Christian Pure

Prayers for Your Enemies: To Bless Them, Forgive Them and Be Protected

Christian Pure Team

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Summary

  • The Orthodox service of Great Compline ends with a prayer beginning “Forgive, O Lord who lovest man, those who hate us, and those who have wronged us,” quoted from Hapgood’s 1906 translation.
  • The Litany of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer asks God “to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts.”
  • Jesus commanded, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you” (Matthew 5:44), and prayed for his executioners, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
  • Short prayers cover blessing an enemy, replaying a hurt, anger, a grudge, the wish for revenge, protection, wisdom, peace, a family quarrel, your own wrong, healing and courage.
  • The Psalms ask God for protection from enemies; the New Testament rules out cursing and revenge, as David did when he spared Saul (1 Samuel 24:12).
  • Forgiving does not require staying in danger; anyone threatened should contact the police.

Jesus told his followers to “pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). The prayer can be this short: “Lord, you know what [name] did to me. I give it to you. Bless [name], turn [his or her] heart, and keep mine free of hatred. Amen.” If the person you are praying about is threatening or hurting you, forgiving them does not mean staying in danger. Call the police (911 in the US, 999 in the…

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Bibliography (Click to show)
  • Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (1611), text of Project Gutenberg eBook no. 10 (1 Samuel 24:12; Joshua 1:9; Psalm 18:2; 35:1; 55:22; 91:1; 139:23; 147:3; Proverbs 20:22; 25:21–22; Matthew 5:9, 44–45; 6:12; 18:22; Mark 11:25; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 12:14, 17–21; Ephesians 4:26, 31–32; James 1:5; 1 Peter 3:9). https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10
  • Hapgood, Isabel Florence, trans. Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic (Greco-Russian) Church. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin, 1906. The Office of Grand Compline, pp. 162–163. https://www.ponomar.net/data/hapgood.pdf
  • The Book of Common Prayer (Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.), Standard Book of 1928. The Litany, p. 57. PDF facsimile: https://www.artisticdailyprayers.org/uploads/3/0/1/6/30164961/bcp1928std.pdf
  • Home Office (GOV.UK). “Domestic abuse: how to get help.” https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
  • EMERCOM of Russia (МЧС России), Moscow Region. “Система 112” (the 112 emergency number). https://50.mchs.gov.ru/deyatelnost/poleznaya-informaciya/rekomendacii-naseleniyu/sistema-112

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