Blessing a meal / prayer before a meal
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davejonescue
Puritan Board Junior
Here are some examples of Puritan meal prayers from Thomas Becons - The Flower of Godly Prayers:
A Prayer to be Said before Dinner.
Oh Lord, our heavenly Father, Your dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ has commanded us to take no thought for our meat, drink and clothing, but has promised to give us all things necessary for this our poor and needy life, if we first seek Your Kingdom and the righteousness thereof. We most heartily thank You, that it has pleased Your fatherly goodness according to Your promise to send us meat at this present for the comfort of our miserable and hungry bodies, desiring You to bless these gifts from You and to give us grace so to taste of You, that we may ever remember You, and never forget our needy brethren: but even as You are merciful and liberal to us by giving us these benefits, so likewise we again may show mercy and kindness to our poor neighbors by distributing to You part of these gifts from You, that both they and we being refreshed with the gifts of Your liberality, may with one mouth glorify, and with one mind praise Your holy Name forever and ever.
A Prayer to be Said before Supper.
Oh Heavenly Father and merciful God, who opening Your hand, replenishes all living creatures with Your blessing, and gives meat to the hungry in due season, we acknowledge our meat and drink to be Your gifts prepared by Your fatherly providence to be received of us for the comfort of our bodies, with thanksgiving: we most humbly beseech You to bless us and our food, and to give us grace so to see these Your benefits, that we may be thankful to You, and liberal to our poor neighbors thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Thanksgiving after Supper.
We render unto You (most merciful Father) most hearty thanks for these gifts which You so liberally have given us in this our supper, most entirely beseeching You to fill our minds also with Your heavenly and spiritual benefits, that we may truly know You, believe in You, love You, serve You, and lead a life worthy of this kindness from You, that You finding us not unthankful, may go forth daily more and more to increase Your gifts in us, and at the last take us unto Yourself, who are the fountain of all goodness and headspring of all wealth, and place us in Your joyful Kingdom among the holy angels and blessed saints, where You with Your only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost live and reign, one true and everlasting God in all honor and glory, worlds without end. Amen.
A Prayer to be Said before Dinner.
Oh Lord, our heavenly Father, Your dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ has commanded us to take no thought for our meat, drink and clothing, but has promised to give us all things necessary for this our poor and needy life, if we first seek Your Kingdom and the righteousness thereof. We most heartily thank You, that it has pleased Your fatherly goodness according to Your promise to send us meat at this present for the comfort of our miserable and hungry bodies, desiring You to bless these gifts from You and to give us grace so to taste of You, that we may ever remember You, and never forget our needy brethren: but even as You are merciful and liberal to us by giving us these benefits, so likewise we again may show mercy and kindness to our poor neighbors by distributing to You part of these gifts from You, that both they and we being refreshed with the gifts of Your liberality, may with one mouth glorify, and with one mind praise Your holy Name forever and ever.
A Prayer to be Said before Supper.
Oh Heavenly Father and merciful God, who opening Your hand, replenishes all living creatures with Your blessing, and gives meat to the hungry in due season, we acknowledge our meat and drink to be Your gifts prepared by Your fatherly providence to be received of us for the comfort of our bodies, with thanksgiving: we most humbly beseech You to bless us and our food, and to give us grace so to see these Your benefits, that we may be thankful to You, and liberal to our poor neighbors thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Thanksgiving after Supper.
We render unto You (most merciful Father) most hearty thanks for these gifts which You so liberally have given us in this our supper, most entirely beseeching You to fill our minds also with Your heavenly and spiritual benefits, that we may truly know You, believe in You, love You, serve You, and lead a life worthy of this kindness from You, that You finding us not unthankful, may go forth daily more and more to increase Your gifts in us, and at the last take us unto Yourself, who are the fountain of all goodness and headspring of all wealth, and place us in Your joyful Kingdom among the holy angels and blessed saints, where You with Your only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost live and reign, one true and everlasting God in all honor and glory, worlds without end. Amen.
therussellhome
Puritan Board Freshman
I grew up where the only time my family prayed together was meals. Now my family prays before most meals but we are very conscious not to let that be our primary times of prayer.
