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Prayers of Confession (General)

Here are some classic, general prayers of confession from the deep history of the church. The versions that appear here have been slightly adapted, updated or "corporatized," as the case may be, by yours truly. I hope you find them worth adding to your files and using in worship, probably in Ordinary Time. Meanwhile, if you find this sort of thing helpful, please copy and share the link with others and let them know what wonderful resources are to be found at The Year D Project. With warm wished for a blessed New Year to one and all. — TMS

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O God, you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins. 
Mercifully grant that we may be delivered from the bondage of sin, 
and that we may one day rejoice in perfect liberty 
in our very Fatherland, which is in heaven. Amen.

— Roman Breviary (adapted by TMS).

Almighty and merciful God,

the Fountain of all goodness,

who knows the thoughts of our hearts,

we confess that we have sinned against you,

and done evil in your sight.

Wash us, we pray, from the stains of our past sins,

and give us grace and power to put away all hurtful things;

that we, being delivered from the bondage of sin,

may bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.

O eternal Light, shine into our hearts.

O eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil.

O eternal Power, be Thou our support.

Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance.

Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us.

Grant that, with all our hearts, and minds, and strength,

we may evermore seek your face;

and, in your infinite mercy,

bring us at last into your holy presence.

Strengthen us in our weakness, so that,

following in the footsteps of your blessed Son,

we may obtain your mercy, 
and enter into your promised joy. Amen.

— Alcuin of Tours (adapted by TMS)

Forgive our sins, O Lord. 

Forgive us the sins of our youth and the sins of our old age, 

the sins of the mind, the soul, the spirit, and the body;

forgive our secret and our whispering sins, 

our presumptuous and our crying sins, 

the sins we have done to please ourselves, 

and the sins we have done to please others. 

Forgive us those sins which we know, 

and those sins which we neither know nor remember; 

forgive them, O Lord; 

in your great goodness, forgive them all. Amen. 

— Private Devotions, 1560 

(adapted for corporate confession by TMS)

The Complete Series

    

More comprehensive than the Daily Lectionary

UPDATE: I see the prequel / sequel to The Spirit at Work is now available, appropriately entitled The Word at Work. It follows the same format: a one-year Bible reading plan with brief devotional commentary on selected texts. This one starts the second Sunday of Easter, but with a bit of subjective adjustment, can be taken up any time of year.

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Students have often asked me if the Daily Lectionary is not sufficiently comprehensive, but in fact its two-year reading plan does not actually cover the entire canon. Here is a source, however, that does include the whole canon in a single year. It also approaches the reading of the Psalter (three per day) in the way I have done (and recommended others do) on numerous occasions. Interestingly enough, though it spans a calendar year, it starts on Pentecost Sunday, so perhaps this would be a good time to try it. [May 28, 2014]