Book II · Hymn 44 · On Opening a Place for Social Prayer

William Cowper

On opening a place for social prayer.
Jesus, where'er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where'er they seek thee thou art found,
And every place is hallowed ground.
For thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee, where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.
Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving name.
Here may we prove the pow'r of prayer,
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise
And bring all heav'n before our eyes.
Behold at thy commanding word,

We stretch the curtain and the cord;
Isa 54:2

Come thou, and fill this wider space,
And bless us with a large increase.
LORD, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
Oh rend the heav'ns, come quickly down,

And make a thousand hearts thine own!