God of the Changing Year

God of the chang­ing year

whose arm of pow­er

In safe­ty leads through dan­ger’s dark­est hour

Here in Thy tem­ple bow Thy child­ren down

To bless Thy mer­cy and Thy might to own.

Thine are the beams that cheer us on our way

And pour around the glad­den­ing light of day;

Thine is the night

and the fair orbs that shine

To cheer its hours of dark­ness; all are Thine.

If round our path the thorns of sor­row grew

And mor­tal friends were faith­less

Thou wast true;

Did sick­ness shake the frame

or ang­uish tear

The wound­ed spirit

Thou was pre­sent there.

O lend Thine ear

and lift our voice to Thee;

Where’er we dwell

still let Thy mer­cy be;

From year to year still near­er to Thy shrine

Draw our frail hearts

and make them whol­ly Thine.