Give us a respite from our toil,
Calm and subdue our woes;

dim Through the long day we labour, Lord,Oh, give us now repose.

Amen.

Adelaide Anne Procter (1825-1864).

Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening

μ

sacrifice. Ps. cxli. 2.

1 THE sun is sinking fast,
The daylight dies;

cres Let love awake, and pay
Her evening sacrifice.

mf

2

3

As Christ upon the Cross
In death inclined,

And to His Father's Hands
His parting soul resigned ;-

cres So now herself my soul
mf Would wholly give
Into His sacred charge,
In Whom all spirits live :-

4

So now beneath His Eye
Would calmly rest,
Without a wish or thought
Abiding in the breast;-

5 cres Save that His will be done,

mf

Whate'er betide;

Dead to herself, and dead
In Him to all beside.

6 m Thus would I live ;-yet now
Not I, but He,

cres In all His power and love,
Henceforth alive in me :-

of

6.4.6.6.

52

7 One Sacred Trinity!

One Lord Divine !

Myself for ever His!

And He for ever mine!

Amen.

From the Latin (18th cent.), tr. E. Caswall (1814-1878).

Time and chance happeneth to them all.
Eccles. ix. 11.

1 mƒ THROUGH the changes of the day
Kept by Thy sustaining power,
Offerings of thanks we pay,
Father, in this evening hour.
Praises to Thy Name belong,
Source and Giver of all good;
While we lift our evening song,
Fill our souls with gratitude.

2 mƒ From the dangers which have frowned, From the snares in secret set,

3

cres We have, through Thy mercy, found
Safety and deliverance yet.
All the day that mercy hath
Guarded us from ills untold,
All the day along our path
Scattered blessings manifold.

p Spirit, Who hast been our Light
And the Guardian of our way,
cres Let Thy mercy and Thy might
mf Keep us to another day:
Help us, Father, so to spend
All our moments as they flee,
That, when life and labour end,
We may fall asleep in Thee.

Amen.

78.

W. H. Burleigh.

53

I will make them to lie down safely.

Hos. ii. 18.

8.7.8.7.7.7.

1 my THROUGH the day Thy love hath spared us;
Now we lay us down to rest:
Through the silent watches guard us;
Let no foe our peace molest:

Р

cres

Jesu, Thou our Guardian be;
Sweet it is to trust in Thee.

2 mf Pilgrims here on earth, and strangers,
Dwelling in the midst of foes,
Us and ours preserve from dangers,
In Thine Arms may we repose;

dim

And, when life's brief day is past,
Rest with Thee in heaven at last.

Amen.

T. Kelly (1769-1855).

I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest, for it
is Thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in
safety. Ps. iv. 9.

P WHEN evening shadows gather,
And twilight gently fades;
When all is still and silent
In midnight's darker shades;
Then, O my God, be near me,
Do Thou protect my bed;
dim From evil and from danger
p Let angels guard my head.
We know not, when we slumber,

cres

cres

That we shall e'er awake,
To see another day begin,

Another dawning break:
But Thou art ever watching,
Thou wilt our vigils keep,
my And, trusting in Thy mercy,
We sink in peaceful sleep.

dim. PP

7.6.

3

p But, ere our eyelids closing, We humbly seek Thy Face, And pray for Thy forgiveness, And Thy sustaining grace: pp For we are weak and erring, And need Thy mighty power;

cres

cres

mf O Jesu, ever guard us

dim

In dark temptation's hour.

4

p

We pray

for those who languish

In sickness and distress,

That Thou wilt soothe their anguish,

And their afflictions bless:

We pray for those in peril

Upon the mighty sea;

We pray for friends and loved ones :-
Do Thou their Guardian be.

5 And now to Thee we render

Our thanks for mercies past,
With grateful hearts imploring
Thy favour to the last.
And at the great awakening
May we be found above,-
With saints and angels praising
Thy providence and love. Amen.

J. F. Swift.

55

Morning or Evening.

O deal with Thy servant according unto Thy loving mercy. 8s.

Ps. cxix. 124.

1 mf As every day Thy mercy spares
Will bring its trials and its cares,
O Saviour, till my life shall end,
Be Thou my Counsellor and Friend;
Teach me Thy precepts all divine,
And be Thy great example mine.

2 p When each day's scenes and labours close,
And wearied nature seeks repose,
cres With pardoning mercy richly blest,
dim Guard me, my Saviour, while I rest;
cres And as each morning sun shall rise,
ƒOh! lead me onward to the skies.

3

p And at my life's last setting sun, My conflicts o'er, my labours done, cres Jesu, Thy heavenly radiance shed, To cheer and bless my dying bed; Then from death's gloom my spirit raise, To see Thy Face and sing Thy praise. Amen.