Stealing from the world away, We are come to seek thy face; Kindly meet us, Lord, we pray, Grant us thy reviving grace.
2 Yonder stars that gild the sky, Shine but with a borrowed light: We, unless thy light be nigh, Wander, wrapt in gloomy night.
3 Sun of Righteousness! dispel All our darkness, doubts and fears; May thy light within us dwell, Till eternal day appears.
578 7s, double. Hear us when to thee we cry.
Saviour, when in dust to thee Low we bow th’ adoring knee: When repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our streaming eyes; O, by all thy pains and woe, Suffered once for man below, Bending from thy throne on high, Hear us when to thee we cry.
2 By thy birth and early years, By thy human griefs and fears, By thy fasting and distress In the lonely wilderness; By thy victory in the hour Of the subtle tempter’s power; Jesus look with pitying eye, Hear our humble, earnest cry.
3 By thine hour of dark despair, By thine agony of prayer, By thy purple robe of scorn, By thy wounds, thy crown of thorn, By thy cross, thy pangs and cries, By thy perfect sacrifice; Jesus, look with pitying eye, Listen to our humble cry.
4 By thy deep expiring groan, By thy sealed sepulchral stone, By thy triumph o’er the grave, By thy power from death to save: Dying, risen, ascended, Lord, To thy throne in heaven restored, Bending from thy throne on high, Hear us when to thee we cry.
579 7s & 6s. Evening, and morning, etc. Psalm 55:17.
Go, when the morning shineth, Go, when the moon is bright, Go, when the eve declineth, Go, in the hush of night; Go with pure mind and feeling, Put earthly thoughts away, And in God’s presence kneeling, Do thou in secret pray.
2 Remember all who love thee, All who are loved by thee; Pray, too, for those who hate thee, If any such there be; Then for thyself, in meekness, A blessing humbly claim; And blend with each petition Thy great Redeemer’s name.
3 Or, if ’tis e’er denied thee In solitude to pray, Should holy thoughts come o’er thee, When friends are round thy way, E’en then, the silent breathing Thy spirit lifts above, Will reach his throne of glory, Where dwells eternal love.
580 6s & 5s. After this manner pray ye. Matt. 6:9.
Our Father in heaven, We hallow thy name! May thy kingdom holy On earth be the same! O give to us daily, Our portion of bread; It is from thy bounty That all must be fed.
2 Forgive our transgressions, And teach us to know That humble compassion That pardons each foe; Keep us from temptation, From weakness and sin, And thine be the glory For ever—Amen!
581 8s & 4s. The hour of prayer.
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 is the tranquil hour of morn, And blest that hour of solemn eve, When, on the wings of prayer up-borne, The world I leave.
3 Then is my strength by thee renewed; Then are my sins by thee forgiven; Then dost thou cheer my solitude With hopes of heaven.
4 No words can tell what sweet relief There for my every want I find; What strength for warfare, balm for grief, What peace of mind!
5 Hushed is each doubt, gone every fear; My spirit seems in heaven to stay; And e’en the penitential tear Is wiped away.
6 Lord! till I reach that blissful shore, No privilege so dear shall be As thus my inmost soul to pour In prayer to thee.
582 C. P. M. Casting all your care upon him. 1 Pet. 5:7.
O Lord! how happy should we be, If we could leave our cares to thee, If we from self could rest, And feel at heart that One above, In perfect wisdom, perfect love, Is working for the best.
2 For when we kneel and cast our care Upon our God in humble prayer, With strengthened souls we rise; Sure that our Father, who is nigh To hear the ravens when they cry, Will hear his children’s cries.
3 O! would these restless hearts of ours The lesson learn from birds and flowers, And learn from self to cease; Leave all things to our Father’s will, And in his mercy trusting still, Find in each trial, peace.
583 11s. Faint, yet pursuing. Judges 8:4.
Though faint, yet pursuing, we go on our way; The Lord is our Leader, his Word is our stay; Though suffering, and sorrow, and trial, be near, The Lord is our refuge, and whom can we fear?
2 He raiseth the fallen, he cheereth the faint; The weak and oppressed, he will hear their complaint; The way may be weary, and thorny the road, But how can we falter? our help is in God.
3 And to his green pastures our footsteps he leads; His flock in the desert, how kindly he feeds! The lambs in his bosom he tenderly bears, And brings back the wanderers all safe from the snares.