Hear, O Thou Bounteous Maker, Hear NLPHB 89

I don’t think I have ever run across this Lenten hymn before.

It is a translation of a C6 text attributed to St Gregory the Great. Godsongs goes into its background to confirm the translation is PD, and here deLuca sites the translation as being from the “Primer” of 1706.

In this hymnal it is set to BABYLON’S STREAMS by Thomas Campion.

This is the text as in NLPHB. Archaic English seems to suit to translate ancient Latin but the sight rhymes jar a bit.

I appear to have made up chords for this backing using fake BIAB organ.

1 Hear, O thou bounteous Maker, hear
Our humble vows with gracious ear:
Turn not thy saving face away
Whilst on this solemn fast we pray.

2 Great searcher of our hearts, to thee
We here deplore our misery;
Behold, we to thy mercies fly,
Do thou thy healing grace apply.

3 Great are our sins, O Lord, but thou
Canst pardon more than we can do;
May our defects, like shadows, raise
The beauty and the life of grace.

4 May fasts extinguish in our will
The fuel and desire of ill,
And thus our souls, from fetters free,
May only thirst and follow thee.

5 Grant, O most sacred Trinity,
One undivided Unity,
That abstinence may here improve
Our claim to reign with thee above.