are going to Your house, and we beseech You go with us, and may we feel that You meet with us according to Your promise. May our prayers be offered in spirit and in truth, and ascend with acceptance to Your Throne. May we lay aside all malice and envyings and evil speakings, and may we receive with meekness the engrafted Word which is able to save our souls.
May we sing Your praises with a thankful spirit, and may we thus have a foretaste of the joys of the redeemed above. Let Your Word this day run and be glorified, and may those who hear it receive it as Your Word, and not as the word of man. Let Your people in every place delight to throng Your courts, and may Your ministering servants be cheered by the success of their labors. Gather together the outcasts, and bring them back to Your fold. There are many who stand in the way of sinners and sit in the seat of the scornful. Put forth Your own hand, and constrain them by Your grace to come to Your house and hearken to the joyful sound of Your Gospel.
Be very present as the refuge and strength of all Your afflicted and sorrowing children. Be to them as a little sanctuary, wherever their lot may be cast. Leave them not comfortless because unable to meet with Your people, but make Your abode with them, and give them songs in this night of trial and distress.
O Lord, You know all our need far better than we can express it. Mercifully bow down Your ear and give to us according to Your infinite wisdom and the exceeding riches of Your grace, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Sunday evening
Most gracious God and heavenly Father, You are good and do good continually. Especially would we bless You for the help You afford us by Your holy Sabbaths. May every day of holy rest be a step onward to Your blessed kingdom.
O Lord, Your servants this day have been casting abroad the good seed of Your Word. Send forth the dew of Your blessing that it may abide in the hearts of those who have heard it, and bring forth fruit a hundredfold. Grant that the evil one may not be able to catch away that which has been sown. Grant that the stony ground may be softened — that Your Word may take deep root. Grant that neither the riches nor pleasures nor cares of this world may be able to choke the Word and prevent its bearing fruit. O let not Your Word return unto You void, but may it accomplish that to which You have sent it.
May sinners be turned unto You, and Your people filled with holy joy. Instead of the brier, let there come up the myrtle tree; and instead of the thorn bush, let there come up the fir tree. Let Your people be as trees of righteousness, filled with the fruits of Your grace, to the praise and glory of Your name.
O Lord, we beg You, give unto each of us life eternal — which is to know You the only true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. Remove the blindness which hides from us Your glory, and make all Your goodness pass before us. Show unto us the greatness of Your love, and make us indeed partakers of its blessedness. Make us truly to believe in Jesus, and to rest all our hopes on Him. Make us to know Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life — and may we ever walk in His footsteps.
Father, glorify Your name in us by renewing us in the image of Your well-beloved Son. We are Yours, O save us by Your mighty power. Holy Father, while we are in the world, keep us from the evil one. May the truths we have this day heard raise our hearts from earth to You, and enable us to triumph over the snares which surround us on all sides.
Keep us from being content with merely bearing Your name, and may we strive in everything to live for Your glory.
We beg You to sanctify us by Your truth. Without holiness no man can attain Your glory, and we would be holy in body and in spirit. Purify and cleanse our thoughts and motives and desires, by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit. May the words of our lips and the meditation of our hearts be always acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer. Knit us all together in Your love. Unite our hearts to fear Your name. Give unto all who love You, one heart and one way, and may nothing separate those who are joined together in the bonds of Your Gospel.
This night be our Guardian and Protector. Bless all whom we love, and all who are loved by You. And grant that when all our earthly Sabbaths are past, we may be with You, and share Your glory and kingdom, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Monday morning
O almighty God, our Creator, our Preserver — we come to You this morning as our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus. We thank You for the quiet rest of Your holy day, and we beg You that its lessons may not be forgotten. May we cherish in our hearts whatever You have taught us out of Your Word, and may every day of this week be hallowed by the sense of Your presence. Make us desirous of giving ourselves entirely to Your service, and of living to please You in the duties of everyday life. Grant that in our various occupations we may not be drawn aside from the remembrance of You. Remember us, O our God, for good, through the merits of Your Son — and may we often remember You and think upon Your name.
O Lord, we beseech You look upon the younger members of Your flock. They are very dear to You, and it is not Your will that the least of them should perish. May they ever look up unto You as their Father and as the Guide of their youth. May they take Your Word as a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their path. O keep them from being dazzled and led astray by the deceitful pleasures of a sinful world. Let them rejoice in Your Fatherly care, and find their greatest happiness in the love of the Good Shepherd.
O God, we entreat You likewise to give unto all parents a due sense of their solemn responsibilities. May they ever remember the great charge committed to them in the training of their little ones. Teach them to watch over them from day to day, and may they endeavor to bring them to Your footstool. Keep them from all harshness and anger, lest the young be discouraged. Keep them likewise from all false kindness. May they teach the children to fear and reverence Your holy name, and to hate all that is sinful. O may every home be a home of peace and love, and grant that both old and young may walk before You in holiness and righteousness all their days.
We beseech You, O merciful Father, give unto us, and to all who are dear to us, a single eye as to Your glory. Give us a tender conscience, that we may never willfully commit the very least sin. We pray that our love to You may abound more and more as we learn to more of Your love to us. May we love those things which are excellent, and be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ. May we thus glorify You in our bodies and in our spirits, which are Yours.
O Lord, give unto us also a calm and quiet spirit. Keep us ever near to You. Empty us of all pride and self-will and covetousness — and enrich us more each day with the treasures of Your grace. May we have our eye fixed on the crown of righteousness which You have promised to those who love You. May we so pass through temporal things, that we lose not the eternal things. Grant us every petition, and forgive us all our iniquities, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday evening
O almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ — be merciful unto us and bless us this night. Give unto us Your Holy Spirit to dwell within us, and make us Your habitation. Be our God, and may we ever rejoice that we are Your people. Make us separate in heart and mind from an evil world, and may we touch no unclean thing. Sanctify and cleanse us by Your Spirit and Your Word, and may we perfect holiness in Your fear. O receive us, and be a Father unto us through Christ. Grant that we may abide before You in filial trust and holy love, as Your sons and daughters.
O Lord our God, teach us continually to rely upon Your Fatherly goodness. Not a sparrow is forgotten before You — and You number the very hairs of our head. You regard every care and every sorrow that comes upon us. You pity us in all our fears and troubles. Your eye is open by night and by day. When we feel desolate and lonely, You are very near to comfort and uphold us. As You sent Your angel to Hagar in the desert — You are ready likewise to help us in distress. As You sent Your angel to feed Your servant Elijah by the brook — so You delight to supply all our need.
Father, teach us to trust You evermore. Forgive all our unbelieving doubts and our faithless murmurings. Increase our faith, and make us joyful in Your salvation.
O Father, we have grieved You this day by our sins, but especially by our forgetfulness of You and Your love. Teach us the sinfulness of forgetting You, who are never unmindful of us. Stir up our hearts continually by some thought of Your goodness, or by some promise of Your Word. May we set You always before us, and walk before You in all good conscience. Make us upright and sincere in all our dealings, and may there be no deceit in our lips. May we do Your will, not with eye service as men pleasers, but as Your willing servants. May we serve You cheerfully with our whole heart, as we remember all Your love to us.
O Lord Jesus, make all Your ministering servants to proclaim Your Word faithfully. Keep them from all error in doctrine, and make them true witnesses for You, both by their lives and by the truth which they preach. Bless all missionaries wherever they have gone forth in Your name. Prosper all their labors, and by their means gather out multitudes to be the sheep of Your flock.
We would remember also before You those who are in any way connected with us. Bless all our relations and friends with Your grace and favor. Bless them and make them a blessing to others. Fulfill, O Lord, these our prayers and supplications for the sake of Him whom You hear always, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday morning
O God, our Heavenly Father, may we look up to You this morning and have fellowship with You through Your Son Jesus Christ. You are more kind than any earthly parent. Your heart is full of pity and compassion toward us. Your hand is full of blessing and grace. You are slow to anger, but ever ready to forgive and to help us. We turn to You for the support that we need. We have no plea but the atoning death of Christ. Receive us at all times through Him; and since He ever makes intercession for us before Your throne — abundantly answer all our petitions.
Help us, O Merciful Father, henceforth to walk and please You more and more. Teach us carefully to shrink from that which is evil in Your sight, and to cherish that which is right and acceptable before You. May we honor You by the steadfastness of our faith, and never give way to unbelieving fears. May we love You above those who are dearest to us on earth, and above all things which this world can offer. Help us diligently to improve the talents You have committed to our charge, looking to You alone to prosper us in all we do. Give us the ready ear for every call of duty, and the willing hand to give freely of that which You have bestowed upon us.
