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The sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cleanse and defend Thy Church, O Lord, according to Thy gracious word; continually Thy gold refine, and seal each righteous offering Thine, unblemished, holy, perfect, pure, in endless glory to endure. Yet vainly has the ploughman tilled, and vainly must the workman build; vainly his ward the watchman keep; vainly the shepherd tend the sheep, unless Thou feed, guard, keep, and bless, O Lord, our strength and righteousness. Withhold not Thou Thy mercy, Lord: Thy lovingkindness still afford; And though we nothing can deserve, of Thy great goodness still preserve; and of Thy mercy’s boundless store, keep Thy whole Church for evermore.

1 Cleanse and defend Thy Church, O Lord,
according to Thy gracious word;
continually Thy gold refine,
and seal each righteous offering Thine,
unblemished, holy, perfect, pure,
in endless glory to endure.
2 Yet vainly has the ploughman tilled,
and vainly must the workman build;
vainly his ward the watchman keep;
vainly the shepherd tend the sheep,
unless Thou feed, guard, keep, and bless,
O Lord, our strength and righteousness.
3 Withhold not Thou Thy mercy, Lord:
Thy lovingkindness still afford;
And though we nothing can deserve,
of Thy great goodness still preserve;
and of Thy mercy’s boundless store,
keep Thy whole Church for evermore.

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Text attr. Eliza Humphreys
Tune David's Harp
Robert King (1676-1748)

The sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.

O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.