Hymns that ask for God's guidance or presence

Amazing Grace

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Amazing Grace

Common Praise No. 375

Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)
     that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
     was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
     and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
     the hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares
     I have already come:
’tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
     and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
     his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
     as long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
     and mortal life shall cease:
I shall possess, within the veil,
     a life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
     the sun forbear to shine;
but God, who called me here below,
     will be forever mine.

John Newton 1725-1807
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Be still, for the presence of the Lord

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Be still, for the presence of the Lord

Common Praise No. 383

1. Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here.
Come, bow before him now,
with reverence and fear.
In him no sin is found,
we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here.

2. Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
he burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned.
How awesome is the sight,
our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.

3. Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place,
he comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister His grace.
No work too hard for him,
in faith receive from him;
be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.
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Come down, O Love divine

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Come down, O Love divine

Common Praise No. 175

    Come down, O love divine,
    seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine own ardor glowing.
    O Comforter, draw near,
    within my heart appear,
And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

    O let it freely burn,
    till earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
    And let Thy glorious light
    shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

    Let holy charity
    mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing;
    True lowliness of heart,
    which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

    And so the yearning strong,
    with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling;
    For none can guess its grace,
    till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

Words from the Italian of Bi­an­co of Si­e­na (?-1434) (Di­scen­di, Amor san­to)
Tune Down Ampney
Public Domain
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Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer

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Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer(tune: Cwm Rhondda)

Common Praise No. 455

Words to follow
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Lead Us, Heavenly Father

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Common Praise No. 496

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
     o’er the world's tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
     for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
     if our God our Father be.

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us;
     all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
     thou didst feel its keenest woe;
Lone and dreary, faint and weary,
     through the desert thou didst go.

Spirit of our God, descending,
     fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
love with every passion blending,
     pleasure that can never cloy:
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
     nothing can our peace destroy.

James Edmeston 1791-1867
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Lord of all hopefulness

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Lord of all hopefulness

Common Praise No. 507

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever childlike, no cares can destroy,
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
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Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace

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Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;
where there is injury, your pardon, Lord;
and where there's doubt, true faith in you.
O Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.


Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope;
where there is darkness, only light;
and where there's sadness, ever joy.
O Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.


Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all men that we receive,
and in dying that we're born to eternal life.
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The King Of Love My Shepherd Is

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The King Of Love My Shepherd Is

Common Praise No. 589

1 The King of love my shepherd is,
     whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
     and He is mine for ever.

2 Where streams of living water flow
     my ransomed soul He leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow
     with food celestial feedeth.

3 Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
     but yet in love he sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
     and home rejoicing brought me.

4 In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
     with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
     thy Cross before to guide me.

5 Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
     thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
     from thy pure chalice floweth!

6 And so through all the length of days
     thy goodness faileth never:
good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
     within thy house forever.

Author: H. W. Baker (1821-1877)
Psalm 23
Tune: DOMINUS REGIT ME (J B Dykes)
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Both this, and the next hymn, The Lord's My Shepherd, are settings of Psalm 23

The Lord’s My Shepherd

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The Lord’s My Shepherd

Common Praise No. 594

1. The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want;
     he makes me down to lie
in pastures green; he leadeth me
     the quiet waters by.

2. My soul he doth restore again,
     and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
     e'en for His own Name's sake.

3. Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale,
     yet will I fear none ill,
for thou art with me, and Thy rod
     and staff me comfort still.

4. A table thou hast furnishèd
     in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
     and my cup overflows.

5. Goodness and mercy all my life
     shall surely follow me;
and in God's house for evermore
     my dwelling-place shall be.

Words Psalm 23 from the Scottish Psalter (1650)
Music (t. Crimond) traditional


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