By Roger Carswell

I have found that using the Litany from the Book of Common Prayer has been a real help in covering issues that I would normally neglect. I hope you find it helpful.

The Litany

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth

Have mercy on us poor sinners

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy on us poor sinners.

O God the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

Have mercy on us poor sinners.

Oh holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God,

Have mercy on us poor sinners.

Do not remember, Lord, our sins nor the sins of our fathers; have mercy on us. Spare us, good Lord; spare your people, whom you have redeemed with your precious blood, and do not be angry with us for ever.

Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from your wrath and from eternal punishment.

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all spiritual blindness; from pride, self-conceit, and hypocrisy, from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all uncharitable ways.

Good Lord, deliver us.

From sexual sins; from all other deadly sins; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and storm; from plague, disease, and famine; from war, murder, and sudden death.

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all treason and conspiracy; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism, from hardness of heart and contempt for your word and commandments.

Good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of your incarnation; by your birth and circumcision; by your baptism, fasting and temptation. By your agony, cross and passion; by your precious death and burial; by your glorious resurrection and ascension and by the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Good Lord, deliver us.

In times of trouble and in times of prosperity; in the hour of death and on the day of judgement.

Good Lord, deliver us.

Hear us, O Lord, we pray. Be pleased to lead your church in the way of truth. Strengthen your servant, the Queen to worship you in spirit and truth, in righteousness and holiness of life. Rule her heart in your faith, fear, and love, and teach her always to seek your honour and glory. Defend and keep her. Bless and preserve all members of the royal family. Give wisdom and true knowledge of your word to all ministers of the gospel so that in their preaching and daily life they may declare and show its truth.

Hear us, good Lord.

Give grace, wisdom, and understanding to all members of the Government and the Houses of Parliament. Give grace to judges and magistrates so that they may maintain truth and execute justice. Bring all nations to reconciliation, unity, and peace. Teach us to love and fear you and diligently to keep your commandments.

Hear us, good Lord.

To your people give grace, so that we may meekly hear your word, receive it with joy, and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. Bring all who have erred and are deceived into the way of truth. Strengthen those who are standing firm in the faith; comfort and encourage the faint-hearted; raise up the fallen; and finally beat down Satan under our feet.

Hear us, good Lord.

Help and comfort the sick and those in danger, need, and trouble. Preserve all who travel by air, land or sea. Sustain all women in labour. Protect all young children. Have pity on all prisoners and captives. Defend and provide for the widowed, the fatherless, the motherless, the orphaned, the desolate, and the oppressed. Have mercy on all people. Forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and turn their hearts. Give to us and preserve for us the fruits of the earth.

Hear us, good Lord.

Grant us true repentance; forgive our sins, negligence, and ignorance; and empower us by your Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to you holy Word.

Hear us good Lord.

Son of God,

We ask you to hear us.

O Lamb of God, you take away the sons of the world.

Grant us your peace.

Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord have mercy upon us.

Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

Nor reward us according to our iniquities.

O God, our merciful Father, you do not despise the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desires of the sorrowful: in your mercy teach us and help us to pray whenever we are oppressed by adversity or trouble; and graciously hear us so that by your providence the evils brought against us by the cunning and mischief of the devil or man may come to nothing; and may we your servants, with all your people, give thanks and praise to you for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord, arise, help, and deliver us for your name’s sake.

O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us, the wonderful works you did in their day and in the days before them.

O Lord, arise, help, and deliver us for your honour.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, defend us from our enemies.

Look upon us with your grace in our afflictions.

Regard the sorrows of our hearts with your pity.

In mercy, forgive the sins of your people.

Hear our prayers with your favour.

O Son of David, have mercy on us.

Be pleased, Lord Jesus, to hear us both now and always.

O Lord, hear us.

O Lord, show us your mercy,

As we put our trust in you.

Father, in your mercy look on us in our weakness; and for the glory of your name turn from us all evils; even those we have deserved. Grant that in all our troubles our whole trust and confidence may be in you; and that we may always seek to serve you in holiness and purity of life to your honour and glory; through our only mediator and advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.