O Lord my God,
I know that I am not worthy
nor sufficient that thou shouldest come
under the roof of my soul:
for it is all desolate and fallen,
nor hast thou a fit place within me to lay thy head.
But as thou didst humble thyself from on high for our sake,
humble thyself now also to meet my lowliness.
As thou didst deign to lie in a manger in a cave,
so also deign to come into the manger of my brutish soul
and defile-filled body.
As thou didst not disdain to enter and sup
with sinners in their house,
so likewise come into the house of my soul.
Amen.
ORTHODOX 4TH-5TH CENTURY AD
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
Also known as Lord, I Believe ยท Chrysostom Prayer from the Hours
Other forms
Anglican form (Book of Common Prayer, 1662)
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time
with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee;
and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name
thou wilt grant their requests:
Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants,
as may be most expedient for them;
granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth,
and in the world to come life everlasting.
Amen.
About this prayer
St. John Chrysostom (c. 349-407 AD) was Archbishop of Constantinople and one of the greatest preachers in the history of the Church. The name Chrysostom means 'golden-mouthed' in Greek, given to him because of his preaching. Several prayers are attributed to him in the Orthodox liturgical tradition. The prayer given here appears in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and is said by the priest before Communion. A separate prayer by Chrysostom appears in the Book of Common Prayer, included by Thomas Cranmer in the 1549 edition, making Chrysostom's prayers part of the Anglican liturgical heritage as well. Both the Orthodox and Anglican versions of the prayer are given here.
When it's said
The Orthodox form is said privately by the priest before receiving Communion in the Divine Liturgy. The Anglican form is said at the conclusion of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer, 1662, where it follows the General Thanksgiving. The two texts are different prayers both attributed to Chrysostom.
Notes on the text
The two text versions given here are distinct prayers. The Orthodox form is a pre-Communion prayer of humility. The Anglican form, translated by Thomas Cranmer for the 1549 BCP, is a prayer for gathered worship. Both are attributed to John Chrysostom, though the precise textual lineage of each is complex.
Source
Attributed to St. John Chrysostom, 4th-5th century AD. Orthodox form from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom; English text from the Service Book of the Holy Orthodox Church, compiled by Isabel F. Hapgood, 1906. Anglican form from the Book of Common Prayer, 1662. Both public domain.
Last reviewed: May 2026 against primary source.