Today, O Lord, a Holier Work

Today

O Lord

a ho­li­er work

Thy sec­ret coun­sels frame

A king to rule Thy new made world

To praise Thy glo­ri­ous name.

Thou form­est man: Thy Spir­it breathes

Life in­to dust of earth:

Man

in Thine own true im­age made

From Thee re­ceives his birth.

And hence­forth he do­min­ion holds

O’er all in earth and sea;

Yet mind­ful whence his be­ing came

Must hum­bly walk with Thee.

Alas! his will­ful heart re­bels

Against Thy gen­tle sway;

Proud dust of earth would fain be like

The God whom all ob­ey.

O griefs and sor­rows num­ber­less

Which hence the world o’er­spread;

Jesu

Thy mer­cy suc­cored us

Or hope itself had fled.

O praise the Fa­ther

and the Son

Who saved us by His death

And Ho­ly Ghost who quick­ens us

With His life giv­ing breath.