Laudes Domini ‎#666

666. Vows renewed

1 Holy offerings, rich and rare,
Offerings of praise and prayer,
Purer life and purpose high,
Clasped hands, uplifted eye,
Lowly acts of adoration
To the God of our salvation--
On his altar laid we leave them:
Christ, present them! God, receive them!

2 Promises in sorrow made,
Left, alas! too long unpaid;
Fervent wishes, earnest thought,
Never into action wrought--
Long withheld, we now restore them,
On thy holy altar pour them:
There in trembling faith to leave them:
Christ, present them! God, receive them!

3 Vows and longings, hopes and fears,
Broken-hearted sighs and tears,
Dreams of what we yet might be
Could we cling more close to thee,
Which, despite of faults and failings,
Help thy grace in its prevailings--
On thine altar laid we leave them:
Christ, present them! God, receive them!

4 Sinful thoughts and willful ways,
Love of self and human praise,
Pride of life and lust of eye,
Worldly pomp and vanity--
Faults that let and will not leave us,
Though their staying sorely grieve us,
Help, oh, help us to outline them:
Christ, atone for! God, forgive them!

5 Brighter joys and tenderer tears,
Fonder faith, more faithful fears,
Lowlier penitence for sin,
More of Christ our souls within;
Love which, when its life was newer,
Burnt within us deeper, truer--
Lost too long, while we deplore them:
Jesus, plead for! God, restore them!

6 To the Father, and the Son,
And the Spirit, Three in One,
Though our mortal weakness raise
Offerings of imperfect praise,
Yet with hearts bowed down most lowly,
Crying, Holy! Holy! Holy!
On thine altar laid we leave them:
Christ, present them! God, receive them!

Text Information

• First Line: Holy offerings rich and rare
• Title: Vows renewed
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1884
• Topic: Backsliding; Christians: Conflicts; Conflict With Sin; Declension, Spiritual; Formality; Heart: Deceitfulness of; Pride; Vows, Christian; Wandering
• Notes: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: HOLY OFFERINGS
• Meter: P. M.
• Key: F Major or modal