Robert Elmer
The alarm chimes and our busy day begins. Our to-do list is ready and our phone is fully charged. But wait! Are we forgetting something important?
Here’s a collection of morning prayers, collected both from Scripture and from the sermons or writings of believers who lived generations ago.
Many of the prayers are included in two new devotional books: Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans and Fount of Heaven: Prayers of the Early Church. The prayers offer us a template for morning praise and reflection—a very good way to start the day right. Each one can help us build a solid foundation for whatever comes our way.
After all, saints of the past gave thanks to God for every heartbeat, from the moment they opened their eyes each morning until they blew out their candles at night. What can we learn today from their approach to life?
1. Following Jesus, all day long
Blessed God! I direct my awakening thoughts to you. And with the first ray of light that visits my opening eyes, lift up the light of your countenance on me.
May my first actions when I wake be consecrated to you, O God. You are the one who gives me light, life, and a new reason to live.
Enable my heart to pour itself out before you as your child, with reverence, freedom, and endearment. And may I listen to you, as I desire that you would listen to me.
May I read your Word with attention and pleasure. Shape my soul into its mold, and may I hide it in my heart that I may not sin against you.
Help me to renew my dedication to you each morning, through Jesus Christ your beloved Son, and from him receive new supplies of your blessed Spirit, whose influence is the life of my soul.
With that preparation, Lord, lead me by the hand into the day. Help me to abide with you in what you have called me to do. Whether I eat, or drink, or whatever I do, may it always be to your glory. Amen. —Philip Doddridge
2. I sing praises
I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. Amen. —Psalm 59:16–17 (ESV)
3. You raised me to face the morning
As I rise from sleep I thank you, Holy Trinity. Through your great goodness and patience you were not angry with me, a sinner who fails to act.
You have not destroyed me in my sins, but have shown your love for humanity once again. When I was flat on my face in despair, you raised me to face the morning and to glorify your power.
Now enlighten my mind’s eye and open my mouth to study your Word and understand your commands. Help me to do your will and sing to you in heartfelt adoration and praise, to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever, amen. —Basil of Caesarea
4. Morning thanksgiving
Thank you for preserving me this night from all perils and dangers of body and soul, and for bringing me safe to the beginning of this day.
As you have now wakened my body from sleep, so waken my soul from sin and worldly security. As you caused the light of day to shine in my physical eyes, so cause the light of your word and Holy Spirit to illuminate my heart.
Give me grace, as one of your children of light, to walk in holy obedience before your face today. Help me to keep faith and a clear conscience towards you, and towards all, in all my thoughts, words, and dealings.
Bless my work today, good Lord, that I may give you glory and strive for the good of others, adding comfort of my own soul and conscience in that day when I will make my final account to you. Amen. —Lewis Bayly
5. Establish our work
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Amen. —Psalm 90:14, 16–17 (ESV)
6. I am no longer silent
To you, O Christ, I offer my praise as the firstfruits of my daily work.
For you arose from the dead, flinging open the gates of hell and breaking the power of death, robbing death of its sting. You rushed from the tomb, appearing to those for whom you died and rose again, so that we, newborn, might also rise, set free from death.
Now we will live forever with you, our ascending Lord. Heaven rings with glad praises, while a choir of angels sings crowning anthems.
Though silent before, today I let loose in song to you. My breath and my instruments belong to you! From here on, if you will, I want to bring a more worthy offering. Amen. —Gregory Nazianzen
7. Receive our morning thanks
O God of spirits and of all flesh, God who is beyond compare, and who stands in need of nothing, you have given the sun to rule over the day, and the moon and the stars to rule over the night.
Now would you also look down upon us with gracious eyes, and receive our morning thanksgiving? Have mercy upon us; we have not “spread out our hands to a foreign god” (Ps 44:20).
For there is no new god among us. You, the eternal God, are without end. You have given us our being through Christ, and our well-being through him.
Grant us also, through him, eternal life. We give glory, honor, and worship to you and to the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. —Apostolic Constitutions
8. We greet you, O light!
Sweet is the Word that gives us light, precious above gold and gems; it is to be desired above honey and the honeycomb (Ps 19:10).
