413. Before Thy Throne, O God, We Kneel

1. Before Thy throne, O God, we kneel;
Give us a conscience quick to feel,
A ready mind to understand
The meaning of Thy chastening hand;
Whate’er the pain and shame may be,
Bring us, O Father, nearer Thee.

2. Search out our hearts and make us true,
Wishful to give to all their due;
From love of pleasure, lust of gold,
From sins which make the heart grow cold,
Wean us and train us with Thy rod;
Teach us to know our faults, O God.

3. For sins of heedless word and deed,
For pride ambitious to succeed;
For crafty trade and subtle snare
To catch the simple unaware;
For lives bereft of purpose high,
Forgive, forgive, O Lord, we cry.

4. Let the fierce fires, which burn and try,
Our inmost spirits purify:
Consume the ill; purge out the shame;
O God! be with us in the flame;
A newborn people may we rise,
More pure, more true, more nobly wise.

Text Information
First Line: Before Thy throne, O God, we kneel
Title: Before Thy Throne, O God, We Kneel
Author: William B. Carpenter, 1841-1918
Meter: 88.88.88
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
Notes: Alternate tune: ST. PETERSBURG, attributed to Dmitri S. Bortniansky, 1825
Tune Information
Name: VATER UNSER
Composer: Anonymous (1539)
Harmonizer: Johann S. Back (1726)
Meter: 88.88.88
Incipit: 55345 32155 47534
Key: c minor
Source: Geistliche Lieder
Copyright: Public Domain



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