Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire

This hymn beautifully attempts to define and describe the act of prayer. The words were penned by James Montgomery (1771-1854). My hymn devotional book by Kenneth W. Osbeck states "Though trained for the ministry, Montgomery spent his lifetime as a journalist and newspaper editor." On the side he wrote poetry and hymns.

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"Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire"

Verse 1:

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,

Uttered or unexpressed,

The motion of a hidden fire

That trembles in the breast.

Verse 2:

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,

The falling of a tear.

The upward glancing of an eye

When none but God is near.

Verse 3:

Prayer is the simplest form of speech

That infant lips can try;

Prayer, the sublimest strains

That reach the Majesty on high.

Verse 4:

The saints in prayer appear as one,

In word, in deed, and mind,

While with the Father and the Son

Sweet fellowship they find.

Verse 5:

No prayer is made by man alone,

The Holy Spirit pleads.

And Jesus, on the eternal throne,

For sinners intercedes.

Verse 6:

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,

The Christian's native air;

His watchword at the gates of death;

He enters Heaven with prayer.

Verse 7:

O Thou by whom we come to God,

The Life, the Truth, the Way!

The path of prayer Thyself hast trod;

Lord, teach us how to pray!

AMEN

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This hymn brought to mind the words of Romans 8:26-27......"We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts know the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

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Cyberhymnal link: www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/p/r/prayeris/htm