1 Lord, I pray, if today
some should wrong or trouble me,
make me kind; bring to mind
your forgiveness makes me free.

2 Should there be joy for me,
help me thank you as I should.
Let me through all I do
praise you, Lord, for all things good.

3 If this day I should stray,
show my heart the road to take.
Should I fear, please be near;
hear my prayer for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Rom. 12:17
st. 2 = 1 Thess. 5:15-18
st. 3 = Ps. 5:8

Originally a children's hymn for morning devotions, "Lord, I Pray" is suitable for God's children of all ages. It is a prayer requesting a forgiving heart (st. 1), grateful living (st. 2), and obedience and comfort through intimacy with God (st. 3).

Jean C. Keegstra-De Boer (b. Grand Rapids, MI, 1922; d. Worth, IL, 1982) wrote the text in four stanzas in 1949; it was published in The Children s Hymnbook (NUCS/Eerdmans, 1962). The Psalter Hymnal includes the first three of the original four stanzas, with minor alterations.
Keegstra-De Boer studied at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, and worked for a time as an editor for Zondervan Publishing. She published several books of verse, including Bible ABC's in Rhyme (1946). Some of her hymns appeared in Let Youth Praise Him (1949) .

Liturgical Use
Service of confession and forgiveness; as a prayer early in the morning service; as a sung prayer that is part of the congregational prayer, especially in the morning.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook