Two Poems About Prayer by Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key is best known for writing the lyrics to the national anthem of the United States of America, The Star-Spangled Banner. Key was a lawyer, author, and devout Episcopalian. His poetry often contained spiritual themes and he also wrote the lyrics of the hymn Lord, With Glowing Heart I'd Praise Thee.
EFFICACY OF PRAYER
On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.Psalm 138:3 (NASB)
When troubles, wave on wave, assailed,
And fear my soul appalled,
I knew the Lord would rescue me,
And for deliverance called.
Still onward, onward came the flood;
Again I sought the Lord,
And prayed that he the waves would still
By his resistless word.
But still they rushing came; again
Arose my prayer,
And then I prayed for faith and strength
Whate'er he willed, to bear.
Then his felt presence was my strength,
His outstretched arm was nigh;
My head he raised, my heart he cheered,
“Fear not,” he said, “'tis I.”
Strong in that strength, I rose above
The tempest's fierce alarms;
It drove me to a port of peace,
Within a Saviour's arms.
THE LORD WILL HEAR THEE
“Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
-Psalm 77:7-11 (NIV)
Will God absent himself for evermore,
Nor hear again my supplicating cry?
Is mercy gone forever? And the day
Of his felt presence utterly passed by?
And look through time to that eternal day
When high shall sound the rapturous hymn of praise,
“Thou doest all things well, O Lord! And just
And true, O King of kings, are all thy ways.”
Thou in that song shalt join; the darkness past
That from thy view the answering God concealed,
The unheeded blessings of his unseen hand,
And all the wonders of his love revealed.
Then shalt thou see a Father's tender care
Displayed alike in all withheld and given:
Given – to increase thy love, and fix thy trust;
Withheld – to wean from earth and fit for heaven.
Then shalt thou see how every prayer was heard:
The ill thy blindness asked, refused; the good
Delayed, to keep thee waiting on his word;
Thy waiting blest – the blessing then bestowed.
© Live at the Well.
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Live at the Well.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Kelly Mowrer. © Live at the Well.
EFFICACY OF PRAYER
On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.Psalm 138:3 (NASB)
When troubles, wave on wave, assailed,
And fear my soul appalled,
I knew the Lord would rescue me,
And for deliverance called.
Still onward, onward came the flood;
Again I sought the Lord,
And prayed that he the waves would still
By his resistless word.
But still they rushing came; again
Arose my prayer,
And then I prayed for faith and strength
Whate'er he willed, to bear.
Then his felt presence was my strength,
His outstretched arm was nigh;
My head he raised, my heart he cheered,
“Fear not,” he said, “'tis I.”
Strong in that strength, I rose above
The tempest's fierce alarms;
It drove me to a port of peace,
Within a Saviour's arms.
THE LORD WILL HEAR THEE
“Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
-Psalm 77:7-11 (NIV)
Will God absent himself for evermore,
Nor hear again my supplicating cry?
Is mercy gone forever? And the day
Of his felt presence utterly passed by?
And look through time to that eternal day
When high shall sound the rapturous hymn of praise,
“Thou doest all things well, O Lord! And just
And true, O King of kings, are all thy ways.”
Thou in that song shalt join; the darkness past
That from thy view the answering God concealed,
The unheeded blessings of his unseen hand,
And all the wonders of his love revealed.
Then shalt thou see a Father's tender care
Displayed alike in all withheld and given:
Given – to increase thy love, and fix thy trust;
Withheld – to wean from earth and fit for heaven.
Then shalt thou see how every prayer was heard:
The ill thy blindness asked, refused; the good
Delayed, to keep thee waiting on his word;
Thy waiting blest – the blessing then bestowed.
© Live at the Well.
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Live at the Well.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Kelly Mowrer. © Live at the Well.