Evening Prayer on Thursday

Remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches. O loving and merciful God and Father! With thankful heart I come before Thee again in this evening hour, overwhelmed with benefits from Thy hand. O how merciful Thou hast been to me! Like as a father pitieth his children, so Thou hast pitied me, and permitted me to reach this evening unharmed. Thy long suffering has spared me, and Thou hast not punished me as I deserved. O pardon all the transgressions, secret or open, by which I have offended against Thee. I ought to be much stronger in fighting against sin, more zealous in good works, more fervent in prayer, more careful in speech, more holy in conduct. But who can understand his errors? Cleanse me also from secret faults. O let me in future avoid all those things by which I have grieved Thee today. Are my sins great? Still greater is Thy mercy. If Thou wert not a merciful God, who could live?

I now retire to rest. Do Thou, O God, shut me in, as Thou didst Noah in the ark, that no flood of adversity may overwhelm me. Let Thy holy angels guard me, that no visible or invisible foes may disturb my rest. Help me to remember, that, as I lie down in bed, so I must one day lie in my grave, but that I shall rise again from the dead on the last day. Let me spend all my days in such a manner as to be sure of Thy grace, and to have a good conscience; so that I may always be ready, no matter at what time Thou mayest come to call me home.

As I lie in sleep and yet continue breathing, so do Thou, O Jesus, remain united with me even in my sleep. O Triune God! Guarded and shielded by Thee, no evil, not death itself, can harm me. Thy love and guardian care, O Father, Thy wounds, O Jesus, Thy help, O precious Holy Spirit, are my wall of defense, within which I slumber in peace and safety, and before which Satan must flee. Spread Thy protection over all my dear ones and over all the poor and wretched. Let me gather new strength in sleep; and, if it be Thy will, let me behold the light of day again on the morrow. Amen.