The man who once has found abode
Within the secret place of God,
Shall with Almighty God abide,
And in His shadow safely hide.

I of the Lord my God will say,
“He is my Refuge and my Stay;
To Him for safety I will flee;
My God, in Him my trust will be.”

He shall with all protecting care
Preserve thee from the fowler’s snare;
When fearful plagues around prevail,
No fatal stroke shall thee assail.

His outspread pinions shall thee hide;
Beneath His wings shalt thou confide;
His faithfulness shall ever be
A shield and buckler unto thee.

No nightly terrors shall alarm;
No deadly shaft by day shall harm;
Nor pestilence that walks by night,
Nor plagues that waste in noonday light.

Because thy trust is God alone,
Thy dwelling place the Highest One,
No evil shall upon thee come,
Nor plague approach thy guarded home.

At thy right hand, though thousands die,
No harm shall unto thee come nigh;
But thou, secure, unharmed, shalt see
What wicked men’s reward shall be.

If you dwell beneath the shelter
Of the Lord your God Most High,
You will rest within the shadow of Almighty El Shaddai.
He’ll deliver you from all your foes
As you let loose the cry, “My God, in Whom I trust!”

Refrain

He’s my Refuge and my Fortress,
My Salvation and my Stronghold,
He’s my Rock and my Deliverer,
My God, in Whom I trust!

He will cover you with feathers,
Give you refuge ’neath his wings.
You will have no fear of darkest night
Or what the daylight brings.
His own faithfulness will be your shield because your spirit sings,
“My God, in Whom I trust!”

Refrain

Though a thousand at your left may fall,
Ten thousand at your right,
The disaster won’t come near your tent,
But only pass your sight.
If you make the Lord your dwelling place,
He’ll save you from your plight, this God, in Whom you trust!

Refrain

He’ll command his angel hosts on high
To guard you in your way.
They will lift you up in mighty hands,
So you’ll not trip or stray.
You will trample down the lion and the serpent while you say,
“My God, in Whom I trust!”

Refrain

It’s because you love the Lord your God
That he protects your frame.
He has promised to deliver all who call upon his name.
He will show you his salvation,
For your word is e’er the same,
“My God, in Whom I trust!”

Refrain

Now let us come before Him,
With song and prayer adore Him,
Who to our life hath given
All needed strength from Heaven.

The stream of years is flowing,
And we are onward going,
From old to new surviving
And by His mercy thriving.

In woe we often languish
And pass through times of anguish
Of wars and trepidation
Alarming every nation.

As mothers watch are keeping
O’er children who are sleeping,
Their fear and grief assuaging
When angry storms are waging.

So God His own is shielding
And help to them is yielding.
When need and woe distress them,
His loving arms caress them.

O Thou Who dost not slumber,
Remove what would encumber
Our work, which prospers never
Unless Thou bless it ever.

O God of mercy, hear us;
Our Father, be Thou near us;
Mid crosses and in sadness
Be Thou our Fount of gladness.

To all who bow before Thee
And for Thy grace implore Thee,
Oh, grant Thy benediction
And patience in affliction.

Be Thou a Helper speedy
To all the poor and needy,
To all forlorn a Father;
Thine erring children gather.

Be with the sick and ailing,
Their Comforter unfailing;
Dispelling grief and sadness,
Oh, give them joy and gladness!

Above all else, Lord, send us
Thy Spirit to attend us,
Within our hearts abiding,
To Heav’n our footsteps guiding.

All this Thy hand bestoweth,
Thou Life, whence our life floweth.
To all Thy Name confessing
Grant, Lord, Thy New Year’s blessing!

O that I knew the secret place
Where I might find my God!
I’d spread my wants before His face,
And pour my woes abroad.

I’d tell Him how my sins arise;
What sorrows I sustain;
How grace decays, and comfort dies,
And leaves my heart in pain.

He knows what arguments I’d take
To wrestle with my God;
I’d plead for His own mercy’s sake
And for my Savior’s blood.

Arise, my soul, from deep distress,
And banish every fear;
He calls Thee to His throne of grace,
To spread Thy sorrows there.

Still will we trust, though earth seem dark and dreary,
And the heart faint beneath His chastening rod;
Though rough and steep our pathway, worn and weary,
Still will we trust in God!

Our eyes see dimly till by faith anointed,
And our blind choosing brings us grief and pain;
Through Him alone Who hath our way appointed,
We find our peace again.

Choose for us, God! Nor let our weak preferring
Cheat our poor souls of good Thou has designed;
Choose for us, God! Thy wisdom is unerring,
And we are fools and blind.

So from our sky the night shall furl her shadows,
And day pour gladness through his golden gates,
Our rough path lead to flower-enameled meadows,
Where joy our coming waits.

Let us press on, in patient self denial,
Accept the hardship, shrink not from the loss;
Our portion lies beyond the hour of trial,
Our crown beyond the cross.

In grief and fear, to Thee, O Lord,
We now for succor fly,
Thine awful judgments are abroad,
O shield us, lest we die!

The fell disease on every side
Walks forth with tainted breath;
And pestilence, with rapid stride,
Bestrews the land with death.

