MUSIC. FFIGYSBREN, known in Wales as “Clod” (Praise), is a tune of simple construction, but when sung rather slowly it is remarkably powerful and effective. It appeared in America in The Harvard University Hymn Book, edited by Archibald T. Davidson in 1926. It is one of an increasing number of Welsh tunes which are becoming available to enrich our hymnody with the element of unique beauty and fervor that is so characteristic of the singing of the Welsh people.
184. Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire
James Montgomery, 1771-1854
A classic poem on prayer, written in 1818 at the request of the Rev. E. Bickersteth for his Treatise on Prayer. In 1825 it was published in The Christian Psalmist, headed, “What is Prayer?” The original has eight stanzas of which our hymn is a selection of 1, 2, 4, 5. Prayer is more, to be sure, than “the soul’s sincere desire,” for we sincerely desire many things that are in conflict with God’s will. But taken as a whole, the poem is an elaborate description of the nature of prayer and teaches its principles and practice with truth and power. The last stanza, unfortunately omitted in the Hymnary, is itself a beautiful, direct petition:
O Thou by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod,—
Lord, teach us how to pray.
For comments on James Montgomery see [Hymn 62].
MUSIC. ST. AGNES. For comments on this tune see [Hymn 155]. In some books the hymn is set to the tune “Es Ist Ein Born” ([241]).