Father of mercies, bow thine ear

Father of mercies, bow thine ear. Benjamin Beddome* (1717-1795).  From John Rippon*’s Selection of Hymns* (1787), where it was entitled ‘Prayer for Ministers’. It had six stanzas:  Father of mercies, bow thine Ear, Attentive to our earnest Prayer; We plead for those who plead for thee, Successful Pleaders may they be.  How great their Work, how vast their Charge! Do thou their anxious Souls enlarge; Their best Acquirements are our Gain,We share the Blessings they obtain.  Clothe then with Energy divineTheir Words, and let those Words be thineTo them thy sacred Truth revealSuppress their Fear, inflame their Zeal.  Teach them to sow the precious Seed, Teach them thy chosen Flock to feed:...