O blessed Savior, You have taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to do to others as we would that they should do unto us. Give us the mind and disposition thus to act. Remove the veil of selfishness that so often hides from us the claims of those around. Make us ever considerate towards those who may be in distress. Make us willing to sacrifice our own comfort interests, that we may relieve the troubles of those in sorrow or need. Teach us to give care and time and money, when You call us to the sacrifice. Like the good Samaritan, may we be ready to bind up the wounds of others, and bear each others burdens according to Your Divine will.
O Lord, our God, remember with Your favor Your holy Church. Grant to every believer, grace, mercy, and peace, that each one in his vocation and ministry may truly and humbly serve You. O pour out Your Spirit abundantly in all His manifold gifts of grace. Raise up men of wisdom and power, who shall have knowledge of the times, and who shall be able to lift up a standard for Your truth. Beat down Satan beneath our feet, and increase the number of Your faithful servants in every town and city and village throughout our land.
Bless the families of all who love You, and may the children walk in the footsteps of their parents. Have mercy on any who have turned aside, and fulfill the prayers which have been offered for their salvation. Comfort the heart of every godly parent by the remembrance of Your faithfulness in rewarding the prayers which are offered before You in true faith.
Hear us, Father, and bless us exceedingly, according to Your good pleasure, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Tuesday evening
O Lord God Almighty, the Everlasting King, we bow before You this night with reverence and godly fear. May we approach You with holy awe, for Your name is Holy; but may we also come to You with boldness and confidence, for You are Merciful and Gracious. We would enter into the holiest by the blood of Christ, and look up unto You crying, Abba Father. We would bring to You our sins and our sorrows, our needs and our cares. Forgive us all that has been amiss, and let Your tender mercy relieve all our distresses.
We hear Your voice, O merciful Savior, bidding us turn unto You. You have said, "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden" — and You have promised to give rest to our souls. O Lord, we are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins, and we beg You give us the rest that we need. Give us rest from a guilty conscience, and from all disquieting fears. Give us rest in the assurance of Your presence and Your love. Hide us in Your wounded side, and be to us a covert from the storm and a shadow from the heat. Be our strong Refuge whereunto we may continually resort, for You are our Rock and our only sure Defense. Enable us in Your strength to take upon us Your easy yoke and Your light burden. Put within us Your love, that we may find it our joy to serve You. Shed abroad Your Spirit in our hearts, that we may delight in Your commandments, and never grow weary in Your service. May we commend Your Gospel to others by our cheerfulness in doing Your will, and by the holy consistency of our lives.
O Lord, our God, our Father, watch over us, and all whom we love, through the coming night. When we lie down to sleep, may we not be afraid; yes, grant that our sleep may be sweet because You are near. The day is Yours and the night is Yours — and in both Your hand is mighty to protect and save. Grant that whether we wake or sleep we may ever abide under Your sure defense. And when the night of death shall come, may we have You as the Light and Life of our souls. May we live hereafter with a more earnest desire to please You in all things, and when our work on earth is done, may we be found fit for the inheritance of Your saints in glory.
Finally, we bless You for all Your mercies granted to us and to those who are dear to us. We bless You for all the comforts we have enjoyed this day, and for all Your goodness to us through our whole past life. We bless You for days and years of health and prosperity. We desire no less to bless You for days of trial and affliction — for these also You have sent in love to our souls. We bless You chiefly for Your unspeakable gift, Your well-beloved Son, whom You have given for our salvation. We bless You for the means of grace and for the hope of everlasting life. Accept, O God, these our prayers and praises, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Wednesday morning
O God and merciful Father, You are near to all who call upon You faithfully. Draw near unto us this morning, and quicken our hearts to seek You. You have been gracious to us in preserving our lives, and giving us fresh opportunities of seeking Your face. O grant that we may live for You, and may each day bring us nearer to Your rest.
O Lord, we entreat You, deepen Your work in our souls. gracious Savior, be dearer to us than any friend on earth. May the remembrance of Your precious name fill our hearts with unspeakable joy. May our eyes be ever looking unto You for all grace and help and strength. Give us great delight in Your blessed promises. Give us the comfort of Your Presence at all times, and be near to us whenever our hearts are cast down. Give us a desire to work in Your vineyard, and may gladly we lay at Your feet all we possess, to be employed in Your holy service.
O Lord, we beseech You, give us true humility. May we so behold You in Your glorious holiness that we may abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes. Be merciful unto us, God, for our sins are great in Your sight. Wash us in the Savior's blood, and we shall be whiter than snow. As far as the east is from the west, so far do You remove our transgressions from us.
Help us diligently to use all the means which You have appointed for our spiritual growth. May we search deeply into the hidden treasures of Your Word. Open our understandings that we may understand the Scriptures. May we neglect no portion of that which You have revealed, but may we find it all profitable for our edification and comfort.
Teach us the value of the Mercy-seat, and may we rejoice continually that we are invited to tell You all our necessities. Give us more faith and reality in prayer. Let each petition be presented with a full expectation that the best answer will be granted, and may we ever behold our Great High Priest pleading on our behalf.
Stir up the hearts of Your children to seek more fellowship and communion one with the other. May we love each other as we are loved by You. May we bear each others burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Teach Your people likewise to prize more the Supper which You have appointed for a continual remembrance of the death of Christ. May all Your children draw near from time to time, and there feed by faith on Him who died for sinners on the cross.
We now go forth to the duties of another day. Guide us, direct us, counsel us in all we have to do. May our common duties be done for You, and be acceptable in Your sight through Christ. May we watch over our words and actions, lest we put a stumbling-block in the way of others. Keep us steadfast in Your fear and love, and uphold us in the hour of sorrow or temptation. Fulfill all our desires, and accept these our prayers and praises, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday evening
O eternal God, who dwells in the High and Holy place, behold us this night with Your favor. We cast ourselves down before You with the deepest humility. God, You are infinite in power and glorious in majesty — but we are as a thing of nothing, and frail children of the dust. You are from everlasting to everlasting — but our days on the earth are as a shadow, and we spend our years as a tale that is told. You are the thrice Holy Jehovah, but we are as an unclean thing, and our iniquities bear witness against us.
We beg You, O Lord, to grant unto us true brokenness of spirit. Teach us more and more our exceeding unworthiness. Make us to know our iniquity and our sin. May we look at ourselves in the looking-glass of Your holy Word, and learn there our true character. May we cast away every self-righteous excuse, and own our guiltiness and just desert of Your anger.
O God, we bless You that You have promised to make Your dwelling with the lowly and contrite in heart. Fulfill this promise unto us this night. Come and make Your abode with us by Your Holy Spirit. May we rejoice that You are near to us as our Father and our Friend. We dare meet You only at the cross of Jesus. We would make His name and His sacrifice, our only plea. May the sweet savor of His Sacrifice be upon us, and may we ever have peace with You through Him, our only Hope.
Give unto us, Lord, the consolation of daily communion with You. May we hear Your voice speaking to us continually out of Your Word. May we delight to tell You all our needs, and pour out our hearts before You.
Let Your quickening Spirit ever abide with us and strengthen us in Your service. Work in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are our Potter. O forsake not the work of Your hands, but make us perfect in every good work to do Your will. Work in us that which is well-pleasing in Your sight, through Jesus Christ, and cleanse us from all the imperfection that cleaves to us in His precious blood.
We plead with You this night for all the children of sorrow, especially for any known to us. Have compassion on the widow and the fatherless, and on those who are anyways afflicted and distressed in mind, body, or estate. Leave them not comfortless, Father, but lead them to take shelter in Christ as their Refuge. Mercifully look upon any who may be near unto death. Turn their eyes to Him who is the Resurrection and the Life. Let Your rod and staff comfort them in the dark valley through which they are passing.
Father, receive us and all whom we love to Your care this night, and accept these our prayers, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Thursday morning
O God the Father, have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God the Son, our adorable Redeemer, have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity, three persons and one God — have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
We come to You once more, O Lord our God, taking shame to ourselves for our sinful lives — and yet looking to You for all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Remember not, O Lord, our offences, neither take vengeance for our sins — spare us, good Lord, spare Your people whom You have redeemed with the most precious blood of Your dear Son, and be not angry with us forever. Regard us as Your children for His sake, and grant to us abundance of mercy and peace.
