Prayer for Thursday Morning.

Benjamin Schmolcke, 1715.
Tr. H. Brueckner, 1918.
Shepherd never sleeping,
In Thy gracious keeping
I have been today.
Thou art my Defender,
So in mercy tender
Come and with me stay;
All this night
Keep me in sight,
Send Thine angels to attend me
And protection lend me.
While I lie and slumber,
Let Thine hosts outnumber
All my raging foes.
Be of grace the Giver,
And Thy child deliver
From guilt's painful throes.
For Thy Son
My soul hath won;
By His wounds, so sorely stricken,
He my heart doth quicken.
Shield Thou from all danger
Ev'ry lonely stranger
And my dear ones, too.
Tenderly embrace us
And with mercy grace us,
Be our Father true.
Thou with me
And I with Thee,
Thus shall I, mine eyelids closing,
Be in peace reposing.
Close the door behind us,
Let no evil find us,
Keep all ills away.
Be our shield and cover,
Let Thine angels hover
O'er us now, we pray.
By sweet rest
Let us be blest,
Ev'ry fear of Satan's raging
In our hearts assuaging.
What if death should take me
And no light awake me
From my sleep and rest?
If Thou hast intended
That my life be ended,
Let Thy name be blest;
As for me,
I yield to Thee.
In the wounds of Jesus lying,
I am daily dying.
By no cares encumbered,
Though my hours be numbered,
I now fall asleep.
All to Thee commending
Who Thine hosts are sending
Watch o'er me to keep.
Through the night
Be my delight,
And if I should see the morrow,
Thou wilt cure all sorrow.

Jesus Christ, Thou art the eternal light, which dispelleth the darkness of night and the shadow of death: I magnify Thy name, I glorify and thank Thee. For Thou hast so graciously kept me during this night, and hast brought me out of the darkness to the light of day. Thou hast shielded me against the terrors of the night, the snares of the devil, the noisome pestilence, that walketh in the darkness, manifold illness and disease. Thou hast guarded and watched over my soul, even as the shepherd watches over his flock. And all that I possess is kept from harm through Thy great mercy. Praise and thanks be said unto Thee for Thy gracious protection and all Thy gifts. I will speak of Thy power and magnify Thy goodness, when the day breaks. For Thou art my refuge, my strong tower, my present help, my faithful God, in whom I trust. Thou makest glad my heart and my countenance rejoiceth. I pray Thee, for the sake of Thy holy birth and incarnation, suffer Thy grace to rise in my heart and break forth even as the beauty of the morning, and come over me as the early rain. 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 from me all wicked spirits. Defend me from evildoers. Stand up for me against the workers of iniquity and shield me, that the hands of mine adversaries may not touch me. O Lord, our God, establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it, and strengthen our hands, and teach us that we may keep Thy commandments and sin not against Thee this day. Grant us this for the sake of Thy mercy, which endureth for ever and ever. Amen.