When wilt thou come unto me?-Ps. ci. 2.
1 COME to me, Lord, when first I wake,
As the faint lights of morning break;
Bid purest thoughts within me rise,
Like crystal dew-drops to the skies.
2 Come to me in the sultry noon,
Or earth's low communings will soon.
Of thy dear face eclipse the light,
And change my fairest day to night.
3 Come to me in the evening shade,
And, if my heart from thee hath stray'd,
Oh, bring it back, and from afar
Smile on me like thine evening star.
4 Come to me in the midnight hour,
When sleep withholds its balmy power;
Let my lone spirit find her rest,
Like John, upon my Saviour's breast.
5 Come to me through life's varied way,
And when its pulses cease to play,
Then, Saviour, bid me come to thee,
That where thou art, thy child may be.
10 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray. [S.M.
1 COME to the morning prayer,
Come let us kneel and pray;
Prayer is the Christian pilgrim's staff,
To walk with God all day.
At noon beneath the Rock
Sweet is the shadow from the heat,
When the sun smites by day.
At eve shut to the door,
Round the home-altar pray,
And finding there the house of God,
At heaven's gate close the day
When midnight seals our eyes,
Let each in spirit say,
I sleep, but my heart waketh, Lord,
With thee to watch and pray.
The hour of prayer.-Acts iii. 1.
1 My God, is any hour so sweet,
From blush of morn to evening star,
As that which calls me to thy feet,-
The hour of prayer?
2 Blest be that tranquil hour of morn,
And blest that hour of solemn eve,
When, on the wings of prayer upborne,
The world I leave.
3 For then a day-spring shines on me,
Brighter than morn's ethereal glow;
And richer dews descend from thee
Than earth can know.
4 Then is my strength by thee renew'd;
Then are my sins by thee forgiven;
Then dost thou cheer my solitude
With hopes of heaven.
5 No words can tell what blest relief,
There for my every want I find;
What strength for warfare, balm for grief;
What peace of mind.
6 Hush'd is each doubt; gone every fear;
My spirit seems in heaven to stay;
And even the penitential tear
Is wiped away.
7 Lord, till I reach yon blissful shore,
No privilege so dear shall be,
As thus my inmost soul to pour
In prayer to thee.
12 Walk before me, and be thou perfect.--Gen. xvii. 1. [L.M.
1 FORTH in thy name, O Lord, I go
My daily labour to pursue;
Thee, only thee, resolved to know,
In all I think, or speak, or do.
2 The task thy wisdom hath assign'd
O let me cheerfully fulfil;
In all my works thy presence find,
And prove thy good and perfect will.
3 Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost substance see;
And labour on at thy command,
And offer all my works to thee.
4 Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
And every moment watch and
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to thy glorious day.
5 For thee delightfully employ
Whate'er thy bounteous grace hath given; And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with thee to heaven."
"LIGHTEN OUR DARKNESS, WE BESEECH THEE,
Abide with us; for the day is far spent.
1 ABIDE with me: fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide : When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. 2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O thou, who changest not, abide with me. 3 Come not in terrors, as the King of kings; But kind and good, with healing in thy wings; Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea; Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me. 4 I need thy presence every passing hour: What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me. 5 I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless :
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness: Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
6 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.P
14 I will arise and go to my Father.-Luke xv. 18.
1 FATHER, again in Jesus' name we meet,
And bow in penitence beneath thy feet;
Again to thee our feeble voices raise,
To sue for mercy, and to sing thy praise.
2 O we would bless thee for thy ceaseless care,
And all thy work from day to day declare:
Is not our life with hourly mercies crown'd?
Does not thine arm encircle us around?
3 Alas! unworthy of thy boundless love,
Too oft with careless feet from thee we rove;
But now, encouraged by thy voice, we come,
Returning sinners to a Father's home.
4 O by that name in whom all fulness dwells,
O by that love which every love excels,
O by that blood so freely shed for sin,
Open blest mercy's gate, and take us in."
15 Under his wings shalt thou trust.—Ps. xci. 4.
1 ALL praise to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light;
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
Beneath thine own almighty wings.
2 Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
The ill that I this day have done :
That with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
3 Teach me to live, that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed;
To die, that this vile body may
Rise glorious at the awful day.
4 O may my soul on thee repose,
And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
Sleep that shall me more vigorous make,
To serve my God when I awake.
5 When in the night I sleepless lie,
My soul with heavenly thoughts supply:
Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
No powers of darkness me molest.
6 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
I will lay me down in peace.-Ps. iv. 8.
1 SUN of my soul, thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if thou be near;
Oh may no earthborn cloud arise,
To hide thee from thy servant's eyes.
2 When the soft dews of kindly sleep
My wearied eyelids gently steep,
Be my last thought, how sweet to rest
For ever on my Saviour's breast.
3 Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh,
For without thee I dare not die.
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