Lutheran Liturgy: The Prayers of the Church

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the sermon of Christ Jesus as St. Paul says. In the Divine Service up to this point, the Christian has heard the sermon of Christ read in the daily lessons, sung in the psalmody and hymnody, and preached in the pastor’s sermon. Through this bodily and external word, the Holy Spirit works justifying faith which clings to the Gospel of Christ crucified and raised for the ungodly. Much like the natural pattern of breathing in and breathing out, the Holy Spirit inspires the supernatural pattern of faith and prayer. The Spirit breathes into us his word, life, and faith, and we breathe out words of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise. Thus, the church of Christ as the congregation of believers is at its core a praying church. A church without prayer is like a body without breath. 

I.

What is prayer? Quite simply, prayer is speaking to God in thoughts and words. In the language of the Old Testament, it is “the words of one’s mouth and the meditations of one’s heart,” (Ps 19:14) or “calling upon the name of the Lord” (Ps 105:1). Though prayer can occur either silently or audibly, it is always wrapped up in language and takes on different linguistic forms. Prayer can take on the form of confession, either of sins or of faith (Ps 51). It can take on the form of a petition or request seeking after something from God (Ps 22). It can take the form of thanksgiving, which expresses gratitude for the graciousness of God (Ps 82). On the other hand, it can also take on the form of lament or complaint which expresses sorrow and displeasure with God (Ps 10). Finally, prayer can also take the form of praise or adoration which extols God’s wonderful deeds and qualities (Ps 136). 

Why do we pray? First, we pray because God has commanded us to. In the Second Commandment God forbids us to misuse his name, and in so doing directs us to the proper use of his name which, as Luther teaches us, is to “call upon God in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.” Likewise, in the Third Commandment we are commanded to sanctify the worship day, to “not despise preaching or God’s word, but gladly hear and learn it.” These commands from Moses are repeated by St. Paul: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people… that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim 2:1-2), and again, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess 5:16-18). 

In addition to this word of command, God has attached a particular word of promise to prayer. Christ Jesus himself says, “whatever you ask in prayer you will receive” (Mt 21:22), “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (Jn 16:24), and again, “ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Lk 11:9). As Luther says, “This means that I should be certain that these petitions… are heard by him; for he himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us.” And we can know this and be all the more certain with the very specific prayer that Jesus has given to us, the Lord’s Prayer. In itself, the Lord’s Prayer as given from God is the best and most perfect prayer and we can have every assurance that God is pleased with it, hears it, and will answer it. 

How does God answer prayer? In his own way and on his own time. All prayer is prayed in the full confidence of St. Paul’s dictum, “All the promises of God find their Yes in Christ. That is why through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Cor 1:20). All that God has promised he will do and as such all godly prayer is prayed with robust faith and confidence. Alongside of this, all our prayers are prayed with Christ’s own petition in the garden of Gethsemane, “Nevertheless, not my will by thy will be done” (Lk 22:42). With this we recognize that in sin we might not want or desire those things which are in our own best interest, but God as our heavenly Father knows his children’s needs and desires and will satisfy them according to his perfect will. Thus, God will answer all our prayers how and when he sees fit. What should we do if it appears that God is not listening to or answering our prayers? Pray all the more! Here the example of the widow and the unjust judge or the patriarch Jacob at the Jabbok are our examples. “Give me justice against my adversary!” and “I will not let you go until you bless me!” God delights to wrestle with his saints and be overcome by prayer and faith. Prayer is, as one theologian puts it, “the violence that God delights in” (Tertullian, Apology, 39).


II.

When and where should we pray? Everywhere and all the time. However, traditionally Christians have set aside particular times and places for prayer. In church, prayer is done from the Altar and likewise in the home it has historically been done “from the altar,” which is to say, from the home altar. The idea of a home altar is, quite tragically, an entirely foreign concept to many, but within Lutheranism it was standard up until very recently. A home altar is a dedicated space within the home where prayer, bible reading, and meditation occur. It is typically adorned with candles, a crucifix, and perhaps a piece of religious artwork. If not its own distinct space, the dining table can double as a home altar. The typical times of prayer are morning, noon, and evening, which are carried over from the hours of prayer in the Temple. As Christians we also recognize noon as the hour in which Jesus was crucified, the evening when he was laid to rest, and the morning when he was raised. Likewise, the days of the week assume special sacred significance from Christ’s life: Sunday of the Resurrection, Thursday of the institution of the Supper, Friday of the Passion, and Saturday of his rest in the Tomb. From the monks of the early Middle Ages we’ve inherited eight “Canonical Hours,” namely, Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers, and Compline. These prayer offices would be observed throughout the day, roughly every three hours such that the entire day was filled with prayer. 

How do we pray? Prayer can be done individually or congregationally, collectively or responsively. The Prayers of the Church are an example of congregational praying which can be done either collectively or responsively. Responsive prayer is easily recognizable because the congregation responds throughout. Following each “bid” at the invitation, “Let us pray to the Lord” the congregation replies, “Lord, have mercy,” and likewise to “Lord in your mercy” saying, “Hear our prayer.” The first form, also known as the ektene form, is probably the most ancient. The second form is probably the most widely used today. Within the tradition of the Reformation and the Common Service, the more typical practice is to use a collective General prayer which is prayed by the congregation, voiced by the pastor. At the conclusion, the congregation gives their final word of “Amen” signifying that the pastor’s voice is their own and his prayer is theirs. 

What should we pray for? Following the encouragement of St. Paul, we pray for the church and her ministry, government and all who lead, those in sickness or need, our daily bread and daily labors, teachers and students, the young and the old, etc. In sum, anything and everything. The prayer by Ambrose of Milan contained in the Service of Prayer and Preaching (LSB 265) is a particularly good example of how expansive and broad our prayers can be, but it is always good for the general needs of all to be seasoned with the specific needs of the congregation in their own time and place. 

Apart from the Prayers of the Church in the Chief Service, smaller prayer offices have been retained in Lutheran Service Book for congregational and personal use. The offices of Matins and Vespers, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, and Compline (LSB 219-59) are fine services that can be done in both church and at home. Responsive Prayer 1 & 2 and the Litany can be used as a supplement to these services or as standalone pieces respectively (LSB 282-89). Additionally, several shorter spoken services are included for the hours of morning, noon, evening, mealtime, and the close of the day (LSB 294-98). A catalog of prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings is provided as well (LSB 305-18). And finally, Luther’s prayers from his Small Catechism for morning and evening, and before and after meals are also included (LSB 327-28). Altogether, our hymnal thoroughly equips the Christian for a robust life of prayer. 


Rev. Philip D. Bartelt

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd

Baptism of Our Lord, 2025