Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal ‎#497

497. O Gracious Father of Mankind

1 O gracious Father of mankind,
Our spirits’ unseen friend;
High heaven’s Lord, our hearts’ dear guest,
To Thee our prayers ascend.
Thou dost not wait till human speech
Thy gifts divine implore;
Our dreams, our aims, our work, our lives
Are prayers Thou lovest more.

2 Thou hearest these, the good and ill,
Deep buried in each breast;
The secret thought, the hidden plan,
Wrought out our unexpressed.
O cleanse our prayers from human dross,
Attune our lives to Thee,
Until we labor for those gifts
We ask on bended knee.

3 Our best is but Thyself in us,
Our highest thought Thy will;
To hear Thy voice we need but love,
And listen, and be still.
We would not bend Thy will to ours,
But blend our wills to Thine;
Not beat with cries on heaven's doors,
But live Thy life divine.

4 Thou seekest us in love and truth
More than our minds seek Thee;
Through open gates Thy power flows in
Like flood tides from the sea.
No more we seek Thee from afar,
Nor ask Thee for a sign,
Content to pray in life and love
And toil, till all are Thine.

Text Information

• First Line: O gracious Father of mankind, Our spirits' unseen friend
• Title: O Gracious Father of Mankind
• Author: Henry H. Tweedy (1868-1953) (1926)
• Meter: C.M.D.
• Publication Date: 1985
• Topic: Christan Life: Meditation and Prayer

Tune Information

• Name: HALIFAX
• Composer: George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) (1748)
• Arranger: Winfred Douglas (1867-1944) (1941)
• Meter: C.M.D.
• Incipit: 51112 34554 32121
• Key: f minor
• Copyright: Music from The Hymnal 1940, copyright by The Church Pension Fund. Used by permission.