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Prayers of the Church
Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans
"That prayer is most likely to pierce heaven which first pierces one's own heart." For the Puritans, prayer was neither casual nor dull. Their prayers were passionate affairs, from earnestly pleading for mercy to joyful praise. These rich expressions of deep Christian faith are a shining example of holy living.
The Puritan combination of warm piety and careful intellect have fueled a renaissance of interest in their movement. This combination is on display in Piercing Heaven , a collection of carefully selected prayers from leading Puritans. The language in these prayers has been slightly updated for a modern audience while still retaining the elevated tone of the Puritans. With prayers from Richard Baxter, Thomas Brooks, John Owen, and many more, each prayer reminds us that heartfelt prayer is central to the Christian life.
The Puritan combination of warm piety and careful intellect have fueled a renaissance of interest in their movement. This combination is on display in Piercing Heaven , a collection of carefully selected prayers from leading Puritans. The language in these prayers has been slightly updated for a modern audience while still retaining the elevated tone of the Puritans. With prayers from Richard Baxter, Thomas Brooks, John Owen, and many more, each prayer reminds us that heartfelt prayer is central to the Christian life.
321 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2019
485 people are currently reading
1053 people want to read
About the author
Robert Elmer
90 books68 followersRobert Elmer is the author of more than fifty books, including contemporary novels for the adult Christian audience, nonfiction devotionals like Piercing Heaven and Fount of Heaven (Lexham Press), and seven series for younger readers. Among kids, he is best known for his historicals such as the Young Underground, Adventures Down Under, Life Behind the Wall, and Promise of Zion books. When he's not at the keyboard, he enjoys beachcombing and travel with his wife, and spending time with their three kids and families.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 31, 2019
I edited this book; it was my job to find any "false friends" that made their way into the text. Robert Elmer did an excellent job: these prayers are stirring, personal, biblical, and rich. The slight modernization makes them accessible while still allowing them to come clearly from another era. There was something in the Puritan spirit that attracts me so deeply: a melding of warm heart and biblically informed head. Piety and doctrine. Love it.
November 19, 2021
Piercing Heaven is one of those volumes I could read over and over again and never get tired of. There's a prayer for every season of life in this book, some poetic, some long, some short and to the point - all honest and saturated in the Truth. There were many days I sat down to read, not feeling particularly worshipful, and ended up closing the book with a heart overflowing with repentance and gratitude. When I do not know what to pray, the prayers of these faithful men remind me of the truth even while giving words to my many wordless thoughts.
December 13, 2019
I was a contributing editor of this book, and it was a real pleasure to read it. It is a great companion volume to The Valley Of Vision. If you liked that book, you’ll love this one.
With prayers from Puritans like John Bunyan, John Owen, Anne Bradstreet, and Matthew Henry, to name just a few, the book overflows with heartfelt devotion from Spirit-filled people of great minds and great hearts.
May this book stock our souls with kindling for prayer, just as one of its prayers says: “Pour out the spirit of grace and supplication, that your throne of grace may be surrounded by supplicants, that there may be a great flocking to the mercy seat” (Nathaniel Vincent).
A couple of comments about the physical product, which reflect decisions I had nothing to do with, but which I really like. First, the book is beautiful and well made. The cover design is elegant; the book’s size feels right in the hand; the material of the hardcover has what I would describe as a reassuring, durable, almost “buckram-esque” feel. Second, the interior typographical decisions are excellent as well, drawing you in as a reader, rather than presenting you with a thick, off-putting, wall of words. Very well done.
With prayers from Puritans like John Bunyan, John Owen, Anne Bradstreet, and Matthew Henry, to name just a few, the book overflows with heartfelt devotion from Spirit-filled people of great minds and great hearts.
May this book stock our souls with kindling for prayer, just as one of its prayers says: “Pour out the spirit of grace and supplication, that your throne of grace may be surrounded by supplicants, that there may be a great flocking to the mercy seat” (Nathaniel Vincent).