How can this Word be anything other than desirable, Lord, since it has filled with light the mind which was buried in darkness? This Word has sharpened the light-bringing eyes of the soul.
Had it not been for the sun, night would have brooded over the universe—never mind the stars. In the same way, had we not known the Word, and been illuminated by him, we would be no different from turkeys that are fed and fattened in darkness, nourished only for death. Let us then admit the light, that we may admit you, God.
Let us admit the light, and become disciples of the Lord. Help us never to be oblivious to the truth. Help us put away all ignorance. Remove the darkness that obstructs, and let us contemplate the only true God as we raise our voices in this hymn of praise:
We greet you, O light! For in us, buried in darkness and hidden within the shadow of death, light has shone forth from heaven, purer than the sun, sweeter than life here below. That light is eternal life, and whoever takes part in that light, lives. Amen! —Clement of Alexandria
9. Fill our hearts with joy
You are blessed, O Lord. You are the one who has fed and nourished me since I was young, and who gives food to all living things.
Fill our hearts now with joy and gladness. And since we always have enough, may we then abound to do every good work, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom glory, honor, and power be to you forever, amen. —Apostolic Constitutions
10. Fighting the daily fight
Dear God, it is so hard for us to fight against ourselves.
It is very difficult to overcome an enemy that lies so close and hidden within us as our flesh does. And unless you arm me with divine power, I am in great danger of yielding to this treacherous foe.
Help me die to myself daily, I beg you. Do not let me be eternally separated by the attractions of the flesh from the life that is in Christ my savior.
Preserve me this day in your fear and favor, and in the end bring me to your everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ. Amen. —Robert Parker
11. For mercy this morning
Come, Lord. I pray that your sweet influences would fill my mouth with your words, and that you would warm my heart with your love. Bring me to your mercy seat today, this morning, as you loose my tongue and enlarge my heart with your grace.
Yes, blessed Jesus, you will hear my voice in the morning. I will direct my prayers to you at the dawn of the day. I will send them up to heaven, and through the day, and all the day. I will praise you, God of my salvation, when you cause me to praise you with joyful lips.
Precious Spirit of all truth, glorify the Lord Jesus. Show me the things of Christ, and grant me daily fellowship and communion with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ!
Let the sense of your freeness in salvation comfort my soul. Help me understand that there was no yoke upon you, Lord, except your own everlasting love. Be the sweet constraining yoke on my soul, to bind me to your love and to your service forever.
Be ever with me, Lord. And as Jesus promised, abide with me forever. May I never grieve you by whom my soul is sealed in Jesus to the day of eternal redemption. Amen. —Robert Hawker
12. Teach me the art of praise
Oh Lord, teach us this very morning the art of praise. Let our soul take fire, and like a censor full of frankincense, may our whole nature send forth a delicious perfume of praiseful gratitude unto the ever-blessed One, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. —Charles Spurgeon
13. Preserve me through this day
Lord God, you know I need to call on you for my daily bread. But how much more reason I have to crave the graces of your Holy Spirit—for supplying my soul with heavenly food, and especially with saving faith.
When I am tossed about with the storms of doubts and fears, show me how to lay hold of your word and promises. Then all the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil will never prevail over me, since I know in whom I have believed.
Increase the light of my faith, that it may daily cast forth more clear beams. Preserve that faith in the darkness of death, that it may guide me to eternal life.
And rule and govern me by your Holy Spirit, that I may never lose faith by agreeing to do anything that is against the light of my conscience.
Confirm the good work you have begun in me, strengthen me inwardly, and preserve me blameless until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ, that I may inherit eternal life. Amen. —Robert Parker
14. O most A prayer mighty and for glorious the morning
God, full of incomprehensible power and majesty, whose glory the very heaven of heavens is not able to contain!
Look down from heaven upon me, your unworthy servant. I prostrate myself at the footstool of your throne of grace. But look upon me, O Father, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, in whom you are well pleased.
I beg you, O Lord, not only to wash away my sins with the blood of your flawless Lamb, but also to purge my heart by your Holy Spirit from the trash of my natural corruption. Help me to feel your Spirit more and more killing the power and practice of my sin, so that I may with freedom of mind and liberty of will serve you in righteousness and holiness.
