HYMNS

THE BEGINNING OF WORSHIP.

1

L. M.

Lord Jesus Christ, to us attend,

Thy Holy Spirit to us send,

With grace to rule us day by day

And lead us in true wisdom’s way.

2. Teach Thou our lips to sing Thy praise,

Our hearts in true devotion raise,

Our faith increase, and grant us light

That we may know Thy name aright;

3. Until we join the hosts that cry,

“Holy art Thou, O Lord most high!”

And in the light of that blest place

Shall gaze upon Thee face to face.

4. Glory to God, the Father, Son,

And Holy Spirit, Three in One!

To Thee, O holy Trinity,

Be praise throughout eternity!

William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, 1651.

2

L. M.

Lord, open Thou my heart to hear

And by Thy Word to me draw near;

Let me Thy Word still pure retain,

Let me Thy child and heir remain.

2. Thy Word doth move the inmost heart,

Thy Word doth perfect health impart,

Thy Word my soul with joy doth bless.

Thy Word brings peace and blessedness.

3. Glory to God the Father, Son,

And Holy Spirit, Three in One!

To Thee, O blessed Trinity,

Be praise throughout eternity!

J. Olearius, 1671.

3

7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 8

Blessed Jesus, at Thy word

We are gathered all to hear Thee;

Let our hearts and souls be stirred

Now to seek and love and fear Thee,

By Thy teachings, sweet and holy,

Drawn from earth to love Thee solely.

2. All our knowledge, sense, and sight

Lie in deepest darkness shrouded

Till Thy Spirit breaks our night,

With the beams of truth unclouded.

Thou alone to God canst win us,

Thou must work all good within us.

3. Glorious Lord, Thyself impart!

Light of Light, from God proceeding;

Open Thou our ears and heart,

Help us by Thy Spirit’s pleading;

Hear the cry Thy people raises,

Hear and bless our prayers and praises.

4. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

Praise to Thee and adoration!

Grant that we Thy Word may trust

And obtain true consolation,

While we here below must wander,

Till we sing Thy praises yonder.

T. Clausnitzer, 1663; C. Winkworth, tr., 1858.

4

L. M.

Thy presence, gracious God, afford,

Prepare us to receive Thy Word;

Now let Thy voice engage our ear

And faith be mixed with what we hear.

2. Distracting thoughts and cares remove

And fix our hearts and hopes above;

With food divine may we be fed

And satisfied with living bread.

3. To us the sacred Word apply

With sovereign power and energy;

And may we, in Thy faith and fear,

Reduce to practise what we hear.

4. Father, in us Thy Son reveal;

Teach us to know and do Thy will;

Thy saving power and love display

And guide us to the realms of day.

J. Fawcett, 1817.

5

8, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7

Open now Thy gates of beauty,

Zion, let me enter there,

Where my soul in joyful duty

Waits for Him who answers pray’r;

Oh, how blessed is this place,

Filled with solace, light, and grace!

2. Yes, my God, I come before Thee,

Come Thou also down to me;

Where we find Thee and adore Thee,

There a heaven on earth must be.

In my heart, oh, enter Thou,

Let it be Thy temple now.

3. Here Thy praise is gladly chanted,

Here Thy seed is duly sown;

Let my soul, where it is planted,

Bring forth precious sheaves alone,

So that all I hear may be

Fruitful unto life in me.

4. Thou my faith increase and quicken,

Let me keep Thy Gift divine,

Howsoe’er temptations thicken;

May Thy Word still o’er me shine,

As my pole-star through my life,

As my comfort in my strife.

5. Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee,

Let Thy will be done indeed;

May I undisturbed draw near Thee

Whilst Thou dost Thy people feed.

Here of life the fountain flows,

Here is balm for all our woes.

B. Schmolck, 1734; C. Winkworth, tr., 1862.

6

C. M.

Lord, when we bend before Thy throne

And our confessions pour,

Teach us to feel the sins we own

And hate what we deplore.

2. Our broken spirit pitying see,

True penitence impart;

Then let a kindling glance from Thee

Beam hope upon the heart.

3. When our responsive tongues essay

Their grateful hymns to raise,

Grant that our souls may join the lay

And mount to Thee in praise.

4. When we disclose our wants in prayer,

May we our wills resign

And not a thought our bosom share

That is not wholly Thine.

5. May faith each meek petition fill

And waft it to the skies

And teach our hearts ’tis goodness still

That grants it or denies.

J. D. Carlyle, 1802.

7

Lord, we come before Thee now,

At Thy feet we humbly bow;

Oh, do not our suit disdain!

Shall we seek Thee, Lord, in vain?

2. Lord, on Thee our souls depend;

In compassion now descend,

Fill our hearts with Thy rich grace,

Tune our lips to sing Thy praise.

3. In Thine own appointed way

Now we seek Thee, here we stay.

Lord, we know not how to go

Till a blessing Thou bestow.

4. Send some message from Thy Word

That may joy and peace afford;

Let Thy Spirit now impart

Full salvation to each heart.

5. Comfort those who weep and mourn,

Let the time of joy return;

Those that are cast down lift up,

Strong in faith, in love, and hope.

6. Grant that those who seek may find

Thee a God sincere and kind.

Heal the sick, the captive free;

Let us all rejoice in Thee.

W. Hammond, 1745.

8

To Thy temple I repair;

Lord, I love to worship there.

While Thy glorious praise is sung,

Touch my lips, unloose my tongue.

2. While the prayers of saints ascend,

God of Love, to mine attend.

Hear me, for Thy Spirit pleads;

Hear, for Jesus intercedes.

3. While I hearken to Thy Law,

Fill my soul with humble awe,

Till Thy Gospel bring to me

Life and immortality.

4. While Thy ministers proclaim

Peace and pardon in Thy name,

Through their voice, by faith, may I

Hear Thee speaking from the sky.

5. From Thy house, when I return,

May my heart within me burn;

And at evening let me say,

“I have walked with God to-day.”

James Montgomery, 1812.