A Prayer for Guidance

The way is dark with low­er­ing clouds o’er­head

And threat­en­ing dan­gers lie on ei­ther side.

The pre­sent step alone I see to tread;

O Light of life

be Thou my con­stant guide.

I am not wise

and know not what to do

Nor how to toil ac­cept­ab­ly for Thee;

While will­ing learn­ers of Thy work are few

O Thou om­nis­ci­ent One

my teach­er be.

The time is short

so much re­mains to do

So much is lost by those who miss the way.

Since I may wan­der from the high­way

too

Guide my im­per­iled soul through time’s short day.

One way alone I know leads home to Thee

While wan­der­ing paths di­verge from ei­ther side.

I would not miss the bliss­ful com­pa­ny

And wel­come of the crowned and glo­ri­fied.

O Is­ra­el’s God and mine amid the night

The ig­nor­ance that mars my work for Thee.

In time’s short day along the way of light

Be Thou my guide un­to eter­ni­ty.