The Litany (Book of Common Prayer 1662, modern English)

The Litany.

Here follows the Litany, or General Supplication


O God the Father, of heaven : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O God the Father, of heaven : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God : have mercy upon us pitiable sinners.

Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take your vengeance for our sins: Spare us, good Lord, spare your people, whom you have redeemed with your most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from your wrath, and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From fornication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all sedition, secret conspiracy, and rebellion; from all 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, pray that you will hear us, Lord God; and that it may please you to rule and govern your holy universal Church in the right way;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to keep and strengthen in the true worshipping of you, in righteousness and holiness of life, your Servant ELIZABETH, our most gracious Queen and Governor;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to rule her heart in your faith, fear, and love, and that she may evermore have confidence in you, and always seek your honour and glory;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to be her defender and keeper, giving her victory over all her enemies
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bless and preserve Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles, Prince of Wales, and all the Royal Family;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to enlighten all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of your Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth, and show it accordingly;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to endue the Lords of the Council, and all the Nobility, with grace, wisdom, and understanding;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bless and keep the Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bless and keep all your people;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us all hearts to love and fear you, and diligently to live after your commandments;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give to all your people increase of grace to hear meekly your Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to support, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve all who travel by land, by water, all women labouring of child, all sick persons, and young children; and to show your pity upon all prisoners and captives;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all who are desolate and oppressed;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to have mercy upon mankind;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give and preserve to our use the natural fruits of the earth, so that in due time we may enjoy them;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of your Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to your holy Word;
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

Son of God : we pray you will hear us.
Son of God : we pray you will hear us.
O Lamb of God : that takes away the sins of the world;
Grant us your peace.
O Lamb of God : that takes away the sins of the world;
Have mercy upon us.

O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Then shall the Priest, and the people with him, say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.


Priest. O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.
Answer. Neither reward us according to our iniquities.

Let us pray.

O God, merciful Father, who despises not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful; Mercifully assist our prayers, which we make before you, out of all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man works against us be brought to nought; and by the providence of your goodness they may be dispersed; that we your servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto you in your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord.


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

O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us, the noble works that you did in their days, and in ancient times before them.
O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for your honour.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.
From our enemies defend us, O Christ.
Graciously look upon our afflictions.
Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts.
Mercifully forgive the sins of your people.
Favourably with mercy hear our prayers.
O Son of David, have mercy upon us.
Both now and ever promise to hear us, O Christ.
Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.
Priest. O Lord, let your mercy be showed upon us;
Answer. As we put all our trust in you.

Let us pray.

We humbly pray, O Father, mercifully look upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of your Name, turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved; and grant, that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in your mercy, and evermore serve you in holiness and pureness of living, to your honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the time of any common Plague or Sickness.

O Almighty God, who in your wrath sent a plague upon your own people in the wilderness, for their obstinate rebellion against Moses and Aaron; and also, in the time of king David, slew with the plague of Pestilence eighty thousand, and yet remembering your mercy saved the rest; Have pity upon us pitiable sinners, who now are visited with great sickness and mortality; that like as you then accepted an atonement, and commanded the destroying Angel to cease from punishing, so it may now please you to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom.

Almighty God, who has given us grace at this time to unite together in making our shared supplications unto your; and who promises, that when two or three are gathered together in your Name you will grant their requests; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of your servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come everlasting life. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Here ends the Litany.