Simeon prays over the Infant Jesus

According to the Law of Moses, every Jewish couple had to present their first-born son to God and offer a sacrifice, so the child would be “holy to the Lord.” As Mary and Joseph obeyed this ruling from the Torah, the Holy Spirit urged a devout man named Simeon to enter the Temple, where he saw the Baby Jesus and took Him into his arms. 

People did not expect the Anointed One – the Messiah, the Christ – to come as a newborn, but Simeon immediately recognized the Baby as The One. Since the Lord had promised the aging man he would not die before seeing the Messiah, Simeon blessed the family and burst into praise and this prophetic prayer:

Luke 2:29-32 – a prayer of Simeon

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant

depart in peace, according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared

before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles,

and the glory of thy people Israel.

From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual Bible prayers collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version 

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Luke 2:29-32 – a prayer of Simeon

And now, Lord, Your bond-servant

can go in peace,

for You have kept Your word,

and my eyes have witnessed Your

salvation –

the salvation You prepared

in the presence of all nations –

the Light You revealed to everyone,

the glory You have with Your people.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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Magnificat: Mary’s Magnificent Prayer

Can you imagine the Virgin Mary’s puzzlement and awe when Gabriel, the Angel of God, appeared before her? Then even more puzzling and awesome, the Angel announced that God had chosen her to bear His Son!

Immediately, Mary believed him but, naturally, had questions. Gabriel answered, explaining how the Holy Spirit would come upon her or, as many translations say, “overshadow” her.

As Mary took this all in, Gabriel went on to tell her something only Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah knew: that the elderly couple would soon have their first child.

By then, Elizabeth was only three months away from the birth of a son, who would become known as John the Baptist. But, perhaps because of her age or Zechariah’s temporary muteness as a result of his unbelief or because she didn’t know how people would respond after years of taunting her for being barren – for whatever reason, Elizabeth had kept herself confined for six months. Surely she needed help! And, now with child herself, the young virgin hurried to help.

As soon as Mary arrived, Elizabeth’s unborn baby jumped for joy. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth exclaimed over Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42.)

With unimaginable joy and awe, Mary burst into praise. And that prayer became known as the “Magnificat,” which comes from the first line of the prayer as translated from its original Aramaic language into Latin, “Magnificat anima mea Dominum.” When translated into English, the Magnificat joyously proclaims, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

Luke 1:46-50, from the King James Version (KJV) 

And Mary said,

My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced

in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded

the low estate of his handmaiden:

for, behold, from henceforth all

generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done

to me great things;

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them

that fear him

from generation to generation.

From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual prayers from God’s Word collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version of the Bible

Luke 1:46-50, in contemporary English

With all my heart, I praise You, Lord!

What favor You have shown!

From now on, every generation 

will call me blessed

because of the great things

You have done for me.

Holy is Your Name!

In every generation,

You give mercy upon mercy

to all who honor You.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

May you have a blessed Christmas and 20/20 vision in a joyous new year.

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Bible Prayer to Prepare the Way for Christ

In this prayer from the Bible, the Jewish priest Zechariah praised God and prophesied over his son John, who was to prepare the way for the coming of Christ.

May this season of Advent help us to do the same as we make more and more room in our lives for the Lord Jesus.

Luke 1:68-70, 76, 77 – a prayer of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel;

for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

And hath raised up an horn of salvation

for us in the house of his servant David;

As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,

which have been since the world began:

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet

of the Highest: for thou shalt go before

the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people

by the remission of their sins.

From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual prayers from God’s Word collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version of the Bible

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Luke 1:68-70, 76, 77 – a prayer of Zechariah

Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel!

You have visited us and provided

redemption for Your people!

You have raised up a mighty Savior

from the house of David,

just as You promised ages ago

through the holy prophets.

And, now my child will be

a prophet of the Most High

to go before the Lord

and prepare the way

for You to give people

good news of salvation

as You forgive our sins.

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of English translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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A Bible prayer to begin Advent

This year, Advent began on the first day of December and will continue to Christmas week. The timing is appropriate since the very word “Advent” comes from a Latin root, which means “come” or “coming.” Therefore, this special season of the church calls on Christians from every part of the Body of Christ to prepare the way for the Lord in our individual and corporate lives. May Paul's prayer help us to get started in this year’s adventure into Advent:

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 28 – a prayer of Paul

Dear God,

sanctify us through and through –

through You –

our God of peace.

May our whole bodies,

souls, and spirits

be free of blame

at the coming

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

for You are faithful

and can do anything!

May the grace

of our Lord Jesus Christ

be with us all.

from the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers collected from the Bible and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

For those who prefer the King James Version of the Bible, here’s the same prayer, directly quoted from KJV.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 28 – a prayer of Paul

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;

and I pray God your whole spirit and soul

and body be preserved blameless unto

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Amen.

From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual prayers collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version of the Bible

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Bible Prayers: Thanksgiving to God

Thanksgiving reminds us to count our blessings and thank God for our families, friends, church, and country. It’s also an ideal time to pray these Bible prayers, first from the King James Version of the Bible, then these contemporary, paraphrased Bible prayers:

Psalm 75:1 – a prayer of Asaph

Unto thee, O God,

do we give thanks,

unto thee

do we give thanks:

for that thy name is near

thy wondrous works declare.

from the Book of KJV Prayers

Psalm 75:1 – a prayer of Asaph

We give thanks

to You, O Lord.

We give thanks.

For Your Name

is near.

Your Name

holds wondrous

deeds.

from the Book of Bible Prayers

Psalm 100 – a prayer of God’s people

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness:

come before his presence with singing.

 Know ye that the Lord he is God:

it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth to all generations.

from the Book of KJV Prayers

Psalm 100 – a prayer of God’s people

Earth, I’m calling on you to make

a joyful noise to the Lord!

We worship You, Lord, with gladness.

We sing our way into Your presence.

We know You are God, and it is You,

Who has made us – we, Your people,

the sheep of Your pastures.

With thanks, we enter Your gates

and come into Your courts with praise.

We’re so grateful to You,

we bless and hallow Your Name.

How good You are, Lord! How faithful!

Your mercy  lasts forever, and Your truth

goes on and on to all generations.

from the Book of Bible Prayers

Psalm 106:47 – a prayer of God’s people

Save us, O Lord our God,

and gather us

from among the heathen,

to give thanks

unto thy holy name,

and to triumph in thy praise.

from the Book of KJV Prayers

Psalm 106:47 – a prayer of God’s people

O Lord, our God, rescue us.

Gather us together,

so we may give thanks

to Your holy Name.

May we glory

in Your praise.

from the Book of Bible Prayers

1 Timothy 2:1-6  – a prayer of Paul

I exhort therefore, that, first of all,

supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks, be made for all…;

For kings, and for all that are in authority;

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable

life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight

of God our Saviour; Who will have

all to be saved, and to come

unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator

between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave himself a ransom for all,

to be testified in due time.

from the Book of KJV Prayers

1 Timothy 2:1-6  – a prayer of Paul

Remind us, Lord,

to make our requests –

our prayers,

intercession,

and thanksgiving –

for everyone,

including our leaders

and all those in authority,

so we may live

peaceful,

quiet,

godly,

holy lives.

Surely this pleases You,

God our Savior,

for You want everyone

to be saved

and come to know

the truth in You.

You alone are God,

and we have One

mediator between You

and other people –

the One, Christ Jesus,

Who gave Himself

as a ransom for us

and everyone.

from the Book of Bible Prayers

Have a blessed Thanksgiving to God!

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

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