The Ploughman's Prayer to God

This is a long one.

During my junior year of college, a group of fellow poetry-lovers created a club. Though we had various discussions about the name of our gathering, it remained unassumingly the Poetry Club. We met in the basement of the old brick library, in a small room with a heavy table that heard our thoughts and told no one. It was a safe place.

One night, one of the girls brought in a discovered poem (how or where she found it I do not remember) and read it aloud. I remember it because the poem was long and beautiful, and she read it simply and honestly with a lilt in her inflection that made the world stop for a moment. Even now, it's difficult to find a good record of this poem online.

The Ploughman's Prayer to God
by Johann von Teppel

Just and eternal keeper of the world,
God of all gods,
awful and wonderful Lord of lords,
almightiest of spirits,
prince of all princes,
source from which all goodness flows,
holiest of the holy,
crown-giver and the crown,
rewarder and reward,
elector in whose hand is all election,
blesser of those to whom thou givest life,
joy and delight of the angels,
molder of forms most high,
patriarch and child,
hear me.

Oh light that needs no other light,
light that outshines and darkens all external light,
radiance from before which all other radiance flees,
radiance like to which all light is as darkness,
light beside which all is shadow,
light that said in the beginning “let there be light,”
fire that burns unquenched, everlastingly, without beginning or end,
hear me.

Holiness above all things holy,
way without false turnings to life everlasting,
best and which there is no better,
life from which all things live,
truth of very truth,
wisdom embracing all wisdom,
issue of all strength,
perceiver of all right and wrongdoing,
succor in all errors and transgressions,
quencher of all thirsts,
comforter of the sick,
seal of highest majesty,
keystone of heaven’s harmony,
knower of all hearts,
shaper of all countenances,
planet holding sway in all planets,
sovereign influence of the stars,
mighty master of the heavenly court,
law before which the orbits of heaven can nevermore bend from their fixtures,
bright sun,
hear me.

Assuagement of all fevers,
master of all masters,
only father of all creation,
ever-present watcher of all ways and at all arrivals,
almighty escort from womb to tomb,
artificer of all forms,
foundation of all good works,
lover of all truth,
hater of all corruption,
only just judge,
arbiter from whose decree no single thing may depart evermore,
hear me.

Balm of our weariness,
fast knot which none may unloose,
perfect being having power over all perfection,
very knower of all secrets and of things known to none,
giver of eternal joys,
bestower of earthly blessedness,
host, ministrant, and friend to all good men,
hunter to whom no track is hid,
mold of all thought,
judge and unifier,
measurer and container of all circles,
gracious harkener to all them that call upon thee,
hear me.

Never failing support of the needy,
comforter of them that hope in thee,
feeder of hungry,
all powerful creator of being,
from nothing and of nothing from being,
quickener of all beings momentary, temporal, or eternal,
preserver and destroyer of life,
thou who imaginest, conceiveth, giveth form to, and takest away all things,
hear me.

Everlasting light,
eternal luminary,
true-faring mariner whose vessel never founders,
ensign beneath whose banner victory is sure,
author of rightness,
architect of the foundations of the earth,
tamer of the seas,
mingler of the inconstant air,
kindler of fire,
creator of all elements,
of the thunder,
of the lightning,
of the mist,
of the hail,
of the snow,
of the rain,
of the rainbow,
of the dew and the mildew,
of the wind,
of the frost,
and of all their workings sole craftsman,
monarch of the heavenly host,
emperor in whose service none may fail,
all gentlest, all strongest, and all merciful creator,
pity and hear me.

Store from which all treasures spring,
fountain from which all pure streams flow,
shepherd from whom none goes astray,
lodestar to which all good things strain and cleave as the bees to their queen,
cause of all causes,
hear me.

Good above all goods,
most august Lord Jesus,
receive graciously the soul of my dear and best beloved wife.
Grant her eternal peace,
refresh her with the dew of thy grace,
keep her under the shadow of thy wing.
Accept her, Lord, into thy perfect satisfaction,
where the least and the greatest alike have their contentment.
Let her, oh Lord, from whom she is come,
dwell in thy kingdom with the blessed,
the everlasting spirits.
I grieve for Margaretha,
my chosen wife.
Grant her, gracious Lord,
in the mirror of thine almighty and eternal godhead,
wherein the choirs of angels have their light to see,
and contemplate herself everlasting,
and everlastingly rejoice.
May all things that live under the blazon of the eternal standard-bearer,
all creatures whatsoever,
help me to say
with heart tranquil and serene,
amen.