Morning
Morning Prayers from Matins: Raised from Sleep
“O God, my God, I cry to thee early; my soul has thirsted for thee: how often has my flesh longed after thee, in a barren and trackless and dry land!”Psalm 62:1 (63:1)
Reflection
Every morning at Matins, while the reader chants the Six Psalms, the priest quietly says twelve Morning Prayers on behalf of everyone in the church. Most people never hear them, yet they are some of the loveliest prayers the Church has. Here are two of them to pray at home. The first simply thanks God for raising us from our beds and putting words of praise in our mouths. The second asks him to clear the darkness from our hearts, give us the Sun of Righteousness, and let us greet the dawn and the day with joy. They say “we” and “us” because they were always meant to be prayed with others, so as you pray them, remember your family, your parish, and everyone waking up today. Text from Isabel Hapgood's Service Book (1906), lightly modernized.
A prayer
We give thanks unto you, O Lord our God, who have raised us up from our beds, and have put into our mouths the word of praise, that we may adore and call upon your holy Name. And we entreat you, by your mercies which you have exercised always in our life, send down now also your aid upon those who stand before the presence of your holy glory, and await the rich mercy which is from you. And grant that they may always with fear and love worship you, praise you, hymn you, and adore your inexpressible goodness. For unto you is due all honour, glory and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. In the night season our soul wakes early unto you, O God, for your precepts are light. Teach us your righteousness, your commandments and your statutes, O God. Enlighten the eyes of our understanding, lest at any time we sleep unto death in sins. Dispel all darkness from our hearts. Graciously give unto us the Sun of Righteousness, and preserve our life unassailed, by the seal of your Holy Spirit. Guide our steps into the way of peace. Grant us to behold the dawn and the day with joy, that we may raise our morning prayers unto you. For yours is the dominion, and yours are the majesty and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Carry this with you
Who are you praying “with” this morning, even from far away? Name them before God.