Hebrew Literature Part 56

And when Thy glory I declare, Do Thou incline Thee to my prayer, As though sweet spice my offering were.

My meditation day and night May it be pleasant in Thy sight, For Thou art all my soul's delight.

Hymn Of Unity For The Seven Days Of The Week(880)

I

Eternal King, the heavens and earth are Thine, Thine are the seas and every living thing.

Thy hand upholds creation's vast design, Eternal King!

The mighty waters with Thy glory ring, Unnumbered lands to chant Thy praise combine, And Kings of earth to Thee their worship bring.

Thy people Israel, for Thy love benign, Blesses Thy name and joys Thy praise to sing.

Thou art the G.o.d of truth, the one, divine, Eternal King!

II

I worship Thee for all Thy boundless store Of righteousness and mercy shown to me, And for Thy holy book of sacred lore I worship Thee.

To Thee alone our fathers bent the knee, And Thee alone do we this day adore, Bearing our witness to Thy unity.

Thou art our G.o.d, Thy favor we implore, Thou art our shepherd, and Thy flock are we.

Therefore I bless Thy name and evermore I worship Thee.

III

I know it well: Thou art all-good, all-wise.

Thou slayest, but Thy touch death's power can quell; Thou woundest, but Thy hand the balm supplies: I know it well.

Nor sin nor grief can in Thy presence dwell, Slumber and sleep come not unto Thine eyes, Great G.o.d, eternal and unchangeable!

The soul of all mankind before Thee lies; Thou searchest all their hearts, their thoughts canst tell; Thou hearest graciously their prayerful cries: I know it well.

IV

We will extol the Lord of lords, whose name Is evermore and everywhere adored.

In songs and hymns our lips His praise shall frame, We will extol the Lord!

He is the hope of Israel, His word A lamp unto our feet, a guiding flame To those who trust in Him with full accord.

He is through countless ages still the same, The shield of our salvation and our sword, And generations, each to each, proclaim: We will extol the Lord!

V

Who shall narrate Thy wonders wrought of old?

The utterance of the lips Thou didst create, But all Thy majesty and power untold Who shall narrate?

Thy ways on earth in song we celebrate.

Though none may Thy similitude behold, Yet know we by Thy works that Thou are great.

Thousands of angels, by Thy word controlled, To do Thy bidding Thy commands await: Yet of them all, Thy wonders manifold Who shall narrate?

VI

Alone didst Thou, O Lord, the heaven's wide tent Uprear, and bid the earth beneath be shown; Thy word the oceans in their boundaries pent Alone.

No aid or counsel hadst Thou save Thine own When Thou with lights didst hang the firmament And call the hosts celestial round Thy throne.

Thy works, in universal cadence blent, Give praise to Thee, and make Thy glory known.

Thou madest all, great G.o.d beneficent, Alone!

VII

Of old Thou didst the Sabbath bless and praise, Because thereon Thou didst Thy work behold Completed in the sun's new-kindled rays Of old.

Bless Thou, this day, with mercies manifold Thy people, that in love and awe obeys Thy word, and chants Thy righteousness untold.

Lord, we desire to do Thy will always!

Make pure our hearts like thrice-refined gold, And these, our prayers, accept as in the days Of old.

ANON.

Penitential Prayer

Forth flies my soul, upborne by hope untiring, The land of rest, the spring of life desiring, Unto the heavenly dwelling-place aspiring, To seek its peace by day and night.

My spirit does G.o.d's majesty adore, And without wings shall to His presence soar, There to behold His glory evermore, At dawn, at noonday, and at night.

On all His works mine eye in wonder gazes, And heavenward an eager look upraises; Day unto day proclaims its Maker's praises, And night declares them unto night.

Thy loving-kindness is my lifelong guide, But often from Thy path I've turned aside.

O Lord, how hast Thou searched my heart and tried My inmost thoughts at dead of night!

Sleepless upon my bed the hours I number, And, rising, seek the house of G.o.d, while slumber Lies heavy on men's eyes, and dreams enc.u.mber Their souls in visions of the night.

In sin and folly pa.s.sed my early years, Wherefore I am ashamed, and life's arrears Now strive to pay, the while my bitter tears Have been my food by day and night.

Pent in the body's cage, pure child of heaven, Bethink thee, life but as a bridge is given.

Awake, arise, to praise G.o.d gladly, even In the first hours of the night.