O CHRIST, our God, who with Thine own hast been, Our spirits cleave to Thee, the Friend unseen.
Vouchsafe that all who on Thy bounty feed
May heed Thy love, and prize Thy gifts indeed.
Make every heart that is Thy dwelling-place
A watered garden filled with fruits of grace.
Each holy purpose help us to fulfil;
Increase our faith to feed upon Thee still.
Illuminate our minds, that we may see
In all around us holy signs of Thee;
And may such witness in our lives appear,
That all may know Thou hast been with us here.
O grant us peace, that by Thy peace possess'd,
Thy life within us we may manifest.
So shall we pass our days in holy fear,
In joyful consciousness that Thou art near.
So shalt Thou be for ever, loving Lord,
Our Shield and our exceeding great Reward.
WE plough the fields and scatter
The good seed on the land;
But it is fed and watered
By God's almighty hand.
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine,
And soft refreshing rain.
All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all His love.
He only is the Maker
Of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower;
He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him,
By Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children,
He gives our daily bread.
All good gifts around us, &c.
We thank Thee then, O Father,
For all things bright and good,
The seed-time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
For all Thy love imparts,
And, what Thou most desirest,
Our humble, thankful hearts.
All good gifts around us, &c.
Translation by JANE M. CAMPBELL, 1861, from the German of MATTHIAS CLAUDIUS, 1782.
HOLY offerings, rich and rare, Offerings of praise and prayer, Purer life and purpose high, Clasped hands, uplifted eye, Lowly acts of adoration
To the God of our salvation
On His altar laid we leave them:
Christ, present them! God, receive them!
Promises in sorrow made,
Left, alas! too long unpaid,
Fervent wishes, earnest thought,
Never into action wrought—
Long withheld, we now restore them,
On Thy holy altar pour them,
There in trembling faith to leave them :
Christ, present them! God, receive them!
Vows and longings, hopes and fears,
Broken-hearted sighs and tears,
Dreams of what we yet might be,
Could we cling more close to Thee,
Which, despite of faults and failings,
Help Thy grace in its prevailings-
On Thine altar laid we leave them :
Christ, present them! God, receive them!
Sinful thoughts and wilful ways, Love of self and human praise, Pride of life and lust of eye, Worldly pomp and vanityFaults that let and will not leave us, Though their staying sorely grieve us, Help, O help us to outlive them; Christ, atone for, God, forgive them!
JOHN S. B. MONSELL, 1867.
O LORD of heaven and earth and sea,
To Thee all praise and glory be;
How shall we show our love to Thee,
Giver of all?
The golden sunshine, vernal air,
Sweet flowers and fruits, Thy love declare;
When harvests ripen, Thou art there,
Giver of all.
For peaceful homes and healthful days,
For all the blessings earth displays,
We owe Thee thankfulness and praise,
Giver of all.
Thou didst not spare Thine only Son,
But gav'st Him for a world undone,
And freely with that Blessèd One
Thou givest all.
Thou giv'st the Holy Spirit's dower,
Spirit of life and love and power,
And dost His sevenfold graces shower
Upon us all.
For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven,
For means of grace, and hopes of heaven,
Father, what can to Thee be given
Who givest all?
We lose what on ourselves we spend ;
We have as treasure without end
Whatever, Lord, to Thee we lend,
Who givest all ;
To Thee, from whom we all derive
Our life, our gifts, our power to give :
O may we ever with Thee live,
LORD of glory, who hast bought us
With Thy life-blood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice,
And with that hast freely given
Blessings countless as the sand
To the unthankful and the evil
With Thine own unsparing hand;
Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to yield Thee
Gladly, freely of Thine own;
With the sunshine of Thy goodness
Melt our thankless hearts of stone;
Till our cold and selfish natures,
Warmed by Thee, at length believe
That more happy and more blessèd
'Tis to give than to receive.
Wondrous honour hast Thou given
To our humblest charity
In Thine own mysterious sentence,
"Ye have done it unto Me."
Can it be, O gracious Master,
Thou dost deign for alms to sue,
Saying, by Thy poor and needy,
"Give as I have given to you ?"
Yes, the sorrow and the suffering,
Which on every hand we see,
Channels are for tithes and offerings
Due by solemn right to Thee;
Right of which we may not rob Thee,
Debt we may not choose but pay,
Lest that face of love and pity
Turn from us another day.
Lord of glory, who hast bought us
With Thy life-blood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice,
Give us faith, to trust Thee boldly,
Hope, to stay our souls on Thee;
But, O best of all Thy graces,
Give us Thine own charity.
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