Our Lord and God

Our Lord and God, oh, bless this day
And hear us, we implore Thee;
None of Thy children turn away
Who now appear before Thee.
We come before Thy face
And pray: Let Thy rich grace
Descend from Heav’n above
In all Thy wondrous love
And keep us by Thy Spirit.

Oh, bless Thy Word to all the young;
Let them, Thy truth possessing,
Bear witness true with heart and tongue,
Their faith and ours confessing.
From mother’s arms Thy grace
With love did them embrace;
Baptized into Thy Name,
As Thine Thou didst them claim.
O Lord, as Thine now own them!

When they their vows today renew,
Accept them with Thy favor;
And when they promise to be true,
May they forget it never!
But they are weak and frail
When Satan’s hosts assail;
Oh, arm them with Thy might
And grant that in the fight
They unto death be faithful!

And when they leave their childhood home,
When Satan comes alluring,
May their baptismal grace become
A refuge reassuring!
Blest he who then can say:
“God’s covenant stands for aye.”
He ne’er shall be undone
Who trusts in God alone—
God is his mighty Father!