O look with pity on the scene
Of sadness and of dread,
And let Thine angel stand between
The living and the dead!

With contrite hearts to Thee, our King
We turn, who oft have strayed;
Accept the sacrifice we bring,
And let the plague be stayed.

They have gone to the land where the patriarchs rest,
Where the bones of the prophets are laid,
Where the chosen of Israel the promise possessed,
And Jehovah His mandate displayed.
To the land where the Savior of sinners once trod,
Where He labored and languished and died;
Where He triumphed o’er death and ascended to God,
As He captive captivity led.

They have gone to the land where the Gospel’s glad sound
Sweetly tuned by the angels above
Was re-echoed on earth thro’ the regions around,
In the accents of heavenly love.
Where the Spirit descended in tokens of flame,
The rich gifts of His grace to reveal;
Where apostles wrought signs in Immanuel’s name,
For the truth of their mission to seal.

They have gone—the glad heralds of mercy—have gone,
To the land where the martyrs once bled;
Where the beasts and false prophet have since trodden down,
The fair fabric that Zion had reared.
Where the churches once planted, and watered, and blessed,
With the dews of the Spirit distilled,
Have been smitten, despoiled! and by heathen possessed,
And the places that knew them defiled.

They have gone, O Thou Shepherd of Israel! have gone,
The glad mission in love to restore;
Thou wilt never forsake them or leave them alone,
Thy rich blessings we humbly implore.
Let Thy blessing go with them—O be Thou their Shield
From the shafts of the fowler that fly;
O Thou Savior of sinners! Thine arm be revealed
In Thy mercy and might from on high.

As the bird flies home to its parent nest,
When the hunter seeks his prey,
O child of God, to thy Father haste,
From the tempter’s snare away.

Refrain

Under His wings thy defense shall be,
He with His feathers shall cover thee,
Cover thee, cover thee,
He with His feathers will cover thee.

When the winds are cold, and the days are long,
And thy soul from care would hide,
Fly back, fly back, to thy Father then,
And beneath His wings abide.

Refrain

Oh, the tranquil joy of that dear retreat,
Where the Savior bids thee rest,
With steadfast hope, and a trusting faith,
In His love secure and blest.

Refrain

’Tis the Lord thy God that to thee has said,
He will guide thee with His eye;
In all thy need, like the weary dove,
To Thy only refuge fly.

Refrain

The day is past and over;
All thanks, O Lord, to Thee!
We pray Thee that offenseless
The hours of dark may be.
O Jesus, keep us in Thy sight,
And guard us through the coming night.

The joys of day are over;
We lift our hearts to Thee,
And call on Thee that sinless
The hours of dark may be.
O Jesus, make their darkness light,
And guard us through the coming night.

Lord, that in death I sleep not,
And lest my foe should say,
“I have prevailed against him,”
Lighten mine eyes, I pray:
O Jesus, keep me in Thy sight,
And guard me through the coming night.

The toils of day are over;
We raise our hymn to Thee,
And ask that free from peril
The hours of dark may be.
O Jesus, keep us in Thy sight,
And guard us through the coming night.

Be Thou our souls’ Preserver,
O God, for Thou dost know
How many are the perils
Through which we have to go.
Lord Jesus Christ, O hear our call
And guard and save us from them all.

Lord, when we have not any light,
And mothers are asleep;
Then through the stillness of the night,
Thy little children keep.

When shadows haunt the quiet room,
Help us to understand
That Thou art with us through the gloom,
To hold us by the hand.

And though we do not always see
The holy angels near,
O may we trust ourselves to Thee,
Nor have one foolish fear.

So in the morning may we wake,
When wakes the kindly sun,
More loving for our Father’s sake
To each unloving one.

Now rest beneath night’s shadow
The woodland, field, and meadow,
The world in slumber lies;
But Thou, my heart, awake thee,
To prayer and song betake thee;
Let praise to thy Creator rise.

The radiant sun hath vanished,
His golden rays are banished
By night, the foe of day;
But Christ, the Sun of gladness,
Dispelling all my sadness,
Within my heart holds constant sway.

The rule of day is over
And shining jewels cover
The heaven’s boundless blue.
Thus I shall shine in heaven,
Where crowns of gold are given
To all who faithful prove and true.

To rest my body hasteth,
Aside its garments casteth,
Types of mortality;
These I put off and ponder
How Christ will give me yonder
A robe of glorious majesty.

Lord Jesus, who dost love me,
Oh, spread Thy wings above me
And shield me from alarm!
Though evil would assail me,
Thy mercy will not fail me:
I rest in Thy protecting arm.

My loved ones, rest securely,
For God this night will surely
From peril guard your heads.
Sweet slumbers may He send you
And bid His hosts attend you
And through the night watch o’er your beds.

Now that the daylight dies away,
By all Thy grace and love,
Thee, Maker of the world, we pray
To watch our bed above.

Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,
The offspring of the night,
Keep us, like shrines, beneath Thine eye,
Pure in our foe’s despite.

This grace on Thy redeemed confer,
Father, co-equal Son,
And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
Eternal Three in One.

Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.

