ST. PATRICK'S 

MORNING PRAYER

Poem for Today - March 17, 2014

DEER’S  CRY

I arise to-day

Through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise to-day

Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His Ascension,

Through the strength of His descent 
             for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise to-day

Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,

In obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,

In predictions of Prophets,

In preachings of Apostles,

In faiths of confessors,

In innocence of holy Virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.

I arise to-day

Through the strength of heaven:

Light of sun,

Radiance of moon,

Splendour of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of wind, Depth of sea,

Stability of earth,

Firmness of rock.

I arise to-day

Through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

From snares of devils,

From temptations of vices,

From every one who shall wish me ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone and in a multitude.

I summon to-day all these powers 
                between me and those evils,

       Against every cruel merciless power

that may oppose my body and my soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge 
            that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me to-day

Against poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise to-day

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

Domini est salus. 
Domini est Salus. 

Christi est salus,

Salus tua, Domine, 
sit semper nobiscum.

Amen.

Attributed to St. Patrick, [7^th Century]

Known as “St. Patrick’s Breastplate”.

© Translations of Whitley Stokes,

John Strachan and Kuno Meyer