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Private Prayers On Arising From Sleep
First prayer of St Macarius the Great
O God, cleanse me a sinner, for I have never done anything good in Your
sight; deliver me from the evil one, and may Your will be done in me, that I
may open my unworthy mouth without condemnation, and praise Your holy Name
of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Second prayer of St Macarius the Great
Having risen from sleep, I offer You, O Savior, the midnight song, and I
fall down and cry to You: grant me not to fall asleep in the death of sin,
but have compassion on me, for You were voluntarily crucified for us. Hasten
to raise me who am prostrate in idleness, and save me in prayer and
intercession, and after the night's sleep, bless me with a sinless day, O
Christ our God, and save me.
Third prayer of St Macarius the Great
Having risen from sleep I hasten to You, O Lord, Lover or mankind, and by
Your loving kindness I strive to do Your work, and I pray to You: help me at
all times, in everything, and deliver me from every evil thing of the world
and every attack of the devil, and lead me into Your eternal Kingdom. For
You are my Creator, the Giver and Provider of everything good, and all my
hope is in You, and to You I send up glory, now and ever and forever. Amen.
First Prayer of St Basil the Great
Almighty Lord, God of Powers and of all flesh, Who live in the highest and
care for the humble, Who search our hearts and affections, and clearly know
the secrets of mankind; eternal and ever living Light, in Whom is no change
of shadow or variation; O immortal King, receive our prayers which at the
present time we offer to You from unclean lips, trusting in the multitude of
Your mercies. Forgive all sins committed by us in thought, word, or deed,
consciously or unconsciously, and cleanse us from all defilement of flesh
and spirit. Grant us to pass the night of the whole present life with
wakeful heart and sober thought, ever expecting the coming of the radiant
day of the appearing of Your Only begotten Son, our Lord and God and Savior,
Jesus Christ, when the Judge of all will come with glory to render to each
according to his deeds. May we not be found fallen and idle, but awake and
alert for action, ready to accompany Him into the joy and divine palace of
His glory, where there is the ceaseless sound of those keeping festival, and
the unspeakable delight of those who behold the ineffable beauty of Your
face. For You are the true Light that enlightens and sanctifies all, and all
creation sings to You throughout the ages. Amen.
Second prayer of St Basil the Great
We bless You, O most high God and Lord of mercy, Who are ever doing
numberless great and inscrutable things with us, glorious and wonderful; Who
grant to us sleep for rest from our infirmities, and repose from the burdens
of our much toiling flesh and minds. We thank You that You have not
destroyed us with our sins, but have loved us as ever, and though we are
sunk in despair, You have raised us up to glorify Your power. Therefore we
implore Your incomparable goodness, enlighten the eyes of our understanding
and raise up our mind from the heavy sleep of indolence; open our mouth and
fill it with Your praise, that we may be able undistracted to sing and
confess You, Who are God glorified in all and by all, the Eternal Father,
with Your Only begotten Son, and Your All Holy and Good and Life-creating
Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ
My most merciful and all-merciful God, Lord Jesus Christ, through Your great
love You came down and took flesh to save all. And again, O Savior, save me
by Your grace, I pray, for if You should save me for my works, this would
not be a grace or a gift, but rather a duty. Indeed, in Your infinite
compassion and unspeakable mercy, You, O my Christ have said, "Whoever
believes in me shall live and never see death." If faith in You saves the
desperate, save me, for You are my God and Creator. Impute my faith instead
of deeds, O my God, for You will find no deeds which could justify me, but
may my faith suffice for all my deeds. May it answer for and acquit me, and
may it make me a partaker of Your eternal glory. And may Satan not seize me,
O Word, and boast that he has torn me from Your hand and fold. O Christ, my
Savior, whether I will it or not, save me. Come quickly, hurry, for I
perish. You are my God from my mother's womb. Grant me, O Lord, to love You
now as once I loved sin, and also to work for You without idleness, as I
worked before for deceptive Satan. But supremely shall I work for You, my
Lord and God, Jesus Christ, all the days of my life, now and forever and to
ages of ages. Amen.
Midnight Hymn to the Mother of God
I sing your grace, O Lady, and pray to you to grace my mind. Teach me to
step correctly in the way of Christ's commandments. Strengthen me to keep
awake in song, and dispel the dream of despondency. Release me, bound with
bonds of sin, O Bride of God, by your prayers. Guard me by night and also by
day, and drive away my foes who defeat me. O Bearer of God, the Giver of
Life, enliven me who am deadened by passions. O Bearer of the unfailing
Light, enlighten my blinded soul. O Marvelous Palace of the Master, make me
to be a house of the Divine Spirit. O Mother of the Healer, heal the
perennial passions of my soul. Guide me to the path of repentance, for I am
tossed in the storm of life. Deliver me from eternal fire, from wicked war,
and from hell. Expose me not to the pleasure of demons, though I am guilty
of many sins. Renew me, grown old from senseless sins, O Most Immaculate
One. Present me untouched by all torments, and pray for me to the Lord of
all. Grant me to receive the joys of Heaven with all the saints. O most holy
Virgin, hear the voice of your unprofitable servant. Grant me torrents of
tears, O most Pure One, to cleanse my soul from impurity. I offer the groans
of my heart to you unceasingly. Strive for me, O Sovereign Lady. Accept my
service of supplication and offer it to the compassionate God. As you are
more honorable than the Angels, raise me above this world's confusion. O
Light-bearing heavenly Tabernacle, direct the grace of the Spirit in me. I
raise my hands and lips in your praise, defiled as they are by impurity, O
All Immaculate One. Deliver me from soul corrupting evils, and fervently
intercede with Christ, to Whom is due honor with adoration, now and ever and
forever. Amen.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel of Human Life
O Holy Angel, attendant of my wretched soul and of my afflicted life, do not
forsake me, a sinner, neither depart from me in my incontinency. Give no
room to the evil demon to subdue me with the oppression of this mortal body:
but take me by my wretched and outstretched hand, and lead me in the way of
salvation. O Holy Angel of God, guardian and protector of my soul and body,
forgive me all things whereby I have troubled you all the days of my life,
and if I have sinned in anything towards you this day. Shelter me in this
present day, and keep me from every affront of the enemy, unless I anger God
by any sin; and intercede with the Lord in my behalf, that He strengthen me
in the fear of Him, and make me a worthy servant of His goodness. Amen.
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