The poem was first put into the form of a hymn by English Congregational minister an hymnologist, William Garrett Horder (1841-1922) in Congregational Hymns, published in 1884.
Today, some editors present it as "Dear Father, Lord of humankind"
With meter 8.6.8.8.6, tunes it has been set to include:
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
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.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!
With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown
The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.
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.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.
With meter 8.6.8.8.6, tunes it has been set to include:
- REPTON published in 1888 by Charles Hubert H. Parry (usually used in the UK)
- REST published first in 1887 by Frederick Charles Maker (usually used in the USA)
- HAMMERSMITH by William H. Gladstone (1840-1892)
- NEWCASTLE by Henry L Morley (c 1834)
- NICHOLAUS by Nicholaus Hermann (c1500-1561) - arranged and harmonized by J S Bach
- HERMANN also by Nicholaus Hermann (c1500-1561) - arranged and harmonized by Winifred Douglas
Downloads
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Examples
Virtual choir, with light organ, tune REPTON:
Singer, self-accompanied on guitar:
Massed choir with small orchestra:
Church choir with organ, tune REPTON:
Lyrics
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 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.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!
With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown
The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.
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.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.
