920. As the light upon the river

Author: Christopher Idle

As the light upon the river
at the rising of the sun,
shine, O Lord, upon our city;
here on earth, your will be done:
here we meet in glad thanksgiving,
worship, praise and prayer we bring,
grief for sin and joy for mercy –
all for you, O Christ our King.

2. Crucified and risen Saviour,
God incarnate, First and Last,
yours the city of the future,
yours the pilgrims of the past.
Lord, revive your weary people!
Let your voice again be heard;
rid your church of all excuses
for our deafness to your word.

3. From our failure and our blindness,
bound by debts we cannot pay,
God of Jubilee, release us –
O renew us all, we pray!
In a world exhausted, restless,
still oppressing and oppressed,
Lord of Sabbath, bring us freedom,
resurrection, life and rest.

4. Strengthen us to love our neighbours –
welcome strangers at our door,
find the lost and reach the lonely
so that they shall weep no more;
in our homes, our crowded journeys,
work or leisure, calm or noise,
come to satisfy our longings,
Christ the joy of all our joys!

5. As the rain upon the garden
as the water from the spring,
pour on us your Holy Spirit,
gifts to use and songs to sing:
as the light upon the river
at the rising of the sun,
shine, O Lord, upon our city –
as in heaven, your will be done.