Another year completed,
The day comes round once more
Which with our patron’s radiance
Is bright as heretofore.
Now, strong in hope, united
His festival we greet;
He will present our troubles
Before the mercy-seat.

The Scriptures tell how Moses
Did for the people pray,
Appeased the Judge eternal,
And turned His wrath away;
Elijah’s prayer had power,
To close and open Heav’n;
Such saints as were aforetime,
Such saints to us are giv’n.

O saint of God, belovèd,
And placed on His right hand,
Thy prayers be like a rampart
As ’gainst the foe we stand;
For Abraham’s God is thy God,
And Isaac’s God is thine,
Thine is the God of Jacob,
The Lord of power benign.

For forty years His Israel
He fed with angels’ food;
The flinty rock He opened
The streams of water flowed.
Entreat that Christ His people
May lead to victory:
The God of Joshua’s triumph
The Lord thy God is He.

Sweeter sounds than music knows
Charm me, in Emmanuel’s Name;
All her hopes my spirit owes
To His birth, and cross, and shame.

When He came the angels sang
“Glory be to God on high,”
Lord, unloose my stammering tongue,
Who should louder sing than I.

Did the Lord a man become
That He might the law fulfill,
Bleed and suffer in my room,
And canst thou, my tongue, be still?

No, I must my praises bring,
Though they worthless are, and weak;
For should I refuse to sing
Sure the very stones would speak.

O my Savior, Shield, and Sun,
Shepherd, Brother, Husband, Friend,
Every precious name in one;
I will love Thee without end.

Thou only Sovereign of my heart,
My Refuge, my almighty Friend—
And can my soul from Thee depart,
On Whom alone my hopes depend?

Whither, ah whither shall I go,
A wretched wanderer from my Lord?
Can this dark world of sin and woe
One glimpse of happiness afford?

Eternal life Thy words impart;
On these my fainting spirit lives;
Here sweeter comforts cheer my heart
Than all the round of nature gives.

Let earth’s alluring joys combine,
While Thou art near, in vain they call;
One smile, one blissful smile of Thine,
My dearest Lord, outweighs them all.

The year is gone, beyond recall,
With all its hopes and fears,
With all its bright and gladdening smiles,
With all its mourners’ tears.

Thy thankful people praise Thee, Lord,
For countless gifts received;
And pray for grace to keep the faith
Which saints of old believed.

To Thee we come, O gracious Lord,
The newborn year to bless;
Defend our land from pestilence,
Give peace and plenteousness.

Forgive this nation’s many sins,
The growth of vice restrain;
And help us all with sin to strive,
And crowns of life to gain.

From evil deeds that stain the past
We now desire to flee;
And pray that future years may all
Be spent, good Lord, for Thee.

O Father, let Thy watchful eye
Still look on us in love,
That we may praise Thee, year by year,
With angel hosts above.

All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run.