A morning prayer
About 2 minutes · say the bold lines out loud if you can
New to praying? Just read it slowly, or stay with one line. That counts.
Pray
Luther suggests making the sign of the cross and saying:
May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen.
Then, if you like:
My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save me, I pray, that you will keep me safe today from every evil and sin as well, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.
Luther’s prayers from the Small Catechism, translated by Robert E. Smith and placed in the public domain. All four.
From the Bible
This line was written in the ruins of Jerusalem, by someone who had lost nearly everything. Even there: new every morning. Then the prayer Luther wrote for households to say on getting up.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,his mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22–23 · NRSV · Other translations
The Lord’s Prayer
The prayer Jesus taught. If you learned the traditional words, they’re one tap below.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Show the traditional form (“Our Father, who art in heaven”)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9–13. Historic text of the Western church. English Language Liturgical Consultation.
Both forms are in current use. Pray whichever one you learned.