I'm not widely read enough to answer about the reformers but it does appear it was Jesus' practice
- Matthew 14:19
- Matthew 15:36
- Matthew 26:26
- Luke 24:30-31
The similar thread list has a good quote from Calvin
I'm not widely read enough to answer about the reformers but it does appear it was Jesus' practice
- Matthew 14:19
- Matthew 15:36
- Matthew 26:26
- Luke 24:30-31
The similar thread list has a good quote from Calvin
Gesetveemet
Puritan Board Sophomore
Me grandma said “even a dog wags his tail”.
Not an answer to the OP but . . .
Not an answer to the OP but . . .
perhaps the intended meanimg isn't the same as a RC one, but more like the meaning in the Deuteronomy verse?
I would presume that "bless the Lord ye servants of the Lord" does not mean the same as "And the Lord blessed [name]". The word bless may have diffrent meaning. Perhaps people with more knowledge in 2nd temple Judaism / early church could help clarify
hammondjones
Puritan Board Junior
Luther's Small Catechism has pre and post meal prayers.
CovenantPatriot87
Puritan Board Freshman
I never understood "Lord, bless this food to our bodies". Like, what else is it suppose do? And why doesnt it work with certain foods like chocolate cake and fried chicken?
Polanus1561
Puritan Board Senior
Who says it doesnt 'work' with cake and chicken?
that does seem to be right. Each one (before and after) has a short prayer from the psalms, the Lords prayer, and another prayer. The other prayers are:
Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these Thy gifts, which we take from Thy bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
We thank Thee, Lord God, Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, for all Thy benefits, who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. (Source: https://bookofconcord.org/small-catechism/daily-prayers/ )
Claes Jacob Heijndericksz
Puritan Board Freshman
In the Netherlands we find prayers before and after the meal in our psalters.
We can find two prayers in our hymn section and Petrus Biesterveld (1863-1908), in his book Het Gereformeerd Kerkboek, writes:
“The prayer hymn before the meal and the thanksgiving after the meal we find in the French psalter of 1562, but they were not translated by Datheen. Lucas De Heere did have a “benediction” and a “grace”, but without music. In the edition of Datheen of 1572 they were translated in Dutch by P.H.” (Petrus Hackius, minister of Leyden). In the new rhyme [1773] they are of Ghijsen.”
This thanksgiving of 1773 after the meal is widely known and used (at least by the elderly), though I don’t know anyone who would sing it.
O Heer’, wij danken U van harte,
Voor nooddruft en voor overvloed;
Daar menig mens eet brood der smarte,
Hebt Gij ons mild en wel gevoed;
Doch geef dat onze ziele niet
Aan dit vergank’lijk leven kleev’,
Maar alles doe wat Gij gebiedt,
En eind’lijk eeuwig bij U leev’.
Amen.
At the end of the psalters we have a section with the 3 forms of unity and several forms and prayers. There we find are another two prayers.
Biesterveld writes:
“The third category consists of the prayers for the family; i.e. the Prayer before the meal, the Prayer after the meal, the Morning prayer and the Evening prayer. These are most according to [Marten] Micron [ca. 1500-1559] or Calvin. Also the two Prayers for the sick, of Datheen, belong to this group.”
On the prayers H.H. Barger, in his book Ons Kerkboek, notes:
“They [the prayers] are to be divided into three groups: the first for usage in the church services, the second for the ecclesiastical meetings, the third for family usage. Here also is the material by Calvin, the Church of London and the of the Palatinate [congregations of Dutch refugees] added. Datheen added to this and freely reworked what was already given or changed it original usage.”
(By the way one sentence prayers like "Heere zegen dit eten, amen" (Lord, bless this food, amen) before a meal and "Heere dank u voor dit eten, amen" (Lord thank you for this food, amen) thereafter are prayers for todlers; to get them used to a live of prayer)
We can find two prayers in our hymn section and Petrus Biesterveld (1863-1908), in his book Het Gereformeerd Kerkboek, writes:
“The prayer hymn before the meal and the thanksgiving after the meal we find in the French psalter of 1562, but they were not translated by Datheen. Lucas De Heere did have a “benediction” and a “grace”, but without music. In the edition of Datheen of 1572 they were translated in Dutch by P.H.” (Petrus Hackius, minister of Leyden). In the new rhyme [1773] they are of Ghijsen.”
This thanksgiving of 1773 after the meal is widely known and used (at least by the elderly), though I don’t know anyone who would sing it.
