Text: William Walford, 1845
Tune: Comforter
Genre: Hymn
Language: English
Scripture Reference: Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Liturgical Uses/Seasons: Prayer, Revival
Themes: Devotion, Prayer, Reflection
Hymnal Reference: #327 Baptist Hymnal (1956 Edition)

The hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer” was written by William Walford, an English preacher, in the mid-19th century. The text was first published in 1845 in the New York Observer after being transcribed by Thomas Salmon, an American minister who encountered the blind Walford in England. The hymn expresses the deep spiritual peace and connection experienced during times of prayer, portraying prayer as a refuge from life’s troubles and a source of comfort and strength. In Nigerian church worship services, the hymn is frequently sung during services focusing on prayer, reflection, and devotion. It is also used in prayer meetings, times of personal consecration, and services that emphasize communion with God and the comfort of casting one’s burden upon Him. Its simple yet profound message encourages worshippers to approach prayer as a cherished transformative experience.   

Lyrics

1. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!

With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sources:
Hymnary.org
Baptist Hymnal (1956 Edition)
John Julian. Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II. 1907.
Kenneth W. Osbeck. 101 Hymn Stories: The Inspiring True Stories Behind 101 Favourite Hymns. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1982.

Contributed by Eguono Chamberlain Oyibo.