This prayer, mildly adapted*, is from A Book of Offices: Services for Occasions Not Provided For in The Book of Common Prayer, published in 1917. We use it regularly at the 11:15 AM Office of Morning Prayer.
O most powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of hosts, that rulest and commandest all things: Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to bless the men and women of our armed forces. Grant that in the midst of the dangers and temptations which beset them, they may fight manfully against the world, the flesh, and the devil; and resisting all evil by the mighty power of thy Spirit, may acquire true courage in the hour of danger and in the day of battle. Prosper them in the maintenance of our country’s honour; keep them safe from enemies, spiritual and temporal; that they may glorify thee upon the earth, until they are called to rest in the triumph of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We have also on occasion used the following two prayers, from the same book:
A Collect for Times of War
Almighty God, who art everywhere present, we commend to thy fatherly care our soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen absent from their homes on the serivce of their country. Protect them from all evil; give them courage and obedience in danger, and mercy in victory. Prosper their arms to the establishment of justice, peace, and truth among all nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Collect for Those Wounded in War
O Lord, we pray thee to have mercy upon all who are this day wounded and suffering. Let thy grace be their comfort, though kindred and friends be far away. Raise them to health again, if it be thy good pleasure; but chiefly give them such patience and faith in thee, that they, being delivered from the assaults of their spiritual enemies, may rest in peace and rise to partake of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
* The modifications? The original prayer asked for a blessing upon “the officers and men of our army and navy”. Similarly, the second prayer originally prayed on behalf of “our soldiers and sailors”. The third prayer is commonly found on the internet in a severely abbreviated form. A printer-friendly version of these collects is available in our Library.
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