Scripture Verse

Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. A morn­ing or ev­en­ing psalm.

Music: Dar­ley The Pres­by­ter­ian Hym­nal (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Pres­by­ter­ian Board of Pub­li­ca­tion, 1874), page 16 (🔊 pdf nwc) (re­peats last line of each verse).

Alternate Tune:

Lyrics

My God, ac­cept my ear­ly vows,
Like morn­ing in­cense in Thine house;
And let my night­ly wor­ship rise
Sweet as the ev­en­ing sac­ri­fice.

Watch o’er my lips, and guard them, Lord,
From eve­ry rash and heed­less word;
Nor let my feet in­cline to tread
The guil­ty path where sin­ners lead.

O may the right­eous, when I stray,
Smite, and re­prove my wan­der­ing way!
Their gen­tle words, like oint­ment shed,
Shall ne­ver bruise, but cheer my head.

When I be­hold them pressed with grief,
I’ll cry to Heav’n for their re­lief;
And by my warm pe­ti­tions prove
How much I prize their faith­ful love.