Luther's Expanded Lord's Prayer

Here at the Sem, one of my classes has me reading a book on Luther's spiritual and devotional practices. When talking about prayer, Luther highly encourages his readers to, when they pray, pray the Lord's Prayer and then go back and expand on it. This is what he does in his Deutsche Messe; and those blessed with an LSB can find a decent translation of it on pages 215-216.

Just the other day, I came across another version of this same prayer. Back in the 16th century, the first person ever to publish the whole Bible in English, Bishop Matthew Coverdale, had to flee to Denmark for a few years when things got heated in England because of the Reformation. While there, he translated parts of their liturgy- including this prayer- from Danish into English.

As you read Coverdale's translation, I encourage you to do so out loud, since this is how Coverdale intended it to be read. If you are "lucky" enough to own an LSB and compare the two translations, see where you like Coverdale's more, and where you like the LSB's more. Then you can read below, where I've given my own "best of both worlds" version. As always, comments are welcome.

Let us heartily make our prayer to God the Father of all mercy, believing assuredly that He will graciously hear us thru our Lord Jesus Christ, Who commanded us to pray, and promised us saying, "Ask and ye shall have; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." Wherefore, in consideration of the same commandment and promise, lift up your hearts, and say thus with me in your prayer:

O Lord God, our Father in heaven, we Thy miserable children upon earth beseech Thee, that Thou wilt mercifully look on us and lend us Thy grace; that Thy holy Name may be sanctified among us and in all the world, thru the sincere teaching of the Word, and thru earnest charity in our daily living, and our conversation. Seclude Thou graciously all false doctrine and evil living, whereby Thy worthy Name might be blasphemed and slandered.

Oh, let Thy kingdom come, and be great. All sinful, blind people, and such as are holden captive of the devil in his kingdom, those bring Thou to the knowledge of the true faith in Jesus Christ Thy Son.

Strengthen us, Lord, with Thy Spirit, to do and to suffer Thy will both in life and death, in weal and woe; that our will may alway be broken, offered up, and mortified.

And give us our daily bread. Preserve us from covetous desire, and carefulness of the belly; that of Thee we may be assured to have abundance of all good things.

Forgive us our trespass, as we forgive them which offend us; that our heart may have a sure and glad conscience, and that we never fear, nor be afraid for any sin.

Lead us not into temptation, but help us thru Thy Spirit to subdue the flesh, to despise the world with his vanities, and to overcome the devil with all his crafty assaults.

And finally, deliver Thou us from all evil, both bodily and ghostly, temporal and eternal. Amen.

They that earnestly desire all this, let them say, "Amen!" believing without any doubt that it is granted and heard in heaven, according as Christ promised us, saying, "When ye pray, believe assuredly that ye shall have it, and it shall come to pass." Amen.

 And now my melding of the two, minus the congregation response.

Friends in Christ, let us heartily pray to God the Father of all mercy, believing assuredly that He will graciously hear us thru our Lord Jesus Christ, Who commanded us to pray, and promised us saying, "Ask and you shall have; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." Therefore, in consideration of the same commandment and promise, I urge you all to lift up your hearts and pray with me:

O Lord God, our Father in heaven, we, Your needy children on earth, beseech You to mercifully look on us and grant us Your grace; that Your holy Name be hallowed among us and in all the world, thru the pure and true teaching of Your Word and thru earnest love shown forth in our daily living, and our conversation. Graciously seclude all false doctrine and evil living, whereby Your worthy Name is blasphemed and slandered.

Let Your kingdom come and be great. Bring all sinful people, and those blinded and bound in the devil's kingdom to know Jesus Christ, Your Son, by faith. 

Strengthen us, Lord, with Your Spirit, to do and to suffer Your will, both in life and death, in weal and woe; that our own wills may always be broken, offered up, and mortified. 

Give us our daily bread. Preserve us from greed and selfish cares; that we may trust in You to have abundance of all good things.

Forgive us our sins and we forgive those who sin against us, so that our hearts may have a sure and glad conscience, and that no sin may ever frighten or alarm us.

Lead us not into temptation, O Lord, but help us by Your Spirit to subdue our flesh, to turn from the world and its vanities, and to overcome the devil with all his crafty assaults. 

P: Lastly, O heavenly Father, deliver us from all evil of both body and soul, now and forever. Amen.