O Heer’, wij danken U van harte,
Voor nooddruft en voor overvloed;
Daar menig mens eet brood der smarte,
Hebt Gij ons mild en wel gevoed;
Doch geef dat onze ziele niet
Aan dit vergank’lijk leven kleev’,
Maar alles doe wat Gij gebiedt,
En eind’lijk eeuwig bij U leev’.
Amen.
At the end of the psalters we have a section with the 3 forms of unity and several forms and prayers. There we find are another two prayers.
Biesterveld writes:
“The third category consists of the prayers for the family; i.e. the Prayer before the meal, the Prayer after the meal, the Morning prayer and the Evening prayer. These are most according to [Marten] Micron [ca. 1500-1559] or Calvin. Also the two Prayers for the sick, of Datheen, belong to this group.”
On the prayers H.H. Barger, in his book Ons Kerkboek, notes:
“They [the prayers] are to be divided into three groups: the first for usage in the church services, the second for the ecclesiastical meetings, the third for family usage. Here also is the material by Calvin, the Church of London and the of the Palatinate [congregations of Dutch refugees] added. Datheen added to this and freely reworked what was already given or changed it original usage.”
(By the way one sentence prayers like "Heere zegen dit eten, amen" (Lord, bless this food, amen) before a meal and "Heere dank u voor dit eten, amen" (Lord thank you for this food, amen) thereafter are prayers for todlers; to get them used to a live of prayer)
C4MERON
Puritan Board Freshman
It is blessed to our body’s health through providing sustenance, strength and growth because He designed it to and we are praying that it would continue to. Like, if He no longer permitted that to happen, it would cease to..
And even ‘unhealthier’ foods still provide energy.
What would this be translated as?
Claes Jacob Heijndericksz
Puritan Board Freshman
Though I do not consider myself apt at translating this kind of texts. The prayer roughly translates:
O Lord, we thank You with all our hearts,
For the necessary and for the abundance
While many people eat bread of sorrows
You feeded us mildy and well
But give that our soul
Not stick to this perishable life
But do all what You commands
And at the end live with You forever
Amen.
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ZackF
Puritan Board Professor
These are similar to a typical RC prayer that I've maintained long after leaving RCism.
R
Request-Deleted member 11775
Guest
According to the Puritan George Swinnock, the practice of the ancient jews as well as early Christians was to pray before and after meals, to ask a blessing that the Lord would enable us to eat and drink to His glory, and to return thanks afterwards for His kindness towards us. This seems to have been the practice after the reformation also, and still is the case in Scottish Presbyterianism. Here is the relevant portion from Swinnock,
See the full portion at Chapter XXIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in natural actions. And first, in eating and drinking.
The Shorter Catechism in some versions has short prayers for before and after meals appended at the end:
See the full portion at Chapter XXIII. How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness in natural actions. And first, in eating and drinking.
The Shorter Catechism in some versions has short prayers for before and after meals appended at the end:
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CovenantPatriot87
Puritan Board Freshman
It wouldn't happen though. It's going to work the same whether you are a believer or not.
C4MERON
Puritan Board Freshman
So because God, in His kindness, consistently extends common grace to the just and the unjust alike we should neither give thanks for it when we experience His goodness or ask Him to continue to do so? One day it wont happen anymore…
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R
Request-Deleted member 11775
Guest
Perhaps some of George Swinnock's comments may be relevant, although the whole section is good,
"God's blessing only is the staff of bread, Exod. 23:25. 'Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God,' Mat. 4:4. Bread doth not nourish by its own power, but by God's word of promise; he can easily withhold his blessing, and then bread will strengthen no more than chips of boards. 'And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight; and ye shall eat and not be satisfied,' Lev. 26:26.
...
Even heathen princes began their solemn feasts with sacrifices. The Israelites would not eat before Samuel came, because he used to bless the sacrifice, 1 Sam. 9:13. Our blessed Saviour, though he were Lord of all, yet would not feed before he had looked up to heaven and blessed the fish, Mark 6:41. Paul, though amongst many infidels, yet, before meat, would desire a blessing in presence of them all, Acts27:35. He is worse than an ox or ass, who will not acknowledge his owner, Isa. 1:5.
