"Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire"
by James Montgomery, 1771-1854
Text From:
THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941)
1. Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or exprest,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.
2. Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.
3. Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.
4. Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, "Behold, he prays!"
5. Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watchword at the gates of death--
He enters heaven with prayer.
6. The saints in prayer appear as one
In word and deed and mind,
While with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.
7. Nor prayer is made by man alone--
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus on th' eternal throne
For sinners intercedes.
8. O Thou by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod--
Lord, teach us how to pray.
Notes:
Hymn #454 from _The Lutheran Hymnal_
Text: Luke 11:1
Author: James Montgomery, 1818, alt.
Composer: John Chetham, 1718
Tune: "Burford"
1st Published in: _Psalmody_
This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg
by Marilyn F. Gardner and is in the public domain. You may
freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any
comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the
Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary.
E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu
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