A couple of comments about the physical product, which reflect decisions I had nothing to do with, but which I really like. First, the book is beautiful and well made. The cover design is elegant; the book’s size feels right in the hand; the material of the hardcover has what I would describe as a reassuring, durable, almost “buckram-esque” feel. Second, the interior typographical decisions are excellent as well, drawing you in as a reader, rather than presenting you with a thick, off-putting, wall of words. Very well done.
April 16, 2021
Over 200 prayers compiled from 32 different puritans (though 40% of the prayers are from Doddridge and Hawker). My favorite contributors were Brooks, Dent, Doddridge, Hawker, and Witsius.
One example: "Show me the power of Christ to save! I teach my faith to see him extended on the cross, arms open wide, with a pierced, bleeding side, telling me what room is in his heart for me" (Doddridge, p. 80).
One example: "Show me the power of Christ to save! I teach my faith to see him extended on the cross, arms open wide, with a pierced, bleeding side, telling me what room is in his heart for me" (Doddridge, p. 80).
May 24, 2022
Amazing! I will always be reading this book! If you want your weary soul refreshened or if you don't know where to start in prayer. Just read some of these out loud!
July 31, 2024
What a beautiful little book of prayers. The Puritans had such a sweet yet powerful relationship with the Lord, and I gained much by praying their prayers along with them. There was a prayer for every season and every time of day, and I’ll definitely be keeping this book close to me.
February 19, 2021
There are some books that have been made available to us to help us in our weakness. Valley of Vision has been one. It is a book of meditations. This is a book of prayers that can be used for meditation. I also like that you know who said what which is something that valley a vision lacks. I will be using this in part of my daily devotion or quiet time for years to come.
November 19, 2021
Was given this book by a dear friend earlier in the year. I loved the variety of the Puritan prayers in this book and would wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone!
October 18, 2022
Wow! Simply wow! The Puritans could pray! These were such a blessing to me I used them in my daily prayer time and I was just wowed with the depth and verbiage used by these men. What a blessing to have these accessible today! Very highly recommended
December 20, 2021
Good prayers.
August 15, 2024
This amazing collection of Puritan prayers is beautiful, convicting, and edifying. The title takes its inspiration from a quote by Thomas Watson: "That prayer is most likely to pierce heaven which first pierces one's own heart."
With the book itself, Lexham Press has done a great job in providing a splendid design, fitting for the contents within. The book comes in a gorgeous dark blue hardback, adorned with golden lettering and ornamentation on the outside. The typesetting is wonderful as well, with a readable font and each prayer containing nicely divided paragraphs and spacing. The result is a text that is a delight to read overall.
When it comes to the contents, the prayers are helpfully divided into topics under certain subheadings. For example, some of the categories are: Help Me Through My Doubts; Help Me Endure Temptation; Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated. Along with the individual titles assigned to each entry, these are helpful for finding relevant prayers on a certain topic. Another great feature is that each prayer is followed by the name of the author.
Unsurprisingly, the best parts of this book are the prayers themselves; each prayer is simply beautiful. It is impossible to walk away from this book without being moved, captivated by the wonders and glory of God. Whether rejoicing in the gospel, repenting of sin, exulting in God's glory, pleading for mercy, or petitioning for divine help, these Puritan prayers are passionate and rich expressions of total commitment to faith in the Triune God.
One helpful feature of this collection is that the language has been updated for modern readers; this, however, does not at all take away from the experience of interacting with these several-century-old prayers. Another great touch is the short biographies of each author included at the end, as well as the author index.
The only disappointment I had with this book was that the spread of sources used was rather lopsided for particular writers. For example, based off the index in the back, I would estimate that of the 32 Puritans included, 7 of them make up for about 80 percent of the prayers; famous Puritans such as John Owen, George Whitefield, John Bunyan, and others have only a handful of prayers included in this book. Ultimately, however, this fact is not a major issue, since every single prayer included is certainly worth reading.
