Almighty God, in hum­ble pray­er,
To Thee our souls we lift,
Do Thou our wait­ing minds pre­pare
For Thy most need­ful gift.

We ask not gold­en streams of wealth
Along our path to flow;
We ask not un­de­cay­ing health,
Nor length of years be­low.

We ask not hon­ors, which an hour
May bring and take away;
We ask not plea­sure, pomp and pow­er,
Lest we should go as­tray.

We ask for wis­dom—Lord, impart
The know­ledge how to live;
A wise and un­der­stand­ing heart
To all be­fore Thee give.

For we, as child­ren, born in sin,
Know not, till Thou has taught,
How to go out, or how come in,
By word, or deed, or thought.

The young re­mem­ber Thee in youth,
Before the ev­il days!
The old be guid­ed by Thy truth
In wis­dom’s plea­sant ways!