Vespers

Short prayer that popped into my head last night. Still might need some re-working.

God of Glory, King of Grace,

show Thy mercies to this place.

May we always seek Thy face--

that our sins Thou wouldst erase.

Forgive the wrongs we know not of,

the ones against Thy throne above.

Send forth Thy justice like a dove,

and bind us in Thy steadfast love.

Though now we mourn for those we’ve lost,

let each of us take up his cross

and praise Thee, Jesus, for the cost:

each day, always, in sun or frost.

Amen.

Reviews

[lostinthewaves]

I love reading a good prayer early on a Sabbath morning! Thank you for sharing.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I thought this was truly beautiful. I don't know why you chose to use 17th century English but perhaps it's to give it that "authentic" nuance so often closely related with the religious dogma of King James. At any rate, I think you could just as well have used modern English and perhaps even more effectively. The measure of a prayer, after all, is not in the pretext but in the content and context. And this has all the finer points of sincerity. It has praise with humility and supplication. I'd venture the only thing it may lack might be thankfulness...and by that, I mean a true spirit of joy in forgiveness and salvation. A true believer never mourns for those we've lost...we mourn for ourselves that we are without them but we celebrate the fact that they are with the Lord. These might be points to consider or not. I still found it a worthy and contrite bit of prayer. I believe every prayer is a poem and every poem, at its best, is a form of prayer. Bless.

[emipoemi]

A prayer turned well into a profound poem that almost had this secular being want to fully practice the religion that makes up half of his soul. Well done!

[brian]

I know Vespers(nite prayer), of the Office of Reading..very nice! Praise God. (=