Overall, this work was a joy to read. Having gone through "Valley of Vision" regularly in the past, I am eager to revisit "Piercing Heaven" for many years to come. After working through this book devotionally, using several of its prayers each morning and evening in my own prayer time, I can truly say that the prayers within are "heart piercing," and I hope that, by God's grace, they become "heaven piercing."
*Note: I received this book for free, courtesy of Lexham Press, but was not required to give a positive review.*
With the book itself, Lexham Press has done a great job in providing a splendid design, fitting for the contents within. The book comes in a gorgeous dark blue hardback, adorned with golden lettering and ornamentation on the outside. The typesetting is wonderful as well, with a readable font and each prayer containing nicely divided paragraphs and spacing. The result is a text that is a delight to read overall.
When it comes to the contents, the prayers are helpfully divided into topics under certain subheadings. For example, some of the categories are: Help Me Through My Doubts; Help Me Endure Temptation; Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated. Along with the individual titles assigned to each entry, these are helpful for finding relevant prayers on a certain topic. Another great feature is that each prayer is followed by the name of the author.
Unsurprisingly, the best parts of this book are the prayers themselves; each prayer is simply beautiful. It is impossible to walk away from this book without being moved, captivated by the wonders and glory of God. Whether rejoicing in the gospel, repenting of sin, exulting in God's glory, pleading for mercy, or petitioning for divine help, these Puritan prayers are passionate and rich expressions of total commitment to faith in the Triune God.
One helpful feature of this collection is that the language has been updated for modern readers; this, however, does not at all take away from the experience of interacting with these several-century-old prayers. Another great touch is the short biographies of each author included at the end, as well as the author index.
The only disappointment I had with this book was that the spread of sources used was rather lopsided for particular writers. For example, based off the index in the back, I would estimate that of the 32 Puritans included, 7 of them make up for about 80 percent of the prayers; famous Puritans such as John Owen, George Whitefield, John Bunyan, and others have only a handful of prayers included in this book. Ultimately, however, this fact is not a major issue, since every single prayer included is certainly worth reading.
Overall, this work was a joy to read. Having gone through "Valley of Vision" regularly in the past, I am eager to revisit "Piercing Heaven" for many years to come. After working through this book devotionally, using several of its prayers each morning and evening in my own prayer time, I can truly say that the prayers within are "heart piercing," and I hope that, by God's grace, they become "heaven piercing."
*Note: I received this book for free, courtesy of Lexham Press, but was not required to give a positive review.*
February 25, 2020
Sometimes I just don’t have the words to pray to God. After enduring long days or experiencing an exhausting trial, it is difficult to find words for my emotions and feelings. Or sometimes I just feel spiritually dry and empty. In Piercing Heaven, editor Robert Elmer helps us see and feel the passion of Puritan prayers.
Puritan Prayers
In the introduction to this book, we learn that the Puritan movement stemmed from the Reformation and sought to “purify” the Church of England throughout the 1600s and into the 1700s. The purity of Scripture-based worship, purity of doctrine, and purity of prayer were sought on both sides of the Atlantic.
In our ever-increasingly busy, technologically-saturated, and entertainment-driven lives, we have lost the power and purity of prayer. In this book, you will find nearly 300 pages filled with prayers from leading Puritans. They will give words for your pleas to God and ignite a passion for his glory. They are eloquent, wise, and soaked in Scripture.
Themes and Biographies
The prayers are arranged thematically, with a wide range of topics. These include: Help me ask for help, help me through my doubts, I believe – help my unbelief, and help me praise and thank the Lord. I believe that a slow read of one poem a day will increase the intimacy during your quiet times with the Lord.
Over 30 brief biographies of the Puritans are included at the back of the book. I found them fascinating to read. Amongst my favorites were Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Jeremiah Burroughs, and George Whitefield. They help set the context for the prayers while they also introduce me to these giants of the faith.
