Joseph Alleine: Piercing Heaven – Puritan’s Prayers

What nation on earth is like your people?

You, God, came to redeem us as a people for yourself. You have confirmed us to yourself, to be a people for you forever; and you, Lord, have become our God. Wonder, O heavens, and be moved, O earth, at this great thing!

The tabernacle of God is with us, and you will dwell with us, and we will be your people; and you yourself will be with us, and be our God.

We are astonished and ravished with wonder, for the infinite breach is made up, the offender is received, God and man reconciled, and a covenant of peace entered into. Heaven and earth are all agreed upon the terms.

O happy conclusion! Will the stars dwell with the dust? Or the wide distant poles be brought together?

But here the distance of the terms is infinitely greater. Rejoice, O angels; shout, O seraphim; O all you friends of the bridegroom, be ready with the marriage song.

Look, here is the wonder of wonders: for you, Jehovah, have betrothed yourself forever to your hopeless captives, and you declare the marriage before all the world. You have become one with us and we with you.

You have bequeathed to us the precious things of heaven above, and the precious things of the earth beneath, and you have kept back nothing from us.

And now, O Lord, you are that God, and your words are true. You have promised this goodness to your servants, and have left us nothing to ask from your hands except what you have freely granted already.

Establish forever the word which you have spoken concerning your servants. Do as you have said; and let your name be magnified forever, saying, “The Lord of hosts, he is the God of Israel.”

Hallelujah!

Amen.