Scripture Verse

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king. Ecclesiastes 4:13

Introduction

portrait
William Gardiner (1770–1853)
British Museum
cc-license

Words: Will­iam Cow­per (1731–1800). Wri­tten for the an­ni­ver­sa­ry of the es­tab­lish­ment of Sun­day schools at Ol­ney, Eng­land. Ap­peared in Di­vine Hymns At­tempt­ed in Ea­sy Lang­uage for the Use of Child­ren, by Row­land Hill (Al­der­man­bu­ry, Lon­don, Eng­land: T. Wilk­ins, 1790), page 58.

Music: Gar­din­er Will­iam Gar­di­ner, 1812 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
William Cowper (1731–1800)

Lyrics

Hear, Lord, the song of praise and pray­er,
In Heav’n Thy dwell­ing place,
From in­fants, made Thy con­stant care,
[originally, made the pub­lic care]
And taught to seek Thy face!

Thanks for Thy Word, and for Thy day,
And grant us, we im­plore,
Never to waste in sin­ful play,
Thy ho­ly Sab­baths more.

Thanks that we hear—but, Oh, im­part,
To each de­sires sin­cere,
That we may list­en with our heart,
And learn, as well as hear.

For if vain thoughts our minds en­gage,
Of el­der far than we:
What hope that at our heed­less age,
Our minds shall e’er be free?

Much hope, if Thou our spi­rits take
Under Thy gra­cious sway,
Who canst the wis­est wis­er make
And babes as wise as they.

Wisdom and bliss Thy Word be­stows,
A sun that ne’er de­clines;
And be Thy mer­cies show­ered on those
Who placed us where it shines.