"Thou Who the Night in Prayer Didst Spend"
                     by Christopher Wordsworth, 1807-1885
                                  Text From:
                              THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
                 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941)
                                       
                                       

        1. Thou who the night in prayer didst spend
        And then didst Thine apostles send
        And bidd'st us pray the harvest's Lord
        To send forth sowers of Thy Word,
        Hear and Thy chosen servants bless
        With sev'nfold gifts of holiness.

        2. Oh, may Thy pastors faithful be,
        Not lab'ring for themselves, but Thee!
        Give grace to feed with wholesome food
        The sheep and lambs bought by Thy blood,
        To tend Thy flock, and thus to prove
        How dearly they the Shepherd love.

        3. Oh, may Thy people faithful be
        And in Thy pastors honor Thee
        And with them work and for them pray
        And gladly Thee in them obey,
        Receive the prophet of the Lord
        And gain the prophet's own reward!

        4. So may we when our work is done
        Together stand before Thy throne
        And joyful hearts and voices raise
        In one united song of praise,
        With all the bright celestial host,
        To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

        

        Notes:
        Hymn #493 from _The Lutheran Hymnal_
        Text: Luke 6:12 ff.
        Author: Christopher Wordsworth, 1862, cento, alt.
        Composer: Dimitri S. Bortniansky, 1822, ad.
        Tune: "St. Petersburg"