Four Prayers

1 Teach me to live, O God! teach me to live,
According to the rules which thou hast giv’n;
Warning, reproof, direction, I receive from them to help me on my way to heav’n;
Father, I give my life to Him whom thou hast given!
do thou, for his sake, teach me how I ought to live.

2 Teach me to work, O God! teach me to work;
This is no time for ease and rest;
And there is happiness for those who work, such as ne’er enters in the idler’s breast;
Father, I’m thine alone, take thou, head, hands and heart;
all to thy work alone gladly I’ll set apart.

3 Teach me to speak, O God! teach me to speak
Wisely and well, with tact, as best becomes one who has faults and failings,
Yet doth seek oft to light up dark hearts with heav’nly beams;
Fain would I learn, O Lord, that with so much I need,
like thee to speak the word suited to ev’ry need.

4 Teach me to learn, O God! teach me to learn
All that I need, in order thus to live;
Courage, faith, firmness, gentleness in turn, just as I need, do thou be pleased to give;
And that I may not fail in ought to which I turn,
teach me, O God, for Christ’s sake, all I need to learn.

Amen.


Source: Good Will: A collection of New Music for Sabbath Schools and Gospel Meetings (Enlarged) #110