Most books in this series of posts have been instructional in nature. Isaac Watts give helpful thoughts on delivering public prayers. Matthew Henry ties our prayers to the Bible. Below, I’ve listed a handful of books that simply record entire prayers. Some short, some long. Some plain, some elaborate. I find it helpful to regularly meander through these books so I can learn from those who have walked closely with Christ in their own prayer lives.
The Valley of Vision
The list must begin here. If Matthew Henry’s book is the cooking course, Valley of Vision is the steaming apple pie. This collection of Puritan prayers has been treasured by hundreds of thousands who own and use this volume.
Spurgeon’s Prayers
In Lecture’s to My Students, Spurgeon said something to the effect of: “You public prayers should be short. 15 Minutes should be more than enough time.” Spurgeon prayed long prayers by our standards. This doesn’t mean we need to pray for 15 minutes this Sunday, but I promise that if you read one of his prayers, you’ll want to. They’re that good.
Daily Prayers
Ligon Duncan is right when he says, “You’ll read them in second and think about them all day.” These daily prayers by Meyer are typically no more than 2-3 sentences, yet they demonstrate how much you can pack into tight spaces if you are diligent and thoughtful.
Leading in Prayer
Old’s section on Invocations has been a close companion to me over the years. I also appreciate his explicit Trinitarianism demonstrated throughout. A helpful reference for ministers who are learning to pray in public.
Prone to Wander
If the Duguid’s are involved, I usually enjoy it. A solid collection of prayers. See volume 2 below:
Streams of Mercy
More solid prayers.
Piercing Heaven
More Puritan Prayers. Unlike Valley of Vision, Elmer lists the prayers by Author. I find this helpful so I can research more of their material.
There are plenty more that could be added to this list. If you have recommendations, head to the comments.