The Cyber Hymnal ‎#11655

11655. Bless, O Lord, The Opening Year

1 Bless, O Lord, the opening year,
To each soul assembled here:
Clothe Thy Word with power divine,
Make us willing to be Thine.

2 Shepherd of Thy blood-bought sheep!
Teach the stony heart to weep;
Let the blind have eyes to see,
See themselves, and look on Thee!

3 Let the minds of all our youth
Feel the force of sacred truth;
While the Gospel call they hear,
May they learn to love and fear.

4 Show them what their ways have been,
Show the desert of their sin;
Then Thy dying love reveal,
This shall melt a heart of steel.

5 Where Thou hast Thy work begun,
Give new strength the race to run;
Scatter darkness, doubts and fears,
Wipe away the mourners’ tears.

6 Bless us all both old and young;
Call forth praise from every tongue:
Let the whole assembly prove
All Thy power, and all Thy love.

Text Information

• First Line: Bless, O Lord, the opening year
• Title: Bless, O Lord, The Opening Year
• Author: John Newton, 1725-1807
• Meter: 77.77
• Language: English
• Source: The Psalms of David (New York: Hodge, Allen & Campbell, printers, 1789)
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: SHERBORNE
• Composer: Felix Mendelssohn, 1809-1847 (arr.)
• Incipit: 7777
• Key: D Major
• Copyright: Public Domain