English poem
The Lord's Prayer
by Christopher Smart (1722–1771)
Accept, most gracious God, our grateful Lays, And let the Muse proclaim thy boundless praise. Soon may thy Kingdom come; — Soon may we see Time swallow'd up in vast Eternity! Soon may our Souls to the third Heav'ns arise, And view their Maker with immortal Eyes! Thy Will be done! — In thee we put our trust; For what thou will'st is ever right and just: In all thy brute Creation here below, Whilst they yet live their daily food bestow. But unto us, who boast a nobler Race, Add to thy Gift of Bread, thy Gift of Grace. Forgive our Sins, and thy Compassion show To those, who on the Poor their alms bestow. Let not th'infernal Foe our Souls ensnare; Nor let our Trials prove too strong to bear: For thine's the Glory: — Thine's the Might, the Pow'r: And thou'rt the only God whom we adore.
The End.
More by Christopher Smart
- The FORCE of INNOCENCE. To Miss C. BALLAD VI
- The Herald and Husband-Man. Fable XII
- THE HOP-GARDEN. A GEORGIC. BOOK the SECOND
- The LASS with the golden Locks. BALLAD II
- The PHYSICIAN and the MONKEY. An EPIGRAM
- The Pig. Fable XVIII
- The PRETTY CHAMBERMAID: In Imitation of Ne sit Ancillae tibi amor pudori, &c. of Horace. ODE VI
- The SILENT FAIR. BALLAD V