Johann Habermann

“ Lay not our sins to our charge, but for the sake of Thy dear Son, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, manifest Thy mercy toward us and blot out our iniquities, and sanctify and guide us by Thy truth. We Thy poor servants call upon Thy holy name, and implore Thy grace. Have mercy upon us. Lead us safely through the blood and carnage. Make it appear that Thou art our deliverer. Make us strong with the assurance that it is Thy cause, that we are Thy children, that Thou holdest our destiny in Thy hand. And if it is Thy will that we should lay down our lives—Thy will be done! ”

“ Therefore my soul doth magnify Thee, that Thou in Thy immeasurable grace hast kept me during the night now past. Blessed be Thou, Lord God Sabaoth, who art merciful unto all, that seek Thee and love Thy salvation. Blessed is Thy holy name in all the earth, who art our refuge and our help! Blessed are all Thy works which Thou doest for the children of men! I beseech Thee, protect me this day, that the Evil One may not harm me, and the hands of the wicked touch me not. ”

“ Illumine me with Thy radiance, and be Thou the light of my heart, for Thou art the right day star and the true light, that lighteth men to the eternal life. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for in Thee do I put my trust. My soul waiteth for Thee, more than they that watch for the morning, yea more than they that watch for the morning. Be Thou mine arm in the morning, my salvation also in the time of trouble. Protect me in body and soul, that no evil befall me and no plague come nigh unto my dwelling. ”

“ Keep us, Lord Jesus, from error and false doctrine, and send us faithful teachers who take heed unto Thy congregation, purchased with Thy blood, and are anxious to perform Thy will. Grant us obedient hearts, so that we, as lambs of Thy flock, may obey Thy voice, and be filled with fruits of righteousness. Teach us ever to do Thy will, for Thou art our God: Thy spirit is good. Lead us into the land of uprightness, to the end that we, too, through a blessed departure from this life may attain to Thee and the everlasting joy and blessedness, and behold Thy glory to all eternity. ”

“ Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. Remember that we are flesh, as the wind which bloweth and doth not return, and cease in Thy anger and wrath against us. O merciful God, I acknowledge that my virtues and my deeds can [104] never blot out my sins, nor yet merit Thy grace. Only the innocent suffering and death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb without spot or blemish, is the true offering for our iniquities, and His blood, shed for the remission of our sins, is the cleansing and purification of our souls. ”

“ Abide with us, for the day is far spent and in the darkness there is none to defend us save Thou alone, our God. Hasten to uphold us. Defend us this night, lest our souls fall into the sleep of sin and our bodies be overcome with evil. Awake us again in due time, and make us to hear joy and peace, for we love Thy word and Thy testimonies, which are the delight of our souls. May our ears be saved from all messages of sorrow, and all anguish be turned from our souls; for Thou canst prosper all that liveth, and fill my life with Thy blessing; in Jesus Christ, our Lord. ”

“ And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory! Daily will I praise the Lord, and at eventime my mouth shall thank Him while I have any being. For when I cry with my voice, He hears me, and gives ear to my supplication. When I pray, He attends to my voice. The Lord is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore do I laud and magnify Thee, Eternal God, that Thou hast this day so mercifully kept me from every harm and evil. My heart is glad and my soul glorifies Thee for Thy goodness and mercy. ”

“ Rule Thou, O God the Holy Ghost, who hast sanctified us and born us again in Holy Baptism. Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us, that we carry no evils of the past into the new week, but put away all purpose and inclination of the old Adam still in us. Govern Thou our hearts with power; and if this week mark for any of us the end of life, help Thou in the last bitter hour. Fill the heart with that grace which is better than life. Teach the hands to battle and vanquish the last enemy, and grant for Christ’s sake, the rest and triumph of the sabbath everlasting. ”

“ Grant me strength from above by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may heartily forgive my neighbor wherever he hath sinned against me, even as Thou hast fully and richly forgiven me my great and manifold transgressions, yes, entirely blotted them out and wilt never remember them. Help me to love my neighbor and gladly show him every good, as Thou hast done unto me, and hast shown me more than I can ever sufficiently thank Thee for. Praise and glory be to Thee, O faithful God, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. ”

“ Arise, dear soul, and carefully reflect who He is with whom thou speakest and before whom thou standest when thou prayest. Behold, thou speakest with God, thy Maker, and standest in the presence of Him, the eternal Majesty, whom thousand times thousand holy angels and arch-angels attend. Therefore, O Christian, enter thou into the closet of thy soul, and beware, lest thou failest to put from thee all sluggishness of heart, and liftest up to thy God a countenance free from blame. ”

“ Keep us from all offenses, whereby Thy holy name is blasphemed and outraged, Thy kingdom hindered and weakened. Grant us grace to practice our faith in works of love and mercy, feeding, clothing, harboring, visiting, comforting the poor and distressed of this world, so that when that great day dawns we may hear the blessed and joyous voice of Thy dear Son: Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ”

“ They invent secret artifices and practices, to destroy the confessors of Thy word. They counsel what is evil, pregnant with calamity. They lie in wait for us like the lion seeking his prey. Thus they waylay our souls. They open wide their jaws, like a gaping sepulchre, to devour us. O Lord God, commit us not to their will, for behold, the wicked mob speaks in its heart, Thou, O Lord, hast forgotten us. ”

