A Prayer: Matins

Lord, Thou hast promised. Lo! I give Thee back Thine own great Word. Keep it. I summon Thee. Keep it as God can, not as men do. See, Great God! who art to us the awful Truth Whereby we live, and move, and know the true-- I ask Thee to be true unto Thyself. There is a soul that has not sinned unto The death. I pray for it. To such as seek For such a one, O Power invisible! O Mystery and Mercy! Thou hast said Thou hearkenest. I dare remind Thee, God. I dare appeal unto Thine honor. Hear! Fulfill Thy pledge to me. God, God! Great God! I pour my soul out, dash it down awaste Like water, as I would my life, to save This other one. I light my words with fire, Like fagots scorching all my shrinking heart. So would I walk in fire with these my feet Of flesh, if that could melt this frozen heart I pray for. Thou who listenest! Dumb God! Had I Thy dreadful power to turn the souls Of men as they were rivers in Thy hand, Then would I have this noble one. I would Not lose its loyalty. I tell Thee, Lord, If I had made it, then it sure should love And honor me. Hearken to me! Oh, save! Give me mine answer! Save! Great God, I summon Thee! I summon Thee! Father, I am Thy child. If I have asked too much, Or asked or longed amiss in any wise, Or read awry Thy Word mysterious, Or made one cry unworthy of a child, I pray Thee to deny me all I ask Unto my asking, and rebuke me so. And if Thou savest, Lord, dear Lord, dear Lord! Then let it be because some worthier Than I, did pray. ...