Prayer Song

O may a strain

like gen­tle rain

On dry and thirs­ty land

True feel­ing start with­in this heart

Unfruitful as the sand;

To lift my eyes ab­ove the skies

And raise my hum­ble pray­er;

May ev­ery doubt be put to rout

And van­quished ev­ery fear.

My mind

tho’ bent

my thoughts in­tent

On swift­ly fleet­ing joys

Still from my heart may now de­part

This love for earth­ly toys;

Too much of life in anx­ious strife

Has run to waste with me;

In thoughts sub­lime

the rest of time

May I de­vote to Thee.

When comes my end

O Sav­ior

send

A mes­sage of sweet peace;

When I de­part

O give my heart

Assurance and re­lease;

Then may I bound from this low ground

To tread the star­ry way

And on my sight break ho­ly light

In Heav’n’s un­cloud­ed day.

Now

O my soul! let love con­trol

Thro’ life thy ev­ery thought;

By faith still see the things that be

Reserved for those He bought;

Live on in hope

in wid­est scope

Survey the realms ab­ove;

Nor draw aside

but firm ab­ide

In faith

and hope

and love.