Scripture Verse

Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Introduction

portrait
Christopher Wordsworth
(1807–1885)

Words: Chris­to­pher Words­worth, The Ho­ly Year (Lon­don: Riv­ing­tons, 1862), pages 22–23. New Year’s Day.

Music: Ios­co, from an old Ger­man cho­rale. Me­lo­dy at­trib­ut­ed to John Hus (1369–1415) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

Lyrics

Another year has now be­gun
With si­lent pace its course to run;
Let us our hearts and voic­es raise
To God in songs of pray­er and praise.

Accept our pe­ni­tent­ial tears,
O Lord, for sins of by­gone years;
And with the blood of Je­su spilt
O wash away Thy ser­vants’ guilt.

Father, Thy boun­te­ous love we bless,
For gifts and mer­cies num­ber­less;
For life and health, for grace and peace,
And hope of joys that ne­ver cease.

Our days and years de­cay and die,
Mementos of mor­tal­ity;
Make us to see our own brief hours
In fall­ing leaves, and fad­ing flow­ers.

O Son of God, Thou Sav­ior dear,
Teach us to walk as stran­gers here,
With hearts in Heav’n, that we may come
To where Thou art, our Fa­ther’s home.

Make us to feel that Thou art nigh,
We ever in our mas­ter’s eye,
Mindful of that ac­count to live,
Which we to Thee, our judge, must give.

Thou, Christ, who mak­est all things new,
O give us hearts both pure and true,
That each may shine, a pre­cious gem,
Lord, in Thy New Je­ru­sa­lem.

Grant us, O Com­fort­er, Thy grace,
And speed us on our earth­ly race,
In body, spir­it, and in soul,
Right on­ward to the heav’n­ly goal.

Blest Three in One, to Thee we pray,
Defend, and guide us on our way;
That we at last with joy may see
The New Year of eter­ni­ty.