Give us this Day our daily bread

Thou, O God, who hast appointed us to seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, hast promised that if we do so, other things shall be added unto us: and therefore having prayed for the sanctifying of thy name, the coming of thy kingdom and the doing of thy will, we next pray, Father in heaven, give us this day, and day by day our daily bread. Matt 6:33. Luke 11:3.

Remove far from us vanity and lies; give us neither poverty nor riches; feed us with food convenient for us, lest we be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest we be poor and steal, and take the name of our God in vain. Prov 30:8–9

Lord, we ask not for dainties, for they are deceitful meat ; nor do we pray that we may fare sumptuously ‘every day, for we would not in our lifetime receive our good things; but we pray for that bread which is necessary to strengthen man’s heart. We desire not to eat the bread of deceit, nor to drink any stolen waters, nor would we eat the bread of idleness, but that if it be thy will we may eat the labour of our own hands, that with quietness we may work, and eat our own bread ; and having food and raiment, give us to be therewith content, and to say, We have all, and abound.

Prov 23:3. Luke 16:19, 25. Ps 104:15. Proves. 7; ixit17.¢.xxxi., 27. . Psa. oxxviii. 2. 2 Thess 2:12. 1 Tim 6:8. Phil 4:18.

Bless, Lord, our substance, and accept the work of our hands ; and give us wherewithal to provide for our own, even for those of our own house, and to leave an inheritance, as far as is just, to our children’s children. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. Bless, Lord, our land with the precious things of the earth, and the fulness thereof; but above all let us have the good will of him that dwelt in the bush, even the blessing that was upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. Deut 33:11. 1 Tim 5:8. Prov 13:22. Ps 90:17. Deut 33:13, 16.

But if the fig-tree should not blossom, and there should be no fruit in the vine; if the labour of the olive should fail, and the fields should yield no meat; if the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there should be no herd in the stall, yet let us have grace to rejoice in the Lord, and to joy in the God of our salvation. Hab 3:17, 18.

Father, we ask not for bread for a great while to come, but that we may have this day our daily bread ; for we would learn, and the Lord teach us, not to take thought for the morrow, what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or wherewithal we shall be clothed, but we cast the care upon thee, our heavenly Father, who knowest that we have need of all these things ; who feedest the fowls of the air, though they sow not, neither do they reap, and wilt much more feed us, who are of more value than many sparrows. Matt 6:31, 33; Matt 10:31.

Nor do we pray for daily bread for ourselves only, but for others also. O satisfy thy poor with bread ; let all that walk righteously and speak uprightly, dwell on high: let the place of their defence be the munition of rocks, let bread be given to them, and let their waters be sure. Ps 132:15 xxx.

‹ Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven · And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors ›

Pray now: a guided prayer in six parts, with the next heads each day.

Henry’s text is in the public domain. Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, No. 265 Chestnut Street. Undated, about 1840 to 1860. The preface is dated Chester, March 25, 1710. From the Internet Archive scan. The KJV text is in the public domain.