Behold us, Lord, a little space

Behold us, Lord, a little space
from daily tasks set free,
and met within thy holy place
to rest awhile with thee.

Around us rolls the ceaseless tide
of business, toil, and care;
and scarcely can we turn aside
for one brief hour of prayer.

Yet these are not the only walls
wherein thou may'st be sought:
on homeliest work thy blessing falls,
in truth and patience wrought.

Thine is the loom, the forge, the mart,
the wealth of land and sea;
the worlds of science and of art,
revealed and ruled by thee.

Then let us prove our heavenly birth
in all we do and know;
and claim the kingdom of the earth
for thee, and not thy foe.

Work shall be prayer, if all be wrought
as thou wouldst have it done;
and prayer, by thee inspired and taught,
itself with work be one.

Words: John Ellerton (1826-1893), 1870

Music: St. Peter (Alexander Robert Reinagle, 1799-1877)

Meter: CM

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874      
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868       
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869      
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins)      
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874 053 Gretton CMD
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874 498 Seion  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924 475 Byzantium, Elm  
A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879 077    
The Universal Hymn Book, 1885      
The Hymnal Companion, 1890 018 St. Peter  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Darlington)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Parker)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Hutchins)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Helfenstein)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Messiter)      
The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
      
Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904 013 Byzantium  
The English Hymnal, 1906      
The Book of Common Praise, 1908 016 Elm, St. David  
The Hymnal 1916 010 Bedford  
Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917 014 St. Peter  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1919 465 Manchester  
Church Hymnal Revised, 1920
(Hutchins)		 534 Evan  
The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925      
Songs of Praise, 1925 024 Hunnys  
Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931 039 Ferry  
The Book of Common Praise, 1938 015 St. David  
The Hymnal 1940      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950 013 St. Peter  
The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1960 448 Bedford  
Anglican Hymn Book, 1965 590 St. Stephen  
The Hymn Book 1971 059 St. Flavian  
The Australian Hymn Book / With One Voice, 1977      
The Hymnal 1982      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983      
The New English Hymnal, 1985      
Hymns for Today's Church, second edition, 1988      
Church Family Worship, 1988      
Hymns Old & New, New Anglican Edition, 1996      
Common Praise (The Anglican Church of Canada), 1998      
Together in Song: The Australian Hymn Book II, 1999      
Sing Glory, 1999      
Complete Mission Praise, 2000      
Common Praise: Hymns Ancient & Modern, 2000      
Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican Edition, 2000      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 2000      

Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2004