Wednesday, July 19, 2017

A Hymn by Jane Austen

This is the text of the hymn which had it's premiere yesterday afternoon at Evensong. The text is adapted from one of Jane Austen's evening prayers. The recommended tune is Westminster Abbey (Christ is Made the Sure Foundation). Please feel free to use this in a worship context and adapt as necessary. A credit would be nice.

Give us grace almighty Father,
so to pray as to be heard,
to address thee with our hearts as
-
with our lips, as thou deserves.
 Thou art everywhere here present
 and no secret can be hid.

May we now and on each evening
 well consider our use of time,
our prevailing words and actions,

 thoughts irreverent in the mind 
have we disobeyed commandments,
 or neglected tasks of thine?

Turn our hearts to ask these questions, 
save from pride and vanity,
to acquit ourselves of evil
never thinking irreverently.

Give a sense of all thy blessings, 
that we might live thankfully.


Hear us Lord. Thou hast redeemed us,
 thus thou taught us how to pray,
thou hast given us many blessings 

and the comforts of this day,
that we might not risk to lose them 
by indifference to thy way.

Words: from an Evening Prayer of Jane Austen adapted by Canon Sue Wallace
Tune: Westminster Abbey 205 NEH Music: Henry Purcell 

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