All praise to thee, my God

if you do not hear the tune, click here.

1.
All praise to thee, my God, this night,
for all the blessings of the light.  
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
beneath thine own almighty wings.

2.
Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
the ill that I this day have done,
that with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

3.
Oh, may my soul on thee repose,
and with sweet sleep my eyelids close,
sleep that shall me more vigorous make
to serve my God when I awake.

4.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.  
Praise him, all creatures here below.  
Praise him above, ye heavenly host.  
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Words:  Thomas Ken, 1694, appendix to A Manual of Prayers, 1695
   Tune:  Thomas Tallis, The Whole Psalter Translated into English Metre, 1561-1567

            In Ken's 1695 edition of A Manual of Prayers for Use of the Scholars of Winchester College (1674), he included "Three Hymns for Morning, Evening and Midnight." This evening hymn, originally in twelve stanzas, was written for the devotional use of his students at Winchester College, England. It is based on Psalm 91:4, the picture of God as a nurturing eagle, though there are many biblical images of communing with God at the close of day. Stanza 2 is a "sacrifice of repentence" to ready the soul for night and prepare for strength of spirit in the new day. The omitted stanzas further call on God's blessing and instruction even through the night, including a stanza for insomniacs:
                    When in the night I sleepless lie
                    my soul with heavenly thoughts supply;
                    let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
                    no powers of darkness me molest.

from Hymnal Companion

return to "Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs" webpage

return to Long Green Valley Church "Worship" page