Godly Prayers out of Davids Psalms, Prayers based on Psalms · Psalm 117 – Psalm 118
¶ A prayer out of the .Cxvij. Pſalme.
… prayer for …e perfect …nowledge … Chriſt.THou haſt created mankinde (O moſt mightie God) to the intent all Nations ſhould be knitte togither to render vniuerſall prayſes vntounto thy glorious name: for the doing whereof, thou didſt in olde time ordeine the Patriarkes, Prophetes, and Apoſtles, to this office, & at this time (when all things were now defaced with darkneſſe, fond abvſes, and filthie defilinges) thou haſt gathered vsus in the ſacred Church for the ſelfe ſame worke and purpoſe. Which thing, to the intent we may commodiouſly and very conueniently accompliſhe, we humbly require thée that our heynous iniquities and moſt deadly ſinnes be not an hinderaunce herevnto, which as we heartily acknowledge and earneſtly cōfeſſe to be right gréeuous and innumerable, ſo we humbly deſire thée, that they may be vtterly wiped away, cléerely remitted, and quite pardoned, who be nowe (as thou well ſeeſt) ſo hedged in with great perils, and little better then alreadie oppreſt, bicauſe we hauehave repoſed our whole truſt and confidence in thée alone. Looke therefore (we humbly beſeeche thee) that our fayth maye be ſo vnderpropped with thy bleſſed ſpirit, as it ſhrinke not in theſe troubleſome daies. Set (we hartily pray thée) thy vnſpeakeable goodneſſe before our eyes, which thou haſt alwayes moſte louingly beſtowed vponupon the godlye, that we, acknowledging the ſame fullye and euidently, may be nothing miſtruſtfull but that thou wilt at this preſent be a faithfull patrone and aſſured defender of thy bleſſed Church, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde. Amen.
An other prayer out of the ſame Pſalme.
AT ſuch time as mankind (O moſt good and mercifull God) was ſtriken with a wonderfull blindneſſe and ouerwhelmed with miſchiefes innumerable, then was thy vnfallible merciemercy at hande vntounto him, through the which thou diddeſt vouchſafe to deliuer thy onelyonly begotten ſonne Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde for the ſaluation of the world: therefore are we bound to giuegive thée immortall thankes, who ſée our ſelues preſerued by thy méere and ſinguler goodneſſe onelyonly, and not through our owne deſerts. And forſomuch as we hauehave founde thée ſo conſtant and right faythfull in thy louing promiſes, we doubt not but thou wilt (of thy excellent mercy and vnſpeakable goodneſſe) at thy appoynted tyme, fully accompliſhe thoſe ſmall thinges which are yet remayning to be fulfilled. Our earneſt requeſt is therefore, that thou wouldeſt ſo fortifie our weake mindes with the ſpirite of fayth, as we may not onelyonly lay holde vppon the good things thou profereſt vsus without any miſtruſtfulneſſe, but alſo render thee condigne thanks in thy ſacred Church with all people and nations, for ſo great bountifulneſſe and liberalitie beſtowed vponupon thy faythfull ſeruauntes, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde. Amen.
¶ A prayer out of the .Cxviij. Pſalme.
SO manye as feare God,A praier … we may … comforted in fayth. and bée graffed in Chriſt, and hauehave a feruent zeale to godlineſſe, are dayly allured and prouoked by newe meanes and infinite benefites, to magnifie his bleſſed name: for ſéeing that they well know Gods goodneſſe to be of ſuche great force as he is preſent therewith vntounto thoſe that vnfeynedly call vponupon him for the ſame, and deliuereth them from all perill and diſquietneſſe of minde, who cauſeth them to hauehave ſo great fayth and confidence, as they neede not to ſtand in néede of mans power, bée it of neuer ſo great a force. Wherefore, in as much as the ſame is not at this preſent vnbeknowne to vsus, we cō mit our ſelues to thée onelyonly (O moſt mightie God) who art our alone ſauiour, requiring that thou wouldeſt vouchſafe to defend thy bleſſed Church being as now hedged in and compaſſed about on eueryevery ſide with extreeme perils: our ſinnes hauehave iuſtly deſerued farre gréeuouſer thinges, who do confeſſe (O good God) that we hauehave heynouſly and like miſerable wretches offended thée, but here it behoueth, that for thy ſinguler clemēcies ſake, our wicked déedes ſhoulde be vanquiſhed of thy vnſpeakable merciemercy. Graunt vsus therefore (being chaſtiſed by thée as diſobedient and rebellious children) not ſo to be deliuered to ſubiection and deſtruction, as we may not highly celebrate, worthily prayſe, and duly magnifie thy wōderous workes within the Gates of thy glorious kingdome amidſt the congregation of the righteous. Vouchſafe yt we, who are now as reprobates, caſtawayes, and made a laughing ſtock to al men, may be aduaunced ſo muche in righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, and good liuing, as all men may right well vnderſtand, that whatſoeuer we determine or go about to do touching religion, it is not mans deuiſe but thy owne onelyonly worke, through Ieſus Chriſt oure Lord. Amen.
An other prayer out of the ſame pſalme.
WE are continually toſt with ſo many gréeuous ſtormes of aduerſities (O almightie God) as it behoueth vsus to hauehave acceſſe and recourſe vntounto thy merciemercy onelyonly, that we be not ouerwhelmed vnderunder them. But now we know for a certayntie, that mans power can do nothing touching their ouerthrow whome thou haſt appoynted to ſaluation. Forſomuch as therefore we ſée them fed with a falſe and deceiptfull hope which hauehave anye confidence in men, wée iudge this to be a ſinguler poynt of wiſedome of the godly, to truſt hereafter in no mortall creature, but to repoſe their whole affiaunce in thee alone. For which cauſe, we humblie beſéech thy diuine Maieſtie (O excellent father) that, although thou art ſometime angrie, and, by reaſon of our heinous ſinnes, doeſt worthilye chaſtice and ſubdue our ſtubbornneſſe, yet let vsus not fal vtterly away from thée, which thing ſhall verily come to paſſe, if thou wilt builde vsus vponupon that moſt firme corner ſtone, who as he was layde aſide and diſſalowed of men, ſo is he aduaunced by thée to the chiefeſt top and piller of glorie, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt thy ſonne, who liueth and reigneth with thée euermore worlde without ende. Amen.