Piercing Heaven
This is a hardcover book, beautifully designed and produced with the exceptional quality you would expect from Lexham Press. The dark blue and gold engraving will make you want to pick it up – and you won’t want to put it down. It will be fitting for everyday use and you will want it in your library as a lifeline for prayer.
Prayer is a spiritual discipline. It takes practice and dedication. And after long days at work and spending my energy on my family, I need to remember to get on my knees and cry out to God. These prayers of the Puritans are a great help.
I was provided a free copy of Piercing Heaven but was not required to write a positive review.
Puritan Prayers
In the introduction to this book, we learn that the Puritan movement stemmed from the Reformation and sought to “purify” the Church of England throughout the 1600s and into the 1700s. The purity of Scripture-based worship, purity of doctrine, and purity of prayer were sought on both sides of the Atlantic.
In our ever-increasingly busy, technologically-saturated, and entertainment-driven lives, we have lost the power and purity of prayer. In this book, you will find nearly 300 pages filled with prayers from leading Puritans. They will give words for your pleas to God and ignite a passion for his glory. They are eloquent, wise, and soaked in Scripture.
Themes and Biographies
The prayers are arranged thematically, with a wide range of topics. These include: Help me ask for help, help me through my doubts, I believe – help my unbelief, and help me praise and thank the Lord. I believe that a slow read of one poem a day will increase the intimacy during your quiet times with the Lord.
Over 30 brief biographies of the Puritans are included at the back of the book. I found them fascinating to read. Amongst my favorites were Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Jeremiah Burroughs, and George Whitefield. They help set the context for the prayers while they also introduce me to these giants of the faith.
Piercing Heaven
This is a hardcover book, beautifully designed and produced with the exceptional quality you would expect from Lexham Press. The dark blue and gold engraving will make you want to pick it up – and you won’t want to put it down. It will be fitting for everyday use and you will want it in your library as a lifeline for prayer.
Prayer is a spiritual discipline. It takes practice and dedication. And after long days at work and spending my energy on my family, I need to remember to get on my knees and cry out to God. These prayers of the Puritans are a great help.
I was provided a free copy of Piercing Heaven but was not required to write a positive review.
June 12, 2020
Most people I know have learned to pray from listening to others, in one way or the other. That's the value of a new 240-page hardback "Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans" edited by the prolific author, Robert Elmer. It is handy and pleasing to the eyes, and the print is easy to look at. This breviary is a worthy investment for one's own times of prayer, and suppliants will learn at the feet of some devotional doyens.
"Piercing Heaven" draws from Puritan authors arising out of the 16th to 18th centuries. Anglican priests, nonconformists, congregationalists and others are gathered into these pages to lead the way to the throne of grace, where we may find grace to help in time of need. Many of the names will be known to most, with a few surprises here and there.
The editor has taken matured prayers, modernized them, and formatted them in such a way that they breathe a quiet repose. Though a particular petition may fill a page or two, Elmer has broken it out into short, one to three sentence paragraphs. This has the effect of allowing a beseecher space to reflect on, revel in, and ruminate over each set of requests. I found this very helpful as I employed these petitions for my own congregation recently.
Further, the editor has culled and collected prayers that glow with devotional warmth. Whether it's Robert Hawker's "The Father Planned it All" or Anthony Burgess's "Overwhelmed by Your Grace," one will find fodder to feed their prayers. Likely, a few will be stopped on their knees, tearfully crying out, "Lord, I am hunted with temptation. Either you must pardon it, or I am condemned. Kill it, or I will be a slave to it...I will be your true prisoner. I would rather die by the hand of your justice than continue fighting against your mercy" (82). Hearts will be touched.
"Piercing Heaven" is a keeper! I've already recommended it to individuals in my congregation. Busy pastors can take it up with profit. Dry and desiccated hearts will find it replenishing and refreshing their dearth. I highly recommend the book.
