UPDATE: We turned this blogpost into a little booklet. Download a free copy or order a printed book here!
I had the great privilege of visiting my grandfather’s deathbed this week. Blessed in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints!
It reminded me, though, that while pastors are trained to visit the dying, most of us are not used to this situation. To help, here are five suggestions for what to do when you have the privilege to visit your dying family and friends.
1. Read Scripture.
Faith comes through hearing, and hearing the Word of God. Even if the dying is asleep, or seem like they are mentally checked out, read the Scriptures. If you have time, read the accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus from the Gospels (Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, John 18-21). Read the Psalms (23, 27, 32, 46, 51, 90, 100, 116, 130, etc.). Here are a few other beautiful passages of comfort (suggested by the Pastoral Care Companion:
Psalm 4:8
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 31:1
Psalm 73:26
Luke 2:25-32
John 3:16-17
John 10:14-28
Isaiah 53:4-5
Luke 23:39-43
John 11:21-27
Romans 14:7-9
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Revelation 7:9-17
1 Corinthians 15
2. Sing (or Read, but sing) Hymns
Hymns are full of comfort, and music is as well. It is amazing how many of the old hymns speak about death. Try this: pick up any Lutheran hymnal and flip through until you see a hymn you recognize. Look at the last two verses. Odds are about 2:1 that there is a mention of death. Sing the hymns you like. If you don’t have a hymnal, steal borrow one from church. I’ll bet there’s a box of worn out hymnals in some closet somewhere.
3. Pray
Pray the Lord’s Prayer. Pray the Psalms. Pray the prayers in the hymnal. Find the litany in the hymnal and pray that. Pray for faith, for a blessed death, for peace. The Lord hears our prayers and has promised to answer them.
4. Call the pastor.
He wants to be there. He wants to bring the comfort of the Lord’s mercy, the forgiveness of sins, and the peace of the Gospel. He has been in this situation before and can give you helpful insight and guidance, along with the comfort of the Scriptures.
5. Talk
We stand at the edge of death with the confidence of faith. Knowing the resurrection of Jesus, and that the sting of death has been removed, we do not cower at the sight of death. Christ has set us free from the fear of death, and we know that for the Lord’s baptized “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Note: when the hour of death draws near, the pastor will observe a rite called “The Commendation of the Dying.” This is a beautiful service of Scripture and prayer.
Here is an abbreviated version for use when a pastor is not available (adapted from the Pastoral Care Companion).
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us pray.
Lord God, heavenly Father, look with favor upon Your child **name**, forgive **him/her** all **his/her** sins, and comfort **him/her** with the promises of the resurrection to life everlasting through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Psalm 23 or 130 is read
One or more of the following Bible passages is read:
- John 10:27-29
- Matthew 11:28-20
- John 3:16-21
- Revelation 7:9-17
The Apostles’ Creed is Confessed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.
The Litany for the Dying is Prayed
O Lord, have mercy.
O Christ, have mercy.
O Lord, have mercy.
O Christ, hear us.
God the Father in heaven, have mercy.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy.
Be gracious to us. Spare us, good Lord.
Be gracious to us. Help us, good Lord.From all sin, from all error, from all evil;
From the crafts and assaults of the devil: Good Lord, deliver us.By the mystery of Your holy incarnation; by Your holy nativity;
By Your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Your agony and bloody
sweat; by Your cross and passion; by Your precious death and burial;
By Your glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the
Holy Spirit, the Comforter: Help us, good Lord.In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of
death; and in the day of judgment: Help us, good Lord.We poor sinners implore You to hear us, O Lord.
That you deliver Your servant **name** from all evil and from eternal death, we implore You to hear us, good Lord.
The You forgive all **his/her** sins, we implore You to hear us, good Lord.
That You give **him/her** refreshment and everlasting blessing, we implore You to hear us, good Lord.
That you give **him/her** joy and gladness in heaven with Your saints, we implore You to hear us, good Lord.
Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy.
Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy.
Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us Your peace.
O Christ, hear us.
O Lord, have mercy.
O Christ, have mercy.
O Lord, have mercy. Amen.Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.Commendation
**Name**, go in peace. May God the Father, who created you, may God the + Son, who redeemed and saved you with His blood, may God the Holy Spirit, who sanctified you in the water of Holy Baptism, receive you into the company of the saints and angels to await the resurrection and live in the light of His glory forevermore. Amen.
The Nunc Dimittis is spoken or sung
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace,
according to Thy Word,
for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people:
A Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.Should death occur, the following prayer may be prayed:
O God the Father, fountain and source of all blessings, we give thanks that You have kept **name** in the faith and have now taken **him/her** to Yourself. Comfort us with Your holy Word and give us strength that when our last hour comes we may peacefully fall asleep in You, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
The Lord bless us and keep us.
The Lord make His face shine upon us and be gracious unto us.
The Lord life us His countenance upon us, and + give us peace. Amen
May the Lord Jesus grant us all a blessed death.
PrBW
UPDATE: We turned this blogpost into a little booklet. Download a free copy or order a printed book here!
