When Learning to Pray, It’s Okay to Borrow and Steal

The following is a revised version of Martin Bucer’s prayer of intercession from the Strasbourg Liturgy (1539). I changes the pronouns from singular to plural, removed thees and thous (from older English translators anyways), made the language for governing authorities appropriate for my context, and switched things around in the last paragraph.

Almighty, heavenly Father, thou has promised us through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that whatsoever we ask in his name, you will grant unto us.

You have commanded us to petition you for all men, and especially for those in authority: we do therefore beseech you, dear faithful Father, through your Son our Savior, for our President and Governor, for all representatives and senators, judges and justices, and also for the magistrates of this city. Grant your Spirit and a godly fear to those whom you have set over us as rulers in your place, that they may administer their office to your honor and according to your will, in order that your children everywhere may lead calm and quiet lives, in all godliness and propriety.

We pray for all whose duty it is to proclaim your holy Word and be pastors of your Church. Grant them your Word and Spirit that they may serve you in such a way that all of your elect may be gathered unto you, and that those who already bear your name and are counted as Christians may live agreeably to your call, to they glory and the edification of your Church.

We pray also for those facing sickness and adversity. Enable them to perceive your gracious hand and accept discipline for their improvement, that in your grace you may impart to them comfort and help.

We pray for those who do not yet apprehend the holy Gospel, but remain in error and depravity. Enlighten their eyes that they also may recognize you as their God and Creator, and be converted to your will.

Heavenly Father, we pray also for ourselves who are gathered here. Grant that we may be gathered in your name. Drive from our hearts and souls all things which displease you. Enable us to understand that we live and move and have our being in you, and that our sins are so great and so abominable before you that neither your grace nor life could have been restored to us except through the death of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Enable us to grasp by true faith the love you have for us, in that you gave your dear Son in death for us, so that when we believe in him we shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Merciful God and Father, draw our hearts and souls to this your Son, so that we may receive his love with living faith and eternal gratitude, and therefore die to all evil more and more each day, grow and increase in all goodness, and lead our lives in all propriety, patience, and love toward our neighbor.

Greatly comforted by your holy Gospel, we do now and always call upon you, our God and Father, and pray to you as our Lord has taught us to pray, saying: “Our Father…” (Adapted from Bard Thompson, Liturgies of the Western Church, 173-75, 177)

Besides being a wonderful instrument for guiding our own prayers, Bucer’s intercession teaches us much about prayer itself.

• We see the four main categories for intercession used by the early church and revived by the Reformers: the civil authorities (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Tim. 2:2); the Christian ministry (Matt. 9:36-38; 1 Tim. 2:1-2); the salvation of all people (1 Tim. 2:1, 3-4), and the afflicted (2 Cor. 1:3-4, 11; James :13-18). Are our prayers animated by the same concerns?
• We see sin confessed with strong language. Do we speak of it in the same way?
• We see a burden for holiness. Are we burdened for the same?
• We see that prayer was a part of the service that took time and took preparation. Can we say the same of the role of prayer in our services?

Bucer’s prayer was only meant to be an example, a template to guide our prayers and to be expounded upon. But nonetheless it is impressively spiritual, in the truest sense of the word. My prayer life, both personally and corporately, has been immensely helped by reading old prayers like this one from Strasbourg.  It’s not that our ancestors did everything right or that we should pray just like they did or just as long. But they almost surely thought more about prayer, especially in the corporate worship service. Read The Valley of Vision. Use Hughes Oliphant Old’s big book on prayer. Check out Liturgies of the Western Church. Glean the best bits from the Book of Common Prayer. Prayer is hard work. There’s no sense going at it all on your own.