Oh mer­ci­ful Cre­at­or! Hear
Our pray­er, to Thee de­vout­ly bent,
Which we pour forth with ma­ny a tear
In this Thy ho­ly fast of Lent!

Thou mild­est search­er of the heart,
Who know’st the weak­ness of our strength,
To us for­giv­ing grace im­part,
That we may seek Thy face at length.

We all have sinned, we own our shame,
But spare us who our sins con­fess,
And for the glo­ry of Thy name,
To our sick souls af­ford re­dress.

Grant that the flesh may be so pined,
By means of out­ward ab­sti­nence,
As that the so­ber watch­ful mind
May fast from spots of foul of­fense!

Grant this, O bless­èd Tri­ni­ty!
Pure Son of God! to this in­cline.
That of our fast the fruit may be
A grate­ful re­com­pense for Thine!