We beg You, O Father, to send unto us the Spirit of Truth to convince us of sin and righteousness and judgment. May we have no confidence in any works or doings of our own, for of ourselves comes no good thing. We have destroyed ourselves by our sins and transgressions, but in You is our help. Let Your mercy relieve our misery — and may Christ's righteousness in cover our unrighteousness. May we ever come before You, not in our own righteousness, but in that which is by the faith of Christ.
We would remember, Lord, that without holiness no man can see Your face. Bestow upon us the grace we need to renew us in Your own likeness. Make us as holy as You are holy, and let us this day walk before You in uprightness of heart. Teach us to live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world. Give us a pure motive in all we do, and may it be our chief desire to please You in all things.
Enable us to forget the things which are behind, and press forward to those which are before. May our affections be set on things above, and not on things on the earth. Raise our thoughts continually to that merciful Savior who is exalted to Your right hand, and may we ever be looking for His appearing. On that day may we be found acceptable in Your sight, and share His glory and His kingdom.
O Lord God, it is Your will that all men should hear and believe the message of Your salvation. Stir up the wills of Your faithful people, that they may be zealous in sending forth able men to carry the gospel of peace to all lands. Let Your servants who are called to this work, be filled with the spirit of wisdom and love, and touch the hearts and consciences of those to whom they speak. Raise up to Yourself in every place, both at home and abroad — witnesses of Your truth. Gather into Your fold the lost and the perishing, and may the name of Christ be glorified in Your Church. O heavenly Father, fulfill these our desires and petitions, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Thursday evening
O Lord God, our Merciful Father, You are the Sustainer of all Your people. You behold our necessities — You care for us in all our cares and sorrows. We beg You this night that Your favor may rest upon this household. You have declared in Your Word that You will bless the habitation of the just. You have promised that the voice of joy and salvation shall be in the dwellings of the righteous. O fulfill to us Your gracious words. With Your blessing, let the house of Your servants be blessed forever.
O Gracious Father, make each of us to live in all things according to Your will; by the continued help of Your Spirit awaken any of or family who may still be dead in trespasses and sins. Subdue and mortify all our evil passions and sinful tempers, and make us to walk as children of light. Beautify us with the holy character of our Great Example, and draw us in heart and mind nearer to Yourself.
O You who hear prayer, make our prayers very acceptable in Your sight. Keep us from all lip-worship and formality. May we never approach You without due reverence for Your Divine Majesty. May Your Spirit make intercession within us, and fill us with earnestness and reality and faith. Whenever we meet together as a family to seek Your face, prepare our hearts to worship You, and plenteously answer us in Your goodness.
Give us likewise to revere and love Your Holy Word, and carefully to ponder its sacred truths. May we hearken to each portion that is read, as to a voice from Heaven. May we hide it in our hearts, and constantly think upon it by day and by night, that we may not sin against You. Give to us such daily help and consolation from the promises of Your Word, that we may be strengthened to resist and overcome every temptation of the Wicked one.
Prepare us all, blessed Lord, for the time when we must bid farewell to all earthly ties. This home must one day be broken up. We may be scattered far and wide, or death may come and summon us into Your presence. May we be found ready for any change. May we ever abide in the love and friendship of our merciful Redeemer. May His presence be with us in the day of separation, or in the hour of death. O grant that at the day of Christ's appearing we may all be found without spot and blameless, and be heirs together of Your everlasting kingdom.
In Your great love, most Merciful Father, deal pitifully with all who love us. Have mercy upon our kindred and our friends. Bring those who are still far from You in true penitence to the cross of Jesus, and knit them to Him in the bonds of the covenant. Write their names in the Book of life, and give them the victory over sin and death, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Friday morning
O Lord, our God, our Father in Christ Jesus — we come this morning to praise You for the blessings of the past night. You have guarded us through the hours of darkness. You have refreshed us with quiet sleep. Be near to us also through this day. Defend us from all harm, and bestow upon us all needful good.
We bless You that You have promised to supply all our need, and to withhold no good thing from those who seek You. Fulfill, we beseech You, this Word on which You have caused us to hope.
Give us the wisdom we need for every difficulty. Give us strength and grace necessary to every duty. Give us a calm and patient spirit, that we may be kept from all anxious care. May we rest in Your promises and Your love. Lead us to the Rock that is higher than ourselves, and there help us to abide until trials and troubles are past. May Jesus be our stronghold and sure refuge until our journey of life is over.
O heavenly Father, we thank You for the hope that is laid up for each of Your redeemed children. How great is Your goodness which is prepared for those who love and fear You. We bless You for all the wondrous consolations of Your Word — and most of all, for Your fatherly pity and compassion towards us.
May we take a firmer grasp of those exceeding great and precious promises which are made to us in Christ. May we add to our faith the spirit of true courage, that we may never be ashamed of Your name. May we increase in the knowledge of You, and of Your will concerning us. Make us temperate in all our pursuits and enjoyments. Make us patient in the time of tribulation. Grant unto us grace to walk before You in all godliness and righteousness of life. Fill us with love to all Your children, and may we cast a cloak of charity over their failings and infirmities.
O give us daily fresh supplies of the grace of Your Holy Spirit, that we may not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. And when the time shall come that the house of our earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, grant unto us an abundant entrance into Your everlasting kingdom.
O Lord, You have commanded us to pray one for another. We commend to Your care our relations, our friends, and our neighbors. Bless all whom we love with the richest enjoyment of Your favor, and may they count all things but loss in comparison of Christ. Bless the households of those who dwell round about us, and may they unite in serving You with willing hearts. Send upon our country showers of blessing, that Your fear and love may be the strength of this land. Accept us, and fulfill all our desires, we beseech You, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Friday evening
Almighty and everlasting God, we would hear Your voice this night bidding us draw near to Your mercy-seat. You have called us to Your throne of grace, and have promised that whatever we ask in Your Son's name, that You will give to us. O Lord, teach us to pray with a true heart, and with full assurance of faith. Give unto us all things needful both for our souls and bodies.
O Lord Jesus, we would lift our eyes to You, our Great High Priest and only Mediator. We would look unto You, once lifted up on the cross, and now exalted to the right hand of the Father. Speak peace to every heart through Your atoning blood. You are able and willing to save them to the uttermost who trust in You. Be our salvation. Save us from the guilt of our former sins. Save us from the power and dominion of evil. Save us from all the snares and temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. Grant us daily grace and strength to walk in the narrow way. Uphold us with Your own right hand that we may never faint or grow weary. Keep us evermore by Your help and goodness. Leave us not, nor forsake us until You have brought us to Your kingdom in Heaven.
O Good Shepherd of Your flock, help us to follow in Your footsteps and to walk constantly after Your holy example. We would look unto You as our Great Pattern. Make us like Yourself in all things. Give us perfect confidence in our Father's love. Make us in all things obedient to our Father's will. Make us submissive in the hour of trial, and may we drink in meekness of the cup of sorrow.
Fill us with tender compassion toward those around us. Endue us with fervent zeal for Your glory, and make us patient towards those who may injure us. Give us a joyful hope of coming glory. May we bear our cross, and despise the shame in, blessed expectation of Your kingdom.
O Gracious Savior, You are soon coming to reign with Your saints. Prepare us for that day. May we ever be looking for that blessed hope, even Your glorious appearing. May we stand on our watch-tower ready to mark the first sign of Your approach. Keep us mindful of Your Word, and give us at that day the crown of righteousness which You have promised to those who love You.
O merciful Father, into Your hands we commits ourselves this night. Bless us and all Your children everywhere, with tokens of Your Fatherly kindness.
Accept our hearty thanksgivings for all of Your temporal and spiritual blessings — for Jesus' sake. Amen.
Saturday morning
O almighty and eternal God, You are in Heaven — and we are on earth; help us therefore to worship You with reverence and godly fear. Prepare our hearts to seek Your face, and incline Your ear to hearken to our cry. Your name is Great, Wonderful, and Holy. You are exalted far above all blessing and praise. The very angels are unclean in Your sight, and veil their faces before You. But we are sinful dust and ashes, and all our works defiled by sin. May we take the very lowest place, and cast ourselves entirely upon Your mercy in Christ.
We bless You that You are our Father. We are Your offspring, for You have created us. You are the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him, You are our Father and our God. O may we be indeed Your children through faith in Jesus. May we be led and guided by Your Spirit, and thus manifest that we are Your sons and daughters. May our filial trustfulness, and our love and obedience to Your precepts, show day by day that we are Your in truth.
