A Simple Way to Pray

by Martin Luther, Matthew Harrison (Translator)

When asked by his barber and good friend, Peter Beskendorf, for some practical guidance on how to prepare oneself for prayer, Luther responded by writing this brief treatise, first published in the spring of 1535. After 500 years, his instruction continues to offer words of spiritual nurture for us today.

Luther counsels that prayer should begin with The Lord's Prayer and then proceed by way of The Ten Commandments and The Apostles' Creed. He provides practical advice on how the practice of prayer can enhance one's relationship to, and awareness of, God. This is not simply a study about prayer, but is also a guide composed with actual prayers. Considered a devotional classic, this work speaks directly and powerfully to the vital need for the discipline of prayer for today's Christian.

Genres: Prayer, Christian, Theology, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.

Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.

Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.

Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple. Elegant. Practical. At under 100 pages, Luther packs a lot of insight into few pages and uses the following structure in teaching prayer: use the Lord's Prayer as your first guide, the Ten Commandments second, and the Apostle's Creed last. And he divides each section of these into four parts. For example, take one of the commandments and think about 1) its instruction, 2) then give thanksgiving for it, 3) confess the sin that prevents you from doing it, and 4) finally, a prayer.

He gives examples of what all of these look like while warning against reading what he's written as the entire prayer itself. He instructs Peter, who the book was written for, not to feel bound by his words but improve upon them as he will.

[Miles Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure how I missed this short but beautiful book by Luther on prayer. It’s easily readable in one sitting and has a lot of food for thought for how we approach prayer.

[Francesca DiGiacomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of books on this topic but Luther’s gives more in this small 30 pager than all the other books I’ve read.
Both encouraging, as well as instructive, both in prayer and in thinking about how to pray through the Lord’s Prayer and the 10 Commandments.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Luther's short essay to his barber describing how to pray. He goes through the Lord's Prayer, each of the commandments, and the three articles of the creed. He echoes much of the catechism.

"Again, you have occasion here to ponder long about everything that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the church every day, etc. Therefore be thankful that you have been called and have come into such a church. Confess and lament your lack of faith and gratitude, that you have neglected all this, and pray for a true and steadfast faith that will remain and endure until you come to that place where all endures forever, that is, beyond the resurrection from the dead, in life eternal. Amen."

Free copy of this book here:
http://www.lbdsoftware.com/A%20Simple...

[William Schrecengost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good. Shows how to pray through the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Apostles Creed

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Reformation Day!

This is a short essay and is a pretty good introduction to prayer. I appreciated his insights into the Holy Spirit's influence in prayer. A good, quick read to celebrate :)

[Kofi Opoku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid. Shows how accessible Luther was. Able to explain the most complex theological concepts to proletarians.

[J Layne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and this version (Harrison translator) was recommended by Emily Whitten on World podcast, 10/3/17. Whitten says she was made aware of the book by R. C. Sproul, who has written a children’s book about it, The Barber Who Wanted to Pray, published 2011.

There is much that is quotable here in this short, 11-page essay.

Sproul says that Luther’s small book changed his prayer life. Sproul’s children’s book tells the true story about Luther going to his barber and his barber asking him how to pray.

The subheading reads: Prayer, the Lord's Prayer, the 10 Commandments, and the Creed. A Letter to His Barber, Master Peter Beskendorf, Spring 1535.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!! So sweet and such a great way of explaining about how and why to pray.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the request of Martin Luther's barber, Peter Beskendorf, while at the barber shop, Martin Luther transmitted to his barber the way in which he prayed. The model of the great reformer's prayer followed the following pattern: Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, Prayer. Martin Luther used the Lord's Prayer (Our Father), the Ten Commandments, and the Apostle's Creed as the means through which to focus his prayer and implementing the pattern of Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, and Prayer with each of them.

A highly recommended read, indeed, for Lutheran Christians in particular, but for all Christians as well!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick little book on prayer. When asked by his barber how to pray, this was Luther's response. The concept is simple - go through the Lord's Prayer, the 10 commandments, the Apostle's creed, and follow a 4-fold method of identifying what the passage teaches, thanking God, confessing failures to live up to the passage, and making petitions in line with the passage - and the book is mostly examples of how to pray this way.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely short - more of a pamphlet than a book. But this would be a wonderful and accessible resource for anyone wanting to better understand how to pray the Scriptures. I would love to use this for a session or two in a small group or Bible study or even with teens or older kids.

[Ty Dahlstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really insightful letter on how to pray more intentionally

[Tino Curiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

SIMPLE INDEED SO MATE! Luther gives examples of his prayers following: First, the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), Second the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), and Thirdly the apostle’s creed; in that order.

Breaks down the way he prays in 4 parts called “I.T
.C.P” = Instruction, giving thanks for it, confession of sin, followed by a prayer of faithfulness.

Definitely would like to study the Lord’s Prayer more since it has been commanded v.9 “Pray then like this…”

[Ashlen Cartwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin Luther wrote this advice on how pray to a nonclerical friend. It wasn't nearly as bulky as I expected, and once again proved that not only are the classics generally not as intimidating as one fears, they are in fact more straightforward than many books more contemporary to us. Luther's advice here mostly focuses in on how to pray when you don't feel much like praying, which is certainly relevant to me! His advice summed up is: Pray through the Lord's Prayer ("It is the very best prayer, because the true master of prayer, Jesus, composed it and taught it to us."), the 10 commandments, and the Apostles Creed; the latter two especially can be prayed about thus: consider what they teach, thank for them, confess sin, and then pray for their fulfillment. Luther is also emphatic in listening to the Holy Spirit in prayer rather than sticking to a form ("Be still and pay attention to the Holy Spirit's thoughts, for He can do far better than you.") It isn't a meaty read at all, the actual substance of what he said could be summed up in two or three pages, but it's a pleasantly pragmatic and realistic guide to prayer. I assume some measure of kudos also go to the translator for making it so readible!

