All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night (ELW 565)
1 All praise to thee, my God, this night
for all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings,
beneath thine own almighty wings.
2 Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
the ill that I this day have done;
that with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
3 Teach me to live, that I may dread
the grave as little as my bed.
Teach me to die, that so I may
rise glorious at the awesome day.
4 Oh, may my soul in thee repose,
and may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
sleep that shall me more vig’rous make
to serve my God when I awake!
5 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God above, ye heav’nly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Devotion
This evening hymn reminds us of all that God does for us each day of our lives. When I was in seminary, we would sing this hymn at evening vespers as a fitting close to the day. I think of this hymn often as I contemplate each day and what it has held. At the end of the day, it is important to have a way to put away the angst of the day in order to peacefully rest. There is hope in this song, a reminder that the next day will provide new challenges to serve and love God. May each of you, dear readers, find these words helpful and meaningful at the end of your day, giving praise to God for another day serving and loving God.
Prayer
Gracious God, may your peace fill my life and give me courage to meet the day ahead, filled with your grace and hope. Amen.