Morning Prayer
Matins · about 15 minutes
Seven parts, in this order: Opening, Psalm, Reading, the Song of Zechariah, Prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, Blessing. Say the bold lines out loud, or read them.
Opening
Stand, or stay exactly where you are.
O Lord, open my lips. And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
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.
Psalm
Read slowly, and pause at the end of each line.
In plain wordsA morning prayer from someone who wants God the way a thirsty person wants water. The Psalms were Jesus’ own prayer book: in the desert, in the garden, and on the cross.
O God, you are my God, 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;I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
Psalm 63:1–4 · NRSV · Other translations
Reading
In plain wordsJesus talks to people who are anxious about food and clothes. Look at the birds and the flowers: God takes care of them, and God knows what you need. Take one day at a time.
Look at the birds
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
Look at the lilies
28And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
God first, one day at a time
31Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:25–34 · NRSV · Other translations
The Song of Zechariah
In plain wordsZechariah’s song when his son John was born. God is keeping his promises, and John will prepare the way for Jesus, “the dawn from on high.”
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.He has raised up a mighty savior for usin the house of his servant David,as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,and has remembered his holy covenant,the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant usthat we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.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 peopleby the forgiveness of their sins.By the tender mercy of our God,the dawn from on high will break upon us,to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1:68–79 · NRSV · Other translations
Show the older wording (King James)
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he hath visited and redeemed his people.
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people
for the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God;
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
to give light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Prayers
Add your own here, aloud or silently. There is no wrong way to do this.
For this day and what it holds. Lord, have mercy.
For those we love who are far away. Lord, have mercy.
For strength enough for today, not for tomorrow. Lord, have mercy.
For those who go to work in danger today, and for those with no work to go to. Lord, have mercy.
The Lord’s Prayer
Together, or alone. Pray the form you learned; both are used in Lutheran churches.
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.
Show the contemporary form
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.
Matthew 6:9–13. Historic text of the Western church. English Language Liturgical Consultation. Read this in another translation
Both forms are in current use. Pray whichever one you learned.
Blessing
The almighty and merciful God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen.