O Lord, turn not Thy face away
From them that lowly lie,
Lamenting sore their sinful life
With tears and bitter cry ;
Thy mercy-gates are open wide
To them that mourn their sin;
O shut them not against us, Lord,
But let us enter in.
We need not to confess our fault,
For surely Thou canst tell;
What we have done, and what we are,
Thou knowest very well;
Wherefore, to beg and to entreat,
With tears we come to Thee,
As children that have done amiss
Fall at their father's knee.
And need we then, O Lord, repeat
The blessing which we crave,
When Thou dost know, before we speak,
The thing that we would have?
Mercy, O Lord, mercy we ask,
This is the total sum;
For mercy, Lord, is all our prayer ;
O let Thy mercy come !
Variation by Bishop Reginald Heber. 1827.
From John Mardley. 1562
"AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION; BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL."
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
O'er the world's tempestuous sea;
Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
For we have no help but Thee;
Yet possessing
Every blessing,
If our God our Father be.
Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us;
All our weakness Thou dost know;
Thou didst tread this earth before us,
Thou didst feel its keenest woe;
Lone and dreary,
Faint and weary,
Through the desert Thou didst go.
Spirit of our God, descending,
Fill our hearts with heavenly joy;
Love with every passion blending,
Pleasure that can never cloy:
Thus provided,
Pardon'd, guided,
Nothing can our peace destroy.
James Edmeston. 1820
Jesu! guide our way
To eternal day!
So shall we, no more delaying,
Follow Thee, Thy voice obeying ;
Lead us by Thy hand
To our Father's land!
When we danger meet,
Stedfast make our feet!
Lord, preserve us uncomplaining
'Mid the darkness round us reigning!
Through adversity
Lies our way to Thee.
Order all our way
Through this mortal day;
In our toil with aid be near us;
In our need with succour cheer us;
When life's course is o'er,
Open Thou the door!
Arthur Tozer Russell. 1851.
From Louis, Count Zinzendorf. 1721.
Star of morn and even,
Sun of Heaven's heaven,
Saviour high and dear,
Toward us turn Thine ear;
Through whate'er may come
Thou canst lead us home,
Though the gloom be grievous,
Those we leant on leave us,
Though the coward heart
Quit its proper part,
Though the Tempter come,
Thou wilt lead us home.
Saviour pure and holy,
Lover of the lowly,
Sign us with Thy sign,
Take our hands in Thine,
Take our hands and come,
Lead Thy children home!
Star of morn and even,
Shine on us from Heaven,
From Thy glory-throne
Hear Thy very own!
Lord and Saviour, come,
Lead us to our home!
Francis Turner Palgrave. 1862.
O Thou, to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light,
Search, prove my heart; it pants for Thee;
O, burst these bands, and set it free!
Wash out its stains, refine its dross;
Nail my affections to the cross;
Hallow each thought; let all within
Be clean, as Thou, my Lord, art clean.
If in this darksome wild I stray,
Be Thou my Light, be Thou my Way;
No foes, no violence I fear,
No fraud, while Thou, my God, art near.
When rising floods my soul o'erflow,
When sinks my heart in waves of woe,
Jesu, Thy timely aid impart,
And raise my head, and cheer my heart.
Saviour! where'er Thy steps I see,
Dauntless, untired, I follow Thee:
O let Thy hand support me still,
And lead me to Thy holy hill!
If rough and thorny be the way,
My strength proportion to my day ;
Till toil, and grief, and pain shall cease
Where all is calm and joy and peace.
John Wesley. 1739-1743.
From the German.
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah !
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand!
Bread of Heaven! Bread of Heaven !
Feed me now and evermore !
Open now the crystal Fountain,
Whence the healing streams do flow; Let the fiery cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through;
Strong Deliverer! Strong Deliverer! Be Thou still my Strength and Shield!
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