O Father, in Whose Great Design

O Father, in Whose great design
Our human love is made divine,
Teach us to give our love to those
By sin beset and all its woes;
On Thee for them to cast our care,
By fasting and by lowly prayer.

Lord Jesu, grant us eyes to see
In our poor brethren Thine and Thee—
To give ourselves where others need;
Where others sin to intercede;
And thus, by fasting and by prayer,
Our brethren’s burden seek to bear.

O Spirit, by Whose grace alone
The many members are made one
O warm our hearts, inspire our will,
That we Thy purpose may fulfill;
And thus, by fasting and by prayer,
Through Thee “the glorious Church” prepare.

O God, all-loving Three in One
Whom we shall see beyond the sun;
Where walk in white the blood-bought throng,
Where soars to Thee the sweet new song,
Grant that we find the brethren there
We sought by fasting and by prayer.

Author: John Ellerton

Year: 1871

This hymn for Lent (often titled "O Father, in whose great design") was written by the prominent Victorian hymn-writer and translator John Ellerton. It first appeared in Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1875 (sometimes dated to his 1871 contributions). No strong alternate attributions exist.