There were fishermen once by the blue Galilee,
Whose lives were as toilsome and hard as our own,
They launched in the morning their boats in the sea,
Their nets in the soft heaving waters were thrown.
A plentiful blessing rewarded their toil,
Though all the night long they had laboured in vain,
Their vessels were filled with the glittering spoil,
And slowly, deep-laden, they moved o’er the main.
’Twas the presence of Christ that a miracle wrought,
The richly filled net was cast forth at His word,
And the draught far surpassing their hopes or their thought,
Was the least of the blessings bestowed by the Lord.
Be with us, O Lord! when we launch forth alone,
Be with us when toiling our bread to obtain,
Though Thy presence no more be by miracles known,
Who labour in faith, will not labour in vain.
But we ask Thee for blessings more precious by far
Than the depths of the earth or the ocean can yield,
Make us feel, like Thy Peter, what sinners we are,
Make us know that, though sinners, our pardon is sealed.
Make us willing to quit all that keep us from Thee,
Like the chosen disciples in ages long past,
Like them, throughout life, Thy true followers be,
And anchor in Heaven’s safe haven at last!