As we draw near to the dose of another week, we would beg You, O Father, to glorify Your name in Your Church, and especially on the approaching day of rest. Let Your name and Your Word be everywhere honored by Your children. Stem the tide of profanity which is heard in our streets. Pour out Your Spirit on the people of our land, that they may greatly fear You, and regard Your day as holy and honorable. Fill the temples of Your grace with devout and earnest worshipers, and banish from them all lightness, formality, and irreverence.
O Lord God Almighty, set up through this and every land, the Kingdom of Your dear Son. Cast down the Prince of darkness from his dominion over the souls of men. May the gentle reign of the Prince of Peace everywhere extend.
O gracious Savior, make our hearts Your throne, and subdue within us every proud thought and every unruly passion. Teach us to do Your will more perfectly. As the angels ever hearken to Your voice, and delight to execute Your commands — so may it be here below. Transform us by the grace of Your Spirit, that we may in all things know what You require of us. Strengthen us by Your mighty power to perform faithfully every duty, and to suffer patiently every cross laid upon us.
We beseech You, Father, forgive us all our sins of thought, word, or deed, through the atoning blood of Christ. Pardon our neglects of duty, and our lack of love to You. And give unto us the spirit of true charity, that we may ever be ready to forgive those who have in any way wronged us. Keep us henceforth from all evil, and especially from our besetting sins. Do not allow us to be tempted above that we are able, and in the hour of temptation, grant us the support that we need.
O our Father, to You alone it belongs to help and deliver us. Let Your power be manifested in our salvation, and to You will we ascribe all the glory. Hear us and bless us, Father, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Saturday evening
Most merciful God, our Father in Christ Jesus, we would come to You again at the close of another week. May we come to You with true contrition, for our sins and iniquities bear witness against us. May we come to You with holy boldness, for You are a God of mercy and love.
O Lord, we confess before You tonight that we are unprofitable servants. You have never been weary of doing us good — but we have continually turned aside from Your commandments. We have been unmindful of Your love, and have lived too much in forgetfulness of You. We have pleased ourselves instead of seeking to please You. We have sought the favor of those around us, instead of the honor that comes from You. We have chosen the path of ease and self-indulgence, instead of taking up our cross and following Christ.
But we bless You, O Father, that Your nature is ever to have mercy and forgive. You will abundantly pardon those who turn to You in true repentance. For Christ's sake revive us once more in Your mercy, and make Your face to shine upon us.
O gracious Savior, we beg You to cleanse us from all iniquity in the Fountain of Your precious blood. We have destroyed ourselves, but in You is our help. O Lord, wash us thoroughly in that blood which flowed from Your wounded side.
Grant us likewise the power of Your Spirit to cleanse and wash our hearts. Purify every thought and motive. Keep us daily by Your mighty power, that we may never soil our garments by the least touch of sin. And when our conscience condemns us in the very least matter, teach us again to turn to You, that we may be at once forgiven through Your mercy. Renew us continually by Your Holy Spirit, and grant that our whole body, soul and spirit, may be kept blameless to the day of Your appearing.
Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, bestow upon Your Church the rich abundance of Your heavenly grace. May tomorrow be a day of blessing to Your people. Pour out the dew of Your Spirit on all the congregations of Your servants throughout the world. Stir up the hearts of Your ministers, and give them great boldness in reproving sin and proclaiming the Gospel of Your dear Son. Turn back many sinners from their evil ways, and restore those who have forsaken the fold of the Good Shepherd.
Be gracious, O Father, to all who are exposed to special danger and temptation. Bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived. Strengthen such as do stand. Comfort and help the weak-hearted. Raise up those who fall, and beat down Satan under our feet.
O Lord, we commend ourselves and all dear to us to Your faithful care. Be near to guard us by night as by day. And bring us at last to the city where there is no night, and where the Lamb is the light thereof. Hear us, Father, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
FOURTH WEEK
Sunday morning
O most merciful Father, who are near to all who call upon You, be very near to us this day. Through Your Son Jesus Christ we have access to You with boldness and confidence. May Your Spirit rest upon us and draw us to Your mercy-seat. Remove every veil of unbelief, and every wandering thought. Fix our desires upon Yourself, and hallow this sacred day by giving us fresh tokens of Your gracious favor.
We would beseech You, O Father, to grant us Your special presence when we go into Your courts. Send out Your light and Your truth that they may lead us. Shine into our hearts, and reveal unto us the glory of Christ. May we behold Him as all-sufficient to heal our infirmities and supply all our necessities.
Blessed Savior, teach us to know You and to love You more. May we go forth in Your righteousness, and lean upon Your Almighty arm. O hear and abundantly fulfill the petitions which we offer up in Your name this day. Let Your Word sink deeply into our hearts, and give us more faith to trust Your promise, and more of the spirit of willing obedience to fulfill Your commandments.
Send forth Your Holy Spirit, and let the showers refresh the dry and thirsty ground. O that many may this day hear and believe the blessed Gospel of salvation. May those who are seeking You learn to rejoice in You, and may those who have hitherto been forgetful of Your love, turn to You in true penitence. Restore any who may have gone back, and freely forgive them of their backslidings and their sins. Touch the hearts of the young, and lead them early to fear Your name. Bring the little ones to Your footstool, and bless the labors of all those engaged in teaching them Your Word.
Give Your ministers a deeper experience of the power of Your truth, and grant them wisdom and unction and power, to proclaim it in all its fullness. Fill them with love to Christ and compassion for lost souls. Make them instant in season and out of season in speaking Your Word, and may they remember the Great day when every man's work shall be made manifest.
We now desire, O heavenly Father, to yield ourselves unto You. We bless and praise You for Your goodness and mercy toward us. May the remembrance of Your love lead us to present ourselves unto You as a living sacrifice. May the rest of our lives be wholly dedicated to Your service. Strengthen us this day for the various temptations of the coming week. Give us abundantly of the heavenly manna of Your Word, and may we never let the precious truths we hear slip.
Be with us when alone, and may we delight in secret to pour out our hearts before You. Sanctify us wholly, both in body and soul, and evermore bless us with Your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sunday evening
O most merciful and gracious Father, it is our privilege at all times to come to You through Christ our Savior. We would approach You this night with grateful hearts. We bless You for this day of holy rest and for all the help which You have given us on our heavenward way. O that each day of rest on earth may fit us more and more for the home of Your saints. Too often have we misused these blessed seasons of grace. Forgive, we beseech You, our wandering thoughts and our lifeless prayers. Forgive us that we have so carelessly heard the messages of Your word, and so soon forgotten them. Quicken us by Your Holy Spirit, that Your truth may be inwardly graven on our hearts. May we ever stand before You accepted in Your beloved Son, and clothed in His perfect righteousness.
Father, teach us to know the exceeding privileges which belong to all Your believing people. Once we were far off from You, but You have made us near by the blood of Christ. Once we were strangers to the covenants of promise, and living without You in the world. But we thank You that You have saved us by Your grace, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We thank You that You have made us fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God. You have made us Your temple, built upon the sure foundation, Jesus Christ. You have given us a foretaste of Your everlasting love, that each of us may be indeed partakers of all these blessings of Your grace. Let none of us fail to obtain them through our unbelief. Make us to be indeed Your people, and may we ever manifest the reality of our faith by the holiness of our lives.
Blessed Savior, bring each one of us near to You this night. If there is any among us who have been going astray, fetch us home to Your fold! Draw us, and we will run after You. Turn us unto You, and we shall be turned. Break every chain that binds us too closely to the world, and knit our hearts to You, that we may love You above all.
O All-merciful Redeemer, let Your Word, this day proclaimed in Your name, bear fruit abundantly. Cast Your bright beams of light upon Your Church, and dispel all error and division and formality, and whatever is a hindrance to Your truth. Awaken very many to a true and saving repentance, and lead them to rely upon Your faithful promises. Impress deeply on the minds of the young the exceeding blessedness of Your service, and may they early choose the good part which shall never be taken from them.
Make all who have begun to serve You more steadfast and decided in their Christian course, and may those who have hitherto served sin, henceforth choose Your service, which is perfect freedom. O Father, breathe into our hearts Your sanctifying Spirit, and grant that we may continue Yours forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday morning
O holy and most merciful Father, we come near to You this morning with humble thankfulness for Your goodness toward us. For all the mercy and the help given to us yesterday we heartily thank and bless You. We bless You for all the light and comfort given to us in Your house of prayer.
