I. A Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving to God.
St. Anselm The Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury give to him that prayeth not, if to him that prayeth Thou deniest Thy love? From Thee have I my desire; from Thee may I have also the accomplishment thereof. Cleave thou unto Him, cleave unto
Him right earnestly, O my soul! O good Lord, good Lord, cast her not away! She is sick with hunger for Thy love, do Thou cherish her, and let her be satisfied with Thy loving-kindness, enriched by Thy favour, fulfilled by Thy love; yet let Thy love lay hold upon me and possess me wholly, because
Thou art with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the one only God, blessed for ever world without end. Amen.
PRAYERS OF ST ANSELM
I A Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving to God.168
I GIVE Thee thanks and praise, O my God, my Mercy, who hast vouchsafed to lead me unto the conception of Thee,169 and by the washing of holy baptism to number me among Thy children by adoption. I give Thee thanks and praise, for that Thou hast patience with me in Thine unbounded goodness, waiting for amendment of life in me, who have abounded in sins from my childhood even unto this hour. Thee I praise, Thee I glorify, who by the arm of Thy might hast often delivered me out of many distresses calamities and miseries, and hitherto hast spared me eternal pains and bodily torments.170 I praise Thee and glorify Thee, for that Thou hast vouchsafed to grant unto me soundness of body, a quiet life, the love, affection and charity of Thy servants toward me, for all these things are the gifts of Thy goodness. Holy of holies, who makest all things holy, I bless Thee,
I glorify Thee, I worship Thee, I give thanks to Thee.171 Let all Thy creatures bless Thee, let all
Thine angels and saints bless Thee. Let me bless Thee in all the actions of my life. Let all my frame, without and within, glorify and bless Thee. My salvation, my light, my glory, let mine eyes see
This is the 12th Prayer in Gerberon's edition.
This is a characteristic touch, which seems to stamp the prayer as a genuine work of St Anselm. Before admission into the Christian covenant he places the conception of God, which, as he argues in the Proslogion, is by itself enough to give to every rational being the assurance of His existence.
His thought in placing eternal pains before bodily torments seems to be this: Thou hast not cut short my life in the midst of my sins; nor in the extension of life thus given made me to suffer bodily pain.
A reminiscence of the Gloria in excelsis.
St. Anselm The Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury Thee, which Thou hast created and prepared to look upon the beauty of Thine excellency. My music, my delight, let mine ears bless Thee, which Thou hast created and prepared to hear the voice of Thy cheerful salvation. My sweetness, my refreshment, let my nostrils bless Thee, which Thou hast made to live and take pleasure in the sweet odour of Thine ointments,172 My praise, my new song,173 my rejoicing, let my tongue bless and magnify Thee, which Thou hast created and prepared to tell forth Thy wonderful works. My wisdom, my meditation, my counsel, let my heart adore and bless Thee for ever, which Thou hast pre pared and given unto me to discern Thine unspeakable mercies. My life, my happiness, let my soul, sinful though she be, bless Thee, which Thou hast created and prepared to enjoy Thy goodness.
Father adorable and terrible, worthy of worship and of fear, I bless Thee, whom I have loved, whom I have sought, whom I have ever desired. My God, my lover, I thirst after Thee, I hunger for Thee, I pour out my supplications to Thee, with all the groanings of my heart I crave for Thee.
Even as a mother, when her only son is taken from her, sitteth weeping and lamenting continually beside his sepulchre, even so I also, as I can, not as I ought, having in mind Thy passion, Thy buffetings, Thy scourgings, Thy wounds, remembering how Thou wast slain for my sake, how
Thou wast embalmed, how and where Thou wast buried, sit with Mary at the sepulchre in my heart, weeping.174 Where faith hath laid Thee, hope seeketh to find Thee, love to anoint Thee. Most gracious, most excellent, most sweet, who will bring me to find Thee without the sepulchre, to wash Thy wounds with my tears, even the marks of the nails. Ye daughters of Jerusalem, tell my
Beloved that I am sick of love.175 Let Him show Himself to me, let Him make Himself known unto me. Let Him call me by my name;176 let Him give me rest from my sorrow.
For my sorrow can take no rest while I am an exile from Thy presence, O my God. Come now,
O Lord, reveal Thy face to me, show Thy mercy to those that implore it. We know that Thy resurrection is accomplished, manifest to our eyes Thy blessed incorruption. O Thou wonderful one, above all estimation and comparison, I desired Thee, I hoped for Thee, I sought Thee. Lo,
Thou Thyself comest, clothed in purple; Thou art red in Thine apparel.177 Thou hast washed Thy
See Cant. i. 3.
See Ps. xl. 3; Rev. xiv. 3, etc.
See John xx. 11.
Cant. v. 8.
See John xx. 16.
Isa. lxiii. 2.
St. Anselm The Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury garments in wine and Thy clothes in the blood of grapes.178 Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, when Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people.179
Abide with us,180 abide with us until the morning. Let us enjoy Thy presence; let us be glad and rejoice in Thy resurrection. The darkness thickens, the evening cometh fast.181 May our Sun, the Light eternal, Christ our God show us the light of His countenance!182
But what is this? Alas, my Lord, alas, my soul! Thou liftest up Thine hands.183 Lo, Thou goest upon Thy way. The heavens meet Thee, the skies are bowed under Thee, a cloud is prepared to receive Thee in Thine ascension.184 Now shall my tears be my meat day and night.185 I will feed upon my griefs, I will give my soul to drink of my sorrows. My life shall wax old in heaviness, and my years in mourning.186 Whom have I in heaven but Thee; and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of Thee?187 With my soul will I desire Thee in the night: yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early.188 Yet in the meanwhile wilt Thou come unto us, O Lord, because
Thou art gracious, and wilt not tarry,189 because Thou art good. To Thee be glory, world without end. Amen.
Gen. xlix. 11.
Hab. iii. 13.
Luke xxiv. 29.
See Luke xxiv. 29.
Ps. lxvii. 1.
See Luke xxiv. 50.
See Acts i. 9.
Ps. xlii. 3.
Ps. xxxi. 11.
Ps. lxxiii. 24.
Isa. xxvi. 9.
Heb. x. 37.