Scripture Verse

If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:13

Introduction

Words: Un­known au­thor, pre-12th Cen­tu­ry (Je­su qua­dra­gen­ar­i­ae). Fran­cis Pott trans­lat­ed this text as In Watch and Pray­er by Thee in his Hymns Fit­ted to the Or­der of Com­mon Pray­er, 1861. Ten years lat­er, he re­vised it to the form be­low, and it was pub­lished in Church Hymns (Lon­don: So­ci­e­ty for Pro­mot­ing Chris­tian Know­ledge, 1871), num­ber 108.

Music: Ab­er Will­iam H. Monk, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1875 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Pott (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
William H. Monk
1823–1889

Lyrics

In hunger, watch, and prayer,
These forty days were passed
By Thee, O Jesu; and Thy love
Doth sanctify our fast.

Through fleshly lusts indulged,
Man lost his first estate;
Thou wouldst restore by leading us
Our flesh to subjugate.

Be with Thy Church, O Lord;
Our self-denials bless;
Accept the tears Thy children shed
O’er all their frowardness.

Forgive, most gracious Lord,
The follies we deplore,
Prevent us with Thy guiding hand
That we may sin no more.

So do Thou in our souls
The power of sin destroy;
And make us fit to worship Thee
With Easter’s holy joy.