We bless You for any knowledge we may have gained of Your holy Word. It has been good for us thus to leave the world awhile, and thus to have fellowship with You and Your Son Jesus Christ.
Continue to us, Lord, through this week the blessing we have gained.
Sanctify all our toil and labor by the remembrance of Your Presence. Go forth with us to the conflict of life, and may we act and speak as befits Your children.
O may Your blessed Spirit guide and control our thoughts and ways, and make us perfect in every good word and work.
Help us O Father, to show forth by our daily life that we have been with Jesus. May His image be formed in us, and may His life on earth be the pattern which we ever strive to follow.
Make us patient and gentle and forbearing toward all men. Draw our thoughts and desires toward Yourself. Teach us often to frequent the Mount of prayer. Humble and subdue every vain and proud imagination, and make us willing to take the lowest room.
O exalted and glorified Redeemer, behold Your Church, and fulfill towards her all Your purposes of mercy and love. Bring out Your people from the darkness and bondage of sin, and beautify them with the garments of salvation. Manifest Your everlasting love toward them, and draw them to Yourself by the cords of Your love. May they perfectly know You, as bearing their sins on the cross, and now pleading their cause above.
O Savior, may we know that we are Yours, and that none shall pluck us out of Your hand. Keep us by Your mighty power from all the evil that is in the world. May Your love abide in us, and may we never be drawn aside by the love of present things. Sanctify us by Your truth, and may Your Word be our constant meditation. Bind us so closely to Yourself that we may be united together in love and sympathy one with the other. May all who believe in You be of one heart and mind, and at length together behold Your glory.
Bless and prosper throughout this week every effort which is made to advance Your kingdom, or relieve the sorrows and distresses of our fellow men. Stir up the hearts of Your people that they may always abound in Your work and service. Make them zealous in doing good, and may they watch for every open door. May Your Spirit accompany the reading of Your Word, and of every Christian book and tract. And now, O Father, be very near to us through this day and through this week, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Monday evening
O merciful Father, look down from Heaven upon us and behold us from the habitation of Your holiness. We are Your sinful and unworthy children. If You should mark what is done amiss — we could not stand before You. But there is forgiveness in You that You may be feared. You know the uttermost of our sin and iniquity, but You have provided an all-sufficient remedy. You have given Your dear Son to make a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice and atonement for us. O Father, behold Him bruised for our iniquities, and look upon us through Him. Freely and completely put away all our sin for His sake, and make us glad with the light of Your countenance.
Renew us likewise in the spirit of our minds. We are the clay and You our Potter, and we all are the work of Your hands. work in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. Fashion us in Your own likeness. Make us holy, pure, longsuffering, and full of charity. Make us vessels unto honor, sanctified, fit for the Master's use, and prepared to every good work.
O Lord, we have rebelled and grieved Your Holy Spirit, but withdraw not from us His sanctifying power. May He subdue within us all sinful passions, and quicken in us every holy desire. Teach us to avoid the least shadow of evil, and may we never tamper with any suggestions of the wicked one. Give us a tender conscience, that we may discern the approach of temptation. Preserve us from every wrong temper and disposition, and draw us very near to Yourself. In all doubtful matters give us wisdom from above, that we may know what we ought to do. Give us moreover strength and power faithfully to fulfill every duty that lies before us.
O Father, teach us to prove and examine ourselves whether we are indeed Your faithful children. There are many in Your Church who have a name to live, but are dead in Your sight. There are many who walk in a way that seems right unto them, but the end thereof is destruction. O let it not be so with any of us. If we have but the form of godliness, O give us the mighty power of Your Spirit, that we may live before You. If we have been trusting in anything we have done, show us that all our works are impure in Your sight, and that we merit death and condemnation.
Lead us henceforth to rely only on the meritorious death of our Surety. Make Christ our only hope and our continual dependence. May His life be our pattern, and His glory the aim of our lives.
O Father, hear us, and be our Guardian and Protector this night. Keep us, and all who we love, in close communion and fellowship with Yourself, through our only Savior and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday morning
O Lord, You are a God full of compassion and gracious. We need Your help day by day. We come to You this morning as Your children in Christ Jesus, and we beg You to make all grace abound towards us.
Grant, O merciful Father, that throughout this day we may walk before You, and do only that which is right in Your sight. Give unto us a pure motive in all that we undertake. Make it our great desire so to live each day that it may bring us nearer to Your kingdom. May we partake of our necessary food with true thankfulness to You, who has given us all things richly to enjoy. In our seasons of rest and refreshment, make us temperate in all things. In our seasons of toil and labor, make us diligent in whatever our hand finds to do.
If the duty to which we are called in Your Providence is irksome or unpleasant, let us not shrink from it, but do it cheerfully for Your sake. May we seek Your glory in all that we do.
Deliver us, Lord, from being burdened by earthly cares and anxieties, and may we cast them continually on You. Deliver us from making an idol of worldly gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Teach us this day to be forbearing and ready to forgive. We may meet with many things that may disturb our minds and try our tempers, but give us the same meek and lowly spirit that dwelt in Christ. Make us to follow after peace, and those things with which we may edify one another. Make us considerate of the needs and feelings of those around us. Make us ready to give, and glad to distribute. Give unto us grace to weep with those who weep, and to rejoice with those who rejoice.
O Lord, remind us this day that all below is passing away, and that we must soon enter upon our eternal state. O that every moment we may watch and pray, and still keep eternity in view! It will profit us nothing to gain the whole world, if we lose our own souls and Your everlasting kingdom. Keep us, we beseech You, in the way of life. Cleanse us from all our iniquities in the blood of the Lamb. Let Your peace rule in our hearts, and dispose us to keep all Your commandments. Fill us with the light and power and comfort of Your Holy Spirit. Lead us in Your truth, and teach us, for You are the God of our salvation. Remember toward us Your loving-kindness and tender mercies. Deliver us, O God, from all our troubles, and bring us to Your heavenly rest, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Tuesday evening
O heavenly Father, hear our cry and attend unto our prayer as we seek Your face at the close of another day. We have nothing to bring in our hands as the ground of our hope. We have no merit or worthiness of our own. We have to confess our manifold sins and iniquities. There is no good thing in us. Our best actions are impure in Your sight, and our only plea is Your abundant mercy in Christ Jesus.
O Lord our God, we bless You for the sure foundation which You have laid in Zion. We bless You that You have given Your Son to bear our sins in His own body on the tree. We bless You that He is the true Rock of Ages, and that none who trust in Him shall ever be confounded.
O blessed Savior, the only hope of lost and perishing sinners — help us to rest our souls on You! On You would we lay all our sins, for You have died for our salvation. Wash away all our guilt in Your blood, and set us free from all condemnation. On You likewise would we lay all our needs. You know how great they are, but Your grace is enough to supply every lack. Grant to us the spirit of true penitence and contrition. Take from us the heart of stone and give unto us the heart of flesh. Heal all our spiritual infirmities. Help our unbelief. Take away from us all indifference and deadness of spirit. Open our eyes, that we may behold Your marvelous love more clearly. Beat down Satan under our feet, and enable us to overcome all temptation.
Be our Friend and Comforter in days of sorrow and adversity. To You would we bring our griefs and our cares, and we beseech You to bear them for us. Speak peace to every weary burdened one, and give them rest in Your faithfulness and love.
O gracious Master, draw us more closely to Yourself, and make Your name more dear to us every day. As we lean on You — uphold us with Your own right hand. May Your mercy and loving-kindness embrace us on every side. Let Your everlasting arms be beneath us, and when heart and flesh fail, be the strength of our heart and our portion forever.
We plead with You for all the members of this family, present or absent. Knit us together in the love of Christ, and prepare each one of us for our home above. Bless our neighbors and our friends, and may they all be the friends of Jesus. Lift up all who are cast down, and support all who are in sorrow and distress. Guide the footsteps of any who are seeking their way to Zion, and restore by Your grace any who have gone back from Your ways.
Finally, we beseech You to have mercy on all men, and hasten the day of Your appearing, when all sin and sorrow shall be ended. Hear us, O Savior, for Your mercy's sake. Amen.
Wednesday morning
O almighty and eternal God, who never fails those who seek You — help us to call upon Your name this morning. We have boldness of access to You through Your Son. Look not upon our sins, but upon His blood shed for us. Look upon Him our righteous Advocate, who ever stands pleading for us before Your throne.
