Prayer of Thanks after a Thunderstorm

My soul fainteth for Thy salvation, O God of my salvation. Therefore I now draw near to Thy throne of grace and bring Thee my offering of praise and thanksgiving, because Thou hast so graciously delivered me out of trouble, terror, and danger. I trembled when I heard Thy mighty voice in the clouds, because I did not know what Thou wouldest do. I sought refuge in Thee by prayer, and committed myself and all that is mine to Thy Fatherly care. And Thou didst not cast me from Thee, but didst have compassion on me, and show that Thou dealest bountifully with me. How easily Thy lightnings might have set fire to our houses and forests! How easily the storm might have destroyed the fruits of the field! How easily our goods and possessions might have been utterly destroyed! How easily Thou mightest have made us as Admah, or dealt with us as with Zeboim! And all this Thou mightest have done justly, if Thou hadst desired to deal with us according to our sins and reward us according to our iniquities.

But this Thou hast not done. Thou hast remembered us in love. Thou hast dealt with us in mercy. Thou hast withheld the punishment, and poured out benefits upon us. Thy lovingkindness has preserved us while we put our trust under the shadow of Thy wings, and enables us to dwell in safety once more. Thy goodness has kept us and Thy mercy has not failed us. This my soul perceives right well. Touched by this manifestation of Thy mercy, and filled with gratitude, I bow before Thee, and say: Thou Lord, hast done great things for me; whereof I am glad. Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Fear before Him, all the earth. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving: and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul also, and forget not all His benefits.

I have seen, O great and almighty God, how Thou didst so graciously cause the heavy and terrible storm to pass by without doing harm. Let this manifestation of Thy goodness teach me to trust in Thee and to hope in Thy mercy in all the troubles which may yet come upon me. I behold again an unclouded sky; O let me henceforth ever taste and see that Thou art good. I have seen new evidences of Thy greatness and glory; O let these encourage me to regard Thee with childlike fear, to love Thee fervently, to adore Thee humbly, and to live as is well-pleasing in Thy sight. I have experienced anew Thy guardian care; O let it continue over me and mine, and over all men.

If the storm which has passed over us has done damage and harm elsewhere, O have mercy upon those who have been injured. Give them grace to recognize that it was Thy hand which inflicted the blow, and to humble themselves under it. Do Thou comfort and strengthen them. Replace for them in some other way what they have lost. Let them soon hear joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. And grant me grace to make the right use of the gifts and possessions which Thou hast preserved to me, and which Thou hast, therefore, so to say, given to me anew. Let me receive my daily bread with thanksgiving. Let me manage my goods as a faithful steward. Grant that I may never misemploy them in dissipation or vanity, but use them at all times for Thy glory, to my own welfare, and the good of my fellow-man; and thus be enabled to give a joyful account to Thee.

Watch over my possessions in the future also, and preserve them from harm. And though many a storm should yet come and threaten me with destruction, let me, undismayed, trust in Thy mercy, and confidently hope in Thy goodness. Let me then experience, that he who trusteth in Thee shall not be put to confusion. Yea, if it should be Thy will to afflict me at some time through a storm, and to make me poor; O then do Thou first make me to be rich in spirit, that if I should lose all else, I may yet retain Thee and Thy fellowship and heaven. If I have heaven, I have enough.

O my Father, O my Saviour, O my Comforter! Thou who dwellest in heaven, and who from thence didst vouchsafe to me, during the storm that has just passed, Thy protection and help; bring me also to Thyself into heaven, that I may see Thee face to face, and give Thee eternal thanks and praises. Teach me through Thy Word to walk in Thy ways, and to do whatever is well-pleasing to Thee. Lead me in the land of uprightness. Unite my heart to fear Thy name. Let me remain steadfast in faith, in love, and in hope, and not depart from the way of righteousness. Keep me faithful to the end, in order that, when the Lord Jesus, on that great Day of Judgment, shall be manifest in flames of fire, in thunder and lightning, to measure out punishment upon those who have not known God nor obeyed His Gospel, I may not be dismayed, but may joyfully lift up my head, and enter into eternal life with Him. Amen.