What a blessing tonight with the 31 other folk who gathered at mgpc for our first Sunday prayer Service.
Teens to folk aged a (ahem) bit older.
The other elders all lead a much better prayer meeting than I do.
I helped out by leading some songs.
It truly was a Sweet Hour (and a quarter) Of Prayer.
We sang these three verses of the lyrics attributed to William Walford. There’s fourth one that gets a bit rapturey and mentions Mount Pisgah.
I like the way these three verses hold together thematically.
William Bradbury’s tune Sweet Hour is melodic and expressive.
I recently read some material that wanted to take issue with some aspects of the song-writer’s characterisation of our desire for prayer.
This is poetry. Some people will complain about anything.
The lyrics.
1.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne,
Make all my wants and wishes known!
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.
2.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
The joys I feel, the bliss I share
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God, my Saviour, shows his face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.
3.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To him, whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting the soul to bless:
And since he bids me seek his face,
Believe his Word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.
Here’s a mgpcpastor favourite, Mr Pat Boone, with a version that I wish I sounded like.
And, as a bonus, here’s another personal favourite, Iris DeMent, providing her expressive and Appalachian rendition.
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