Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray

Rise

my soul

to watch and pray

From thy sleep awak­en;

Be not by the ev­il day

Unaware be tak­en.

For the foe

well we know

Oft his har­vest reape­th

While the Christ­ian sleep­eth.

Watch against the dev­il’s snares

Lest asleep he find thee;

For in­deed no pains he spares

To de­ceive and blind thee.

Satan’s prey oft are they

Who se­cure are sleep­ing

And no watch are keep­ing.

Watch! Let not the wick­ed world

With its pow­er defeat thee.

Watch lest with her pomp un­furled

She be­tray and cheat thee.

Watch and see lest there be

Faithless friends to charm thee

Who but seek to harm thee.

Watch against thy­self

my soul

Lest with grace thou tri­fle;

Let not self thy thoughts con­trol

Nor God’s mer­cy sti­fle.

Pride and sin lurk with­in

All thy hopes to scat­ter;

Heed not when they flat­ter.

But while watch­ing

al­so pray

To the Lord un­ceas­ing

He will free thee

be thy stay.

Strength and faith in­creas­ing.

O Lord

bless in dis­tress

And let no­thing swerve me

From the will to serve Thee.

Therefore let us watch and pray

Knowing He will hear us

As we see from day to day

Dangers ev­er near us

And the end doth im­pend—

Our re­dem­ption near­eth

When the Lord ap­pear­eth.