Philip Doddridge: Piercing Heaven – Puritan’s Prayers

O Lord, let your grace and your love do for us what fear of your terrors alone cannot.

Melt our hearts by that nobler principle, and teach us to despise everything that would displease you.

Let our hearts respond with the same kind of compassion that motivated you, Jesus, to serve the poor.

And whenever we do make mistakes, let us err on the side of compassion—a love that would never harm the worst sinner—much less the least and weakest of God’s servants.

We consecrate our lives to you, Lord, even to death. We will not then feel the bitterness of death half so much, when our hearts are ablaze with a zeal for your glory.

Amen.