Desiring to Pray, Hymn 4

Jesu, Thou sovereign Lord of all,
The same through one eternal day,
Attend Thy feeblest followers' call,
And O! instruct us how to pray;
Pour out the supplicating grace,
And stir us up to seek Thy face.

We cannot think a gracious thought,
We cannot feel a good desire,
Till Thou, who call'dst a world from nought,
The power into our hearts inspire;
And then we in Thy Spirit groan,
And then we give Thee back Thy own.

Proceeds from Thee the wish to pray,
The longing wish which now we feel;
But O! we know not what to say,
We would, but cannot, Lord, reveal
The load our fainting spirits bear,
Or tell Thee all our wants in prayer.

Lost in a labyrinth of sin,
Long have we wander'd to and fro,
The wilderness hath shut us in,
And only faith the way can show,
And only prayer can lend the clue,
To guide our weary footsteps through.

Tormented, destitute, distress'd,
Scatter'd in the dark, cloudy day,
We labour for that farther rest,
And fain would force our hearts to pray,
And strive and pant with endless care
To heave away the mountain bar.

Dost Thou not, Lord, our trouble see,
Our sore, unprofitable pain?
A thousand times we bow the knee,
Approach Thee with our lips in vain,
Present with lifted hands and eyes,
An heartless, lifeless sacrifice.

A thousand times o'erwhelm'd with woe,
We groan impatient at Thy stay,
Ready to let the promise go,
Ready to cast our shield away,
The fruitless labour to forbear,
And fold our arms in sad despair.

Jesu, regard the joint complaint
Of all Thy tempted followers here,
And now supply the common want,
And send us down the Comforter,
The spirit of ceaseless prayer impart,
And fix Thine Agent in our heart.

To help our soul's infirmity,
To heal Thy sin-sick people's care,
To urge our God-commanding plea,
And make our heart an house of prayer,
That promised Intercessor give,
And let us now Thyself receive.

Come in Thy pleading Spirit down,

us, who for Thy coming stay;
Of all Thy gifts we ask but one,
We ask the constant power to pray:
Indulge us, Lord, in this request,
And, if Thou canst, deny the rest.