THE CLOSE OF WORSHIP.

9

7, 6, 7, 6

Abide, O dearest Jesus,
Among us with Thy grace,
That Satan may not harm us
Nor we to sin give place.
2. Abide, O dear Redeemer,
Among us with Thy Word
And thus now and hereafter
True peace and joy afford.
3. Abide with heavenly brightness
Among us, precious Light;
Thy truth direct, and keep us
From error’s gloomy night.
4. Abide with richest blessings
Among us, bounteous Lord;
Let us in grace and wisdom
Grow daily through Thy Word.
5. Abide with Thy protection
Among us, Lord, our Strength,
Lest world and Satan fell us
And overcome at length.
6. Abide, O faithful Savior,
Among us with Thy love;
Grant steadfastness and help us
To reach our home above.

J. Stegmann, 1628; A. Crull, tr.

10

7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 8

Now our worship sweet is o’er—
Singing, praying, teaching, hearing;
Let us gladly God adore
For His gracious strength and cheering.
Praise our God, who now would save us,
For the rich repast He gave us.
2. Now the Blessing cheers our heart
And the service thus is ended,
Let us joyfully depart,—
Be our souls to God commended.
May His Spirit ever guide us
And with all things well provide us.
3. Let our going out be blest,
Bless our entrance in like measure;
Bless, O Lord, our toil and rest,
Bless our bread, our grief and pleasure;
Be in death Thy blessing given,
And make us blest heirs of heaven.

M. H. Schenck, 1680; M. Loy, tr.

11

6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8 (H. M.)

On what has now been sown
Thy blessing, Lord, bestow;
The pow’r is Thine alone
To make it spring and grow:
Do Thou the gracious harvest raise,
And Thou alone shalt have the praise.
2. To Thee our wants are known,
From Thee are all our powers;
Accept what is Thine own
And pardon what is ours.
Our praises, Lord, and prayers receive
And to Thy Word a blessing give.
3. O grant that each of us
Who meet before Thee here,
May meet together thus
When Thou and Thine appear,
And follow Thee to heaven, our home.
E’en so, Amen, Lord Jesus, come!

John Newton, 1779.

12

L. M. 6 l

Sweet Savior, bless us ere we go;
Thy Word into our minds instil;
And make our lukewarm hearts to glow
With lowly love and fervent will.
Through life’s long day and death’s dark night,
O gentle Jesus, be our Light.
2. The day is gone, its hours have run,
And Thou hast taken count of all—
The scanty triumphs grace hath won,
The broken vow, the frequent fall.
Through life’s long day and death’s dark night,
O gentle Jesus, be our Light.
3. Grant us, dear Lord, from evil ways
True absolution and release
And bless us, more than in past days,
With purity and inward peace.
Through life’s long day and death’s dark night,
O gentle Jesus, be our Light.
4. For all we love, the poor, the sad,
The sinful, unto Thee we call;
O let Thy mercy make us glad;
Thou art our Savior and our All.
Through life’s long day and death’s dark night,
O gentle Jesus, be our Light.
5. Sweet Savior, bless us; night is come;
Through night and darkness near us be;
Good angels watch about our home,
And we are one day nearer Thee.
Through life’s long day and death’s dark night,
O gentle Jesus, be our Light.

F. W. Faber, 1852.

13

C. M.

Almighty God, Thy Word is cast
Like seed into the ground;
Now let the dew of heaven descend
And righteous fruits abound.
2. Let not the foe of Christ and man
This holy seed remove,
But give it root in every heart
To bring forth fruits of love.
3. Let not the world’s deceitful cares
The rising plant destroy,
But let it yield a hundredfold
The fruits of peace and joy.
4. Oft as the precious seed is sown,
Thy quickening grace bestow,
That all whose souls the truth receive
Its saving power may know.

J. Cawood, 1819.

14

8, 7, 8, 7

Savior, all my sins confessing,
Gracious hear me when I cry;
Give through faith the promised blessing,
Freely, fully justify.
2. By Thy Holy Spirit’s leading,
Bring me to Thy bosom nigh;
In Thy blessed footsteps treading,
Soul and body sanctify.
3. So, the days of conflict ended,
In the mansions of the sky,
Whither, Lord, Thou art ascended,
With Thyself me glorify.

Thomas Haweis, 1808, a.

15

7s

Now may He who from the dead
Brought the Shepherd of the sheep,
Jesus Christ, our king and Head,
All our souls in safety keep.
2. May He teach us to fulfil
What is pleasing in His sight;
Perfect us in all His will
And preserve us day and night.
3. To that dear Redeemer’s praise,
Who the covenant sealed with blood,
Let our hearts and voices raise
Loud thanksgivings to our God.

John Newton, 1779.

16

10s

Savior, again to Thy dear name we raise
With one accord our parting hymn of praise;
Once more we bless Thee ere our worship cease;
Then, lowly bending, wait Thy word of peace.
2. Grant us Thy peace upon our homeward way;
With Thee began, with Thee shall end the day;
Guard Thou the lips from sin, the hearts from shame,
That in this house have called upon Thy name.
3. Grant us Thy peace, Lord, through the coming night,
Turn Thou for us its darkness into light;
From harm and danger keep Thy children free,
For dark and light are both alike to Thee.
4. Grant us Thy peace throughout our earthly life,
Our balm in sorrow and our stay in strife;
Then, when Thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Lord, to Thine eternal peace.

J. Ellerton, 1866.

17

8, 7, 6 l

Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing,
Fill our hearts with joy and peace.
Let us each, Thy love possessing,
Triumph in redeeming grace.
|: O refresh us, :|
Trav’ling through this wilderness.
2. Thanks we give and adoration
For Thy Gospel’s joyful sound.
May the fruits of Thy salvation
In our hearts and lives abound:
|: May Thy presence :|
With us evermore be found.
3. So, whene’er the signal’s given
Us from earth to call away,
Borne on angels’ wings to heaven,
Glad the summons to obey,
|: May we, ready, :|
Rise and reign in endless day.

J. Fawcett, 1773.

18

8, 6, 8, 6, 8, 8

Lord of my life, whose tender care
Hath led me on till now,
Here lowly, at the hour of prayer,
Before Thy throne I bow.
I bless Thy gracious hand and pray
Forgiveness for another day.
2. O may I daily, hourly, strive
In heavenly grace to grow;
To Thee and to Thy glory live,
Dead else to all below;
Tread in the path my Savior trod,
Though thorny, yet the path to God!
3. With prayer my humble praise I bring
For mercies day by day.
Lord, teach my heart Thy love to sing;
Lord, teach me how to pray!
All that I have, I am, to Thee
I offer through eternity.

“Ω Chelsea,” 1838.