And give me grace, that by the direction and help of the Holy Spirit, I may persevere to be your faithful and true servant my whole life. So when this mortal life is ended, may I share immortality and everlasting happiness in your heavenly kingdom. Amen. —Lewis Bayly
15. A prayer as we awake
O Lord our God and heavenly Father! We, your unworthy children, come into your most holy and heavenly presence to give you praise and glory for your great mercies and blessings—especially that you have preserved us this night past and have given us quiet rest to our bodies, and brought us now safely to the beginning of this day.
Lord, open our eyes every day more and more to see and consider your great and marvelous love to us, that our hearts may be drawn yet nearer to you—even more to love you, fear you, and obey you.
Nail all our sins and iniquities to the cross of Christ, and let them never rise up in judgment against us. Let us live holy, just, and sober lives, shining as lights in this present evil world. Fill us with your Spirit. Stir us to prayer and watchfulness.
Have mercy on us, and never leave us to ourselves, nor to our own wills, lusts, or desires. Help us with your good Spirit, that we may continue to the end, received into glory, and partake of that immortal crown you have laid up for all who love you. Amen. —Arthur Dent
16. Draw to me yourself
Lord, draw us this morning upward to yourself, nearer than ever. May we not be satisfied with those heights of devotion to which we have attained; but may we reach somewhat higher today. Oh that we might become more completely consecrated! May the image of Christ become more perfect upon us. Stamp it deeper into our nature. We trust the image is there; but oh that it set still deeper into our very selves, that all might see that the seal of the Holy Ghost was upon us, in the likeness of Christ our Lord. Amen. —Charles Spurgeon
17. Morning blessings
Into your hands, O Father, I do here commit my soul and body, my actions, and all that I ever have, to be guided, defended, and protected by you.
If I at any time this day will through frailty forget you, even so Lord, I beg you, in mercy—remember me.
And I pray not for myself alone, but I beg you also to be merciful to your whole church, your chosen people. Defend them from the rage and tyranny of the devil, the world, and antichrist.
Bless our country’s leaders, and increase in them the gifts and spiritual graces which make them fit for those jobs where you have placed them. Direct the leaders of our country and our churches to lead the people in true faith, justice, obedience, and peace.
Be merciful to the believers who fear you and call upon your name. And comfort as many among them as are sick and without comfort in body or mind. Especially be favorable to all who suffer trouble or persecution for the testimony of your truth and your holy gospel.
Hasten your coming, blessed Savior, and end these sinful days. Whether it be by my day of death, or at the day of judgment, Lord Jesus, come when you will. Come quickly! Amen. —Lewis Bayly
18. Grant your favor
Lord, we always depend on your grace and hand in our lives.
When I am going to pray, Lord, fix my attention! Awaken my holy affections, and pour out upon me the spirit of grace and supplication (Zechariah 12:10).
When I open my Bible—or any other good book—open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Psalm 119:18).
When it is time to focus on business, Lord, grant your favor and establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17). When it is time for recreation, Lord, let me not forget you, but still keep your glory in view.
When I meet with others, may no corrupt talk come from my mouth, but only what is good for building up, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29).
When I face difficulties, Lord, teach me your way, and lead me in a plain path (Psalm 27:11).
When I encounter temptations, let your strength be made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Amen. —Philip Doddridge
19. We rejoice in your refuge
Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord; in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield. Amen. —Psalm 5:1–3, 11–12 (ESV)
20. Rule my heart
Thank you for defending me this night from all perils and dangers, Lord, and for bringing me safely to the beginning of this day. Keep me today from all evil that may hurt me, and from falling into any sin that should offend you.
Lord, I thank you for all your blessings you have bestowed on my soul and body. I thank you for choosing me in your love, for redeeming me by your Son, for sanctifying me by your Spirit, and for preserving me until this day and hour, by your gracious providence.
Let your Spirit rule my heart, so that all I think, do, or speak this day may lead to your glory, the good of others, and the peace of my own conscience.
May I be found in you, whether I live or die, to your eternal glory and my everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ my only Savior. In his blessed name I beg these mercies at your hands, and give you praise and glory, amen. —Lewis Bayly
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Get your own copies of Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans and Fount of Heaven: Prayers of the Early Church in digital or print versions. (The print version makes an exceptional gift.)
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