1 When the church of Jesus shuts its outer door,
lest the roar of traffic drown the voice of prayer:
may our prayers, Lord, make us ten times more aware
that the world we banish is our Christian care.

2 If our hearts are lifted where devotion soars
high above this hungry, suffering world of ours:
lest our hymns should drug us to forget its needs,
forge our Christian worship into Christian deeds.

3 Lest the gifts we offer, money, talents, time,
serve to salve our conscience, to our secret shame:
Lord, reprove, inspire us by the way you give;
teach us, dying Savior, how true Christians live.