O God, listen to my prayer
Let my earnest petition come to you,
for I know
that you are hearing me
As surely as though I saw you with mine
eyes.
I am placing a lock upon my heart,
I am placing a lock upon my
thoughts,
I am placing a lock upon my lips
And double-knitting
them.
Aught that is amiss for my soul
In the pulsing of my
death,
May you, O God, sweep it from me
And may you shield me in the blood
of your love.
Let no thought come to my heart,
Let no sound come to my
ear,
Let no temptation come to my eye,
Let no fragrance come to my
nose,
Let no fancy come to my mind,
Let no ruffle come to my
spirit,
That is hurtful to my poor body this night,
Nor ill for my soul at
the hour of my death;
But may you yourself, O God of life,
Be at my
breast, be at my back,
You to me as a star, you to me as a guide,
From my
life's beginning to my life's closing.