My thanks to Lexham Press. They sent me a copy I requested and used for this review. They demanded nothing from me other than an honest analysis, which I have happily given.
"Piercing Heaven" draws from Puritan authors arising out of the 16th to 18th centuries. Anglican priests, nonconformists, congregationalists and others are gathered into these pages to lead the way to the throne of grace, where we may find grace to help in time of need. Many of the names will be known to most, with a few surprises here and there.
The editor has taken matured prayers, modernized them, and formatted them in such a way that they breathe a quiet repose. Though a particular petition may fill a page or two, Elmer has broken it out into short, one to three sentence paragraphs. This has the effect of allowing a beseecher space to reflect on, revel in, and ruminate over each set of requests. I found this very helpful as I employed these petitions for my own congregation recently.
Further, the editor has culled and collected prayers that glow with devotional warmth. Whether it's Robert Hawker's "The Father Planned it All" or Anthony Burgess's "Overwhelmed by Your Grace," one will find fodder to feed their prayers. Likely, a few will be stopped on their knees, tearfully crying out, "Lord, I am hunted with temptation. Either you must pardon it, or I am condemned. Kill it, or I will be a slave to it...I will be your true prisoner. I would rather die by the hand of your justice than continue fighting against your mercy" (82). Hearts will be touched.
"Piercing Heaven" is a keeper! I've already recommended it to individuals in my congregation. Busy pastors can take it up with profit. Dry and desiccated hearts will find it replenishing and refreshing their dearth. I highly recommend the book.
My thanks to Lexham Press. They sent me a copy I requested and used for this review. They demanded nothing from me other than an honest analysis, which I have happily given.
March 4, 2021
My Thoughts: This is actually two book reviews in one post.
I bought Piercing Heaven for my birthday in February. I’d had my eye on it for a while.
A previous book of Puritan prayers I’ve read several times is The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, published by The Banner of Truth Trust, and edited by Arthur Bennett (1915-1994). This book is excellent. It is difficult not to compare it to Piercing Heaven. But, there are things I like about both books and things I dislike about both books.
The Valley of Vision is 193 Puritan prayers compiled from the writings of Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, Philip Doddridge, David Brainerd, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon (naming only a few). Both books have similar authors. What I dislike about The Valley of Vision is none of the prayers are attributed to an author. I have no idea who wrote what. There isn’t an index either.
Piercing Heaven has 216 Puritan prayers. Each prayer is attributed to an author when the prayer is quoted. There is an index of authors, quoted source pages, and nine pages of brief biographies on each Puritan author.
Another point in favor of Piercing Heaven is each of the 16 sections or chapters of prayers start with a graphic design heading page. And, the book is visually appealing and organized well.
The Valley of Vision is a paperback that’s focus is solely on the prayers. I consider it bare-bones. However, what a gem this book is to me!!! Throughout the book I underline and write brief notes about various lines in the prayers that are meaningful to me.
I believe The Valley of Vision has a better over-all compiling of prayers than Piercing Heaven. This is the main reason why I gave The Valley of Vision an excellent rating, and Piercing Heaven a very good rating.
I bought Piercing Heaven for my birthday in February. I’d had my eye on it for a while.
A previous book of Puritan prayers I’ve read several times is The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, published by The Banner of Truth Trust, and edited by Arthur Bennett (1915-1994). This book is excellent. It is difficult not to compare it to Piercing Heaven. But, there are things I like about both books and things I dislike about both books.
The Valley of Vision is 193 Puritan prayers compiled from the writings of Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, Philip Doddridge, David Brainerd, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon (naming only a few). Both books have similar authors. What I dislike about The Valley of Vision is none of the prayers are attributed to an author. I have no idea who wrote what. There isn’t an index either.
Piercing Heaven has 216 Puritan prayers. Each prayer is attributed to an author when the prayer is quoted. There is an index of authors, quoted source pages, and nine pages of brief biographies on each Puritan author.
