Gracious Father, Guard Thy Children

Gracious Fa­ther

guard Thy child­ren

From the foe’s de­struc­tive pow­er;

Save

O save them

Lord

from fall­ing

In this dark and try­ing hour.

Thou wilt sure­ly prove Thy people

All our grac­es must be tried;

But Thy Word il­lumes our path­way

And in God we still con­fide.

We are in the time of wait­ing;

Soon we shall be­hold our Lord

Wafted far away from sor­row

To re­ceive our rich re­ward.

Keep us

Lord

till Thine ap­pear­ing

Pure

un­spot­ted

from the world;

Let Thy Ho­ly Spir­it cheer us

Till Thy ban­ner is un­furled.

With what joy­ful ex­ul­ta­tion

Shall the saints Thy ban­ner see

When the Lord for whom we’ve wait­ed

Shall pro­claim the ju­bi­lee!

Freedom from this world’s pol­lu­tions;

Freedom from all sin and pain;

Freedom from the wiles of Sa­tan

And from death’s de­struc­tive reign.