Prayers

Anselm of Canterbury’s prayer of longing for more of Christ.

A prayer for weary souls from The Scottish Book of Common Prayer (1929).

An extended prayer of gratitude from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

A third-century prayer from the Syrian church.

A prayer drawing on Anne Steele’s poetry.

A prayer to the God who brings life to desert places.

A prayer that draws on the imagery and language of Psalm 88, the bleakest psalm in the Psalter.

My gracious God and Father, you who uphold my life by your almighty power, keep me through all that this day brings.

A prayer for weary souls longing to be refreshed.

A prayer for those who worry about making ends meet.

A prayer based on Psalm 23 for those who struggle to believe that God cares for them.

A prayer based on Psalm 18 for those who feel like they’re at risk of drowning.

A pastoral prayer: “Our God and Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we lift up hearts filled with gratitude to you.”

A prayer based on Psalm 139:11–12 for those who feel alone in the darkness. "Lord God, heavenly Father, I no longer can see your radiant face. The darkness threatens to overwhelm me. I fear it will crush me under its weight. But you see me; you are with me, even in this dark pit."

A pastoral prayer. “Our gracious God and Father in heaven, we thank you for sending your Son to us. We thank you for showing us who you are in Jesus: a God of stunning glory and grace…”

A prayer based on Psalm 39. “Lord God, heavenly Father, our sins are piled up higher than the tops of our heads. They are too heavy for us to bear…”

A prayer based on Psalm 49. “Lord God, heavenly Father, you who are the source of all true wisdom, guard us from the folly of thinking we will live forever…”

A pastoral prayer delivered on June 30, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California. “Our God and Father, we bow in your presence this morning. You are the almighty Creator of heaven and earth. We join our voices with the choir of creation to rejoice in your glory and goodness…”

A prayer of praise to a God of staggering majesty and breathtaking love.

A prayer based on Israel’s journey through the wilderness.

A collect based on Psalm 31:7–8. “Our God and Father, you see our pain, you know the anguish burdening our souls…”

A pastoral prayer. “Our God, we praise your holy name this morning. You are merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity. We join our voices with the angels in heaven and all your people throughout the world, to declare that there is no one like you, perfect in power, love, and purity.”

A collect based on Psalm 9. "Our gracious God and Father in heaven, your name is Steadfast and Faithful. We are weak. We are lonely. Our friends have rejected us. Our enemies attack us with words sharp as swords. But you, O God…"

A collect based on Psalm 4. "O God, our Protector, Defender, and Refuge, our fears and worries keep us up late and make sleep hard to come by. Flood our hearts and minds with your peace so that…"

A collect based on Psalm 150. "O Lord, you whose greatness surpasses our wildest imaginations, thrill us with your majesty, goodness, and grace so that we might take our place in the cosmic choir…"

A collect based on Psalm 145. "Our God and our King, you whose beauty and splendor are beyond compare, wow us with your greatness and amaze us with your goodness…"

A collect based on Psalm 138. "Lord God, we are your workmanship in Christ Jesus. You created us and redeemed us for a purpose, but our circumstances often don’t make sense to us…"

“Loving Father, how you have loved us! You did not spare your beloved Son but delivered him up for us all. He left the glories of heaven for the brokenness of this world. He who was King became a servant to sinners. He who is Life gave himself over to Death for our sake, because of your great love for us….”

A collect based on Psalm 128. "Our God and Father, all good things come to us from your hand. Pour out your blessing on us so that…"

A collect based on Psalm 127. "Our Father, you who give sleep to your people, keep us from delusions of self-sufficiency and autonomy. Help us to embrace our creaturely limitations rather than being ashamed of them…"