My son, know thou the Lord,
Thy father’s God obey;
Seek His protecting care by night,
His guardian hand by day.

Call, while He may be found;
Seek Him while He is near;
Serve Him with all thy heart and mind,
And worship Him with fear.

If Thou wilt seek his face,
His ear will hear Thy cry;
Then shalt Thou find His mercy sure,
His grace forever nigh.

But if thou leave thy God,
Nor choose the path to heaven,
Then shalt thou perish in thy sins,
And never be forgiven.

Robert Brackenbury (1752–1818)

Tunes: Boylston (“Not all the blood of beasts”), St. Michael (I hear the words of love”), Diademata (“Soldiers of Christ arise”)