O gracious Father, You have promised Your blessing to all those who trust in Jesus. You are our Shield, and our exceeding great reward. You are our Friend, and will keep us wherever our lot may be cast.
O that You would bless us indeed, and make us a blessing among others. Enlarge our hearts, and fill us with undoubting faith and abounding charity. Make us useful in our day and generation. May Your hand ever be upon us for good, to keep us from all evil, and to supply all our needs. Deliver us from all unbelief. Let us not limit Your mercy or Your grace. May we rely upon You as our sure Helper in every tune of trouble. May we lean upon Your arm alone — keep us from trusting in an arm of flesh.
O faithful Protector of Your people, may we rejoice in Your covenant of love. You will be a God to Your people and to their seed after them. Their sins and their iniquities You will remember no more. You will put Your fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from Your precepts. You will teach them by Your Spirit, that they may know You in truth.
O Lord, fulfill to us these blessed promises. Make us wholly Yours, and may Your Spirit abide with us. Make us willing to sacrifice all we possess rather than disobey You, or provoke You to anger. We acknowledge that we are but dust and ashes in Your sight — yet remember us in mercy, for Your truth and righteousness sake.
O Lord, make us as a household to honor Your holy name. May we, and all whom we love, serve You above all. May we keep Your way to do justice and judgment, and may we never swerve from the plain path of duty. May we fear You, and never withhold that which You require of us. If You should call us to resign our dearest treasures, may we have strength to say, "May Your will be done." You give unto us far more than we yield to You, and You will freely give us all things that are for our profit. Help us to believe Your wise love for us, and trust You to do all things for the best.
Most gracious Father, teach us that we are strangers and sojourners upon earth. Here we have no continuing city. But lead us onward to the better country. We shall soon lie down to rest awhile beneath the sod — but You will call us forth from the grave to live forever in Your Presence! O teach us to look forward in blessed hope. Enrich us with all the grace of Your Holy Spirit, and in due season receive us to Your glory and kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday evening
O God, Eternal, Invisible, Immortal, our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus — You are our refuge in all generations. Our time on earth is but as a shadow, but our hope is in You. This night we come to You once more, and we beseech You hide us beneath the Shadow of Your sheltering wing.
Most merciful Savior, the Friend of sinners, we bless You that You have promised to be present when two or three are gathered together in Your name. Come and make Your abode us. Draw us nearer to Yourself. Cleanse us from all the sin of the day that is past. Fill us with the comfort of Your love, and with the assurance of Your favor.
O Lord, You are our only Advocate and High Priest. Teach us to fix our eye on You alone. You can never plead in vain, and You will plead for every sinner that comes to You in truth. Plead our cause, we beseech You. Make mention of each of us now before You, and write our names in the book of life.
Whenever we fail in our obedience, plead Your perfect fulfillment of the Divine law on our behalf. Whenever we grieve Your Spirit by our forgetfulness or neglect — still plead for us, and restore us again by a fresh supply of Your grace. Whenever we faint along our way, and are cast down by sorrow or temptation, open our eyes to behold You standing at the right hand of God to support and to save us. And when our last hour shall come, and we must meet the summons to appear before You — be near at hand to receive us to Yourself.
Teach us, Lord, to look forward with joyful hope to the day of Your appearing. We believe that You will come in the clouds of Heaven to take unto Yourself Your kingdom and to reign forever. You will put every enemy beneath Your feet. You will raise Your people from the dust of the grave, to share Your glory.
Prepare us by Your grace, that we may all be found watching. Stir up within us the spirit of constant prayer. May we purify ourselves, even as You are pure. May we thus be found living as Your faithful servants, and when the hour of Your return shall come, man we receive at Your hands the unfading crown of glory.
Gracious Savior, speak peace to our hearts this night. Be our Guardian and our Friend. Watch over us, and all our kindred and friends far and near. May we see You close by, and when we lay down to rest, protect us from all harm and danger. Be with us in life and in death, and may we at last awake in Your likeness. Grant this for Your mercy's sake. Amen.
Thursday morning
O Lord our God, who alone can order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men — we draw near to ask Your grace this morning. We have a Great High Priest who is ever pleading with You on our behalf. Graciously regard us for His sake, and cast all our sins behind Your back. Incline our hearts to love You, and to walk before You in holiness and righteousness all our days.
We beg You, O gracious Father, grant us Your quickening Spirit, that we be not conformed to this world. May we be daily transformed by the renewing of our minds. Keep us from following the the crooked ways of this sinful world. May we never make an idol of our business or our work. May we do all for Your glory, and be ever looking for our rest above.
We plead with You, most merciful God, on behalf of Your children scattered abroad throughout this evil world. You know those who love and fear You, wherever their lot may be cast. Keep them, O Father, from all the snares and temptations that surround them. Keep them from yielding to the persuasions of those that would turn them aside from Your ways.
Have mercy upon those who are burdened with care, and give them grace to cast it all on You. Comfort those who are mourning for the loss of friends. Uphold those who are sorely tried by the ungodliness of others. Give patience to those in pain and suffering. Grant to all Your people the aid of Your Holy Spirit, that they may shine as lights in the world, and may be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.
We bless and praise You, O God, for permitting us thus to kneel together at the beginning of another day. We praise You for the rest and comfort of the past night. We praise You for the light of Your Holy Word to guide our footsteps during our earthly pilgrimage. We praise You that You are always near to uphold and preserve those who trust in You.
We beg You, Father, accept these our praises and fulfill all our petitions. Be near to us through the passing hours of this day, and keep us in safety until its close.
May all our days be spent in Your fear and love, until we reach at last Your heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O merciful Father, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Thursday evening
O Lord God almighty, the God of our salvation, we would close this day in humble reliance upon Your mercy. You have given us this day, fresh tokens of Your favor. You have permitted us again to meet as a family to worship You. You send us Your Word to teach us in Your way. Make these means of grace helpful to our souls. May the Spirit of grace rest upon us, and write on our hearts the truth as it is in Jesus. O Lord, we would humble ourselves before You, for our sins and backslidings. Our promises and resolutions are as the morning cloud. We have turned aside from You, and have borne but little fruit acceptable in Your sight. We have destroyed ourselves by breaking Your commandments and departing from Your ways.
But, O Lord, our help is in You alone. You would have us return unto Yourself. You will heal our backslidings and love us freely. In You the sinful and the sorrowful find mercy and grace. O take away all our iniquity, and receive us graciously. Turn away Your anger from us, and give us the joy of Your salvation.
Let the dew of Your Spirit enlighten upon us from day to day. Deepen our contrition and increase our faith. Make us to grow in holiness and love, and in every Christian grace. Make us more steadfast in our profession of Your name, and more fruitful in Your service. Make us useful by our example to those around us, and may our prayers on behalf of others be abundantly answered. May we cast away every idol, and worship and serve You alone. May we live as strangers and pilgrims on earth, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mercifully behold Your household, the Church, and bestow the fullness of Your Spirit on all who love You. Look upon Your flock throughout the world, and in every land multiply exceedingly the number of Your true servants. Make them pure in the faith, and holy and consistent in their walk with You.
We beseech You also to comfort all of Your people who this night are in trouble. Relieve the sick and suffering, and give them quiet rest. Bind up the broken-hearted with the consolations of Your Gospel. Speak peace to the lonely and desolate. Cheer the hearts of the fainting, and assure them that You will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Be very near to any whom we love. Keep them from all evil, and lead them in Your way.
Finally, we bless You for all Your servants departed this life in Your faith and fear. Give us grace to follow them in all virtuous and godly living, and may we come at last to those unspeakable joys which You have prepared for those who sincerely love You. Grant this and all our petitions, most merciful Father, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Friday morning
O merciful God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we come before You this morning as Your unworthy children. You have richly blessed us in all things, but we have failed to serve You as we should. We have been unprofitable servants. Our light has grown dim, and the salt has lost its savor. We have had a name to live, but You search our hearts, and You know that too often we have been cold and dead. We have drawn back to an evil world. We have grown careless about our salvation, and have thought little of Your love and mercy.
Your Word has been neglected, and Your mercy-seat well near forsaken. We have yielded to our besetting sins, and have often sunk down to the standard of those who live without You.
But we turn to You again in Jesus' name. Hide Your face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities. Leave us not, neither forsake us for all the evil we have done. Search us and prove us, and try the ground of our hearts. Give us deeper sorrow for sin, and make us more watchful for the time to come. Cast us not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from us.
