Saturday 24 March 2012

Subdue The Nations Under Her Feet And Let Us Say Amen

So today in shul (synagogue) I was browsing through some books and found a copy of the Yom Kippur Machzor (prayer book for the Day of Atonement) published in 1860 and another in 1891.

And I found the prayer for the royal family. I just love the 19th century one. SO VERY BRITISH!

*clears throat*

He who dispenseth salvation unto kings and dominion unto princes, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, who delivered His servant David from the destructive sword, who maketh a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, may He bless, preserve, guard, assist, exalt and highly aggrandize:
Our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria, Albert Edward Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales and all the royal family.
Subdue nations under her feet, cause her enemies to fall before her and cause her to prosper in all her undertakings. May the supreme King of Kings exalt and highly aggrandize her, and grant her long and proseperously to reign. May the supreme King of Kings in his infinite mercy, incline her heart and incline the hearts of her councellors and nobles with benevolence towards us and all Israel. In her days and in ours may Judah be saved, Israel dwell in safety and the Redemer come unto Zion.
May such be the divine will and let us say Amen.

The current version sort of omits the whole subduing nations part.

Anyway I now feel like being a 19th century gentleman.

Tally ho! Praise the Empire! God Save the Queen!

*rides away on an imaginary horse*

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