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Quaerite Dominum

Seek the Lord whilst ye may find Him; call on Him when He is nigh; let the evil and the wicked all their thoughts and ways deny: let them turn unto the Lord; of His love He doth afford to the sinful deep compassion; our true God will richly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are My ways yours,” saith the Lord; “they are higher, as the heavens from which snow and showers pour: as dew watereth the earth, giving buds and flowers birth, yielding seed for later sowing, to the hungry bread bestowing: “So My Word, sent down from heaven, shall not to Me return void; what I please, that shall it prosper, going forth in My employ: it shall give you bread and wine; it shall secure you as Mine; each soul’s longings it shall nourish; what I will, it shall accomplish.” Glory be to God the Father, to the condescending Son, to the true lifegiving Spirit, persons Three and essence One! As it was before all time, now laud we our God sublime, glorifying Him forever, world without end, ceasing never.

1 Seek the Lord whilst ye may find Him;
call on Him when He is nigh;
let the evil and the wicked
all their thoughts and ways deny:
let them turn unto the Lord;
of His love He doth afford
to the sinful deep compassion;
our true God will richly pardon.
2 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor
are My ways yours,” saith the Lord;
“they are higher, as the heavens
from which snow and showers pour:
as dew watereth the earth,
giving buds and flowers birth,
yielding seed for later sowing,
to the hungry bread bestowing:
3 “So My Word, sent down from heaven,
shall not to Me return void;
what I please, that shall it prosper,
going forth in My employ:
it shall give you bread and wine;
it shall secure you as Mine;
each soul’s longings it shall nourish;
what I will, it shall accomplish.”
4 Glory be to God the Father,
to the condescending Son,
to the true lifegiving Spirit,
persons Three and essence One!
As it was before all time,
now laud we our God sublime,
glorifying Him forever,
world without end, ceasing never.

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Information
Text Arlie Coles (b. 1996)
Tune Psalm 42
melody Claude Goudimel (1514-1572)

Quaerite Dominum · Is 55:6-11

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, *
  call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, *
  and the unrighteous man his thoughts:

and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; *
  and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, *
  neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, *
  so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, *
  and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud, *
  that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: *
  it shall not return unto me void,

but it shall accomplish that which I please, *
  and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; *
  call upon him when he draws near.

Let the wicked forsake their ways *
  and the evil ones their thoughts;

And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, *
  and to our God, for he will richly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, *
  nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, *
  so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as rain and snow fall from the heavens *
  and return not again, but water the earth,

Bringing forth life and giving growth, *
  seed for sowing and bread for eating,

So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; *
  it will not return to me empty;

But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, *
  and prosper in that for which I sent it.