Text:Father of Lights, from whom proceeds

XVIII. Father of Lights, from whom proceeds

1 Father of Lights, from whom proceeds
Whate'er thy ev'ry creature needs,
Whose goodness, providently nigh,
Feeds the young ravens when they cry:
To thee I look, my heart prepare,
Suggest, and hearken to my pray'r.

2 Since by thy light myself I see
Naked, and poor, and void of thee;
Thy eyes must all my thoughts survey,
Preventing what my lips would say;
Thou seest my wants, for help they call
And, ere I speak, thou know'st them all.

3 Thou know'st the baseness of my mind,
Wayward, and impotent, and blind:
Thou know'st how unsubdu'd my will,
Averse to good, and prone to ill;
Thou know'st how wide my passions rove,
Nor check'd by fear, nor charm'd by love.

4 Fain would I know as known by thee,
And feel the indigence I see;
Fain would I all my vileness own,
And deep beneath the burden groan;
Abhor the pride that lurks within,
Detest and loath myself and sin.

5 Ah! give me, Lord, myself to feel,
My total misery reveal;
Ah! give me Lord, (I still would say)
A heart to mourn, a heart to pray;
My business this, my only care,
My life, my ev'ry breath be pray'r.

Text Information
First Line: Father of Lights, from whom proceeds
Language: English
Publication Date: 1788
Topic: Penitential
Tune Information
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