Another point in favor of Piercing Heaven is each of the 16 sections or chapters of prayers start with a graphic design heading page. And, the book is visually appealing and organized well.
The Valley of Vision is a paperback that’s focus is solely on the prayers. I consider it bare-bones. However, what a gem this book is to me!!! Throughout the book I underline and write brief notes about various lines in the prayers that are meaningful to me.
I believe The Valley of Vision has a better over-all compiling of prayers than Piercing Heaven. This is the main reason why I gave The Valley of Vision an excellent rating, and Piercing Heaven a very good rating.
January 21, 2020
My wife and I read this together. Very moving. Being around those who can pray is better than any class on prayer. Through this book, the reader can feel the passion, humility, and neediness of the Puritans and their ultimate reliance on God. Kudos to the compiler/editor. It was easy to read and understand. I don’t believe any of the passion or content was lost in the revisions. Definitely a must read.
January 16, 2020
This Puritan Prayer book is a must for ANYONE serious about their Christian walk. I carry this book everywhere I go as it is chalked full of prayers molded by the Word of God. Also written in the modern language, it is a great companion to the Valley of Vision.
August 9, 2020
About half-way through I started reading these prayers out loud. It changed my experience of the books completely. They became my prayers rather than the authors. I need help developing language for prayer and Piercing Heaven helped me.
August 14, 2021
The cover is really beautiful and the prayers are very simple to read and have the author attribution.
I wish the formatting of the book was more like the valley of vision; less spaced out, more compact.
I wish the formatting of the book was more like the valley of vision; less spaced out, more compact.
June 7, 2023
I sure love the Puritans!
some contributing notables: Anne Bradstreet, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, John Owen, George Whitefield
some contributing notables: Anne Bradstreet, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, John Owen, George Whitefield
January 27, 2023
A great collection of puritan prayers. The prayers almost seem like they were written straight from the Word of God. These guys knew their scripture, they meditated on it, and it was their source of wisdom, strength, and peace. It was evident through these prayers. You can tell a lot about someone through how they pray. This book along with Praying with Paul by Carson would be great read side by side to encourage your prayer life.
August 8, 2024
Beautifully bound and well-curated collection of Puritan prayers. The prayers are organized by theme and topic. The prayers themselves are rich in biblical language, Puritan insight, and spiritual wisdom. In addition to praying these prayers privately for my own edification, I have also read several of these prayers in public settings (prayer meetings, worship services). I plan to return regularly to this collection in the years ahead.
November 7, 2024
Piercing Heaven is a unique collection of Puritan Prayers. I started going through it in my morning devotions after going through The Valley of Vision two years ago and finding it incredibly helpful and enriching. Although many of these prayers were articulate and creative, I unfortunately found them to be a bit more inconsistent. The prayers are grouped thematically, however they often seemed to lack consistency, and I regularly found myself wondering what the prayer was about or how it fit in for me personally. There are certainly some useful and beautiful prayers in this book, but overall I found it to be not as useful or enriching as I had hoped.
October 14, 2025
This is a wonderful collection of prayers that will encourage and inspire anyone who truly desires to know more of the Lord. It’s one I will definitely be returning to in the future. Highly recommend!!
Favorite Quote: “Since you have spoken it, I fully assent. And I deliver up all the cheeky impudence of my reason to be chastised and tutored by faith.”
Favorite Quote: “Since you have spoken it, I fully assent. And I deliver up all the cheeky impudence of my reason to be chastised and tutored by faith.”
December 2, 2022
I read this over the course of more than a year, one prayer at a time.
August 26, 2025
Better than Valley of Vision to me. Appreciated learning about and from saints like Robert Hawker.
