Poem November 16, 1899 Issue

The Lord's Prayer

[The following poem is said to have been written by King James I.]

If any be distressed and fain would gather
Some comfort, let him haste unto
Our father,
For we of hope and help are quite bereaved
Except Thou succor us
Who art in Heaven.
Thou showest mercy; therefore for the same
We praise Thee, singing,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Of all our miseries cast up the sum;
Show us Thy joys, and let
Thy kingdom come.
We mortal are and alter from our birth;
Thy name be blessed here,
Thy will be done earth.
Thou mad'st the earth as well as planets seven,
Thy name be blessed here
As 'tis in heaven.
Nothing we have to us, our debts to pay,
Except Thou give it us.
Give us this day,
Wherewith to clothe us, wherewith to be fed,
For without Thee we want
Our daily bread.
We want, but want no faults, for no day passes
But we do sin—
Forgive us our trespasses.
No man from sinning ever free did live,
Forgive us, Lord, our sins
As we forgive.
If we repent our faults Thou ne'er disdain'st us;
We pardon them
That trespass against us;
Forgive us that is past, a new path tread us,
Direct us always in Thy faith,
And lead us—
We, Thine own people and thy chosen nation,
Into all truth, but
Not into temptation.
Thou that of all good graces art the giver,
Suffer us not to wander,
But deliver
Us from the fierce assaults of world, and devil,
And flesh, so shalt Thou free us
From all evil.
To these petitions let both church and laymen,
With one consent of heart and voice, say
Amen.