Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation
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m: Geoffrey Turton Shaw, 1921
w: Laurence Housman, 1919
Tune: Langham
Meter: 11.11.11.10.10.

[Verse 1]
Father eternal, Ruler of creation,
Spirit of life, which moved ere form was made,
through the thick darkness covering every nation,
light to our blindness, O be thou our aid:

[Refrain]
Thy kingdom come, O Lord, thy will be done.

[Verse 2]
Races and peoples, lo, we stand divided,
and, sharing not our griefs, no joy can share;
by wars and tumults Love is mocked, derided;
his conquering cross no nation wills to bear:

[Refrain]

[Verse 3]
Envious of heart, blind-eyed, with tongues confounded,
nation by nation still goes unforgiven,
in wrath and fear, by jealousies surrounded,
building proud towers which shall not reach to heaven:

[Refrain]

[Verse 4]
Lust of possession worketh desolations;
there is no meekness in the powers of earth;
led by no star, the rulers of the nations
still fail to bring us to the blissful birth:

[Refrain]

[Verse 5]
How shall we love thee, holy hidden Being,
if we love not the world which thou hast made?
O give us brother-love for better seeing
thy Word made flesh and in a manger laid:

[Refrain]