Monday, February 16, 2015

Hymn 101: for a Replenished Prayer Life

Since I published my collection of 100 "useful hymns," I've had a wee dry spell when it comes to writing original hymnody. I already have some vague plans for starting my second volume of hymns, however. I imagine the title will be the super-evocative Useful Hymns, Part II or something to that effect, and the hymn numbers will start at 101. I'd better get hustling, however, if I don't want the second volume to be approximately 25 years in the making, like the first. So, apropos the dry spell, here is a hymn I've been thinking about for a few days...

Hymn for a Replenished Prayer Life

Stir up my still heart, Lord, to pray
And think on You from break of day.
Through hours of toil, at meals and play,
Till evening, be my rest and stay.

Refresh my dryness with Your dew
Through words both powerful and true,
That heart and hand and foot may hew
Unto the way they learn from You.

Lest I be led to trust in deeds
And close the mouth Your gospel feeds,
With medicine my sick soul needs
Choke out the foe's false, poisoned seeds.

And lest my pride lead me to death,
Grant me both penitence and faith
That, trusting in Your saving bath,
I feel Your Spirit's cleansing breath.

And lest the foe my thoughts confound,
Direct them where You will be found:
Not where men's boasts and blames resound,
But where Your means of grace abound.

Place all I've thought and felt and heard
In meek submission to Your word,
Till from this age abhorred, absurd,
To Your right hand I be transferred.

UPDATE: Here's an original tune to go with this hymn. Title: REFRESHMENT.

No comments: