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Verse 1

Lord, when in Simon’s house of yore,
Thou with Thy friends didst sit at meat,
Mary the precious spikenard bore,
And poured it at Thy sacred feet.

Verse 2

Like incense sweet, the perfume rare
Rose through the house, and sought the skies;
And Thou didst own with blessings there
A woman’s loving sacrifice.

Verse 3

So unto Thee, O Lord, this day,
A year of labor here we bring;
So at Thy feet the gift we lay;
Accept, O Lord, the offering.

Verse 1

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne,
That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
Whom Thou for evermore dost join in one.

Verse 2

O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance
Of tender charity and steadfast faith,
Of patient hope, and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

Verse 3

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life.

Verse 4

Hear us, O Father, gracious and forgiving,
Through Jesus Christ Thy co-eternal Word,
Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living
Now and to endless ages art adored.

Verse 1

The voice that breathed o’er Eden,
That earliest wedding-day,
The primal marriage blessing,
It hath not passed away.

Verse 2

Still in the pure espousal
Of Christian man and maid
The Holy Three are with us,
The threefold grace is said.

Verse 3

Be present, awful Father,
To give away this bride,
As Eve thou gav’st to Adam
Out of his own pierced side:

Verse 4

Be present, Son of Mary,
To join their loving hands,
As Thou didst bind two natures
In Thine eternal bands:

Verse 5

Be present, Holiest Spirit,
To bless them as they kneel,
As Thou, for Christ the Bridegroom,
The heavenly Spouse dost seal.

Verse 6

O spread Thy pure wing o’er them,
Let no ill power find place,
While onward to Thy presence
Their hallowed path they trace.