When torn is the bo­som
By sor­row or care,
Be it ev­er so sim­ple,
There’s no­thing like pray­er;
It eases, soothes, soft­ens,
Subdues, yet sus­tains,
Gives vi­gor to hope,
And puts pas­sion in chains.

Refrain

Prayer, pray­er, sweet, sweet pray­er,
Be it ever so sim­ple,
There’s no­thing like pray­er.

When far from the friends
We hold dear­est to part,
What fond re­col­lect­ions
Still cling to my heart,
Past scenes and past con­verse,
Enjoyments are there,
How hurt­ful­ly pleas­ing
Till hal­lowed by pray­er.

Refrain

When plea­sure would woo us
From pi­ety’s arms,
The si­ren sings sweet­ly,
Or si­lent­ly charms,
We list­en, love, loi­ter,
Are caught in the snare,
On look­ing to Je­sus
We con­quer by pray­er.

Refrain

While stran­gers to pray­er
We are stran­gers to bliss,
Heaven pours its full streams
Through no me­di­um but this;
And till we the se­ra­phim’s
Ecstasy share,
Our cha­lice of joy
Must be guard­ed by pray­er.

Refrain