August 31, 2021
I have three prayers book, namely
1. Valley of Vision (VOV)
2. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition (BCP)
3. Piercing Heavens: Prayers of the Puritans (PH)
I definitely like Valley of Vision more than Piercing Heavens for sure. Although the prayers of PH were adjusted with modern English and made readability much easier, I appreciate the consistent length of VOV much better. Some prayers in PH are overly long and overly short which can be a little pet-peeve to me, furthermore the table of content in PH seems a little more difficult to use. Another reason why I like VOV more is that the formatting is better, every prayer of VOV begins from the left page. Some one made a "prayer plan" for VOV on http://www.joethorn.net/valley , so one could get a good mixed of different prayers daily as opposed to starting from page 1. Unfortunately because of the formatting of PH, it's difficult to make a daily prayer plan for it. While the prayers of PH are excellent, I think ultimately VOV is just much more convenient for me to use.
To compare VOV with BCP, I would say if possible, get both of them.
Pros of BCP:
1. Praying the same prayers together corporately with others across the globe through the Spirit.
2. Collect prayers are straight to the point, easy to digest and gets the job done
3. More balance, contains prayers not just for personal godliness, but for gospel growth, sickness, weather, government, family, church, wars etc
4. Contain contents that teaches the Anglican doctrines (39 articles, Athanasius's creed, catechism) and Anglican rites (Ordaining Ministers, Baptism, Lord's Supper, Confirmation, Visiting the sick, Burial)
5. Includes Psalter
6. Includes additional stuff that I did not expect, forms of prayer to be used at the sea, homilies, I don't use them but I think they are a pretty good Easter egg bonus.
Cons of BCP:
1. Sometimes the repetition can be a bit mundane which might lead to reciting the prayers without really meaning them, hence requires more effort to be more intentional when this happens.
2. First time users are likely to be confused how to use this prayer book, they might have to watch a short YouTube tutorial to learn.
Pros of VOV:
1. Definitely more self-abasement content which helps us to be more reflective and humble ourselves before God, to appreciate his mercy more. Prayers are more reflective for sure.
2. Definitely more personal godliness prayers and they definitely go deeper than the BCP.
3. This is probably a good place to get a taste of Anfechtung for those who never had this experience before.
4. Easier to use than BCP.
5. The bonded leather VOV has a better binding and paper quality than IVP 1662 BCP book.
Cons of VOV:
1. Sometimes can get lost in the jungle because the prayers are longer and contains more imagery languages. Thus requiring more attention and focus.
2. Sometimes it's not easy to see how the prayer points of VOV flow from one point to another. Requires to slow down and analyze how the prayer points on the left page are connected to the prayers points on the right page.
3. Does not have much prayers for other people besides personal godliness.
I would recommend to get both BCP and VOV if you can. Some days you might want to pray both together, some days you might just want to pray from either one depending on your mood.
Some days when you are short on time, VOV is the place to go, just 2 pages and you are done. That is because to complete the BCP morning and evening prayer sessions, each session might take about half an hour, and it will be longer if you include the OT, Psalms and NT reading.
But for the best edifying experience, just use both everyday if you can!
1. Valley of Vision (VOV)
2. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition (BCP)
3. Piercing Heavens: Prayers of the Puritans (PH)
I definitely like Valley of Vision more than Piercing Heavens for sure. Although the prayers of PH were adjusted with modern English and made readability much easier, I appreciate the consistent length of VOV much better. Some prayers in PH are overly long and overly short which can be a little pet-peeve to me, furthermore the table of content in PH seems a little more difficult to use. Another reason why I like VOV more is that the formatting is better, every prayer of VOV begins from the left page. Some one made a "prayer plan" for VOV on http://www.joethorn.net/valley , so one could get a good mixed of different prayers daily as opposed to starting from page 1. Unfortunately because of the formatting of PH, it's difficult to make a daily prayer plan for it. While the prayers of PH are excellent, I think ultimately VOV is just much more convenient for me to use.
To compare VOV with BCP, I would say if possible, get both of them.
