"The Hour of Prayer" (1852)
by George Frederick Root, 1820-1895
[Source: pages 72-73 from "The Academy Vocalist"]

1.
Child, amid the flow'rs of play,
When the red light fades away;
Mother, with thine earnest eye,
Ever fol-lowing silently,
Ever fol-lowing silently;
Father, by the breeze of eve
Call'd thy harvest work to leave;
Pray ere yet the dark hours be,
Lift the heart and bend the knee!

2.
Trav'ler in the stranger's land,
Far from thine own household band;
Mourner, haunted by the tone
Of a voice from this world gone,
Of a voice from this world gone,
Captive, in whose narrow cell
Sunshine hath not leave to dwell;
Sailor on the dark'ning sea--
Lift the heart and bend the knee!

3.
War-rior, from the battle plain
Breathest now at set of sun;
Woman, o'er the lowly slain,
Weeping on his burial plain,
Weeping on his burial plain;
Ye that triumph, ye that sigh,
Kindred by one holy tie,
Heaven's first star alike ye see--
Lift the heart and bend the knee!