Love this text too Tim - though I wish I had recorded it a bit slower than we did on the IG recording. I also love this poem by Montgomery that covers some of the same topics so I thought I would share it with you. Grace and peace, Kevin Twt

OUR SAVIOUR’S PRAYERSby James Montgomery (19th century Moravian poet and hymnwriter)

PREAMBLE.

High Priest for sinners, Jesus, Lord!Whom as a man of griefs I see,Thy prayers on earth while I recordIf still in heaven thou pray’st for me,My soul for thy soul’s travail claim,I seek salvation in thy name.

PART I.

Baptized as for the dead he rose,With prayer, from Jordan’s hallow’d flood;Ere long, by persecuting foes,To be baptized in his own blood:The Father’s voice proclaim’d the Son,The Spirit witness’d ;—these are one.

Early he rose ere dawn of day,And to a desert place withdrew,There was He wont to watch and pray,Until his locks were wet with dew,And birds below, and beams above,Had warned him thence to works of love.

At evening when his toils were o’er,He sent the multitudes away,And on the mountain or the shore,All night remained alone to pray,Till o’er his head the stars grew dim:—When was the hour of rest for him?

In field or city when he taught,Oft went his spirit forth in sighs;And when his mightiest deeds were wrought,To heaven he lifted up his eyes;He pray’d at Lazarus’ grave, and shedTears, with the word that waked the dead.

When mothers brought their babes, he tookTheir lambs into his arms and pray’d;On Tabor, his transfigured look, While praying, turn’d the sun to shade,And forms, too pure for human sight,Grew visible amidst his light.

“0 Father! save me from this hour,Yet for this hour to earth I cameHe pray’d in weakness then with powerCried, “Father! glorify Thy name”I have,” a voice from heaven replied, “And still it shall be glorified.”

PART II.

For Peter, bold in speech and braveIn act, yet in temptation frail, (As once He proved him on the wave,) He pray’d lest his weak faith should failAnd when by Satan’s snare enthrall’d,His eye the wanderer recall’d.

Amidst his mournful family,Who soon must see His face no more,With what divine discourse did heStrength to their fainting souls restore!Then pray’d for all his people: —whereHave words recorded such a prayer !

Next, with strong cries and bitter tearsThrice hallow,d he that doleful groundWhere, trembling with mysterious fears,His sweat like blood-drops fell around,And being in an agony,He prayed yet more earnestly.

Here oft in spirit let me kneel,Share in the speechless griefs I see,And while He felt what I should feel,Feel all his power of love to me,Break my hard heart, and grace supplyFor him who died for me to die.

Stretch’d on the ignominious treeFor those, whose hands had nail’d him there,Who stood and mocked his misery,He offered up his latest prayer;Then with the voice of victory cried,”Tis finish’d,” bow’d his head, and died.

Then all his payers were answer’d ;—allThe fruits of his soul’s travail gain’dThe cup of wormwood and of gallDown to the dregs his lips had drain’d;Accomplish’d was the eternal plan,He tasted death for every man.

Now by the throne of God He stands,Aloft the golden censer bears,And offers, with high priestly hands,Pure incense with his people’s prayers:Well pleased the Father eyes the Son,And says to each request, “Tis done.”