Now the darkness gathers,
Stars begin to peep,
Birds, and beasts and flowers
Soon will be asleep.

Jesus, give the weary
Calm and sweet repose;
With Thy tenderest blessing
May mine eyelids close.

Grant to little children
Visions bright of Thee;
Guard the sailors tossing
On the deep, blue sea.

Comfort those who suffer,
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain.

Through the long night watches
May Thine angels spread
Their white wings above me,
Watching round my bed.

When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise
Pure, and fresh, and sinless
In Thy holy eyes.

Glory to the Father,
Glory to the Son,
And to Thee, blest Spirit,
While all ages run.

Softly the silent night falleth from God,
On, weary wanderers, over life’s road;
And as the stars on high light up the dark’ning sky,
Lord, unto Thee we cry—Father above.

Softly on failing wing daylight has passed;
Sleep, like an angel, kind, folds us at last;
Peace be our lot this night, safe be our slumber light,
Watched by Thy angels bright, Father above.

And when the gleam of morn touches our eyes,
And the returning day bids us arise,
Happy beneath Thy will, steadfast in joy or ill,
Lord, may we serve Thee still, Father above.

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

The shadows of the evening hours fall from the darkening sky;
Upon the fragrance of the flowers the dews of evening lie;
Before Thy throne, O Lord of Heav’n, we kneel at close of day;
Look on Thy children from on high, and hear us while we pray.

The sorrows of Thy servants, Lord, O do not now despise,
But let the incense of our prayers before Thy mercy rise.
The brightness of the coming night upon the darkness rolls;
With hopes of future glory, chase the shadows from our souls.

Slowly the rays of daylight fade, so fade within our heart
The hopes in earthly love and joy, that one by one depart.
Slowly the bright stars, one by one, within the heavens shine:
Give us, O Lord, fresh hopes in heaven, and trust in things divine.

Let peace, O Lord, Thy peace, O God, upon our souls descend;
From midnight fears and perils, now our trembling hearts defend.
Give us a respite from our toil; calm and subdue our woes.
Through the long day we labor, Lord, O give us now repose.

To Thee before the close of day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That, with Thy wonted favor, Thou
Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night;
Withhold from us our ghostly foe,
That spot of sin we may not know.

O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son,
Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That Thou with wonted love wouldst keep
Thy watch around us while we sleep.

O let no evil dreams be near,
Nor phantoms of the night appear;
Our ghostly enemy restrain,
Lest aught of sin our bodies stain.

Almighty Father, hear our cry
Through Jesus Christ our Lord most high,
Who with the Holy Ghost and Thee
Doth live and reign eternally.

The day is past and gone,
The evening shades appear;
O may we all remember well
The night of death draws near.

We lay our garments by,
Upon our beds to rest;
So death shall soon disrobe us all
Of what is here possessed.

Lord, keep us safe this night,
Secure from all our fears;
May angels guard us while we sleep,
Till morning light appears.

Holy Father, bless us
As the day we close,
And the night’s refreshing
Grant us in repose.

All the day Thy presence
Made our hearts to burn,
As we heard Thy counsel,
Felt Thy love’s concern.

So tonight we pray Thee
Leave us not alone;
But through light and shadow
Keep us as Thine own.

Grant to us in slumber
To be very near,
In Thy goodness quelling
Needless doubt and fear.

When at length the dawning
Sweeps the night away,
Help us rise triumphant,
Worthy of the day.

In mercy, Lord, remember me,
Through all the hours of night,
And grant to me most graciously
The safeguard of Thy might.

With cheerful heart I close mine eyes,
Since Thou wilt not remove;
O in the morning let me rise
Rejoicing in Thy love.

Or if this night should prove my last,
And end my transient days,
Lord, take me to Thy promised rest,
Where I may sing Thy praise.

Stars of evening, softly gleaming
In the fading west,
With your heavenly light is streaming
Hope to hearts oppressed!
Toil is over, cease from sorrow,
Till tomorrow
Sleep and rest!

Hark! the evening bells are bringing
Hope of glad release,
Welcome strains their chimes are ringing:
“Labor now shall cease;
Thou the day be long and dreary,
To the weary
Cometh peace!”

Heavenly Father! watch beside us
Till the dawn of light,
And whatever may betide us,
Guard us by thy might!
Trusting in thy gracious keeping,
Calmly sleeping
Through the night.

So when death’s dark clouds fall slowly
Over land and sea,
May thy light, serene and holy,
On our pathway be;
Leading us to joy transcending
In unending
Rest with thee!

This night, O Lord, we bless Thee
For Thy protecting care,
And, ere we rest, address Thee
In lowly, fervent prayer:
From evil and temptation
Defend us through the night,
And round our habitation
Be Thou a wall of light.

On Thee our whole reliance
From day to day we cast,
To Thee, with firm affiance,
Would cleave from first to last;
To Thee, through Jesus’ merit,
For needful grace we come,
And trust that Thy good Spirit
Will guide us safely home.

What may be on the morrow
Our foresight cannot see;
But be it joy or sorrow,
We know it comes from Thee.
And nothing cane take from us,
Where’er our steps may move,
The staff of Thy sure promise,
The shield of Thy true love.