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Birthday prayer
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Almighty God!
Who art the author of my being, I humbly thank Thee for having guarded me and taken care of me in all my past life, and preserved me in health and happiness during this past year of my life. |
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O merciful God!
forgive, I pray Thee, all I have done wrong in this year and in all my past life. “For there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.” (Psalms 130:4) |
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Strengthen me, O God!
to try more and more earnestly in this coming year to do what I know to be right, and ever to resist doing what I know to be wrong; so that I may firmly prevent myself from being tempted, either by my own wicked desires or by the evil desires of others, to do what I know to be wrong. |
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Put a new heart within me, O God!
that I may be ever striving to grow better and more worthy of all the blessings Thou hast bestowed on me, O God! |
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“Teach me to number my days
that I may apply my heart unto wisdom.”[1] Cf. Psalms 90:12. This day I have completed another year of my life, I have one less year to live. Help me, O Lord! to recollect how short my life may be, to think of the value of time, and never to waste my time in idleness; but ever to work to become wiser and to try to be useful to my fellow-creatures, and may it please Thee, O God! to endue me with wisdom and understanding. |
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In Thy infinite mercy, O Lord!
continue to grant me life, health, and happiness during the coming year. |
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Bless also, O God!
my dear Parents, Brothers, and Sisters, and all who are dear to me, and may Thy Divine care preserve them in health, strength, and happiness. |
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“May Thy mercy, O Lord! be upon us,
according as we hope in Thee.” (Psalms 33:22) Amen. |
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Psalms 90
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This “Birthday Prayer” is found in Julia M. Cohen’s The children’s Psalm-book, a selection of Psalms with explanatory comments, together with a prayer-book for home use in Jewish families (1907), pp. 304-305.
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Notes
| 1 | Cf. Psalms 90:12. |
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