Wesley's Prayerbook Litany (updated English)

One of the exciting things happening right now in Methodist/Wesleyan circles is the formation of the Wesleyan-Anglican Society - reconnecting Methodists with our Anglican heritage, connecting Anglicans of a Wesleyan bent (the Wesley brothers were Anglican priests, after all) with other Wesleyan Christians, and serving as a platform for dialogue between Methodist and Anglican Christians. 

As a member of the Society, I am committed to pray the daily office (either from The Book of Common Prayer of 1662, Wesley's revision thereof, The Sunday Service Book, or one of the liturgical books descended from these sources), which I have already been striving for using The United Methodist Book of Worship.  Members of the Society are also encouraged to pray the Litany from one of these Prayerbooks on Wednesdays and Fridays (in accord with the Anglican tradition and Wesley's own recommendation); for me this is a new practice I am striving to "pick up."
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The Litany was the first service to be prepared in English for the Church of England in 1544, 10 years after King Henry severed ties with the pope in Rome. The Litany was compiled by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer based upon several sources: the Medieval (Latin) Sarum Liturgy that was widely used in England during the Middle Ages, Luther's German Litany, and the Greek Orthodox Litany. The Litany has remained a core element of all editions of The Book of Common Prayer, including the 1662 Prayerbook that was used by the Wesley brothers.

When John Wesley revised the Prayerbook in 1784 for Methodist usage in North America, he made virtually no changes to the Litany, though some prayers relating to the ruling authorities (such as the King of England) were revised for American use. While the Litany was originally recommended in the Anglican tradition for use on Sundays (as a bridge between the Morning Prayer service and the Holy Communion Service) and Wednesdays and Fridays, Wesley maintains only the recommendation to use it on Wednesdays and Fridays (in order to shorten the Sunday liturgy).

This modern-language revision is based upon the litany in Wesley's Sunday Service book, and has been compared with the 1662 and the 1979 Common Prayer books.

Recommended for Wednesdays and Fridays, or for other occasions;

O God the Father of heaven; have mercy upon us sinners.

O God the Father of heaven; have mercy upon us sinners.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world; have mercy upon us sinners.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world; have mercy upon us sinners.

O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful; have mercy upon us sinners.

O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful; have mercy upon us sinners.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God; have mercy upon us sinners.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God; have mercy upon us sinners.

Lord, keep no record of our offenses, nor the offenses of our ancestors; and do not punish our sins: spare us, good Lord, spare your people whom you have redeemed with your most precious blood, and do not be angry with us forever.

Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and harm, from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil, from your wrath, and from everlasting damnation,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all spiritual blindness, from pride, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all lack of love and charity,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From sinful affections, fornication, and any other deadly sin; and from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from dying unprepared,

Good Lord, deliver us.

From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; from false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of your word and commandment,

Good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of your holy Incarnation; by your holy Nativity and Circumcision; by your Baptism, fasting, and temptation,

Good Lord, deliver us.

By your agony and bloody sweat; by your Cross and Passion; by your precious death and burial; by your glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Spirit,

Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the Day of Judgment,

Good Lord, deliver us.

We sinners ask you to hear us, O Lord God, and may you govern and guide your holy catholic Church in the right way,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you strengthen the godly faith, the righteousness, and the holy living of all your servants who hold the authority of government in this nation,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you lead their hearts to trust, fear, and love you, that they may evermore seek your honor and glory,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you enlighten all ministers of your church and your gospel with true knowledge and understanding of your holy word, that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and declare it,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you bless and keep all magistrates and judges, giving them grace to execute justice and maintain the truth,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you bless and keep all your people,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you give to all nations unity, peace, and concord,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you give us hearts to love and revere you, and diligently to keep your commandments,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you give all your people an increase of grace to hear your Word, to receive it with pure hearts, and to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you bring into the way of truth all those who have erred and who are deceived,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you strengthen those who stand firm in faith, comfort and help the faint-hearted, raise up those who fall, and finally beat down Satan under our feet,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you sustain, help, and comfort all who are in danger, need, and tribulation,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you preserve all who travel, women in childbirth and their little ones, all sick persons and young people; and show your pity to all prisoners and captives,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you defend and provide for all orphans and widows, and all who are desolate and oppressed,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you have mercy upon all people,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and turn their hearts,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you give and preserve to our use the good fruits of the earth, that in due time all may enjoy your creation,

Hear us, good Lord.

May you grant us true repentance, forgive all our sin, negligence and ignorance, and pour upon us the grace of your Holy Spirit to conform our lives to your holy word,

Hear us, good Lord.

Son of God, we beg you to hear us.

Son of God, we beg you to hear us.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

Grant us your peace.

O Christ, hear us.

O Christ, hear us.

Lord, have mercy upon us. (Kyrie eleison)

Lord have mercy upon us. (Kyrie eleison)

Christ, have mercy upon us. (Christe eleison)

Christ have mercy upon us. (Christe eleison)

Lord, have mercy upon us. (Kyrie eleison)

Lord, have mercy upon us. (Kyrie eleison)

Our Father, who art in heaven, 

hallowed be thy Name;

Thy Kingdom come;

thy will be done on Earth,

as it is in heaven:

Give us this day

our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

And lead us not 

into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom,

the power, and the glory forever.

O Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins,

And do not reward us according to our iniquities.

Let us pray.

O God, merciful Father, who does not ignore the sighing of a contrite heart or the anguish of the sorrowful: Mercifully help us to turn to you with prayer in all our troubles and adversities; and graciously hear us so that the evils brought against us by the craft of the devil or the work of human hands may all come to nothing; and grant that we your servants may not be harmed by any persecutions, but may evermore give thanks to you in your holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for your Name's sake.

O Lord, we have heard with our ears and our ancestors have declared to us the noble works that you have done from of old,

O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for your honor.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

From our enemies defend us, O Christ.

Graciously look upon our afflictions.

Behold with pity the sorrow of our hearts.

Mercifully forgive the sins of your people.

By your favor and mercy, hear our prayers.

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon us.

Hear us, Lord Christ, now and always.

Graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.

O Lord, let your mercy be shown to us,

Because we put our trust in you.

Let us pray.

We humbly ask you, O Father, to look upon our infirmities with mercy; and for the glory of your name to turn away from us all those evils that we have deserved; and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in your mercy; and that we may evermore serve you in holiness and purity of life, to your honor and glory; through our Advocate and only Mediator, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Free prayers may be offered here, as the Spirit leads

Prayer of St. John Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his name, you will be in the midst of them and hear them. Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

The Blessing – 2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all evermore. Amen.