Evening

1027 Seeking an Evening Blessing

1 SAVIOUR, breathe an evening blessing, Ere repose our spirits seal;

Sin and want we come confessing;

Thou canst save, and Thou canst heal.

2 Though destruction walk around us, Though the arrow past us fly, Angel-guards from Thee surround us, We are safe, if Thou art nigh.

3 Though the night be dark and dreary, Darkness cannot hide from Thee;

Thou art He, who, never weary, Watchest where Thy people be.

4 Should swift death this night o'ertake us, And our couch become our tomb; May the morn, in heaven awake us, Glad in light and deathless bloom.

James Edmeston, 1820

1028 "Abide with us."

1 SUN of my soul, Thou Saviour dear, It is not night if Thou be near:

Oh! may no earth-born cloud arise To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes.

2 When the soft dews of kindly sleep My wearied eyelids gently steep, Be my last thought, how sweet to rest For ever on my Saviour's breast!

3 Abide with me from morn till eve, For without Thee I cannot live;

Abide with me when night is nigh, For without Thee I dare not die.

4 If some poor wandering child of Thine Have spurn'd to-day the voice divine, Now, Lord, the gracious work begin;

Let him no more lie down in sin.

5 Watch by the sick; enrich the poor With blessings from Thy boundless store; Be every mourner's sleep to-night, Like infant's slumbers, pure and light.

6 Come near and bless us when we wake, Ere through the world our way we take;

Till in the ocean of Thy love We lose ourselves in heaven above.

John Keble, 1827.

1029 Prayer at Eventide

1 SOFTLY now the light of day Fades upon my sight away;

Free from care, from labour free, Lord, I would commune with Thee!

2 Thou whose all-pervading eye Nought escapes, without, within, Pardon each infirmity, Open fault and secret sin.

3 Soon for me the light of day Shall for ever pass away;

Then, from sin and sorrow free, Take me, Lord, to dwell with Thee!

4 Thou who, sinless, yet hast known All of man's infirmity;

Then, from Thine eternal throne, Jesus, look with pitying eye.

George W. Doane, 1826.

1030 An Evening Song

1 DREAD Sovereign, let my evening song Like holy incense rise;

Assist the offerings of my tongue To reach the lofty skies.

2 Through all the dangers of the day Thy hand was still my guard; And still to drive my wants away, Thy mercy stood prepared.

3 Perpetual blessings from above Encompass me around, But oh how few returns of love Hath my Creator found!

4 What have I done for Him that died To save my wretched soul?

How are my follies multiplied, Fast as my minutes roll!

5 Lord, with this guilty heart of mine To Thy dear cross I flee; And to Thy grace my soul resign, To be renew'd by Thee.

6 Sprinkled afresh with pardoning blood, I lay me down to rest, As in the embraces of my God, Or on my Saviour's breast.

Isaac Watts, 1709

1031 Beneath the Almighty Wings

1 GLORY to Thee, my God, this night, For all the blessings of the light;

Keep me, oh keep me, King of kings, Beneath Thine own almighty wings.

2 Forgive me, Lord, for Thy dear Son, The ill that I this day have done: That with the world, myself, and Thee, I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

3 Teach me to live, that I may dread The grave as little as my bed;

Teach me to die, that so I may Rise glorious at the judgment day.

4 Oh may ray soul on Thee repose, And with sweet sleep mine eyelids close;

Sleep that may me more vigorous make To serve my God when I awake.

5 When in the night I sleepless He, My soul with heavenly thoughts supply, Let no ill dreams disturb my rest, No powers of darkness me molest.

6 Oh when shall I in endless day, For ever chase dark sleep away; And endless praise with th' heavenly choir, Incessant sing, and never tire?

Thomas Ken, 1697, a

1032 An Evening Hymn

1 NOW from the altar of my heart, Let incense-flames arise;

Assist me, Lord, to offer up Mine evening sacrifice.

2 Minutes and mercies multiplied, Have made up all this day;

Minutes came quick, but mercies were More fleet and free than they.

3 New time, new favour, and new joys, Do a new song require;

Till I should praise Thee as I would, Accept my heart's desire.

4 Lord of my time, whose hand hath set New time upon my score;

Thee may I praise for all my time, When time shall be no more.

John Mason, 1683