This is great prayer by Karl Barth that is in the Selected Prayer svolume that was translated by Keith Crim (Richmond: John Knox). It was meant for a Sunday morning, but I do think it is good for every day use.
“Holy and Compassionate God, how great is Thy goodness, which permits us to enjoy this day and now brings us together to call on Thee and to hear Thy comforting and exhorting words.
What are we men befor eThee? How much conceit, hardness, and falsehood there is in our thoughts, words, and deeds. And as a result how much error and confusion, how much sorrow and need here an in the whole world.
But over it all Thy fatherly heart is open for us and Thy had remains strong to hold us, to lead us, and to make us free. Thou dost not forget or reject any of us. Thou art near to us all. Thou dost call to us, everyone.
Make us aware of this again on this Sunday morning. do Thou see to it that what we do here in praying and singing, in preaching and hearing, may not be done in vain, but be to Thy honor and to the awakening, enlightening, and lifting up of us all, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
“Holy and Compassionate God, how great is Thy goodness, which permits us to enjoy this day and now brings us together to call on Thee and to hear Thy comforting and exhorting words.
What are we men befor eThee? How much conceit, hardness, and falsehood there is in our thoughts, words, and deeds. And as a result how much error and confusion, how much sorrow and need here an in the whole world.
But over it all Thy fatherly heart is open for us and Thy had remains strong to hold us, to lead us, and to make us free. Thou dost not forget or reject any of us. Thou art near to us all. Thou dost call to us, everyone.
Make us aware of this again on this Sunday morning. do Thou see to it that what we do here in praying and singing, in preaching and hearing, may not be done in vain, but be to Thy honor and to the awakening, enlightening, and lifting up of us all, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
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