Pros of BCP:
1. Praying the same prayers together corporately with others across the globe through the Spirit.
2. Collect prayers are straight to the point, easy to digest and gets the job done
3. More balance, contains prayers not just for personal godliness, but for gospel growth, sickness, weather, government, family, church, wars etc
4. Contain contents that teaches the Anglican doctrines (39 articles, Athanasius's creed, catechism) and Anglican rites (Ordaining Ministers, Baptism, Lord's Supper, Confirmation, Visiting the sick, Burial)
5. Includes Psalter
6. Includes additional stuff that I did not expect, forms of prayer to be used at the sea, homilies, I don't use them but I think they are a pretty good Easter egg bonus.
Cons of BCP:
1. Sometimes the repetition can be a bit mundane which might lead to reciting the prayers without really meaning them, hence requires more effort to be more intentional when this happens.
2. First time users are likely to be confused how to use this prayer book, they might have to watch a short YouTube tutorial to learn.
Pros of VOV:
1. Definitely more self-abasement content which helps us to be more reflective and humble ourselves before God, to appreciate his mercy more. Prayers are more reflective for sure.
2. Definitely more personal godliness prayers and they definitely go deeper than the BCP.
3. This is probably a good place to get a taste of Anfechtung for those who never had this experience before.
4. Easier to use than BCP.
5. The bonded leather VOV has a better binding and paper quality than IVP 1662 BCP book.
Cons of VOV:
1. Sometimes can get lost in the jungle because the prayers are longer and contains more imagery languages. Thus requiring more attention and focus.
2. Sometimes it's not easy to see how the prayer points of VOV flow from one point to another. Requires to slow down and analyze how the prayer points on the left page are connected to the prayers points on the right page.
3. Does not have much prayers for other people besides personal godliness.
I would recommend to get both BCP and VOV if you can. Some days you might want to pray both together, some days you might just want to pray from either one depending on your mood.
Some days when you are short on time, VOV is the place to go, just 2 pages and you are done. That is because to complete the BCP morning and evening prayer sessions, each session might take about half an hour, and it will be longer if you include the OT, Psalms and NT reading.
But for the best edifying experience, just use both everyday if you can!
December 18, 2020
I often tell people who are getting married to watch out for expectations, for expectations are merely Premeditated Disappointments. Well, I had some good old premeditated disappointments when I bought the book "Piercing Heaven", believing that since John MacArthur spoke so highly about it and, since it is billed as a "Valley of Vision", Part 2, it must be incredible. Well, yes, I found myself disappointed. Yes, it is a book of prayers by Puritans. Yes, there are some really thought provoking prayers found throughout the book. But it just didn't carry the punch of Valley of Vision. I'm not even sure why, other than it, at times, felt more like a prayer book written by one person, a person who is not as well known within the Puritan writings. In fairness to him, it wasn't that his prayers were terrible. Indeed, the prayers that are found in the book are, for the most part very good. I merely found myself wishing for something more as I worked my way through the pages of this book. I'm guessing that there will be others who will read the book and agree with MacArthur, giving "Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans", rave reviews. And, possibly like myself, there will be others who will find that some of the prayers were great reminders of truths, of theology, etc., I just finished the book and was found wanting.
January 14, 2021
I was planning to read this book of prayers slowly over the course of a month or two. However, these praying were so deep, engaging, and edifying that I found myself transfixed. I ended up enjoying the time reading, meditating, and praying over them so much that I made to the end of the book in very short order.
November 16, 2021
Absolutely wonderful. This volume will change your prayer life. Read it with your spouse in your daily devotions and share together the beauty of the Puritans' prayer language; shaped as it was by their years of baptism in the holy scriptures. When you finish ... start over again.
If Mr. Robert Elmer reads this ... any chance of a second volume?
If Mr. Robert Elmer reads this ... any chance of a second volume?
December 12, 2024
These are prayers from an era in which men were small and God was enormous. As such they are the ideal tonic for a people who live daily under an increasing barrage of messages that encourage the grossest, most sickening, most myopic kind of narcissism. This book will nourish your soul!
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