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Reader, God can give thee sour sauce to thy sweet meat if thou dost banish him thy table; he can make thy meat lie so hard and heavy at thy stomach, either by sickness, Job 33:20, or sorrow, Ps. 107:17,that thou shalt never digest it whilst thou livest. When thou art at thy merriest meeting he can send such a mournful, terrible message, as to Belshazzar carousing in his cups, that shall make thine ears to tingle, and every joint thou hast to tremble. He can make thy feast to end, either as Adonijah's, in a fright, or as Absalom's sheep-shearing, in a funeral. When thine heart is merry with wine he can summon thee, as Amnon, into the other world. Thy wisest way therefore is to beseech his company, whomsoever thou wantest.
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The fruits of trees under the law were the three first years unclean, the fourth year offered to God, and after that free for the owners. All thy comforts are by reason of sin unclean and cursed to thee; if thou wouldst have them clean and blessed, they must be sanctified by the word of God and prayer. The elephant is said to turn up towardsheaven the first sprig that he feedeth on. O friend, wilt thou be worse than a beast? For shame, be not so swinish as to feed on the acorns, and never look up to the tree that bears them."
So do you think scripture, directly or by good and necessary consequence, demands God to be thanked each meal, or is it more of a good practice that one may omit without sin?
alexanderjames
Puritan Board Sophomore
Interesting question. My own thoughts would be that God loves a thankful heart so it would be wrong to demand verbal thanksgiving where it is only given out of duty. I believe it would be fair to impose duty of genuine thanksgiving in imitation of the Lord Jesus and the apostle (c.f Luke 9:16, Philippians 4:6), though I do not say in one specific way or another.
Further, I simply give thanks before I eat, and am now wondering whether I should be asking for blessing as well.
R
Request-Deleted member 11775
Guest
Well I'll put it this way, it seems to me that if there are good reasons to pray before and after meals, there would have to be at least as equally strong reasons to omit it.
dsanch1120
Puritan Board Freshman
If God has given us our daily bread and indeed so much more, should we not thank him for it? I want my children to remember before every meal that God has provided and he is worthy of our thanks. We also pray that God would bless and direct our conversations during meals. I see no reason not to do this and many to do it. Perhaps in some it becomes ritualistic and empty, but that does not seem to be my family’s before meal prayers.
Ploutos
Puritan Board Sophomore
For those with young children, how do you manage prayer after meals? In our household, with three young children, even praying before the meal can be challenging because of the difficulty of getting everyone quiet at the same time. But with variable eating rates and just the general "busy-ness" of the house, I have not had success implementing an after-meal prayer. Would love advice here.
Sure it is a good idea - I don't disagree with you here. But do you think it is a duty? That it would be a sin not to? Do the verses brought up here bring us to that conclusion? I suspect they might but one should be weary of teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Part of the purpose of this thread is to hear peoples opinions on the duty vs good practice question.
For reference, here are some of the verses that were brought up so far (some of the ones not directly addresing the subject are not included):
Deuteronomy 8:10, Luke 24:30, Luke 24:31, Matthew 14:19, Matthew 15:36, Matthew 26:26, Romans 14:6, Romans 14:7, Romans 14:8, Exodus 23:25, Mark 6:41, Acts 27:35, Philippians 4:6
dsanch1120
Puritan Board Freshman
I don’t think it’s a sin to neglect prayer before meals, as we are not commanded to pray before meals. Rather, I think a consistent lack of prayer before meals (or in general for that matter) may be a sign of another problem, such as lack of thankfulness or prayerfulness in general. I think all believers should gladly pray before meals, but I would hesitate to call it a sin not to do so.
Phil D.
ὁ βαπτιστὴς
While perhaps not a specific command, prayer before each meal is a purposeful Christian sensibility. 1 Tim. 4:3-5 goes so far as to say the food we eat is sanctified (set apart and made fit for its proper use) by prayer. Interestingly, one of the earliest Christian liturgies actually includes a mealtime prayer.
Plus, what better way to structure in three (additional) prayers every busy day?
You are blessed, O Lord, who nourishes me from my youth, who gives food to all flesh. Fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that having always what is sufficient for us, we may abound to every good work, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom glory, honor, and power be to You forever. Amen.
(Apostolic Constitutions, 7.49; 4th Century)
Plus, what better way to structure in three (additional) prayers every busy day?
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R
Request-Deleted member 11775
Guest
Right perhaps it's more clear to say it is a duty, as Swinnock notes,
"As thy duty is to make religion thy business in religious, so also in natural actions.
...
God takes it ill when we sit down to table and leave him out."
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