Poems (Cook)/A Sabbath Evening Song

by Eliza Cook

A SABBATH EVENING SONG.

God on earth! and God in heaven!
God! who gave one day in seven
Unto Man, that he might rest
With thy mercy in his breast.
God of Goodness! I am kneeling
In my spirit's deep revealing;
Fervently to give thee praise
For the peace of Sabbath days.
Calm and tranquil thou hast made
This soft hour of twilight shade,
And I ask thee, in thy might,
To be "watchman of my night."

Let me thank thee, let me own,
At the footstool of thy throne,
All my grateful joy and love,
Drawn from hopes that point above;
Let me lay my heart before thee,
And with holy trust implore thee
To forgive its human blot,
Gather'd in its human lot.
Listen, Father! to my singing,
Like a child to thee I'm clinging;
If I wander, guide me right,
Be thou watchman of my night!"

Let me ask thee ere I sleep,
To remember those who weep,
Those who moan with some wild sorrow,
That shall dread to meet the morrow;
Let me ask thee to abide
At the fainting, sick one's side,
Where the plaints of anguish rise
In smother'd groans and weary sighs;
Give them strength to brook and bear
Trial-pain, and trial-care;
Let them see thy saving light;
Be thou "watchman of their night!"

God of all; thou knowest well,
Myriads of thy children dwell
Here among us, lone and blind,
In the midnight of the mind;
Well thou knowest how they need
Words to teach and hand to lead;
Well thou knowest that they sin,
For the want of light within;
They grope and fall, and men refuse
To raise them up and "bind the bruise;"
But thou, O God! in judgment's might,
Be thou "watchman of their night!"

God of mercy! God of grace!
Keep me worthy of my place.
Let my harpstrings ne'er be heard
When they jar with thy plain word;
Should the world's fair pitfall take me,
Father! do not thou forsake me;
Let repentance cleanse the stain,
And call me back to truth again;
Father: Infinite and Just!
Shine upon my path of dust,
Lead me in the noontide light,
And be thou "watchman of my night!"