"Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire" by James Montgomery, 1771-1854 Text From: THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941) 1. Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Unuttered or exprest, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. 2. Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near. 3. Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try; Prayer the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high. 4. Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice And cry, "Behold, he prays!" 5. Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air, His watchword at the gates of death-- He enters heaven with prayer. 6. The saints in prayer appear as one In word and deed and mind, While with the Father and the Son Sweet fellowship they find. 7. Nor prayer is made by man alone-- The Holy Spirit pleads, And Jesus on th' eternal throne For sinners intercedes. 8. O Thou by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way, The path of prayer Thyself hast trod-- Lord, teach us how to pray. ________________________________________________ Notes: Hymn #454 from _The Lutheran Hymnal_ Text: Luke 11:1 Author: James Montgomery, 1818, alt. Composer: John Chetham, 1718 Tune: "Burford" 1st Published in: _Psalmody_ ______________________________________________________________________ This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by Marilyn F. Gardner and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (219) 452-2148 Fax: (219) 452-2126 ______________________________________________________________________