Poems (Procter)/Evening Hymn

by Adelaide Anne Procter

For works with similar titles, see Evening Hymn.

EVENING HYMN.

HE shadows of the evening hours Fall from the darkening sky;Upon the fragrance of the flowers The dews of evening lie:Before thy throne, O Lord of heaven, We kneel at close of day;Look on thy children from on high, And hear us while we pray.

The sorrows of thy servants, Lord, O do not thou despise;But let the incense of our prayers Before thy mercy rise;The brightness of the coming night Upon the darkness rolls: With hopes of future glory chase The shadows on our souls.

Slowly the rays of daylight fade; So fade within our heartThe hopes in earthly love and joy, That one by one depart:Slowly the bright stars, one by one, Within the heavens shine;—Give us, O Lord, fresh hopes in Heaven, And trust in things divine.

Let peace, O Lord, thy peace, O God, Upon our souls descend;From midnight fears and perils, thou Our trembling hearts defend;Give us a respite from our toil, Calm and subdue our woes;Through the long day we suffer, Lord, O give us now repose!