Be near to help us through the hours of this day. May we walk in all good conscience before You. Let us not be easily provoked, and make us ready, for Christ's sake, to return good for evil. Keep us from selfishness and self-will. May we never grieve Your Spirit, or disturb the comfort of our home by the indulgence of evil tempers. Set a watch before our mouths, and may we never utter an unkind or hasty word. Make us very considerate of the feelings of those around us. May we put on, as Your children — kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering. Above all things may we put on the garment of holy charity, and love each other as we are loved of You.
We would present before You our prayers and supplications on behalf of the nations which have not known You. Send forth, we beseech You, the messengers of Your Gospel into all lands. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Give double grace and strength to Your servants who labor in Your vineyard, and greatly increase their number. Raise up faithful men to proclaim Your truth, and dispose the hearts of many to receive it. Breathe Your quickening Spirit upon the multitudes who still bow down to idols which their own hands have made. Turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto You. Establish and confirm the faith of recent converts. Build up the native churches, and raise up among them suitable agents to carry on Your work.
Hear us, gracious Father, in these our prayers, and do for us exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Friday evening
Almighty and everlasting God, our sure Refuge and our Defense, we come to You in the name of Jesus. We need Your watchful protection this night, and we would commit ourselves, and all whom we love, entirely to Your care.
As day by day so quickly rolls by, teach us to see the shortness of our sojourn on earth. In the midst of life, we are in death. We bring our years to an end, as a tale that is told. We know not what a day or an hour may bring forth. O teach us how frail we are, and make us diligent in redeeming the time.
We bless You for every comfort and every mercy which You have provided for us. But we beseech You enable us to set our affections on those things which are above, and not on things below. Keep us from being dazzled by the world's attractions, or turned away from You by its riches or its honors. We would choose the pearl of great price as our treasure, and be willing to sell all rather than lose it. Help us to count all things but loss that we may win Christ, and reckon His reproach greater riches than any earthly good.
Merciful Father, grant us the assurance of Your favor, and may we never thirst for human praise. You have bidden us trample under foot whatever would rob us of the joy of Your salvation. If by one sinful word or deed we might gain the whole world, give us grace to refuse the tempting prize. May we love You with supreme affection, and long for nothing in comparison of Your presence here and Your glory hereafter.
We beseech You, O most merciful Father, pour down upon all the members of Your Church the spirit of sincere charity. Teach us to love one another with a pure heart fervently. May all who bear the name of Christ abide in the unity of the Spirit. Knit together in brotherly love, the members of the congregation to which we belong. Grant that all who draw near to Your Table may regard each other as joined together in one communion and fellowship. Unite as one man all who are engaged in any work in Your vineyard, and may we strengthen each others' hands by mutual sympathy. Fill our hearts with tender sympathy one for the other, and dispose us to bear each others' burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Count us worthy, through the merits of Jesus, to share the bliss of Your redeemed people, and to behold Your glory for ever. Grant this, Father, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Saturday morning
O holy and most merciful Father — our Father in Christ Jesus, give us the spirit of reverence and godly fear whenever we draw near to You. Keep us from the spirit of haste and distraction in Your presence. Keep our hearts from wandering thoughts, and may we fix our minds wholly on You.
Whatever be our work this day, we need Your blessing and help above all things. Remember us with the favor which You bear to Your people. Comfort us with the assurance of Your love, and prosper us in everything to which we put our hands.
We praise You, O Father, for all the bounties of Your providence. Day by day we are pensioners upon Your goodness. You open Your hand and spread our table, and give us all things richly to enjoy. We praise You still more for the unsearchable riches of Your grace and mercy in Christ Jesus.
We beseech You, God, give us grace to show forth our gratitude for Your great salvation by striving to make it known to others. May we endeavor to extend the knowledge of Your truth throughout this land, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Give us true compassion for the souls who are perishing in sin and ignorance. Have mercy upon all who are led astray by the snares of the Wicked one. Bring back the wanderers to the fold of the Good Shepherd.
O Good Shepherd, who gathers the lambs in Your arms and carry in Your bosom, behold with Your special compassion the weak ones of Your flock. Deal pitifully with those who are yet weak in faith, and with such as are sorely harassed by doubts and temptations. Break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Give unto those who seek You more grace, that they may perfectly know You as an all-sufficient Savior, and steadfastly cleave to You with full purpose of heart.
Bestow likewise upon the young the abundant grace of Your Holy Spirit. Pour down Your rich blessing upon all young people in our Schools and Universities, and raise up many among them to be faithful witnesses for You. Give wisdom to all engaged in the work of education, and may they honor Your Word and diligently instruct those committed to them in its blessed truths. Bless the teachers in our various Sunday-schools with the true knowledge of Yourself. May they ever seek to win the little ones for You, and may the students have grace to remember their Creator in the days of their youth.
Your hand is not shortened the it cannot save, nor Your ear heavy the it cannot hear, O give us a large am lasting blessing, and fulfill all our petitions, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
Saturday evening
O Lord God, the Father of mercies, the Giver of all grace, we draw near to You tonight in the name of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Week after week and day after day passes quickly by, but Your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. To Your mercy we flee at the close of this week. O receive us to Your care, and make us wholly Yours.
O Lord, we humbly confess that this week we have been too unmindful of Your love. You are the Well-spring of life. You are the Fountain of living waters, and the only source of holiness and peace. You can fill our souls with joy and gladness. But we have forsaken You, the God of our salvation, and have turned away to broken cisterns. We have sought our happiness in the things of the world, more than in You. We have been ashamed of Your name before others. We have yielded in the hour of temptation, and have disobeyed Your commandments.
But we would come back to You, Father, once more, and seek Your blessed face. You have called Your wandering ones to return to You, and have promised to heal all our backslidings, O Lord, we plead with You to deal with us in mercy. Forgive us all that is past, and allow us sin no more against You. Grant us the full assurance of pardon through the death of Christ. Send Your Holy Spirit to teach us, and to convince us deeply of our sins, and make us truly to mourn for those things that have grieved and dishonored You. Give us genuine and sincere repentance, and make us more watchful against sin in time to come.
O Heavenly Father, keep back Your servants from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over us. Cleanse us also from our secret faults. Let us not fear the face of man, but may we ever fear You who has power to save and to destroy. Teach us to walk circumspectly in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd. May we be faithful when others dishonor You — and may we hold fast to You in the day of trouble.
We beseech You this night, O Father, to make the light of Your countenance shine upon Your servants. O that we may daily grow in grace, and be made like Your Son Jesus Christ in all things. May the services of the morrow be profitable to us, and to all Your people. Nourish and strengthen our souls with the words of eternal life, and lead us onward and upward to Your heavenly kingdom.
O look upon all the dark places of the earth. Look upon the homes of vice and ignorance, and let the light of Your Gospel dispel all the misery and sin that is found there. Look upon the lands yet under the blight of heathenism, and send forth the message of peace and salvation to them.
Into Your hands, O Gracious Father, we now commend ourselves, and all our dear absent friends and relations. Make us all to be of one heart in loving and serving You. May the blood of Christ be upon us, that we may meet at last before Your throne of glory. May the Spirit of Christ dwell within us and renew us in knowledge after Your likeness.
O Lord, fulfill these our petitions, and draw us more closely to Yourself, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
OCCASIONAL PRAYERS
O most mighty God and merciful Father, we would cast ourselves down before Your footstool in true repentance and contrition of heart. Make us at this season deeply sensible of our grievous sins, that we may the more prize the salvation of Christ.
We confess, O Father, that we have rebelled against You and have not obeyed Your voice. O teach us our ingratitude toward You. You have nourished us and brought us up as Your children, but we have gone astray from Your commandments. We have gone into the far country, and wasted the talents committed to our care. O create within us new and contrite hearts! Pour out upon us Your Spirit, and give us true sorrow for our sins. Give unto us genuine repentance, and make us to hate every evil way.
O God, who are just and holy in all Your ways, teach us to fear Your judgments, and to turn unto You with all our heart. It is a fearful thing to fall into Your hands, for You are the living God, and a consuming fire to those who reject Your salvation. O help us to seek You early, for it will be too late to cry for mercy, when it is the time of justice.
