Hushed Was the Evening Hymn

Hushed was the ev­en­ing hymn

The tem­ple courts were dark;

The lamp was burn­ing dim

Before the sac­red ark;

When sud­den­ly a voice di­vine

Rang through the si­lence of the shrine.

The old man

meek and mild

The priest of Is­ra­el

slept;

His watch the tem­ple child

The lit­tle Le­vite

kept;

And what from Eli’s sense was sealed

The Lord to Han­nah’s son re­vealed.

O give me Sam­uel’s ear

The op­en ear

O Lord

Alive and quick to hear

Each whis­per of Thy Word

Like him to an­swer at Thy call

And to ob­ey Thee first of all.

O give me Sam­uel’s heart

A low­ly heart

that waits

Where in Thy house Thou art

Or watch­es at Thy gates;

By day and night

a heart that still

Moves at the breath­ing of Thy will.

O give me Sam­uel’s mind

A sweet un­mur­mur­ing faith

Obedient and re­signed

To Thee in life and death

That I may read with child like eyes

Truths that are hid­den from the wise.