Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire

Author: James Montgomery
Composer: Varies by tune (see below)

Languages (54)

This song text has been indexed at SingPraises.net in the following languages:


Statistics

Most common tunes for “Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire”

This chart shows the tunes that are paired with this text most frequently, in hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If the text appears with the same tune in multiple editions or translations of the same hymnbook, it is only counted once.


Appearances of “Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire” over time

This timeline shows which tunes have been used with this text over time, in hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Representative lyrics

English (Original Language)

1. Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.

2. Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye When none but God is near.

3. Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try; Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high.

4. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, The Christian’s native air, His watchword at the gates of death; He enters heav’n with prayer.

5. Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice, Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

6. The Saints in prayer appear as one In word and deed and mind, While with the Father and the Son Their fellowship they find.

7. Nor prayer is made on earth alone: The Holy Spirit pleads, And Jesus at the Father’s throne For sinners intercedes.

8. 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.

Compare

Compare different versions of the lyrics side-by-side: English