At first I prayed for light:
Could I but see the way,
How gladly, swiftly would I walk
To everlasting day!

And next I prayed for strength:
That I might tread the road
With firm, unfaltering feet, and win
The heavens’ serene abode.

And then I prayed for faith:
Could I but trust my God,
I’d live infolded in His peace,
Though foes were all abroad.

But now I pray for love:
Deep love to God and man;
A living love that will not fail,
However dark His plan.

And light and strength and faith
Are opening everywhere!
God waited patiently until
I prayed the larger prayer.

Lord, teach us how to pray aright,
With reverence and with fear;
Though dust and ashes in Thy sight,
We may, we must draw near.

We perish if we cease from prayer;
O grant us power to pray;
And when to meet Thee we prepare,
Lord, meet us by the way.

God of all grace, we come to Thee
With broken, contrite hearts;
Give what Thine eye delights to see,
Truth in the inward parts.

Faith in the only sacrifice
That can for sin atone;
To cast our hopes, to fix our eyes,
On Christ, on Christ alone.

Patience to watch, and wait, and weep,
Though mercy long delay;
Courage our fainting souls to keep,
And trust Thee though Thou slay.

Give these, and then Thy will be done,
Thus, strengthened with all might,
We, through Thy Spirit and Thy Son,
Shall pray, and pray aright.

Now from the world withdrawn,
For fellowship with Thee;
May each, O Lord, before Thy throne,
From earthly cares be free.

Possess our every thought,
And teach our minds to pray;
Help us to worship as we ought,
And thus conclude the day.

Our strength may we renew,
And lift our hearts above;
That, while life’s journey we pursue,
We still may walk in love.

Then, in our latter end,
If death shall close our eyes,
Thy mercy will our souls attend,
And bear them to the skies.

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains
That reach The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters Heav’n with prayer.

Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

The saints in prayer appear as one
In word, in deed, and mind,
While with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.

No prayer is made by man alone
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus, on th’eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes.

O Thou by Whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray.

When cold our hearts, and far from Thee
Our wandering spirits stray,
And thoughts and lips move heavily;
Lord, teach us how to pray.

Too vile to venture near Thy throne,
Too poor to turn away;
Our only voice—Thy Spirit’s groan—
Lord, teach us how to pray.

We know not how to seek Thy face
Unless Thou lead the way;
We have no words, unless Thy grace,
Lord, teach us how to pray.

Here every thought and fond desire
We on Thine altar lay;
And when our souls have caught Thy fire,
Lord, teach us how to pray.