Morning Prayer

Before stepping into this time of prayer, a brief note on the format may be helpful.

• The service is preceded by two quotes: one from Scripture and the other from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. These quotes help us imagine what these words meant to our earliest brothers and sisters in Christ.​
• Biblical texts are based on The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (Copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles), while non-biblical texts are usually based on Praying Together (Copyright © 1988 by English Language Liturgical Consultation). Using my rather limited knowledge of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, I compared each text to other well-known translations, and selected the words that seemed to best grasp the form and function of the original. I thank you in advance for pointing out and forgiving my errors.
• Texts can be read or sung in unison, or as a call and response. Where possible, drop the four-part harmony and sing just the main melody.
• Words that are clearly not in English are Latin translations of the first words of the text, except for a few texts that are known by their Greek titles instead (labeled “Gk.”). Where a text is also known by another name, I’ve included this in parentheses.
• At the end of the series, I’ll also give some pointers on what to do with the opportunities for Scripture Readings noted in each prayer.

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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
~ Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV ~

What do we, who today no longer have any fear or awe of the darkness or night, know about the great joy that our forebears and the early Christians felt every morning at the return of the light? If we were to learn again something of the praise and adoration that is due the triune God early in the morning, then we would also begin to sense something of the joy that comes when night is past.
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, ch. 2 ~

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Psalm 63
O God, you are my God; early will I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.

But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.


Gloria Patri (Minor Doxology)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.


Scripture Reading


Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Greater Doxology)
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” [Luke 2:14]

We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, one and only Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.


Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah, Luke 1:68-79)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouths of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us,
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our life.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us,
to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.


Kyrie Eléison (Gk.; repeat each line three times)
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.


The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come,
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 forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.


Personal Petitions