Poems (Follen)/Sabbath Day

by Eliza Lee Cabot Follen

SABBATH DAY.

How sweet, upon this sacred day,
 The best of all the seven,
To cast our earthly thoughts away,
 And think of God and heaven!

How sweet to be allowed to pray
 Our sins may be forgiven;
With filial confidence to say,
 "Father, who art in heaven!"

With humble hope to bend the knee,
 And, free from folly's leaven,
Confess that we have strayed from thee,
 Thou righteous Judge in heaven.

And if, to make all sin depart,
 In vain the will has striven,
He who regards the inmost heart,
 Will send his grace from heaven.

If from the bosom that is dear,
 By cold unkindness driven,
The heart that knows no refuge here,
 Shall find a friend in heaven;—

Then hail, thou sacred, blessed day,
 The best of all the seven,
When hearts unite their vows to pay
 Of gratitude to Heaven.