Scripture Verse

When you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6

Introduction

portrait
Thomas Moore (1779–1852)

Words: Tho­mas Moore, Sac­red Songs 1816.

Music: De­vo­tion (Browne) E. C. L. Browne, in the Hymn and Tune Book (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Am­eri­can Uni­ta­ri­an As­so­cia­tion, 1868), num­ber 736 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Browne’s full name, or where to get a good pic­ture of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

As down in the sun­less re­treats of the ocean,
Sweet flow­ers are spring­ing no mor­tal can see,
So, deep in my soul the still pray­er of de­vo­tion,
Unheard by the world, ris­es si­lent to Thee,
My God! si­lent to Thee—
Pure, warm, si­lent, to Thee,

As still to the star of its wor­ship, tho’ cloud­ed,
The nee­dle points faith­ful­ly o’er the dim sea,
So, dark as I roam, in this win­try world shroud­ed,
The hope of my spir­it turns trem­bling to Thee,
My God! trem­bling, to Thee—
True, fond, trem­bling, to Thee.