Scripture Verse

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

Introduction

portrait
François H. Barthélémon (1741–1808)

Words: Anne Steele, Po­ems on Sub­jects Chief­ly De­vo­tion­al 1760, pag­es 79–80.

Music: Bal­ler­ma Fran­çois H. Bar­thé­lé­mon (1741–1808), adapt­ed by Ro­bert Simp­son in A Se­lect­ion of Or­ig­in­al Sac­red Mu­sic, 1833 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Steele (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Bar­thé­lé­mon,

Lyrics

Alas, what hour­ly dan­gers rise!
What snares be­set my way!
To Heav’n O let me lift my eyes,
And hour­ly watch and pray.

How oft my mourn­ful thoughts com­plain,
And melt in flow­ing tears!
My weak re­sist­ance, ah, how vain!
How strong my foes and fears!

My gra­cious God, in whom I live,
My fee­ble ef­forts aid,
Help me to watch, and pray, and strive,
Though trem­bling and afraid.

Increase my faith, in­crease my hope,
When foes and fears pre­vail;
And bear my faint­ing spir­it up;
Or soon my strength will fail.

Whene’er temp­ta­tions fright my heart,
Or lure my feet aside,
My God, Thy pow­er­ful aid im­part,
My guard­ian and my guide.

O keep me in Thy heav’n­ly way,
And bid the tempt­er flee,
And let me ne­ver, ne­ver stray
From hap­pi­ness and Thee.