Richard Alleine: Piercing Heaven – Puritan’s Prayers

What is left, O Lord, but to spend the rest of my days loving, praising, and admiring you?

But how can I come before the Lord, or bring myself before the most high God? What can I give you to express my thankfulness, a poor exchange for your bounty?

What a shame that my soul is so poor, and so weak. A shame that my voice can reach no higher a note of praise! But will I do nothing, because I cannot do all?

Lord, I yield my all to you. With the poor widow, I cast my two pennies, my soul and body, into your treasury. All my powers will love and serve you. Everything in me will be weapons of righteousness for you.

I lay all at your feet. There you have them; they are yours. My children I enter as your servants. My possessions I give up as your right. I will call nothing mine but you. Everything that is mine is yours.

I can say, “My Lord and my God,” and that is enough. I thankfully give up my claim to everything else. I will never again say, “My house is mine,” or “My wealth is mine.”

I myself am not my own.

It is infinitely better for me to be yours, than if I were mine own. This is my happiness, that I can say, “My own God, my own Father.”

And what a blessed exchange have you made with me: to give me yourself, an infinite sum, for myself, a mere nothing!

And now, Lord, accept and own my claim. I am not worthy of anything of yours—much less of you. But since I have a deed to show, I bring your word in my hand and am bold to take possession.

Amen.