Sweet Hour of Prayer

Ephesians 6:18

      Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

 Sweet Hour of Prayer

 1    Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care,
     and bids me at my Father’s throne; make all my wants and wishes known
      In seasons of distress and grief my soul has often found relief
     and oft escaped the tempter’s snare by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

2    Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, thy wings shall my petition bear
      to him whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless;
      and since he bids me seek his face, believe his word and trust his grace,
      I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care, and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

3    Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, may I thy consolation share,
      till from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height I view my home and take my flight.
      With joy I’ll hasten to the place where God my Savior shows his face,
      and gladly take my station there thy promise gained, sweet hour of prayer.

Text: William Walford, 1772-1850, alt.

      William Walford, the author of this hymn, was apparently a blind curio shop owner who lived in England.  He carved ornaments from ivory and wrote poetry to make a living.  One day the local preacher purchased one of his poems about prayer.  Three years later, that preacher took a trip to America and gave the poem to a local newspaper for publication.  The poem was set to music and titled: “Sweet Hour of Prayer”.  No one knows what happened to the author of the poem, William Walford, although the name of a preacher who served in a nearby town and wrote a book of prayer was William Walford.  He too was blind and some of his thoughts were echoed by this hymn, but we may never know for certain if he was the same person.

      Regardless of whether we know these men, these men certainly knew God as the answer to every prayer.  In the hymn the word prayer is often paired with the word care; this was no accident, the author wanted us to connect the cares of this world, and the care of our heavenly father for us to whom all prayers are offered.

Prayer:  Today we pray for the care of God to those who care for others. We pray they receive the care they need to carve out time for themselves, find rest, and engage in exercise and healthy relationships so that their thinking is clarified and their faith strengthened.  Amen.