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497 – O Gracious Father of Mankind

1

O gracious Father of mankind,

Our spirits’ unseen friend;

High heaven’s Lord, our hearts’ dear guest,

To Thee our prayers ascend.

Thou dost not wait till human speech

Thy gifts divine implore;

Our dreams, our aims, our work, our lives

Are prayers Thou lovest more.

2

Thou hearest these, the good and ill,

Deep buried in each breast;

The secret thought, the hidden plan,

Wrought out our unexpressed.

O cleanse our prayers from human dross,

Attune our lives to Thee,

Until we labor for those gifts

We ask on bended knee.

3

Our best is but Thyself in us,

Our highest thought Thy will;

To hear Thy voice we need but love,

And listen, and be still.

We would not bend Thy will to ours,

But blend our wills to Thine;

Not dreams, our aims, our work, our lives

Are prayers Thou lovest more.

4

Thou seekest us in love and truth

More than our minds seek Thee;

Through open gates Thy power flows in

Like flood tides from the sea.

No more we seek Thee from afar,

Nor ask Thee for a sign,

Content to pray in life and love

And toil, till all are Thine.