Scripture Verse

Showers of blessing. Ezekiel 34:26

Introduction

portrait
Percy Dearmer (1867–1936)

Words: Per­cy Dear­mer, in The Eng­lish Hym­nal (Lon­don: Ox­ford Uni­ver­si­ty Press, 1906).

Music: Quem Pas­tor­es me­lo­dy in a ma­nu­script from Hoh­en­furth (now Vyš­ší Brod, Czech­ia), 1410 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Father, who on man dost show­er
Gifts of plen­ty from Thy dow­er,
To Thy peo­ple give the pow­er
All Thy gifts to use aright.

Give pure hap­pi­ness in lei­sure,
Temperance in ev­ery plea­sure,
Holy use of earth­ly trea­sure,
Bodies clear and spir­its bright.

Lift from this and ev­ery na­tion
All that brings us de­gra­da­tion;
Quell the forc­es of temp­ta­tion;
Put Thine ene­mies to flight.

Be with us, Thy strength sup­ply­ing,
That with en­er­gy un­dy­ing,
Every foe of man de­fy­ing,
We may ral­ly to the fight.

Thou who art our cap­tain ev­er,
Lead us on to great en­dea­vor;
May Thy Church the world de­liv­er:
Give us wis­dom, cour­age, might.

Father, who has sought and loved us,
Son of God, whose love has bound us,
Holy Ghost, with­in us, round us—
Hear us, God­head in­fi­nite.