Further Prayers

Prayers of entrusting and commending

Eternal light, shine into our hearts,
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil,
Eternal Power, be our support,
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance,
Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us;
that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength
we may seek thy face
and be brought by thy infinite mercy to thy holy presence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Alcuin of York (735-804)

Into thy hands, O Father and Lord,
  we commend our souls and bodies,
our parents and our homes, friends, neighbours and kindred,
our benefactors and brethren departed,
all folk rightly believing
and all who need thy pity and protection.
Light us with thy holy grace
and suffer us never to be separated from thee,
O Lord in Trinity, God everlasting.

St. Edmund of Abingdon (1170-1240)

Prayers of trusting and self-offering

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, his might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

from St Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all who love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

From St Patrick's Breastplate

Alone with none but thee, my God
I journey on my way.
What need I fear, when thou art near
O king of night and day?
More safe am I within thy hand
Than if an host didst round me stand.

St Columba (c.521-597)

Well-known prayers

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which thou hast won for us,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for us.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly
and follow thee more nearly
day by day.

attributed to St Richard of Chichester (1253)

O Lord our heavenly Father,
almighty and everlasting God,
who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day;
defend us in the same with thy mighty power;
and grant that this day we fall into no sin,
neither run into any kind of danger,
but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance,
to do always that is righteous in thy sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Third Collect at Morning Prayer - The Book of Common Prayer

Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening
  into the house and gate of heaven,
to enter into that gate and dwell in that house,
where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light;
no noise nor silence, but one equal music;
no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession;
no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity;
in the habitations of thy glory and dominion,
world without end.

after John Donne (1571-1631)

Grant, Lord, that we may live in your fear,
die in your favour, rest in your peace,
rise in your power and reign in your glory;
for your own beloved Son's sake,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

William Laud (1573-1645)

Remember, O Lord, what thou hast wrought in us
  and not what we deserve;
and as thou hast called us to thy service,
  make us worthy of our calling;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Prayer Book as proposed in 1928

Prayers in time of conflict >>