O Father, we beseech You freely to forgive us all that is past, for Your heart is always to have mercy. You have promised to blot out our sins as a thick cloud, and as a cloud our transgressions. Be favorable unto us according to Your Word. You have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn to You and live. Accept us therefore for Your mercy's sake, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
O Lamb of God, that take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us, and grant us Your peace. You are our Righteous Advocate. You plead our cause before Your Father's throne. Hear our prayer, we beseech You, and justify us freely by Your grace.
O Lord Jesus, dispose our hearts in all things to do Your will. Quicken us in Your way, and direct our steps to walk in Your fear. Give us grace to desire the salvation of those who are yet in their sins. Teach us to pluck sinners as brands from the burning.
Pitifully behold the lost and the perishing. Restore the outcasts, and gather into Your fold those that have long been as sheep wandering on the mountains. Build up Your Church in our land, and greatly increase the number of true and faithful Pastors. Preserve our countrymen, scattered abroad in various parts of the world, from , the special dangers that beset them.
And now, O merciful Father, we commit ourselves to Your faithful care. Be very near to us, both by day and by night, and may we press forward to the mark for the prize of our high calling, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O most merciful Father, we beseech You graciously to behold Your unworthy children, for whom You did give Your only Son to die upon the cross. We have deserved Your righteous anger, but You have freely loved us. We have gone astray like lost sheep, but You have laid on Christ the iniquity of US all You have given Him to be a ransom for our souls, and a Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Accept Us, O Father, for His sake. Since He was punished in our stead, let Your anger pass from us, and regard us with Your favor.
O Lord Jesus, who gave Yourself for us, lead us to Your cross, and bid us tarry there awhile, that we may ponder all You have suffered for us. We thank You for Your exceeding great love in thus dying for us, and for the innumerable benefits You have purchased for us by Your precious blood.
O teach us all the lessons You would have us learn as we thus behold You wounded and bruised for our transgressions. O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, make us to abhor the sins which crucified You. Make us to shrink from the very least evil. May we never crucify You afresh by cherishing any willful iniquity.
Give unto us likewise true humility. You stooped for our sakes to the shame of the cross. Make us ever willing to take the lowest place, and may we mourn with godly sorrow for the sins which we have done. Slay in us all pride and self-sufficiency, and make us broken and contrite in heart. Give unto us meek submission to every trial appointed for us. You bore Your heavy cross to redeem us — may we cheerfully bear our lighter cross in obedience to Your will. You drank even to the dregs the bitter cup of wrath which our sins deserved — may we willingly drink the cup of sorrow or suffering which for our good You do put into our hands.
O Merciful and Loving Savior, give us, we beseech You, stronger faith in Your willingness and power to save. You have given to us the greatest proof of Your love. You have laid down Your life for those that loved You, yes, and for those that loved You not.
O Lord, make us to rely upon Your grace and mercy. Cleanse us in the blood which You have shed. May the living water of Your Spirit purify our souls. Form in us the same mind which shone so brightly in You. Make us forgiving toward our enemies, and unselfish in our dealings towards all men.
We ask all for Your name's sake. Amen.
New Year's Prayer
O eternal God, our Heavenly Father, You have been our Refuge in all generations. You have been our help in years that are past. Be still our Hope and our Strength. We praise You for Your longsuffering and mercy toward us. You have graciously preserved our lives through the year that is past, and we are this day among the living to praise You.
O most Merciful Father, freely forgive us the sins of bygone years, and wash them away in the fountain of the Savior's blood. May they never rise up to condemn us in the last day, but may we rejoice that through faith in Jesus we stand before You free from all charge of guilt.
O Lord, teach us that our life is a precious talent committed to us by You. For each day and each hour we must hereafter give an account. We confess that too much of it has already been wasted. We have not used it in Your service as we ought. We have not sought first Your kingdom and righteousness. We have given too much of our time to the things of this world. Forgive us, we beseech You, and help us to live more for You. Help us to walk each day in the footsteps of Christ. Help us to glorify You in all we do. May we desire to improve each leisure moment to advance our own salvation, or to do good to those around us.
We beseech You, O Father, to guide us continually with Your counsel through the coming year. As the pillar of cloud went before Your people in the wilderness, so direct us by Your Word and by Your Providence. Order our footsteps, and make our way straight before our face. Wherever our lot may be cast, be our Sun and our Shield. Let Your presence go with us, and never leave us nor forsake us.
If any of us should be called this year to pass through days of sickness or suffering, be near at hand, and let Your everlasting arms support and uphold us. If we should suffer any grievous loss or disappointment, cheer us with Your smile and assure us of Your favor. Make every loss to be our eternal gain. Whenever we are left desolate through the death of those we love, may we confide the more in You who are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
If this year You should call and one now among us to bid farewell to all below, we beg You make us ready for the solemn change. Give to each of us even now, a good hope through grace that we may never be confounded. May Your Holy Spirit convince us of sin, and lead us nearer to Christ. May we cast away every false dependence, and may Jesus only be the resting-place of our souls.
Hear us, O Merciful Father, and keep us evermore in Your love and fear. Be the Strength of our hearts and our Portion forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.
A Prayer for a Time of Trouble
O God, our Refuge and our Strength, we turn to You as a very present help in this hour of sorrow and distress. We cry unto You, O God, now that we are overwhelmed by the great water-floods. Cast us not away because of our former iniquities, but receive us graciously for Christ's sake. According to Your mercy remember us for Your goodness sake, O Lord.
O Merciful God, You do not willingly afflict nor grieve Your redeemed people. In tender love, You smite us with Your chastening rod. It is Your hand, O God, which has cast us down. We would humble ourselves before You, and acknowledge that You are just and righteous in all Your ways. You both give, and take away. You both heal, and wound. You bring down to the grave, and bring up. In the midst of all, we would say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord. Shall we receive good at Your hands and not receive evil also? O Lord, give us meek submission to Your will, and help us to glorify You in the fires, by our patience under all Your chastisements."
O Almighty Father, sanctify this time of trouble to us. Teach us more of the vanity of the world, and the fleeting nature of all below. Lead us closer to our risen and glorified Redeemer.
O Lord Jesus, You know our sorrows and all our afflictions. Your tender sympathy is our consolation and hope. Help us to remember that You wept with the sisters at Bethany — and that You are the same yesterday, and today, and forever. In every sorrow, whatever be its cause, You are near to bind up the broken, bleeding heart.
O Lord, may we hide our weary, trembling spirits, beneath the covert of Your wing. Be our Stronghold, our Refuge, our Hiding place. Let Your hand supply our every need, and Your ear be open to each sigh and groan of Your afflicted ones.
Once more do we cast ourselves at Your feet, O loving and pitiful Father. We believe that You care for us, and will make all things work together for good for Your redeemed people. O increase our faith and trustful reliance on Your promises. O make the storm to be a calm, that the waves thereof may be still. Bid all our sorrows cease in Your own good time, and may this light affliction, which is but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. We ask all, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
A Prayer When One in Our Family Is Seriously Ill
God, our Merciful Father, we would call upon You in this our day of trouble and anxiety. We thank You that we may cast all our care on You, knowing that You care for us. We thank You that we are permitted in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make known our requests unto You. Most Gracious and Pitiful Father, behold us in loving kindness for the sake of Your dear Son. Our sins rise up to condemn us — but You blot them out of Your Book through the Savior's blood. Let them not hinder our access to You, nor cause You to hide Your face from us in this our time of need.
O Heavenly Father, we know that You work all things after the counsel of Your own will, and Your will is love to all who trust in You. We commit into Your hand our present distress. Restore again Your servant to health and strength — if it seems good to You. Bless the means used for his recovery. Give him quiet rest, and may nothing occur to hinder his restoration.
But teach us, O Lord, to own Your wisdom, and to leave all in Your loving hands. You know the end from the beginning, and You order all our footsteps. Lead us onward to Your rest, whether our path is smooth or rough. Give grace to him who is now weak and suffering, that he may put his whole trust in Your mercy. Grant that living or dying, he may be Yours alone forever.
We beg You, O loving Savior, keep under Your special protection this household and all in any way connected with us. By night and by day be near to comfort, to support and to direct us. Make Your promises very sure to our hearts, and give us grace to rely continually on Your faithfulness and love. When heart and flesh fail, be the strength of our hearts and our portion forever.
Teach us to seek those things which are above, and may we live as strangers and sojourners on earth. May we perfectly know You as the Way, the Truth, and the life, and bring us at last to the land of everlasting rest, where there shall be no more sorrow nor sighing. O blessed Savior, plead You our cause and abundantly fulfill our petitions, for Your name's sake. Amen.