CHRISTIAN LIFE >> MEDITATION AND PRAYER
SDAH 481
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.
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Hymn Spotlight: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
This setting uses the same reflective text by John Greenleaf Whittier found in SDAH 480, but is paired with the four-part harmony tune REST (also known as WHITTIER or ELTON), composed in 1887 by Frederick Charles Maker. REST’s gentle, flowing melody provides a warm and tender backdrop for Whittier’s call to leave behind restless striving and find peace in God’s still presence. Whether sung to REPTON or REST, the hymn continues to invite believers to quiet their hearts and listen for the “still small voice” that speaks to the soul.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
For the words see SDAH 480.
The four-part harmony tune REST (or WHITTIER or ELTON) was composed for these words in 1887 by Frederick Charles Maker (1844-1927; see SDAH 303).
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.
2
In simple trust like theirs who heard,
beside the Syrian sea,
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word,
rise up and follow thee.
3
O sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!
4
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.
5
Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
See 480
Author
John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)
Text Source
1872
Performance Suggestions
Unison
Hymn Tune
REST
Metrical Number
8.6.8.8.6.
Composer
F.C. Maker (1844-1927)
Year Composed
1887
Alternate Tune / Rhythm / Harmony
Alternate tune and additional stanzas, REPTON, SDAH 480
