Prayer to be Said by a Sick Person

The Standard Prayer Book, tr. by Simeon Singer, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

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PRAYER TO BE SAID BY A SICK PERSON

Psalm xxiii.

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely happiness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days.

Psalm ciii.

A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and Forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquity; who healeth all thy diseases: who redeemeth thy life from the pit; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies: who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth righteous acts, and judgments for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his doings unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always contend; neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor requited us after our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so mighty is his lovingkindness over them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father hath mercy upon his children, so the Lord hath mercy upon them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass; as the flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his precepts to do them. The Lord

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hath established his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels: ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his will. Bless the Lord, all ye his works, in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

Psalm cxxxix.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and knowest me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Thou siftest my path and my lying down, and art familiar with all my ways. For while there is not yet a word on my tongue, lo, thou, O Lord, knowest it all. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither can I go from thy spirit? or whither can I flee from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: or if I make the grave my bed, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Let deep darkness cover me, and the light about me be night; even the darkness darkeneth not from thee, but the night is light as the day—the darkness is as the light. For thou didst form my reins: thou didst weave me together in my mother's womb. I will give thanks unto thee, for that I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well. My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes did see mine unshapen substance; and in thy book the days, even all of them that were to he formed, were written, and for it also there was one among them. How precious unto me are thy thoughts, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God: depart from me, ye bloodthirsty men: they who mention thee for treachery, thine adversaries who take the name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and do not I strive with those that rise up against thee?

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[paragraph continues] I hate them with perfect hatred: they are become mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any way of sorrow in me, and lead me in the way everlasting

A prayer of the afflicted when he fainteth, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress: incline thy ear unto me; in the day when I call answer me speedily. I beseech thee, O Lord, Healer of all flesh, have mercy upon me, and support me in thy grace upon my bed of sickness, for I am weak. Send me and all who are sick among thy children relief and cure. Assuage my pain, and renew my youth as the eagle's. Vouchsafe wisdom unto the physician that he may cure my wound, and so that my health may spring forth speedily. Hear my prayer, prolong my life, let me complete my years in happiness, that I may be enabled to serve thee and keep thy statutes with a perfect heart. Give me understanding to know that this bitter trial hath come upon me for my welfare, so that I may not despise thy chastening nor weary of thy reproof.

O God of forgiveness, who art gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness, I confess unto thee with a broken and contrite heart that I have sinned, and have done that which is evil in thy sight. Behold, I repent me of my evil way, and return unto thee with perfect repentance. Help me, O God of my salvation, that I may not again turn unto folly, but walk before thee in truth and uprightness. Rejoice the soul of thy servant, for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed, save me, and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise. Amen, and Amen!