28

Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night.
Ps. xci. 5.

1 mf ERE the waning light decay,
God of all, to Thee we pray :
Let Thine angel-guards descend,
Us to succour and defend.

2 mf Guard from dreams that
may affright,
Guard from terrors of the night;
Guard from foes, without, within,
Outward danger, inward sin.

3 mf Mindful of our only Stay,

Duly thus to Thee we pray :
cres Duly thus to Thee we raise
Solemn hymns of grateful praise.

4 mf Hear our prayer, Almighty King,
cres Hear our praises while we sing,
Hymning with the heavenly host,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

7s.

St. Ambrose (340–397), tr. Sir R. Grant (1785-1838).

29

So He giveth His beloved sleep. Ps. cxxvii. 3.
1 mf FATHER, by Thy love and power

Comes again the evening hour :
dim Light has vanished, labours cease,
Weary creatures rest in peace;
my Thou, Whose genial dews distil

dim

On the lowliest weed that grows,
Father, guard our couch from ill,

Lull Thy children to repose:
P We to Thee ourselves resign,
Let our latest thoughts be Thine.

7s.

2 Saviour, to Thy Father bear This our feeble evening prayer: Thou hast seen how oft to-day We like sheep have gone astray; Worldly thoughts and thoughts of pride,

3

4

Wishes to Thy Cross untrue,
Secret faults and undescried

Meet thy spirit-piercing view;

cres Blessed Saviour, yet through Thee Pray that we may pardoned be.

> Holy Spirit, breathing balm,
Fall on us in evening's calm ;
Yet awhile, before we sleep,
We with Thee will vigils keep.
Lead us on our sins to muse,
Give us truest penitence;

cres Then the love of God infuse,
Breathing humble confidence;

dim Melt our spirits, mould our will, Soften, strengthen, comfort still.

Blessed Trinity, be near

Through the hours of darkness drear Then when shrinks the lonely heart, eres Thou, O God, most present art. mf Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

cres

Watch o'er our defenceless head;
Let Thy angels' guardian-host
Keep all evil from our bed;
Till the flood of morning rays
Wakes us to a song of praise.

Amen.

J. Anstice (1808-1836).

30

Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings. Ps. xvii. 8. L.M.

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

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

p

Teach me to die, (cres) that so I may
Rise glorious at the awful day.

40 may my soul on Thee repose,

cres

And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
Sleep that may me more vigorous make
To serve my God when I awake.

5 mf When in the night I sleepless lie,
My soul with heavenly thoughts supply;
Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,

No powers of darkness me molest.

6 Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below;

31

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Amen.

Bishop Ken (1637-1711).

When I awake up after Thy likeness, 1
shall be satisfied with it. Ps. xvii. 16.

8.4.8.4.8.8.8.4.

1 m/ GOD, that madest earth and heaven,

p

Darkness and light,

Who the day for toil hast given,
For rest the night;

2

cres May Thine angel-guards defend us,
dim Slumber sweet Thy mercy send
us,
cres Holy dreams and hopes attend us,
P This livelong night.

P Guard us waking, guard us sleeping;
And when we die,

cres May we, in Thy mighty keeping,
p All peaceful lie:

cres When the last dread call shall wake us,
Р Do not Thou, O God, forsake us,
cres But to reign in glory take us,
With Thee on high.

f

3 God, the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Thee now we bless;

Thanks we give, and praise, and merit,
To Thee address;

cres Ever in the new creation
May we sing of Thy salvation,
And with joyful adoration

32

Thy love confess. Amen.

First verse Bishop Heber (1783-1826), 2nd v. Archbishop Whately (1787–1863), last v. Anon.

Pardon our iniquity and our sin.

Exod. xxxiv. 9.

8.7.8.7.

1 m HEAR our prayer, O Heavenly Father,
Ere we lay us down to sleep;
Bid Thine angels, pure and holy,
Round our bed their vigils keep.

2

P Heavy though our sins, (cres) Thy mercy
Far outweighs them every one;

Down before the Cross we cast them,
f Trusting in Thy help alone.

3

Keep us through this night of peril
Safe beneath its sheltering shade ;
Take us to Thy rest, we pray Thee,
When our pilgrimage is made.

4 mf None can measure out Thy patience
By the span of human thought;
None can bound the tender mercies
Which Thy Holy Son has bought.

5 mf Pardon all our past transgressions, Give us strength for days to come; cres Guide and guard us with Thy blessing Till Thine angels bear us home.

6 Honour, glory, might, dominion,
To the Father and the Son,
With the everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run.

Amen.

Harriet Parr (1856).

33

1

Commune with your own heart...

and be still.

78.

Ps. iv. 4.

p HEAVENLY Father, by Whose care
Comes again this hour of prayer,
In the evening stillness, we
Grateful raise our hearts to Thee;
To our spirits, as we bend,
Peace and holy comfort send.

2 my Gladly we Thy Presence seek:
Father! to our spirits speak :
Call us from the world away;
Still our passions' restless play;
On our inner darkness shine;
Bend our wayward wills to Thine.