Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire

Above:  The High Altar, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, May 14, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1819) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

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Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,

Unuttered or expressed,

The motion of a hidden fire

That trembles in the breast.

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Prayer is the burden of a sigh,

The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eyes,

When none but God is near.

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Prayer is the simplest form of speech

That infant lips can try;

Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach

The Majesty on high.

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Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath;

The Christian’s native air,

His watchword at the gates of death;

He enters heaven with prayer.

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Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,

Returning from his ways;

While angels in their songs rejoice

And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

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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.