Dear Lord and Father

Dear Lord and Father

Text written in 1872 by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)

Sung to REPTON, composed by Charles H. H. Parry (1848-1918)

Alternate tune is REST, composed in 1887 by F. C. Maker (1844-1927)

Luke 8:35 And the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

V. 1 Dear Lord and Father of mankind,

Forgive our foolish ways;

Reclothe us in our rightful mind,

In purer lives Thy service find,

In deeper reverence praise,

In deeper reference, praise.

Mark 1:16-18 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

V. 2 In simple trust like theirs who heard,

Beside the Syrian sea,

The gracious calling of the Lord,

Let us, like them, without a word,

Rise up and follow Thee,

Rise up and follow Thee.

V. 3 O Sabbath rest by Galilee,

O calm of hills above,

Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee

The silence of eternity,

Interpreted by love,

Interpreted by love.

V. 4 Drop Thy still dews of quietness, 

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace,

The beauty of Thy peace.

1 Kings 19:11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 

V. 5 Breathe thro' the heats of our desire,

Thy coolness and Thy balm;

Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;

Speak thro' the earthquake, wind, and fire,

O still small voice of calm,

O still small voice of calm.