[Bess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is short in length, (where the number of pages is concerned, yet is about the size of an average iPad, so closer to that of an average mid-sized book).
The beauty of this book rests in its’ simplicity. Whereas many books exist on the topic of prayer, Luther reminds us to never cease to include in our prayer time the following three

What, why, the importance of regularly praying the
The importance of praying and understanding the 10 Commandments
The Apostles Creed
The Lord’s Prayer

[Christian Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short treatise on prayer is a practical how to guide. Luther, writing to a friend, walks through what his own prayer time looks like by providing example prayers through the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments. He provides brief commentary on how one’s physical and spiritual posture is to be before the holy of holies in prayer. A helpful book that is similar in many ways to Donald Whitney’s “Praying the Bible.”

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and pastoral primer on prayer.

[Kristen Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most excellent! Very inspiring, can’t wait to try his methods!

[Mr. Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went through this book quickly after being bombarded with sermons on prayer from various sources for the past month at least, so I was feeling as if God really wanted me to evaluate how my prayer life was. I mean I prayed, actively, multiple times a day by the point of reading this book...but once I heard Luther prayed for hours daily and scheduled things around that, I was interested in knowing more. I didn't read this version of the book-I found what was an older release through ThriftBooks and read that instead of this Kindle version. It's a short read. Written for his barber-you can tell, because it was a straightforward read. I enjoyed both the brevity and concise nature of how he wrote things. This edition also included some questions I wish I'd have acknowledged before reading because I think they would've set me up better for what followed, but even afterward they helped reflect on what Luther discussed. This is one of those "hey you, Christian...read this!" books that transcends denominational affiliation in my opinion. I enjoyed this one, y'all!

[Ryan Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book was written by Martin Luther to his barber and friend Peter Beskendorf after Peter asked for advice on how to prayer. Luther gives a simple method emphasizing instruction, thanksgiving, confession, and prayer as well as praying thru the Ten Commandments, The Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostle’s Creed. Recommended.

[Jennifer McMaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went through this book with my children a bit each morning since I figured they could find Martin Luther's method of prayer helpful as well. I think reading through this little book multiple times to really grasp the process of prayer and to memorize the acronym Luther recommends would be very advantageous.

[Matt Daq · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really is a simply way to pray! Luther simply breaks down the Lord’s Prayer, the 10 commandments and the creed in his personal prayer time. I really liked seeing Luther’s heart towards God in his prayers.
I’m glad I read this book

[Colby Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully brief book written in plain prose about the need for the redeemed of the Lord to pray to him and how we might do it well.

[Adayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice, simple little book with great ideas for the how-to. I'd recommend Grace Upon Grace by John Kleinig for a deeply thorough "why".

[Randell Carlton Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luther explains how he recommends daily prayer should be. Quick read and introduction into his works. 📚

[R.L.S.D · Rating 5 out of 5]

In which Luther outlines a simple structure based on the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments to encourage his friend and barber, Peter, who wanted advice on how to pray.

[David Blynov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin Luther's method of prayer is essentially to pray out scripture in a way that expands on and personalizes each verse. A great framework for helping Christians grow in their prayers; meant to be taken as a guide, not as rule or law.

He divides the Lord's prayer into seven separate petitions: (1) hallowed be Thy name, (2) Thy kingdom come, (3) Thy will be done, (4) give us this day our daily bread, (5) forgive us our trespasses, (6) lead us not into temptation, and (7) deliver us from evil.

When Luther prays the ten commandements, he divides each commandment into four parts: (1) instruction, (2) thanksgiving, (3) confession, and (4) asking prayer.

Quotes:

"Do not leave your prayer without having said or thought, 'Very well, God has heard my prayer; this I know as a certainty and a truth.' That is what Amen means."

"If such an abundance of good thoughts comes to us we ought to disregard the other petitions, make room for such thoughts, listen in silence, and under no circumstances obstruct them. The Holy Spirit himself preaches here, and one word of his sermon is far better than a thousand of our prayers. Many times I have learned more from one prayer than I might have learned from much reading and speculation."

"A person who forgets what he has said has not prayed well. In a good prayer one fully remembers every word and thought from the beginning to the end of the prayer."

"For the mind, once it is seriously occupied with a matter, be it good or evil, can ponder more in one moment than the tongue can recite in ten hours or the pen write in ten days. There is something quick, subtle, and mighty about the mind and soul."

[Dominick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent little book on prayer. Though I sometimes have issues with the older style of writing, I definitely enjoyed this book and found it useful for me. The pattern of prayer takes fully into consideration our lives under simul justus et peccator. (Being both saint and sinner). It encourages, but it also recognizes our failures, past and future. Most of all it shows us a gracious God that we can come bow a knew to in repentance.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great little letter (book) on prayer by Martin Luther, reformer.

Here is the challenge! When read in context as a way to pray, opening up from the church culture at the time, this would have been radically open and enlightening! What a fantastic way to pray as a model, using the Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, and Creed as a template!

The counter to this access to Grace is that so many have stayed just where Martin Luther left us 500 years ago. Today, we still pray by rote, look back at how prayer 'should' be - even if we use our own words, and have a tendency to ostracize those who don't line up with our traditional views. This was Martin Luther shaking things up from stuck tradition. Have we stopped ourselves from exploring and engaging with God and made Luther's insights our own stuck tradition?

The nugget? The templates still work! When we look at taking ownership, as Martin Luther did, but in a way which speaks to engaging our own faith and relationship with God (and by extension, empowering us in relationship to our neighbor).