“ Lord will give strength unto His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace. O merciful God, preserve us from Thy wrath, which is beyond endurance! Forgive us our sins! Make Thy face shine upon us! Cause this grievous tempest to pass by without harm to us! Protect us in body and soul, our house and home. Keep the fruits of the fields from hail and storm, from great inundation by water and all harm. O Holy God, preserve us from an evil death, and protect us, that no disaster befall us. Amen.
Thanksgiving After a Thunderstorm. ”

“ Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal Son of God, I am not worthy to open my lips and receive the most precious sacrament of Thy body and blood. For I am a sin-stained man, but Thou art the Lord whom the heavens can not encompass. How then can a human being who is but dust and ashes be worthy to receive Thy most holy body and precious blood! I well know and acknowledge that my sins are many and that for that reason I am an unworthy guest at Thy table. But I also sincerely believe and confess it with my lips that by Thy grace Thou canst render me worthy. ”

“ O Lord God, who art righteous in Thy judgment, and plenteous in mercy, whose faithfulness endureth from generation to generation, who rulest even above the din of war: may all nations learn to know that Thou alone art God, that Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and that all who truly confess Thy name are the people of Thy pasture and the sheep of Thy hand. Thou hast permitted the nations to rise up in war against each other and our own beloved country to become engulfed in its throes. ”

“ I, too, commend my spirit into Thy hands now when my end is near. Thou hast redeemed me, O faithful God. Amen.
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Lord Almighty God, Heavenly Father! My time has come to an end, my life is slowly ebbing away. Be Thou with me. O Lord, I suffer much and Thou only canst help me. Be Thou my succor, and shorten and soften my pain. Darkness comes over me and I cry for comfort and strength. Have mercy upon me. Take my soul under Thy protecting wing, that I perish not. Take my sins from me, and blot all my guilt; for Christ’s sake, my Savior and my Lord. Amen.
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Abide with me! ”

“ In wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches. For such Thy gifts we should thank Thee ere the sun rises, and come into Thy presence when the light breaks forth. Therefore I bless Thee now also, for Thou hast suffered me securely to rest and sleep this night, and again awakened me to the joy of living. [26] Thou hast mercifully sheltered me from the assaults and malice of enemies. I supplicate Thy grace: grant that my soul may repose in Thy hands, my body continue in health according to Thy good pleasure, and be kept from all injury and peril. ”

“ Thou wilt destroy and not build them. O Lord God Sabaoth, militate Thou against our assailants. Give victory to our Christian government, and conquer the enemies of Thy name. For victory cometh from heaven, and is not brought about by the great multitude. Thou canst as readily help through the few as through the many. Therefore destroy the arm of the wicked. Make their counsels of no account, that they can not accomplish them, but must be brought to naught with shame. They must return, who hate Thee, and seek to annihilate Thy holy word. ”

“ Thou canst transform sinners into true and holy men, when by Thy grace Thou forgivest sin and renewest us with Thy Holy Spirit. Therefore I pray Thee, by Thy power and love grant me grace, that I may worthily approach Thy altar, and not become guilty of Thy body and blood by unworthy eating and drinking, so that I may not receive death in place of life. Grant me grace, that I may know and test myself as a poor sinner, my heart filled with sorrow over mine iniquity, and may properly discern Thy tender and noble body, and Thy holy, precious blood. ”

“ Grant unto me, according to the riches of Thy glory, that I may be strengthened with might by Thy Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith. O dear God, since no man knoweth the Son but Thou, O Father, and no man knoweth Thee, the Father, but only the same Thy Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Thee, I pray Thee, draw Thou me unto Thee. Grant me the knowledge of salvation, which is the forgiveness of sins. ”

“ Leaves for heaven’s fair dominions,
There in blissful joy to see
God, the holy Trinity.
In those fair celestial regions
All is life and peace and joy.
Souls are there in countless legions,
Happy in the Lord’s employ. ”

“ Eternal God, Merciful Father, I lift up my hands unto Thee as an evening sacrifice, and render Thee most hearty thanks, praise, and glory, that Thou hast protected me this day and all the days of my life from all evil and calamity, and through the ministrations of Thy holy angels hast graciously guarded me against the Evil One. ”

“ They are stricken with blindness by the evil one. Their foolish heart is darkened. They are alienated from the life that is of Thee, through their native ignorance, carried away to the dumb idols, even as they are led, and in their blindness curse and blaspheme Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, the mercy seat. For that reason, O faithful God, take away the veil, which is upon the heart of the Jews, who stumble at the stone of stumbling and the rock of offense. Illumine their eyes that they may know the true Messiah, the Savior of the world. ”

“ May I also be subject to my masters and mistresses according to the flesh, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, and patiently obey them in everything that is not contrary to Thy pleasure, with fear and singleness of heart, as unto Christ my Lord, not with eye-service, as man pleaser, but from the depths of my heart and for the sake of Thy will and commandment. Grant me grace that I may be found faithful in all things committed and entrusted to my care, not neglect nor bring them to naught, suffer no harm to come through carelessness on my part ”

“ Jesus Christ, Thou Lord of glory and Prince of life, we glorify and thank Thee now and always, that Thou hast so mercifully helped this now blessed one, and hast taken his soul into Thy holy keeping. And [147] when the last day cometh Thou wouldest reunite his soul with his body in heavenly radiance, and grant us altogether, when the divinely appointed hour cometh, to follow him in blessedness. Meanwhile grant us a Christian conduct, refresh all sorrowing hearts with heavenly solace. Keep us in Thy eternal grace, for the sake of Thy inexhaustible mercy and goodness. ”