A Guide for Daily Prayer and Meditation 

May 7-14, 2023

Pray and confess out loud as much as you are able or based on your family size and ages. You may follow the “Morning” or the “Close of the Day” according to time of day. (Alternative orders are in the LSB hymnal pp. 295-298)

+++

The sign of the cross + may be made by all in remembrance of their baptism.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Morning Close of the Day

In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice;

In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch

The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.

Amen.

My mouth is filled with Your praise,

And with Your glory all the day.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

To sing praise to Your name, O Most High;

O Lord, open my lips,

And my mouth will declare Your praise.

To herald Your love in the morning;

Your truth at the close of the day.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Hymn of the Month for May: LSB 549 All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

One or more verses from the hymn of the month are sung, or another hymn may be chosen.

Verse of the Week: Romans 6:9; John 14:23

We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 

If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Daily Lectionary

  Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Old Testament

Leviticus

20:1-16, 22-27

Leviticus

21:1-24

Leviticus

23:1-22

Leviticus

23:23-44

Leviticus

24:1-23

Leviticus

18:1-7, 20-19:8

Leviticus

26:21-33, 39-44

Numbers

3:1-16, 39-48
Psalms  37; 150 31; 25 127; 92 116; 123 52; 107 119:33-40; 81 63; 78 135; 60
New Testament

Luke

11:37-54

Luke

12:1-12

Luke

12:13-34

Luke

12:35-53

Luke

12:54-13:17

Luke

13:18-35

Luke

14:1-24

Luke

14:25-15:10

The Lord’s Prayer: The Seventh Petition 

      But deliver us from evil.

What does this mean?

      We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.

The Apostles’ Creed is confessed † Lord’s Prayer † Prayers for Others and Ourselves

Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Prayer based on the Seventh Petition

O Lord God, I am weak and fearful. I flee evil and do all I can to guard myself against it. Nevertheless, I am in Your hands in this evil and every other evil that may overtake me. My flight is not enough since evil and misery are everywhere. The devil—who is a murderer from the beginning and always tries to bring misery—never rests nor sleeps. Now You have confined me to this place. Your will be done, for I am Your poor creature. You are able to deliver me in this extreme danger as easily as though I were endangered by fire, water, thirst, or any other peril. Amen. (Martin Luther, 1483-1546)

Morning Close of the Day

Almighty God, merciful Father, who created and completed all things, on this day when the work of our calling begins anew, we implore You to create its beginning, direct its continuance, and bless its end, that our doings may be preserved from sin, our life sanctified, and our work be well pleasing to you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen

Visit our dwellings, O Lord, and in Your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of Your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Excerpts from the Large Catechism on the Seventh Petition

  • [This petition also includes] whatever evil may happen to us under the devil’s kingdom: poverty, shame, death, and, in short, all agonizing misery and heartache of which there is such an unnumbered multitude on the earth. Since the devil is not only a liar, but also a murderer, he constantly seeks our life. He wreaks his vengeance whenever he can afflict our bodies with misfortune and harm. Therefore, it happens that he often breaks men’s necks or drives them to insanity, drowns some, and moves many to commit suicide and to many terrible disasters. So there is nothing for us to do upon earth but to pray against this archenemy without stopping. For unless God preserved us, we would not be safe from this enemy even for an hour. (422:115-116)
  • You see again how God wishes for us to pray to Him also for all the things that affect our bodily interests, so that we seek and expect help nowhere else except in Him. But He has put this matter last. For if we are to be preserved and delivered from all evil, God’s name must first be hallowed in us, His kingdom must be with us, and besides, from everything that may hurt or harm us. (422:117-118)

Bible Verses for Meditation on the Seventh Petition

  • But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
  • So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
  • Also Psalm 91, Psalm 121, “Morning Prayer”, and “Evening Prayer” 

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