Gracious Sav­ior, gen­tle Shep­herd,
Our lit­tle ones are dear to Thee;
Gathered with Thine arms and car­ried
In Thy bo­som may they be
Sweetly, gent­ly, safe­ly tend­ed,
From all want and dan­ger free.

Tender Shep­herd, nev­er leave them
From Thy fold to go as­tray;
By Thy look of love di­rect­ed,
May they walk the nar­row way;
Thus di­rect them, and pro­tect them,
Lest they fall an ea­sy prey.

Cleanse their hearts from sin­ful fol­ly
In the stream Thy love sup­plied;
Mingled streams of blood and water
Flowing from Thy wound­ed side;
And to heav’n­ly pas­tures lead them,
Where Thine own still wa­ters glide.

Let Thy ho­ly Word in­struct them:
Fill their minds with heav’n­ly light;
Let Thy love and grace con­strain them,
To ap­prove what­e’er is right,
Take Thine ea­sy yoke and wear it,
And to prove Thy bur­den light.

Taught to lisp Thy ho­ly prais­es
Which on earth Thy child­ren sing,
Both with lips and hearts, un­feign­èd,
Glad thank-of­fer­ings may they bring;
Then with all the saints in glo­ry
Join to praise their Lord and King.