Morbus.
The Hour of Death
A prayer for divine presence and the commending of one's spirit at the approach of death.
O Lord, the sorrows of death surround me, and its snares are ready to overtake me. When you decide to dissolve my tabernacle, you alone know; therefore, in this trouble, I will call upon you, my Lord, and I will complain to my God. O be with me at the moment of my death, and receive me for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth.
Confession in Sickness
An acknowledgment of sin and a plea for mercy during physical affliction.
O Lord, your hand is heavy upon me day and night, and my moisture has become like the drought in summer. I acknowledge my sin to you, O Lord, and I haven't hidden my unrighteousness. O Lord, be merciful to me. Amen.
A Stranger and Sojourner
A cry for God to hear the prayer of a weary traveler seeking strength before departure.
O Lord, hear my prayer, and with your ears consider my calling; don’t hold your peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with you and a sojourner, just like all my ancestors were. O spare me a little, so that I may recover my strength before I go away and am no longer seen. Amen.
The Midst of Life
A profound meditation on the fragility of life and a plea for the Savior's mercy in the final hour.
O Lord, in the midst of life we are in death; where or from whom shall we seek help, except from You, O Lord, who are justly angry with us for our sins? Holy and mighty, holy and merciful Savior, don't abandon me to the bitter pains of eternal death. Don't cast me away in the time of my sickness, when my strength fails; don't forsake me. Lord, all my desire is before You, and my sighing isn't hidden from You. You know, Lord, You know the innermost thoughts of my heart; don't close the ears of Your mercy to my prayers. O most holy Lord, O Almighty God, most holy and merciful Savior, most worthy and eternal Judge, don't let me be cast away in my last hour because of any terror of death. Amen, O Lord Savior Jesus.
Deliverance from the Snares of Death
A petition for rescue from the pains of death and a request for the opening of the gates of righteousness.
O Lord, the snares of death surround me, and the pains of hell take hold of me. I have found trouble and heaviness, but I will call upon your Name, O Lord; O Lord, deliver my soul. Deliver my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before you in the land of the living. Amen. Lord, you have disciplined and corrected me, but you haven’t handed me over to death. Open the gates of righteousness for me, so I can enter them and give thanks to the Lord. Amen.
Healing and Restoration
A prayer for healing followed by a thanksgiving for recovery and a commitment to future service.
There’s no health in my body because of your anger, and there’s no rest in my bones because of my sin. Yet, O Lord, be merciful to me and heal me, even for the sake of your name. Amen. O Lord, I offer you my humble and heartfelt thanks for the great and almost miraculous way you brought me back from the depths of my grave. You alone know what you still have for me to do or to suffer; Lord, give me patience, courage, and all the Christian resolve to serve you, along with the grace to do it. And let me not live any longer than to honor you, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Read the original Latin
O Lord, the sorrows of death compass me, and the snares of it are ready to overtake me. When thou wilt dissolve my tabernacle, thou alone knowest: therefore in this my trouble I will call upon thee my Lord, and will complain unto my God. O be with me at the instant of my death, and receive me for Iesus Christ his sake. Amen.
Into thy hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth.
O Lord, thy hand is heavy upon me day and night, and my moisture is become like the drought in Sommer. I acknowledge my sin unto thee, O Lord, and my unrighteousness have I not hid. O Lord be merciful unto me. Amen.
O Lord, hear my prayer, and with thine ears consider my calling, hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner, as all my Fathers were. O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen. Amen.
O Domine, media vita in morte sumus, unde aut a quo quaerimus auxilium, nisi a te Domine, qui tamen pro peccatis nostris merito infensus es nobis? Sancte fortis, sancte misericors Salvator, amarissimis poenis mortis aeternae ne tradas me. Ne projicias me in tempore aegritudinis meae, quum deficit virtus mea ne derelinquas me. Domine, ante te omne desiderium meum, & suspiria mea a te non sunt abscondita. Nosti, Domine, nosti intima Cordis mei; ne quaeso occludas precibus meis aures misericordiae tuae. Quin parce mihi ô Domine sanctissime, ô Omnipotens Deus, sanctus & Salvator maxime misericors, dignissime & aeterne Iudex, ne sinas me in hora mea novissima pro…quocunque terrore mortis excidere a te. Amen, O Domine Salvator Jesu.
O Lord, the snares of…death compass me round about, the pains of hell get hold upon me. I have found trouble and heaviness, but will call upon thy Name, O Lord; O Lord deliver my soul. Deliver my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling: that I may walk before thee in the land of the living. Amen.
Thou, O Lord, hast chastened and corrected me, but not given me yet over unto death. Open me the gates of righteousness, that I may go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord. Amen.
There is no health in my flesh by reason of thy wrath, neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin. Yet, O Lord, be merciful unto me and heal me, even for thy Names sake. Amen.
O Lord, I give thee humble and hearty thanks for the great and almost miraculous bringing of me back from the bottom of my grave. What thou hast further for me to do or to suffer, thou alone knowest: Lord give me patience and courage, and all Christian resolution to do thee service, and grace to do it. And let me not live longer then to honour thee, through Iesus Christ. Amen.
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