Bishop of the souls of men, When the foeman’s step is nigh, When the wolf lays wait by night For the lambs continually, Watch, O Lord, about us keep, Guard us, Shepherd of the sheep. When the hireling flees away, Caring only for his gold, And the gate unguarded stands At the entrance to the fold, Stand, O Lord, Thy flock before Thou the Guardian, Thou the Door. Lord, whose guiding finger ruled In the casting of the lot, That Thy Church might fill the throne Of the lost Iscariot, In our trouble ever thus Stand, good Master, nigh to us. When the saints their order take In the New Jerusalem, And Matthias stands elect, Give us part and lot with him, Where in Thine own dwelling place We may witness face to face. |