1 Our Lord and God, O bless this day
And hear us, we implore Thee;
None of Thy children turn away
Who now appear before Thee.
We come before Thy face
And pray: Let Thy rich grace
Descend from heav'n above
In all Thy wondrous love
And keep us by Thy Spirit.
2 O bless Thy Word to all the young;
Let them, Thy truth possessing,
Bear witness true with heart and tongue,
Their faith and ours confessing.
From mother's arms Thy grace
With love did them embrace;
Baptized into Thy name,
As Thine Thou didst them claim.
O Lord, as Thine now own them!
3 When they their vows today renew,
Accept them with Thy favor;
And when they promise to be true,
May they forget it never!
But they are weak and frail
When Satan's hosts assail;
O arm them with Thy might
And grant that in the fight
They unto death be faithful!
4 And when they leave their childhood home,
When Satan comes alluring,
May their baptismal grace become
A refuge reassuring!
Blest they who then can say:
"God's cov'nant stands for aye."
They ne'er shall be undone
Who trusts in God alone--
God is their mighty Father!
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #514