Two Prayers for Young People Seeking Marriage

By Esaias Heidenreich

I praise You, O eternal God and Father, that You have preserved me and cared for me with saving doctrine and instruction from my childhood years until now through the rich helping hand, discipline, and administration of my dear parents, preceptors, and school masters. Grant that I may also continue to honor You, my parents, and friends, that I may believe, live, and walk as a Christian, faithfully remain in my vocation, and love my neighbor. Protect me through Your holy angels from the devil, magic, blasphemy of Your name, division of the most worthy sacraments, fornication, wicked company, pride, frivolity, lying, over-drinking, over-eating, idleness, and unfaithfulness, on account of which sins You punish us in body and soul here in time and there in eternity, lest the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, Your Son, be lost on me, a poor sinner. Amen.

Almighty God, You who have kept my life and allowed me to be reared by the great industry and care of my parents, so that I may all the more serve You and my neighbor, I ask that You would grant me strength, power, and blessing to live according to Your Word and will. And because You, according to Your wisdom and righteousness, especially recognized that among the human race it is not good for man to live alone, You have ordained the holy estate of marriage. Thus, I ask You, O faithful God, because You have established this estate, that You would aid me with Your grace. And as You, through the assistance of Your holy angels, brought pious Isaac, Tobias, and others into matrimony—wonderfully and gloriously directing their lovers and spouses to them—so I also ask You, O dear Father in heaven, to be the ultimate arranger of my marriage and to guide me with Your holy angels so that I may obtain a virtuous, Christian spouse, with whom I, in unity and love, may be in service to You and Your holy name, as well as to my neighbor. Amen.

Esaias Heidenreich, Kirchen und Hausgebetlein (1582)

Jan Steen, The Marriage of Tobias and Sarah (c. 1667)