Thanksgiving

Dear Friends,

I usually say the Daily Office using a physical prayer book, but occasionally, if things haven’t quite fit together, I will use the Venite app, written by Rev. Greg Johnston of our diocese, and it has options for additional prayers.   One of my favorites is this from the Private Prayers of Lancelot Andrewes, who lived in England from 1555-1626.  He served as Bishop of Chichester, of Ely, and of Winchester, and oversaw the translation of the King James Version of the Bible.  Below is his prayer of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving (from the Private Prayers of Lancelot Andrewes)

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,

 the God of our fathers,

you turn the shadow of death into the morning,

 and shine upon the face of the earth.

You separate darkness from the face of the light,

 you cause the night to pass, and bring on the day.

You give light to my eyes,

 lest I sleep in death.

You rescue me from terror by night,

 from the plague that stalks in the darkness.

You drive away sleep from my eyes,

 and wipe slumber from my eyelids.

The evening and morning praise you as they pass.

 I lay down, and slept, and arose,

 Because you, O Lord, have sustained me in hope.

I arose, and I looked,

 and my sleep became sweet to me.

Blot out as a cloud all my transgressions,

 that I might spend this day soberly, purely, and honestly.

Count me worthy to guard this day against sin.

Support me when I fall, lift me up when I have fallen,

 so that I may never harden my heart in bitterness,

 or in temptation, or in the deceit of any sin.

Rescue me today from the snare of the hunter,

 from disordered thoughts,

 from the arrow that flies by day,

 from any mischance,

 from the mid-day demon.

Keep me from my evil this day;

 from my evil keep me.

Let not my days be consumed in vanity,

 my years in wretchedness.

One day tells its tale to another;

 may this day teach yesterday some knowledge or practice.

Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning;

 for I put my trust in you.

Teach me the way in which I should walk,

 for I lift up my soul to you.

Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord,

 for I flee to you for refuge.

Teach me to do your will,

 for you are my God.

Let your good Spirit lead me

 on level ground.

Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake;

 in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.

Put away empty thoughts from my soul,

 but inspire me with those good things

 that are pleasant in your sight.

Turn away my eyes, that they may not see vain things,

Let my eyes look straight ahead,

 and let my vision point toward righteousness.

Fence in my ears with thorns,

 so they pay no attention to malformed thoughts.

In the morning, set my ears to hear,

 and open my ears to the teaching of your words.

Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord,

and guard the doors of my lips,

 let my word be seasoned with salt,

  that I may give grace to those who hear.

Let not my work be for grief,

 or any stumbling of heart.

Let my work be something you remember as goodness, O Lord,

 and spare me, according to the greatness of your mercy.

AMEN.

CJ+