The Universal Prayer (Alexander Pope)

Father of all In every age,
In every clime adored,
By saint, by savage, and by sage.
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!


Thou Great First Cause, least understood
Who all my sense confined
To know but this- that Thou art good,
And that myself am blind;


Yet gave me, in the dark estate,
To see the good from ill,
And binding nature fast in fate,
left free the human will.


What conscience dictates to be done
Or warns me not to do-
This teaches me more than hell to shun,
That, more than heaven, pursue



What blessings Thy free bounty gives
Let me not cast away
For God is paid when man receives
To enjoy is to obey.


Yet not Earth's constracted span
Thy goodness let me bound
or think Thee Lord alone of man,
When thousand worlds are round.


Let not this weak, unknowing hand
Presume Thy bolt to throw
And deal domination round the land
on each I judge Thy foe.


If I am right, Thy grace impart,
still in the right to stay;
If I am wrong, O teach my heart
To find that better ways.


Save alike from foolish pride
Or impious discontent
All ought Thy wisdom has denied
Or ought Thy goodness lent.


Teach me to feel, another's woe,
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show;
That mercy show to me.


Mean though I am now, wholly so,
Since quickened by Thy breath,
Oh, lead me wheresoever I go,
Though this days life of death.


This day be bread and peace my lot
All else beneath the sun,
Though knows't if best bestowed or not
And let Thy will be done.


To Thee whose temple is all space,
Whose altar earth, sea, skies;
One chorus let all being raise,
All nature incense rise!