4 Though clouds may surround us, our God is our light; Though storms rage around us, our God is our might; So faint, yet pursuing, still onward we come; The Lord is our Leader, and heaven is our home.
584 11s & 10s. For divine strength.
Father, in thy mysterious presence kneeling, Fain would our souls feel all thy kindling love, For we are weak, and need some deep revealing Of trust, and strength, and calmness, from above.
2 Lord, we have wandered forth thro’ doubt and sorrow, And thou hast made each step an onward one; And we will ever trust each unknown morrow— Thou wilt sustain us till its work is done.
3 In the heart’s depths, a peace serene and holy Abides, and when pain seems to have her will, Or we despair—O may that peace rise slowly, Stronger than agony, and we be still.
4 Now, Father, now, in thy dear presence kneeling, Our spirits yearn to feel thy kindling love: Now make us strong, we need thy deep revealing Of trust, and strength, and calmness, from above.
585 11s. The house of prayer.
How honored, how dear, is that sacred abode, Where Christians draw near to their Father and God: ’Mid worldly commotion my wearied soul faints For the house of devotion, the home of thy saints.
2 Thou hearer of prayer, O still grant me a place Where Christians repair to the courts of thy grace, More blest beyond measure one day so employed, Than years of vain pleasure by worldlings enjoyed.
3 Me more would it please keeping post at thy gate, Than lying at ease in the chambers of state; The meanest condition outshines with thy smiles, The pomp of ambition, the world with its wiles.
4 The Lord is a Sun, and the Lord is a Shield: What grace has begun, will with glory be sealed; He hears the distresséd, he succors the just, And they shall be blesséd who make him their trust.
586 11s & 10s. Come ye disconsolate.
Come, ye disconsolate, where’er you languish, Come, at the shrine of God fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not heal.
2 Joy of the desolate, light of the straying, Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure! Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying, Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not cure.
3 Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing Forth from the throne of God, pure from above: Come to the feast of love; come, ever-knowing, Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.
587 P. M. Hear, Father, hear our prayer.
Hear, Father, hear our prayer! Thou who art pity where sorrow prevaileth, Thou who art safety when mortal help faileth, Strength to the feeble and hope to despair, Hear, Father, hear our prayer!
2 Hear, Father, hear our prayer! Wandering alone in the land of the stranger, Be with all travelers in sickness or danger, Guard thou their path, guide their feet from the snare: Hear, Father, hear our prayer!
3 Hear thou the poor that cry! Feed thou the hungry and lighten their sorrow, Grant them the sunshine of hope for the morrow; They are thy children, their trust is on high: Hear thou the poor that cry!
4 Dry thou the mourner’s tear! Heal thou the wounds of time-hallowed affection; Grant to the widow and orphan protection; Be, in their trouble, a friend ever near; Dry thou the mourner’s tear!
5 Hear, Father, hear our prayer! Long hath thy goodness our footsteps attended; Be with the pilgrim whose journey is ended: When at thy summons for death we prepare, Hear, Father, hear our prayer!
588 11s & 5. Prayer of the contrite.
From the recesses of a lowly spirit, Our humble prayer ascends; O Father! hear it, Upsoaring on the wings of awe and meekness; Forgive its weakness!
2 We see thy hand: it leads us, it supports us; We hear thy voice: it counsels and it courts us: And then we turn away; and still thy kindness Forgives our blindness.
3 O, how long-suffering, Lord! but thou delightest To win with love the wandering; thou invitest, By smiles of mercy, not by frowns or terrors, Man from his errors.
4 Father and Saviour! plant within each bosom The seeds of holiness, and bid them blossom In fragrance and in beauty bright and vernal, And spring eternal.
589 11s & 10s. Strengthened with might, etc. Eph 3:16.
Father, to us thy children, humbly kneeling, Conscious of weakness, ignorance, sin and shame, Give such a force of holy thought and feeling, That we may live to glorify thy name;
2 That we may conquer base desire and passion, That we may rise from selfish thought and will, O’ercome the world’s allurement, threat and fashion, Walk humbly, gently, leaning on thee still.